Alpha Beast (The Alpha Shifter Collection)

“Liam is not lying to you. Work takes priority. He’s not at the burn site. They put that fire out a long time ago. No one is there at the moment.”

“If he’s not there, then where is he?”

“Taking care of business.”

Jenny had heard that term so many times. “He’s killing someone.”

“Not killing but … torturing.”

Tears filled Jenny’s eyes. “That’s the curse part, right? Something bad happens to his business or family, and he kills the wrong person, who wants revenge?”

“Jenny, he’s doing what he thinks is right.”

“If I can stop him killing the wrong people, then that is what I’m going to do. I’m not going to sit here twiddling my thumbs, waiting for something bad to happen.” She was driving herself crazy. They were not having a honeymoon and she accepted that because she thought she would at least get to see her husband. Instead, she’d been alone, lost in her thoughts and talking to spirits.

After sliding her jacket on, she opened the door and came to a stop when she saw not one, but three guards at her door.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“We’re to make sure you’re safe at all times, Mrs. Wolf.”

She stared at them, hard. “I want to go out.”

“You’re not allowed to leave,” the one nearest the door said.

Jenny looked at them all. None of them would keep eye contact with her. They were all afraid of her. She smiled. “You know if you touch me, then boils start to appear all over your skin. It’s not a pretty picture.” She stepped toward one of the men and watched as he instantly recoiled. “I can set your brains on fire with a mere look. I call upon your families and curse you.” These were just a few of the rumors that often circled about her at functions or even at school.

Kids could be so cruel.

“Mrs. Wolf, we can’t let you leave.”

“Then keep me if you’re willing to touch me. Some say that touching my cursed flesh will scar you for life. That you’ll only know fear and pain.” As she talked, she moved toward the elevator. The men were afraid of her.

She’d tried this once on her father’s men, but it hadn’t worked. Those men had been living with her and knew deep down, she was just like them. There was nothing special about her, other than her ability to see dead people.

The doors pinged closed and she knew they were going to be calling Liam to come and get her.

She took a deep breath.

Something twisted in the pit of her stomach.

“What are you doing, honey?” Grandmother asked.

“I’m going to see the fire.”

“Nothing good will come of the fire.”

The doors pinged over. “I’ve got to go and see. You know I have. Either come with me, or disappear.” She smiled at a couple who passed. They looked at her strangely, but who wouldn’t? She was talking to no one.

Climbing into Liam’s car, she took another deep breath. She hated to drive. More often than not, she got one of her brothers to drive, or at least one of the soldiers. After sliding the car into gear, she pulled out of the parking lot and made her way toward the location where the fire had taken place.

There were minimal cars on the road, for which she was thankful. Her awful driving would have undoubtedly caused a few problems if there had been more people on the roads. She pulled up into a space opposite the main fire. There was a metal fence around the building.

As she stepped out of her car, the scent of smoke was still heavy in the air.

A shiver rushed its way up her spine as she looked toward the building. To most, it looked like an abandoned warehouse, but she knew differently. With Liam gone, this was important to him. This was a job gone bad.

Crossing the road, she found the entrance into the building and slid between, gritting her teeth as her hips got stuck. She managed to get through without remaining stuck, which would have been even more mortifying. She could just imagine the papers and gossip about her now. The weirdo stuck trying to get into the burned building.

Once she stepped through the gates, she felt an instant hit of pain.

“You’re pretty.”

She turned to see a little girl who couldn’t have been any older than six.

“Hi,” she said.

“You can see me? I’ve been trying to talk to a lot of people all day.”

“I can see you, sweetie. I like your dress.” There were dark smudges on her cheeks. Seeing dead children was the worst. If this little girl was stuck here, then it meant she’d died in the fire, or at this location at some point. From the look of the dress, she wasn’t an old death. Quite modern, if a little worn.