Twisted (Savage Alpha Shifters 2)

It’s other packs that get more caught up on first alpha, second alpha, etcetera. In their worlds, one alpha rules. It doesn’t work that way in Arcana Falls. Riley, me, Grey, Jase, Linc, and Joel are like brothers, best friends, and our collective goal is to take care of our pack.

There’s no power struggle with us, never has been. And we use our strengths for the good of the pack as well as the good of one another. That’s what our team is – pitching in wherever, and naturally we gravitate toward our strengths. Rye works more closely with the people, and I work more in the background on planning. Linc works with our environment. Joel makes everyone money while we all work together to protect our secrets. Jase is the glue – puts everyone else first and has charisma that puts others at ease. Greyson’s smart, persuasive, though he says the same about me. The way we work suits us all. We’re protective over our people, our environment, and one another.

Will the dynamic of the Arcana Falls pack alpha council shift when Tyson finally joins us? We’ll see what happens. But I’m not worried. In fact, I’m the opposite of that as I journey home. Because this is the way it was supposed to be. If things change, it’s because they’re supposed to change. Tyson is alive and in our village’s vicinity for a reason, and I wholeheartedly believe he’ll join us.

Though I woke feeling like something was wrong, it now feels like everything is about to be right.

The pack being complete will mean the rest of us could be able to identify our mates. Some of the guys are more anxious than the others. For me, I’m not an unhappy person, but I’ve felt for the six years since we found out he’s still alive like I’ll be happier when he’s in the fold. And I hope it’ll mean good things for Riley – all of us have that hope.

Not only is Tyson our missing alpha, but he’s also blood relatives with Riley as Rye’s parents are both siblings of Tyson’s parents. His return will mean everything to the Savage family after the way they were torn to shreds, believing Tiberius wasn’t just lost, but his bloodline, as well.

The old tales are sordid and heart-wrenching.

Catrina and Lucy mated with Tiberius and Atticus. Tiberius was our first Council Alpha, Atticus a strong beta that could’ve been alpha in any other pack. They had an omega brother, Cornelius whose wolf was disabled, and Cornelius swore Catrina imprinted on him as his mate – which showed how disabled his mind was because an omega male doesn’t identify lifelong mates the way alphas do.

When Tiberius identified Cat as his, Cornelius lost his mind and plotted until he found the opportunity to murder Tiberius. Then Cornelius took his brother’s infant son – one who’d already shifted as an infant, exhibiting strong super-alpha traits, and Cornelius disappeared with him. Tyson was presumed dead, his scent vanishing. Cornelius returned undetected a few times, only to terrorize Catrina. The pack has wanted his blood for years.

I vividly remember the day we caught Tyson’s scent. The revelation that he wasn’t dead rocked our pack in a big way. It took time for everyone to go back to regular life. This was during our first council of six meeting, several months after Riley lost his mate and not only did it perk him up, I’d go as far as to say it saved him.

And it’s been six years of factoring Tyson Savage’s return into all potential plans. We had to resist the urge to track him, approach, coax him home. The six of us felt his ambivalence the day he marked around the village and believed it’d be a mistake. I’ve never felt such hatred from a pack member. Never felt such crackling danger coming from someone else. It took a vote, a pack-wide vote when we wanted to be a hundred percent sure and it was decided after a speech by his mother to leave him be, wait for him to approach again.

Since then, we’ve hoped this day would come.

Grey’s sister Bailey has been compiling everything she can get her hands on. Records, archives, all he’ll need so he can catch up on all he missed for the past nearly thirty-three years. From not growing up in our pack, not sitting around learning the stories from the elders.

Tyson’s mother Catrina Savage predicted he’d come home when he found his mate. He’d find a woman and he’d crave his pack or else she’d crave it and coax him home. We all believe Cornelius corrupted him against us and every adult pack member wants Cornelius Savage dead for what he did to our pack.

I push the speed limit to get home as quick as I can – stoked. I’m looking forward to meeting the eyes of our missing brother again. There’s a feeling I’m expecting – that things are about to click into place. And what it’ll mean to the rest of the guys who feel ready to start families… Greyson has made no secret of the fact he’s more than anxious for that. Same with Linc.