Finding Ryder

Chapter 1

Jessica POV

Shit, I am late. As soon as I came through the front doors of the pack house I saw the party had already started. Conner will be pissed. Well more pissed than he already was. I felt him for days poking at me through our twin bond. Oops, sorry little brother. This hunt was mine.

Maybe I was being selfish, taking off on my own in the middle of the night after slipping just the right dose of a sleeping aid in his favorite cherry pie. I wanted to kill this beast myself. He had taken 4 of my pack members over the last month. No way was I going to risk the lives of other warriors in this hunt. Too many were already lost last year when we fought Aliah's father's pack to save her from his brutality.

No, it was my job as the Alpha to keep the pack safe. Adjusting the bulking dead weight of the bear on my shoulders. I make my way into the great hall.

The bear was a terrible opponent. But in the end met his end at the sharp edge of my teeth. There was a moment there, he almost had me. The slash across my ribs has closed, but the muscles are still tender. Hauling his great size for the last 6 hours hasn't helped, but I will heal.

Making a b line for my brother, ignoring his guests, Oops again, I roll the bear off my shoulders and use the momentum to toss the carcass toward Conner.

As the dead grizzly rolls to Conner's feet, I watch him carefully. It would be eerie if I wasn't used to having my own eyes stare back at me. Pupils dilated, irises shining steel gray, framed with strong eyebrows.

"Surprise Motherfucker" - I taunt my twin through our bond.

Shock fades quickly from his face. The eleven permanently etched between his brows at my antics is familiar, and my smile is all teeth. I may look like a mess, but it is worth it. The fucking bear bleed all over me, even after I gutted and blooded him. But I ate well, still tasting the sharp aftertaste of sage on my tongue. I probably smell like it too.

"Brother, I brought you a gift to serve your guests".

"Are you fucking kidding me J?", Conner bellows. His big arms swallow me whole. He smells of the forest evergreens and woodsmoke. I take a big breath in, feeling a different kind of full. Chest expanding with familial warmth. He is safe. They are all safe.

"You took his guts first didn't you, you savage female." he gives me all his teeth, my own eyes shining back at me, just shades darker. Back at my brother's side, his hands on my face, love pouring into my heart, I finally start to relax. I am home, pack is safe.

"You know me too well. He earned it. I gave him a good death." I am sorry. I regret leaving you behind - I whisper through our twin bond.

Hindsight is always 20-20 big sister - his thoughts echo back.

I won't do it again. - a promise I intend to keep.

You will. I will forgive you still. Again, and again.

I can't help but laugh out loud at that. And roll my eyes. He does know me well.

"You are a selfish female Jessica West. To keep us from this hunt. I won't forgive you for this one." My brother's bata is already inspecting the kill. Pride fills my chest once more.

"You are about to be a daddy Brute, didn't want you to get hurt." I put as much innocence into my tone I can. Brute will hold a grudge. Lucky for me I sniffed out a wolverine on my way back. Saving that bountiful kill for him to bring back to his female should get me back into his good graces.

Aliah is on me in moments. Fussing and cleaning my bloody, filthy face. Failing miserably in the process, of course. Brute is like a brother to Conner and I. He has been at our sides since we were pups. A true male of worth. His own path has been riddled with trials that broke strong wolves.