Alpha Unleashed by Aileen Erin Read Free Book Online Page A

the second. Then more. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. More.
    I opened my eyes. “They’re all leaving.” I tried to swallow down the panic, but it wasn’t working. They couldn’t leave.
    â€œNo, not all of them,” Mr. Dawson said.
    â€œBut we need as many people as we can to fight Luciana.”
    â€œNo.” Donovan’s tone was clear and firm, leaving no room for question. “Better to have fewer people fighting honestly than more fighting half-heartedly. Or worse, working against us. Best be done with it now.”
    Dastien took the zip ties off Joseph and the others one by one. I wasn’t sure letting Imogene go was smart, but I wasn’t about to argue with Mr. Dawson. But Shannon…
    Meredith came to stand beside me. “You were right.”
    I leaned against her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I know you were close.”
    â€œIf she’s leaving the pack, then we weren’t really all that close.”
    By the end of it, almost forty people left.
    Some Cazadores. Some students. It didn’t take more than a few minutes, but it felt much longer.
    When the last of them were gone, Mr. Dawson raised his hands in the air. “The pack is now solid and closed. You will abide by my law or face the consequences. I am the alpha.” The command in his words knocked me back.
    Donovan raised his hands in the air. “By the power of the Seven, the ranks of the Cazadores are now sealed. Any who left are to be treated as dead.” His command was stronger, and I nearly fell to the pavement as it slammed in to me.
    I focused in on the pack bonds. The lines that linked us were thicker and clearer than they’d been before. “Are you going to follow them? The ones who aren’t going back to their home packs?” I asked Donovan.
    â€œYes and no,” Donovan said. “They’ll have to join another pack or stay lone wolves, but they’re subject to Were laws regardless. If they’re joining up with Ferdinand—”
    â€œWe’ll have a mess on our hands.”
    â€œAye. But it should keep for a while. I’ll send someone I trust to keep an eye on them. I’m not liking the fact that Rupert’s daughter is in this bunch.”
    â€œAgreed,” Mr. Dawson said. “Who will you send?”
    â€œMal.”
    Who’s Mal? I asked Dastien.
    One of the best wolves I’ve ever known.
    Coming from Dastien, that was high praise.
    â€œGood choice.”
    â€œAye. He’s been working on a problem for me in the area. Just going to have to expand his job a bit now. Pack is feeling better from my end. On yours?” He asked Mr. Dawson.
    â€œMuch better, but I wasn’t feeling much before.”
    â€œAnd you?” Donovan asked me.
    â€œMe?”
    â€œAye. What are you feeling?”
    â€œIt’s good. As soon as you closed the pack, it was like everything solidified. It felt calm again.”
    â€œGood. We’ve had enough of that then. When this bit with Luciana is over with, I’ll meet up with Mal. See what’s what. Until then…” He turned back toward campus. A group of students and Cazadores were watching the flood of Weres leaving campus. “Show’s over. Everyone who’s not patrolling get to bed.”
    Mr. Dawson and Donovan headed for the admin building, hauling a very unhappy looking Joseph between them.
    I shook my head at the sight. I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes. Not in a million years.
    Finally, everyone dispersed, with Adrian giving orders on getting their road trip to Peru underway. Dastien and I started walking toward his cabin, but he was even more quiet than usual. “Are you okay?”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œWhy don’t I believe you?”
    He tucked a strand of curls behind his ear. “Some of the Cazadores that left—they were my friends. I trusted them. Fought with them. But they left? When we’re in the middle of a war with the