Totally straight-faced, Ally replied, “Sorry, I don’t take orders unless I’m naked.”

Derren was not going to entertain the thoughts and images that her comment sent raging through his mind.

“Get over here now!” shouted Rachelle. But Ally just blinked at her. Rachelle’s voice dropped a level as she growled, “You need to seriously rethink defying me.”

“And guys need to stop shoving their hands down their pants to play with their balls in public.” Ally shook her head. “Some things will never change.”

If Derren hadn’t been so preoccupied keeping Zeke back, he might have been able to stop Rachelle before she got anywhere near Ally. As it was, he barely reached her in time . . . but by then, Ally was slamming Rachelle facedown over the bonnet of the car next to the SUV, her hand gripping Rachelle’s nape, dominant vibes radiating from her . . . which had his wolf falling head over heels in lust.

“This, here, is why you never challenged me, Rachelle. You knew you couldn’t take me. You knew I’d humiliate you in front of the entire pack and put your suitability as Beta under question. Embarrassment-wise, this has to rank high.”

“Ally . . .” It was a plea from Zeke to release his mate.

After a long moment, Ally pushed away from her. “She’s all yours, Zeke. I can only pity you.”

Dismissing the Beta pair, Derren opened the rear door of the SUV while Eli jumped into the front passenger seat. “Get in, Ally.” Once she was inside the vehicle, his wolf settled a little. Without another look at the pathetic excuses for shifters, Derren hopped into the driver’s seat and drove off.

Ignoring the sound of Zeke calling her name once more, Ally settled into the backseat while the Mercury males sat up front. As the SUV crossed the border of Collingwood Pack territory, some of the tension left her. She was now away from Rachelle, from the wolves that had betrayed her, and from the danger that the false accusations presented. And it was hopefully the last Ally would ever see of Zeke, Rachelle, and Matt.

Switching on her iPod and inserting her earbuds, she smiled inwardly at how satisfying it had been to watch their reactions as they realized that, hey, they couldn’t keep her trapped there; she wasn’t all alone in the world, despite Rachelle’s best efforts; and there was someone out there who would look out for her. If Matt told the Beta couple about Ally’s mysterious protector, they might even become as nervous as their Alpha. How grand.

But as much as Ally found the idea of their anxiety rather amusing, she very much doubted she’d find Cain’s reaction fun. Although she was pissed with the Collingwood wolves, she didn’t want them all badly hurt. She could never predict what Cain would do, only that it would be bad. He hadn’t always been so angry and detached, hadn’t always been so violent. But the longer he’d stayed in juvie, the more he’d lost of himself—she’d seen it each time she’d visited him there.

Cain’s reaction wasn’t the only thing she worried about. Despite Eli accompanying Derren to collect her, it was clear that he was just as distrustful of her as Derren. As such, it was likely that the rest of his pack felt the same. There was a lot of prejudice against Seers, thanks to the misdeeds of some.

In any case, no pack would welcome the eyes and ears of an outsider—particularly if said outsider “saw” more than others.

Yeah, her time with the Mercury wolves wasn’t going to be easy or peaceful. Particularly since her wolf was most fascinated by Derren, despite his dislike of her. The animal was drawn to his strength, his scent, and how sure and confident he was. Not that, in spite of how uncomfortable Ally was around Derren, she blamed her wolf for that. No, Derren wouldn’t be an easy guy for any woman to resist.

As it was, Ally wouldn’t have to worry about resisting him, since he resented her very presence. And that was an extremely good thing, because Ally had never been good at resisting temptation. And the very last thing she wanted right now was to get involved with another wolf after her disastrous experience with Zeke.

It was beginning to darken when they finally crossed the border of Mercury Pack territory. Still, her night vision allowed her to see her surroundings clearly. Leaves littered the dirt path that lay amid a forest of regal, towering trees—many of which displayed typical territorial animal markings.

There was an impressive hunting lodge in the near distance; while the base of the lodge was constructed of large stone, the upper levels had timber frames. The place was illuminated by fairy lights that decorated the trees surrounding it, making it seem cozy and almost magical.

Derren pulled to a stop in the center of a row of all-terrain vehicles, a Winnebago, and a Mercedes. Well, someone had varied tastes. Returning her iPod and earbuds to her pocket, Ally was out of the SUV before Derren could open her door, which seemed to aggravate him for some reason. Her wolf was enjoying the scents of sun-warmed earth, moss, and pine; basking in the peaceful yet untamed atmosphere.

Carrying her suitcase, Derren tipped his chin toward Eli, indicating for her to follow him into the lodge. Inside the living area, three wolves waited on the luxurious sofas, while an adorable pup was playing with some toys on an oval rug. There was a real rustic tone to the homey, spacious lodge, which was complemented by the stone fireplace.

Two of the wolves got to their feet. Mates, Ally sensed.

The ethereally beautiful redhead was, to Ally’s total surprise, smiling in welcome. The imposing blond male at her side, however, was making his suspiciousness of Ally perfectly open in his piercing eyes—it was a look she’d seen many times before. Yep, prejudice against Seers existed in this pack all right. Great.