“Call Rhett and tell him his bride is here!” Howell yelled back at the guards on the patio.

Brynley gritted her teeth. “I am not marrying him.”

“You will.” Howell glared at her. “The Supreme Pack Master commands it.”

“Bullshit,” Phil said calmly.

Howell glanced at him. “Do I know you?”

“Cut the crap. I’m here to talk to our father.”

Howell snorted. “The prodigal son returns. Don’t think you can weasel your way back into the inheritance. It’s mine now.”

“Congratulations, Howie. Does that mean you’ve gone Alpha?” Phil flicked some dust off his shoulder, and his hand flashed into a wolf’s paw, then back to human.

Murmurs of amazement rushed over the crowd standing on the patio. Phil had performed a difficult partial shift with incredible ease. Only an extremely powerful Alpha could manage such a feat.

Howell stepped back, his eyes wide.

“I will speak to my daughter,” Caddoc Jones announced. “She may bring her escort.” He turned on his heel and walked back into the house.

Phil gave Brynley an amused look. “That got his attention.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, “but you still don’t have a name.”

Howell jutted his chin forward, his mouth thin with anger. “This way.” He strode back to the patio with the guards.

“Thanks,” Phil said dryly. “I’d forgotten where the back door is.”

“Behave,” Brynley warned him as they walked. “We’re going into the lion’s den.”

“Or wolf’s den,” he murmured back. “I hear they sometimes eat their young.”

She gave him an annoyed look. “That’s not boosting my confidence.”

Howell led them into the house and straight into her father’s office.

Caddoc Jones was waiting for them, leaning against his desk. He waved a dismissive hand. “You may go, Howell.”

Howell’s jaw dropped. “But—” He stopped when his father glared at him.

“Better learn to submit,” Phil whispered to him. “It’s the price of the inheritance.”

Howell’s eyes flashed with anger, then he strode from the room and slammed the door behind him.

Caddoc glanced at Brynley, expressionless, then focused on Phil. “Then it’s true. You achieved Alpha status on your own without instruction from the Council of Elders.”

“Of course I was on my own. You banished me.”

Caddoc snorted. “You fool. You were supposed to come back.”

“With my tail between my legs?”

“I would have taken you back. You’re worth ten of your brother.”

Phil shrugged. “Your loss then.”

Caddoc lunged forward, his hand fisted. “If you weren’t so damned impressive, I would kill you.”

Brynley winced. So much for the welcome home. She glanced at her brother. He was standing stiffly, his chin lifted, his face calm, but she knew he had to be hurting inside.

“What is it with you two?” Caddoc paced across the floor. “No creature on this earth is more gloriously alive than a werewolf. But you insist on betraying your own kind to hang out with a bunch of bloodsuckers. They’re fucking dead half the time. It’s an abomination to consort with them!”

“You.” He pointed at Phil. “You married one. And you”—he sneered at Brynley —“you’re screwing one of them. Oh, don’t look surprised. I know everything you do. I just hope you got it out of your system. We’ll do your wedding as soon as Rhett arrives. He’s staying in one of the guesthouses down the road.”

She swallowed hard. This was it. Time to stand up for herself. Her inner wolf bristled. “I refuse to marry Rhett.”

Caddoc scoffed.

“You have to call the wedding off,” Phil said.

“And you’ve come back here to give me orders?” Caddoc asked dryly.

“Rhett intends to kill Brynley and the entire family as soon as the wedding is over,” Phil explained. “He wants all your land, wealth, and pack members.”

Caddoc gave him a bland look, then shook his head. “You have never truly appreciated me. It’s so annoying.” He walked over to the desk and perched on the corner.

Brynley exchanged a questioning look with her brother.

Phil’s eyes narrowed. “He knows.”

Caddoc shrugged. “Of course I know. But two can play at this game. Once the wedding is over, we kill Rhett. He has no heirs, so all his land and wolf packs in Alaska go to his new bride. Well, me, actually, since only an Alpha can be the master of a pack.”

A queasy feeling stirred in Brynley’s stomach. “You were using me. I’ve never been more than a pawn to you.”

“Don’t try that indignant crap on me,” her father snarled. “You would come out ahead. You’d have a dozen houses in Alaska and more money than you could ever spend.”

“And I would only have to kill someone to get it. Gee, thanks.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I wouldn’t expect you to do the killing.”

She scoffed. “Oh, I feel so much better now.”

“Are you smart-mouthing me?” Her father stepped toward her, his fists clenched.

She lifted her chin. Phil moved closer.

A knock sounded on the door.

Caddoc took a deep breath and flexed his hands. “What is it?” he shouted.

Howell cracked the door and gave them a nervous look. “Rhett has arrived for the wedding. He’s waiting in the backyard.”

“Good.” Caddoc grabbed Brynley’s arm and dragged her forward.

“I’m not marrying him.” She pulled her arm away.

“I don’t think you have any choice,” Howell said. “He’s brought fifty men with him. And they’re all armed.”

Phil whistled. “Looks like Angus was right about that war.”

Chapter Twenty-six

“Here they come.” Phineas watched as Rhett Bleddyn and his small army approached the south side of the backyard.

“Looks like he brought in more men from Alaska,” Jack observed.

Phineas scanned the group of fifty young males, noting their weapon of choice—hunting knives. Apparently, werewolves liked their battles bloody. Corky and Dimitri were keeping close to Rhett, and the three were heavily surrounded. No room to teleport in and snatch the vampires. Although if things got out of hand, Rhett was probably keeping them close by as an easy escape route.

On the north side of the backyard, Caddoc Jones’s pack members were gathering. The nearly full moon glinted off their knife blades.

A low growl in the woods behind them made Phineas whip around. It was Howard, hidden behind a tree, glaring at Rhett. Angus had asked the shifters, Howard and Rajiv, to patrol the woods in case the werewolves attempted an attack from behind. Carlos Panterra had been given paternity leave, so he was still at the academy with his wife and their newborn twins.

Howard’s nostrils flared, and he walked away, pulling a knife from his sheath.

When the scent of skunk wafted toward him, Phineas knew what had alarmed Howard. He hurried into the woods and found Howard pointing his knife at Digger.

“Whoa there, pardner.” Digger lifted his hands. “I just came to meet you. Caught a whiff of your scent.”

“Who are you?” Howard growled.

“This is Digger,” Phineas introduced him. “And his dog, Jake, should be around somewhere.” He spotted Jake half hidden behind some bushes.

Digger nodded at Phineas. “Some bad stuff going down around here. How’s your little lady?”

“She’s good.” He hoped. She was still inside the house with her father.

Digger looked at Howard. “You can put away your knife, son. I’m a were-bear, too. Where do you hail from?”

“Alaska.” Howard sheathed his knife. “Kodiak.”

“Wee doggies.” Digger’s eyes widened. “You’re a big one. Me, I’m a black bear.”

“Digger, if you want to help, just stay back here in the woods and make sure no one sneaks up on us from behind,” Phineas said. “There’s a were-tiger back here, too.”

“That’s me.” Rajiv waved from behind a tree. “I came to check out bad smell.”

Digger scratched his beard. “You’re a tiger? Well, don’t that beat all.”

“I’ll see you guys later.” Phineas hurried back to the Vamps.

The big yard reminded him of a football field with two teams gathered on each side. He and the Vamps were in one end zone. The Jones’s ranch house was at the other end.

Caddoc Jones emerged from the back door, followed by his two sons and Brynley. He paused at the edge of the patio and glared at Rhett. “You come to your wedding armed with knives?”

Rhett stepped forward. “We want to make sure the wedding happens.” His eyes narrowed on Brynley. “The bride has a nasty habit of running away.”

“She’s here now.” Caddoc seized her arm and dragged her into the yard.

“I’m not marrying him!” Brynley pulled loose and put some distance between herself and her father. Phil ran over to stand next to her.

Howell took a position next to Caddoc, who was glowering at his daughter.

“You will do as you are told,” Caddoc growled. “Or you will be banished from this world forever. You will be dead to us.”

She lifted her chin. “You can’t fire me, I quit. I’m going to marry a vampire.”

Phineas sucked in a deep breath. Yes! He ran onto the field.

Caddoc lifted an eyebrow. “This is your choice?”

Rhett cursed. “You foul yourself with that damned bloodsucker.”

Phineas stopped next to Brynley. “You called?”

She smiled and took his hand.

He turned to her father. “I’m requesting your daughter’s hand in marriage.”

Caddoc scoffed. “Who the hell are you to think you deserve my daughter?”

“I don’t have a lot to offer in terms of wealth, but I can give her all my love—”

“Love?” Caddoc motioned to the house behind him. “You think she would give all this up for love?”

“In a second,” Brynley said. “You can have all the land and riches in the world, but if you don’t have love, you have nothing.”

“And will love pay the bills? Will it put food on the table?” Caddoc sneered at Phineas. “You wouldn’t know, would you? You don’t even eat food. But if you dare to feed off my daughter, I’ll—”

“I would never harm her!” Phineas interrupted. “I want her happiness more than anything.”

Caddoc studied him a moment, then arched a brow. “You would do anything for her?”

“I will not give her up.”

Caddoc stepped toward him. “Prove it. Make yourself worthy of her.”

Phineas narrowed his eyes. What did the old man want? A duel?

Caddoc glanced at Brynley. “I will only accept a werewolf as your husband.” He motioned to Phineas. “So if you want him, you’ll have to bite him.”

She flinched.

Phineas sucked in a breath of air. Damn. He hadn’t expected this. He didn’t even know if it was possible for a vampire to become a werewolf. That might be what her father was counting on, that the transformation would kill him.

Caddoc’s eyes glinted with humor as he regarded his daughter. “You’re the one who thinks love is so powerful. Do you love this man enough to make him acceptable?”

Brynley gave Phineas a worried look.

“This is ridiculous!” Rhett stepped forward. “She’s marrying me! I’m the best choice.”

Caddoc crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s her choice. If she wants the bloodsucker badly enough, she’ll agree. Of course, she can’t shift tonight since she’s not an Alpha, but I can do the biting.” He gave Phineas a wolfish grin. “How much do you really want her?”

He swallowed hard. Somehow he’d always feared it would come down to this. He wouldn’t be good enough for Brynley as he was. “I’ll do it. Bring it on, old man.”

Brynley gasped. “No. Phineas—”

“I’ll do anything for you.”

Her eyes glimmered with tears. “Phineas, you are worthy just the way you are.”

His breath caught. Worthy the way he was. His heart swelled in his chest.

She turned to her father and lifted her chin. “I’m marrying Phineas, and I don’t care if you ever approve—”

“You have defied me for the last time!” With a growl, Caddoc lunged toward her, his head shifting into a snarling wolf.

Brynley lifted her arms to defend herself, and they shimmered. “I’m not taking it anymore!” she screamed, and her arms and head shifted.

Caddoc jumped back.

A shock wave rolled over the entire yard. Jaws dropped. Gasps echoed in the stunned silence.

“My God!” Caddoc was back in human form, his face frozen in disbelief.

Brynley shifted back. “What—what have I done?” She stumbled, and Phineas caught her.

Phil grabbed her other arm. “You went Alpha, Bryn!”

“But only males—”

“Not anymore.” Phil’s eyes lit up. “You’re the first female Alpha!”

“Hot damn, girl.” Phineas grinned at her. “You released the Kraken.”

“Get your hands off her!” Rhett stalked toward them and drew his knife. “She’s the most valuable female werewolf in the world. She has to be mine.”