The Imperial Wolf Series Books 1-3
Chapter 13

Erick POV

My drive home has been long. The two-hour drive took three because my heart and mind could only think of Kate constantly. I pull into the driveway of my family home, thinking not about my dead father or how my mother will take the news, but I think of Kate and how I feel for her. I left her only three hours ago, and I miss her already. I want to kiss her, hold her and tell her that I think I am falling in love with her. My wolf has chosen her. Neither my mother nor the pack can argue with who I chose as my mate. I have to take care of my father, take my place as Alpha and release Kate from being my slave in front of the pack so I can make her my wife.

My mother rushes out to the truck, yelling. "Did you kill that bitch!" she screams. It takes her a moment to realize it is not my father but me under cover of darkness. I step out of the truck to greet her. She stares at me, confused as to why I am here without my father.

"Where is your father? Is the little bitch dead?" my mother asks me.

"No, is that why he came to talk to me?" I ask, growling at her.

The other wolves come out of the house to see if Kate is dead. They are howling and celebrating the death of a young woman. "What is wrong with all of you?" I scream at them. They stop cheering and come closer. "Where is your father?" my mother asks me again.

"He, Theo, and Jackson are in the back of the truck with silver bullets nestled inside of them," I say sternly to her.

"What!" my mother screams.

I follow her to the back of the truck. I uncover the blankets for her to see all three of them shot dead. She looks at my father's body and then back to me. "I guess you know that this means you are now the Alpha," my mother says. "I am fully aware of the responsibilities that face me," I answer her.

"Good, then I will make the call," my mother says. "What call?" I ask her.

"You will need to get married, and you know how much I adore the Alpha's daughter," my mother says.

I stop her grabbing her by the arm. "You will not rule over me the way you have my father. I will choose my mate. I do not need your help in my love life," I say.

"Oh, I see. Are you going to marry the tramp?" my mother asks.

"Shouldn't you be worried about burying your husband or grieving or something other than ruining my life?" I ask her.

"Oh, I guess you are right," my mother says.

The wolves come to help me remove my father, Theo, and Jackson from the back of the truck. They carry my father with care into the house. His body will be displayed for the pack at sunrise to pay their respects. Theo and Jackson will stay with the Alpha since they died, protecting him and his son. At least, that is the way I am telling the story.

"What happened?" Andrew asks me as he walks up to the truck.

"Dad came to talk to me about Kate and something going on with that situation. Theo and Jackson were by the truck giving us privacy to talk, when someone attacked us, but I have no idea who it was. I had never seen the men that attacked us before. Kate was sleeping. When Gypsy heard the shots, she came to see what was going on at the cabin," I answer him.

"Did your dad get to talk to you about Kate much before all of this happened?" Andrew asks. "No, he did not," I answer.

"Well, Karen told us that you were taking her somewhere. He figured you went to the cabin with her. That is where you usually go to hide. He said he had to take care of her quickly before the imperials found out she was here with our pack," Andrew says. "I wonder why? The conversation did not get that far. Wait, Karen told you I took Kate?" I ask.

"Yeah, she did," Andrew answer.

This infuriates me. I go back to the truck to leave. "Where are you going?" my mother asks.

I crank the truck and start backing out of the driveway. "I am going to tell my father's slut that she got him killed, and then I am going to bring her here so she can tell you all about her little love affair with dear old dad," I yell at my mother.

I back out of the drive and start driving like a bat out of hell toward the Omega house. It is beginning to get daylight. I want to get a hold of the little bitch before she has a chance to leave. I drive angry. I want to kill her, but I know I cannot. I pull into the omega house in my father's truck. Karen looks out the window, sees the truck, and thinks it is my father. She runs out the front door, down the front steps, and straight to me.

"Not expecting me, were you?" I ask her as she stares at me, stunned to see not my father and me staring back at her.

"No, I was not," Karen says.

She is pissed off that it is me. She turns to walk away from the truck and go back into the house. "Get in the damn truck!" I scream at her.

"I will not do anything you say," Karen says.

"Yes, you will. Get in the truck or I will get out and put you in the truck!" I scream at her. Karen stops and walks back to the truck. She gets in, huffing and puffing.

"I cannot wait to tell your father how you talked to me," Karen says as she slams the truck's door.

I put the truck in reverse and back out. "Where are you taking me?" Karen asks.

"I am taking you to my house," I say to her.

"Why?" Karen asks.

"So you can see the damage you caused," I answer her. "Is she dead? You do know she was trouble. You do understand she is not one of us, right?" Karen says.

I slam on the brakes. Karen hits her head on the dashboard of the truck. I grab her and pull her close to me so she can see how furious I am with her. "Kate is alive and well. No thanks to you. I know you told my father and his wolves she was with me. I keep my word and have for years about your twisted little affair and that bastard wolf you and my father keep hidden. No more Karen. Every dog has their day to lie in the sun but guess what bitch? Today is not your day!" I scream at her. I release her so she can sulk as I drive her to meet her fate with my mother.

I start driving back to my house. Karen begins to sob. "Your mother will kill me. Who will take care of my son?" she cries uncontrollably in the passenger seat of my father's truck. "This is your karma, not mine," I say to her.