A Taste of Defiance

TAMSIN’S POV

Brenna snores in the center of the massive king-size bed. A faint stream of hazy morning light peeks through the gap in the heavy blackout curtains across the room. I blink away the lingering remnants of sleep. I stare at the pale ceiling for a long moment. I slip from beneath the heavy duvet, making sure the fabric makes no sound. I move with a practiced caution honed from years of avoiding my father’s wrath. I plant my bare feet on the cool, custom hardwood floor. The mattress barely shifts at my departure. Brenna lets out another long snore and rolls onto her side, oblivious to my movement. I smile in the dim light. I pad across the floorboards and enter the vast walk-in closet connected to our temporary suite.

The sheer volume of new garments still feels surreal. I run my fingers over the neat rows of clothing hanging in the pristine space. I decide against waking Brenna to ask for fashion advice. I pull a dark crimson matching bra and underwear set from one of the velvet-lined drawers. The sheer silk feels delightfully foreign against my scarred skin. I slide my legs into a pair of slim-fitting black jeans that hug my curves. Next, I pull a loose-fitting, long-sleeved purple blouse from a satin hanger. The fabric cascades over my shoulders. I adjust the collar in the floor-to-length mirror. I take a deep breath.

Satisfied with my appearance, I step out of the bedroom and head down the grand staircase. I move through the silent packhouse. The estate remains draped in the quiet stillness of the early morning hours. No other pack members wander the expansive halls. I push through the heavy swinging doors and step into the massive industrial-style kitchen. My stomach gives a faint, hungry rumble. I decide to prepare a hearty breakfast. I want to express my deep gratitude to Draven and Gideon for their kindness. The two Alphas rescued me, gave me a safe haven, and bought me more clothes than I could ever wear in a lifetime.

I move across the kitchen island. I pull the wide stainless-steel refrigerator doors open and scan the deep shelves. I grab two heavy packages of thick-cut bacon. I find a fresh carton of farm eggs and a large block of salted butter. I locate a heavy cast-iron skillet hanging above the central island and set it on the commercial gas stove. I arrange the thick strips of bacon across the cold metal surface before turning the dial. The blue flames burst to life. The meat begins to sizzle loud in the cavernous empty kitchen. A rich, mouth-watering aroma fills the air as the bacon grease pops. I crack the eggs into a separate ceramic bowl and whisk them together. After the bacon turns crispy, I remove the skillet and cook the fresh eggs in the left-over drippings. I slide four slices of thick sourdough bread into the wide toaster. Once the bread pops out golden brown, I spread rich butter across the warm surface. I pull three large ceramic plates from the open cupboards. I arrange the bacon, steaming eggs, and hot toast into perfect portions across the plates. I place them with precision onto a large metal serving tray.

I wipe my hands on a dish towel and step back. A small smile touches my lips as I admire the plated food.

The heavy kitchen doors swing open with a resounding thud. The sharp clatter of designer heels echoes across the smooth tile floor. Tessa, Cleo, and Daphne stroll into the space. The three high-ranking pack females walk shoulder-to-shoulder. They wear matching, arrogant sneers on their flawless faces. They eye my casual outfit with blatant disgust as they march forward.

"Look girls, the Alphas have gotten us a new kitchen slave." Tessa leans her hip against the marble island counter. She crosses her arms over her chest and stares down her nose at me. "Scrap whatever greasy mess you just plated on that tray. You are going to prepare me and my friends a specialized, healthy breakfast. Do it right now."

I freeze in place. The casual cruelty in her tone triggers a deep, ingrained fear. A lifetime of my father’s brutal beatings screams at me to lower my eyes, apologize, and obey the high-ranking wolf. I feel my shoulders naturally want to hunch forward. But a fierce defiance rises up from the depths of my soul. Living under the protection of Draven and Gideon has changed me. A fiery surge of confidence courses through my veins. It is a powerful spark I never knew I possessed. I square my shoulders. I tilt my chin up and meet her harsh stare head-on.

"I’m their new personal cook. I don’t cook for the sluts of the pack." I offer her a crooked, defiant smirk.

Tessa’s face contorts with sudden, vicious rage. The mocking gleam in her eyes vanishes, replaced by unchecked fury. She pushes off the marble island and steps forward in a blur of movement. She slams her hands into the edge of the large metal serving tray resting on the counter. She shoves the heavy tray hard against my chest before I can even blink.

Hot, popping bacon grease, steaming scrambled eggs, and heavy ceramic crash over me. Searing pain bites into the delicate skin of my chest and stomach as the scalding grease seeps through the fabric of my purple blouse. I stumble backward from the sheer force of the impact. I lose my footing on the slick tile and hit the floor hard. The heavy breath leaves my lungs in a pained gasp. The ceramic plates shatter against the ground. Jagged slivers of porcelain scatter around my jeans. Smeared butter and strips of hot bacon stick to my chest and fall into my lap.

Tessa points down at my sprawled form. Cleo and Daphne join her. The trio erupts into cruel, high-pitched laughter that rings in my ears.

"Tessa! What is going on in here?" A deep, commanding male voice growls from the main doorway.

I flinch at the booming sound. I look up through a haze of pain and humiliation. Another breathtakingly handsome Alpha steps into the kitchen. His dark hair looks windswept and disheveled from travel. Brilliant emerald eyes flash with unquestionable authority. His towering, muscular frame fills the entrance. The raw power rolling off his body feels identical to Draven and Gideon.

Tessa stops her cruel laughter. She rushes across the kitchen. She throws her arms around his neck and presses her body flush against his broad chest. She adopts a sickening air of authority in her posture.

"Kellan, you are back early! The new kitchen slave refused to follow my instructions." Tessa glares back at me over her shoulder.

The newcomer does not return her embrace. He reaches up and physically unwinds her arms from his neck. He pushes her away with an unmistakable look of cold, intense disgust.

"You may have sex with them, but that doesn’t make you high rank. We don't have a new kitchen hand, Tessa." He snaps the harsh words at her, his voice dripping with venom.

I ignore the stinging red burns beginning to form on my chest. I pick pieces of hot, greasy bacon and egg from my ruined purple blouse. I plant my hands on the sticky floor and push myself off the tiles. My jeans are ruined, and my chest throbs with a dull ache. I brush damp food from my clothing and push a lock of hair out of my face.

The towering male turns away from Tessa. He shifts his frame toward me. His piercing emerald eyes lock onto mine. The moment our gazes connect, the green irises flare in a blinding flash of molten gold. A jolt of electric energy shoots straight down my spine.

"MATE." He growls the single word. The sound rumbles from the very depths of his massive chest. The sheer power of his Alpha tone rattles the glass cups stored in the surrounding cabinets.

Tessa gasps in the background.

"Oh! Kellan, I’ve been waiting so long for you to say that!" Tessa squeals in sheer delight.

She steps directly into his line of sight, blocking my view. She grabs his strong jaw in both of her hands. Before he can react, she pulls his face down and plants her lips aggressively onto his mouth. She forces a wet, dominating kiss on him right in front of my face.

*Mate,* Nyla whimpers mournfully in my head. The raw sorrow in my inner wolf's voice tears a hole straight through my soul.

I freeze in stark horror. I stand trembling in a puddle of spilled food and broken porcelain. I watch another woman kiss my third mate. He stands there in momentary shock. He fails to shove her away fast enough to spare my fragile heart. All the brutal, horrifying lessons from my abusive father flood back into my mind. The harsh memories crash over me like icy waves. *Alphas take whatever they want. They discard the weak without a second thought.*

Tears bite viciously at the corners of my eyes, blinding my vision. A thick, suffocating sob catches tight in my throat. I spin on my heel and bolt toward the kitchen exit. I slam the back door open and sprint into the surrounding wilderness. The cool morning air hits my wet face.

I dive past the outer tree line. I shift mid-stride. My bones break and reform in an agonizing rush of power. Nyla takes control of our form. I throw my large grey head back toward the sky. I unleash a loud, shattering howl of pure, unadulterated heartbreak into the open air.

DRAVEN’S POV

A gut-wrenching, agonizing howl jolts me awake from a dead sleep. The sheer pitch of the cry echoes with the unmistakable, tragic frequency of Tamsin’s soul. Cold dread constricts my chest in a tight vice. My Alpha wolf snarls in the back of my mind. A primal urge to protect my mate floods my senses.

I throw the blankets aside and launch out of my bed. My bare feet hit the floor with a heavy thud. I grab a pair of gray sweatpants from the nearby chair and pull them on. I sprint out of my bedroom suite and barrel out into the main upstairs corridor. Another large, blurry figure blasts out of the adjacent door at the exact same moment. I slam into Gideon. The heavy impact knocks the breath right out of my lungs.

We stumble back and scramble to our feet in the middle of the hallway. Both of us stand in nothing but sweatpants. Our bare chests heave with panicked breaths. Our inner wolves snarl with chaotic, protective panic at the sound of the agonizing howl. I look at Gideon, seeing my own terror mirrored in his wild eyes.

Brenna throws open Tamsin's bedroom door down the hall. She stands in the threshold, rubbing her eyes in utter confusion. Her hair sticks up in wild directions.

"What is going on out here?" Brenna asks, stifling a wide yawn.

"Where is Tamsin?" Gideon demands.

"She is not in the bed. She must have woken up early. Check the kitchen downstairs." Brenna leans against the wooden doorframe and gestures down the hall.

I do not wait to hear another word. I pivot and sprint for the grand staircase. Gideon matches my frantic pace step for step. We barrel down the carpeted stairs, taking them three at a time. We round the corner toward the main floor. The sharp scent of burned bacon and shattered porcelain reaches my sensitive nose.

A thunderous roar shakes the entire lower level of the estate.

"If you were my mate, I would have called you that a long time ago! Now get off me and clean up this mess!" Kellan's enraged voice booms from inside the kitchen.

Gideon and I skid to an abrupt halt just outside the open doorways. I wipe a sheen of cold sweat from my forehead. Gideon leans heavily against the wooden doorframe. His knuckles turn white as he grips the trim. His voice comes out tight, strained, and laced with warning.

"Hey, Kellan. Back early? Have you seen Tamsin?" Gideon narrows his eyes at our brother.

Kellan stands in the very center of the large kitchen. A puddle of ruined breakfast food covers the tile floor. Tessa and her two friends scramble on their hands and knees, picking up broken plates. Kellan scowls in deep bewilderment. He runs a frustrated hand through his messy dark hair.

"Who is Tamsin?" Kellan asks.

I brush past Gideon and step into the ruined room. I level an icy, murderous glare at Kellan. My wolf paces beneath the surface of my skin.

"She’s our mate," I state the fact in a deadpan, dangerous tone. "I brought her home two days ago."

Horror registers in Kellan's wide eyes. The dawning realization drains all the color from his tanned face. His jaw drops open in shock. He looks down at the mess on the floor and back up at me.

"I guess that was the girl laying on the floor that Tessa was harassing. She ran out the back door after my wolf took control. He said something, and then Tessa kissed me." Kellan stumbles over his words, panic rising thick in his chest.

Blinding fury ignites in my blood. I bare my teeth at him. My fists clench tight at my sides. I prepare to tear into him for his monumental stupidity. A sharp intrusion pierces my mind. Evander, our Third in Command, erupts over the pack mind-link in sheer, unadulterated panic.

"Alphas! There are rogues at the Eastern border fighting with a small grey she-wolf!" Evander shouts the mental warning directly into my brain.

My heart stops in my chest.

"On our way, Evander! Help her as much as you can, and don’t let her leave!" I roar the command back through the pack link.

I cut the mental connection in a heartbeat. I do not spare Kellan another glance. We do not have time for arguments. I spin toward the glass double doors at the rear of the kitchen. Gideon and Kellan follow me without hesitation. A unified, feral growl rattles the walls of the estate as the three of us charge outside.

We tear out the back doors and clear the concrete patio in one massive, synchronized leap. We shift midair. Dark fur sprouts across my skin. My bones snap and stretch into a heavy quadruped form, embracing the wild fury of my beast. I hit the soft grass as a massive black wolf. Gideon and Kellan land right beside me in their own towering black wolf forms. We kick clumps of dirt into the air and sprint aggressively toward the eastern perimeter. Sickening dread knots tight in my gut as we close the distance, praying we make it in time.