The Price of Loyalty

​Chapter 1: The Price of Loyalty ​My eyes drifted to the left and right. I was surrounded by four men, but I couldn't run, and I wouldn't. I didn’t want to show fear this late at night, even though I wished I could have taken a cab or a rideshare. But you couldn't trust anything or anyone—well, in my case, anyway. ​Lucky for me, my older brothers always told me to carry mace or a weapon. In my case, it was my keys. I know, I know. But they also put me in kickboxing classes; I was no dummy. They had told me to wait for a ride, but I couldn’t. I had an early class in the morning, and I got off late from work because of my asshole boss. He wouldn't let me leave. Besides, I get my wolf tomorrow night on my 21st birthday, and I was too excited to wait around. ​My brothers are in an MC—well, they're the head of it, actually. They call me Loyal. My real name is Loyalty, and my three brothers' names also start with an L or have the letter L in them. Our parents died, and honestly, I don't know why I'm thinking about all this right now. The four men were coming closer, so I took a deep breath. ​Just then, three men in biker vests stepped in. God, they were hot. One looked white, maybe Greek; another was Spanish; and the third was mixed, Black and white, I think. It was hard to tell for sure since it was dark out in the cool spring air. Suddenly, I felt this intense pull. I didn't know what these feelings were, but the three bikers were tearing my attackers a new one. I mean, absolutely kicking their asses. I didn't know who they were, but I hoped they weren't worse than the guys they were currently destroying. ​The fight didn't last long. The three bikers moved with a lethal, coordinated grace that screamed pack. The Greek-looking one threw a final, bone-crunching right hook, dropping the last of my attackers to the wet spring pavement where he stayed, groaning. Silence fell over the alley, save for the heavy breathing of the men and the distant hum of city traffic. My hand tightened around my keys, the jagged metal biting into my palm. Kickboxing classes or not, my instincts were on high alert. ​But as they turned toward me, it wasn't fear I felt. It was that strange, intense pull again—a sudden, deep heat blooming in my chest that made my skin prickle. My inner wolf, even though she wasn't supposed to fully awaken until tomorrow night, was restless. She was pacing. The tall one, the Spanish guy with ink crawling up his neck from the collar of his cut, took a step closer. His eyes caught the dim glow of the streetlights, and for a split second, I could have sworn they flashed gold. ​"You alright?" His voice was a low, gravelly rumble that sent a shiver straight down my spine. ​I forced my chin up, refusing to show how my heart was hammering against my ribs. I'm an MC president's sister; I don't cower. "I had it handled," I said, my voice steady despite the chaos inside me. ​The guy who looked mixed, leaning casually against the brick wall and wiping a drop of blood from his knuckles, let out a low chuckle. "Right. With your car keys. We can see how dangerous you are." ​"I'm Loyalty," I snapped back, narrowing my eyes. "And if you know what's good for you, you'll walk away before my brothers come looking for me." ​The three men stopped dead. They exchanged a look—a silent, intense conversation that only further proved they were more than just regular bikers. "Loyalty," the Greek one murmured, testing the name on his tongue like he liked the taste of it. "Well, Loyalty. It looks like your 21st birthday is going to be a lot more complicated than you thought." ​Before I could answer, the roar of heavy engines shattered the silence of the alley. Three bikes swerved into the mouth of the alley, their headlights cutting through the darkness like twin sabers. My oldest brother, Leo, was the first to kill his engine and kick out his stand. He looked every bit the MC President—honey-colored skin, sharp Puerto Rican features, and a fade that showed off his tight curls. ​Behind him were Lucian and Levi, both just as tall and imposing. They were all light-skinned, their golden-tan complexions glowing under the streetlights. They didn't even wait for the kickstands to settle before they were off their bikes. ​"Loyalty!" Leo’s voice was a whip-c***k. He was across the pavement in a heartbeat, scanning me for blood. He didn't wait for my defense. His gaze shifted past me to the three men standing in the shadows. His posture shifted instantly—shoulders squaring, his hand dropping toward the holster at his hip. ​"Who the hell are they?" Levi growled, his jaw tight. ​The Spanish biker didn't flinch. "We’re the reason your sister isn't in the back of a van right now," he said coolly. ​Leo stepped in front of me, shielding me with his bulk. "I don't care if you saved her life or not. You’re on our turf, and you smell like... different." ​My heart skipped a beat. Leo was a fully turned wolf, and he could smell the power coming off these three. I stepped out from behind Leo, my hand resting on his leather sleeve. "Leo, stop. They helped me." ​Lucian narrowed his eyes. "We know every pack and every crew in a three-state radius. I’ve never seen you three before." ​The Greek one stepped forward, the light finally hitting the patch on his vest. "We’re just passing through," he said, his eyes locking onto mine over Leo's shoulder. "But after meeting Loyalty... I think our travel plans just changed."