Chapter 14
By evening, I’m still alive—but now I don’t want to be.
The man’s an absolute psychopath.
Psycho. Path.
Since when does “go straight to the source” mean waltz into the middle of the grand event welcoming the fucking Lycan King?
And, even if that is what it meant—which it isn’t—what madman throws a bound and gagged woman to the floor in the middle of the room?
Him. That’s who.
My skin burns with everyone’s eyes on me, and I know my face is redder than a tomato. Everyone can see the state I’m in, and there isn’t a single friendly gaze in the bunch.
The meticulously decorated event hall is gorgeous, filled with random, expensive-looking floral arrangements. Everyone in the pack is here, from Alpha and Beta down to the lowliest omega; the main lodge is the only building on pack lands large enough to handle a crowd this size.
There’s a long table at the front of the room to seat the guest of honor and his party on one side, and Alpha and other high-ranking wolves of the Blue Mountain Pack on the other; it’s a standard seating arrangement.
Several Lycans already sit there, leaning forward with interest, but the Lycan King’s seat—next to Alpha—is empty.
And Alpha…
My heart sinks at the look on his face.
Alpha’s knuckles blanch white against the dark wood of the table. His jaw clenches so tight, a muscle twitches beneath his skin. A vein in his forehead pulses steadily.
“What is the meaning of this?” His voice comes out low, controlled—the kind of control that precedes an explosion.
The stranger yanks me up by my bound arms, forcing me onto my feet. Pins and needles attack my legs, leaving me swaying against his grip. A whimper escapes through the gag, and I find myself missing my betrayer wolf friend. He might be disloyal, but at least he cares about keeping me warm and alive.
“Found this thing in the woods.” The man’s grip tightens on my arm, and I can already tell they’re leaving bruises. Though that’s the least of my problems right now. “I thought you might want to explain why a human smells so much like your pack, Brax p>
The color drains from Alpha’s face at the challenge, and he bows his head in a show of submission I’ve never seen from him before.
“My deepest apologies, High Alpha. I should have informed you of her presence beforehand p>
Wait. For Alpha to treat him with such deference… So this psychopath really is the Lycan King?
“A rogue wolf pack attacked her family when she was young.” Alpha’s voice softens with false sympathy. “We found her alone, traumatized. I couldn’t leave an innocent child to die p>
My jaw would drop if it wasn’t already forced wide open from the gag in my mouth. Lies spill from Alpha’s mouth, smooth as honey.
“She grew up among us, causing no trouble. Until recently.” Alpha’s eyes narrow. “When she began interfering with pack matters p>
The Lycan King’s grip loosens, but the relief is short-lived as his scrutiny burns through me. “You took in a human child, Brax?” There’s a warning underlying his words, but I’m not sure why.
“An act of mercy, nothing more. We kept her separate from pack business, taught her to be useful.” Alpha spreads his hands. “What else could we do? The human systems would have failed her. We raised her as well as we could, taking responsibility for the rogues in our territory p>
Bile rises in my throat. All those years calling him my adoptive father, believing he cared about me, only for him to speak of me like I’m a stray dog he picked up off the street.
“And now she runs.” The king’s voice carries notes of steel. “Why p>
Alpha’s mouth tightens. “She developed… inappropriate attachments. When those proved impossible, she fled rather than accept her place p>
My chest constricts. Inappropriate attachments? Now he’s making my relationship with Xander sound dirty and twisted. I search the crowd for Xander’s face, though my field of vision is limited without twisting my head around.
He’s off to the side of the hall, not ranked high enough to be sitting at the main table. Instead, he stands with Nora, who looks positively gleeful over my predicament. His expression is blank, showing no reaction to my father’s—no, to Alpha’s words.
“How interesting.” The king’s voice is so bland, I can’t tell what he’s thinking. Then again, he’s clearly insane. “That you’d risk harboring a human all these years, purely out of the goodness of your heart, and then throw her away p>
Alpha’s throat bobs. “We’ve always strived to be merciful when possible, High Alpha p>
The stranger—the Lycan King—turns to me, leaning down to yank the gag out of my mouth, his fingers scraping against my cheek as he does so. The rough fabric scrapes against the corners of my mouth, and I wince at the sharp sting.
My tongue feels like sandpaper, and I work my jaw to ease the ache.
“Well?” His gray eyes bore into mine. “Is what he says true p>
Oh, now he wants me to answer his questions? He’s definitely a madman.
The weight of Alpha’s stare burns into the side of my face. I chance a glance his way and immediately regret it. The promise of retribution in his dark glare makes my stomach clench.
My split lip throbs. The metallic taste of blood lingers on my tongue. One word from me could destroy Alpha’s entire narrative, and the truth is heavy in my chest, begging to be released. But I’ve lived among wolves long enough to know—wolves don’t trust humans. Pack is ultimately pack, and humans are other.
The silence stretches thin as the Lycan King looms before me, awaiting his answer. Patient. Dangerous.
A bead of sweat rolls down my spine. The room feels too hot, too crowded. Every breath carries the mingled scents of wolves, almost overpowered by the Lycan King’s dark, musky scent. My head spins.
My mouth opens, but no sound comes out. What can I possibly say that won’t end with my throat torn out?
“I p>
Alpha’s palm slams against the table. The sound cracks through the room like a gunshot, and I flinch back violently. Wine sloshes from glasses, and somewhere, a fork clatters to the floor. At least I’m not the only one startled.
“You dare show your face here?” Alpha roars, apparently unwilling to let me have my say—even if he has to overtake the Lycan King’s act. “After your actions p>
My throat closes up, and my lungs shrivel, leaving me to pant frantically for air. This isn’t the man who once held me through nightmares and tears, telling me I was safe with him. This is a stranger wearing his face, twisted and evil.
It doesn’t matter how brave I want to be; I’m bound prey in front of an apex predator. There’s only fear left in me, and the desperate wish to survive.
“I didn’t p>
“Silence!” the Lycan King snaps, and I snap my mouth shut. But he’s not looking at me; his stony gaze is on Alpha. “You have had your turn to speak, Brax p>