Page 8 of Bound to Exiles (Rejected Wolf Pack #5)

Flint

A new day brought no relief from the troubles plaguing our pack. My wolf spirit paced restlessly inside of me, confused at his littermate’s behavior yesterday. As we prepared to meet with the alphas who’d arrived overnight from the outer towns, Heath surprised me by telling Zak to come with us.

“Ooo, my mage self is invited to the alpha meeting even though I’m not an alpha?” Zak’s playful tone carried an edge that made me wonder if he was more nervous than he let on.

“You’d just spy on us through the Bonded link anyway,” Gage said dryly. “You may as well be there.”

The light died in Zak’s eyes, as he no doubt remembered yesterday’s accusations of being a spy. Before he could respond, Gage grabbed Heath’s arm and pushed him ahead, putting distance between them and Freya’s newest mate.

I caught Freya’s questioning glance at Gage’s dominant display. None of us had time to adjust to the new dynamic with the pack falling apart around us, and tensions ran high.

Freya reached for Zak’s hand, and the mage’s shoulders eased. Together, the three of us followed the two most dominant alphas while Rowan remained behind to guard Tork in his cell .

In the throne room, morning light streamed through tall windows, illuminating the faces of over two dozen alphas.

Even without my enhanced sense of smell, their aggression would have been obvious from their rigid postures and narrowed eyes.

Several alphas growled low in their throats at the sight of Zak among us.

My wolf spirit bristled at having so many dominant wolves taking aggressive postures, but I maintained my calm demeanor. As I had yesterday, I flanked Zak opposite of Freya, showing he belonged among us, and that I stood ready to defend our newest packmate if needed.

A good leader must show both strength and wisdom. Gage exemplified this as he took his place on the throne, his power rolling off him in waves while his expression remained neutral. The rest of us surrounded the throne, much as we had yesterday.

Varden immediately stepped forward. His lip curled as he glanced at Zak. “This is a meeting for alphas only.”

“The mage stays,” Gage said with finality.

Through our Bonded link, I sensed Zak’s hurt at being referred to as ‘the mage’ rather than by name. But he maintained his composure, taking up a position slightly behind the throne and behind Freya, ready to placate her magic as he had before.

“You should have ended this rebellion yesterday,” another alpha growled. I recalled he was from one of the eastern towns.

“Agreed,” Dean said. “One alpha bark would have put them all in their place.”

He’d defended Fern when she’d foolishly followed us into the ambush we set for Luka and Ironwood, so he’d earned some goodwill from me. But not enough to prevent me from correcting him.

“And proved everything my littermate said about alphas,” I pointed out, unable to keep the edge from my voice.

My sister and I had been raised to believe the best leaders led through example and wisdom, not force.

“Better that than letting them think they can challenge us whenever they please,” Varden snarled.

Heath shook his head. “Using alpha commands yesterday would have caused a riot and broken the pack completely. ”

The scents of anger and frustration thickened in the air as more alphas voiced their displeasure. This gathering was meant to address the unrest in our pack, but it seemed we were only creating more.

The throne room doors burst open, slamming against the walls. My littermate stormed in with a dozen betas at her back, their footsteps echoing off the polished floor. Two of them flanked Bretton between them, their hands wrapped around his upper arms. I snarled when I saw they’d bound his wrists.

“I apologize, alphas,” Bretton called out. “I tried to—”

“Meeting without the rest of the pack?” Fern’s voice dripped with accusation. “Exactly what we’d expect from tyrants. And surprise, surprise, both the mages are here, too.”

“The pack meeting will be held at dark.” Gage’s steady voice carried across the chaos. “Everyone will have their chance to speak then.”

Fern’s lip curled. “Like yesterday when you avoided answering my questions? We deserve to know everything you’ve been hiding, especially about the starbeams.”

To our ancestors, signs from the spirits were sacred, not to be hidden or denied, but neither were they to be discussed carelessly with risk of spreading unnecessary turmoil. The stars had blessed our circle, yet explaining that to wolves who feared magic seemed impossible.

Heath’s fierce pride washed over us in the bond as he stepped forward. “Gage has more than proven himself a capable leader who only wants what’s best for the pack. Our alpha strength protects the pack—”

“Where is Tork?” Fern demanded, cutting him off.

Some of the betas surrounding her stepped back at her dominant display. Interrupting an alpha had been unheard of under previous Frost Fang pack alphas. That simple act of defiance could have meant her banishment, if not death.

“We ended the practice of having omega slaves bear the brunt of alpha cruelty,” Heath pressed on. “We’ve ruled fairly, protecting those who needed it most.”

“By taking in refugees from Ironwood?” one of the betas scoffed. I thought I remembered her name being Veronica. “By harboring mages?”

Zak tensed behind the throne. Through our bond, his hurt and uncertainty mingled with Freya’s protective fury.

Before either could respond, Fern stepped onto the first stair of the dais. “What have you done with Tork?”

The gathered alphas bristled at her accusatory tone, their combined dominance pressing against my skin like a physical weight. Fern’s betas shrank in fear but she held her ground, making me proud in spite of the situation.

“Tork is not pack,” Varden snarled. “His fate will be decided as the trespasser he is.”

“You speak of ruling fairly while you hold secret meetings and imprison those who disagree with you,” she said. “The pack laws are clear about the rights of betas to—”

“The pack laws are also clear about the consequences for trespassing on packlands,” Varden interrupted. “Tork is an interloper. If you care so much for the lone wolf, perhaps we should exile you to go live with him in the wildlands.”

The threat in his voice had me snarling. “Varden,” I warned.

I’d never once regretted being the one to accept exile in my sister’s place, but now I wondered if I’d made the right choice. The nomadic life had suited me well enough, but it had left Fern to suffer under cruel alphas alone.

Fern’s eyes narrowed at Varden. “Your threats only prove my point about alphas.”

Growing up under Garth and then Nira’s rule had twisted something in my littermate. Alphas had broken her while I wasn’t here to defend her, probably after Gage and Heath had been exiled.

“Enough,” Gage growled. “Alphas, free Bretton and clear the room of betas, but handle this without alpha commands,” Gage ordered as he rose from the throne. “Bretton, you will stand guard outside and alert us of any eavesdroppers.”

“Betas can return at dark with the rest of the pack,” I said as a reminder to my littermate that her voice would be heard in time.

“You heard the pack alpha,” Dean called .

Freya and Zak stepped aside as the alphas began herding the betas back.

I caught Fern’s arm. “Sister, please. Talk to me.”

For a moment, her anger cracked, revealing the young wolf I’d protected all those years ago. Freya pushed encouragement toward me, stepping back to give us privacy.

“There’s nothing to discuss,” Fern said, but she followed when I led her into a quiet alcove away from the chaos. “You’ve made your choice clear.”

“Have I?” The words came out harsher than intended. “You’re still my littermate. Nothing changes that.”

Her bitter laugh cut deep. “You left me here alone.”

“I took your exile—”

“And that makes it better?” She jerked her arm free. “Do you know what it was like, watching Garth and his cronies abuse their power? People in the northern towns got a distorted version of the story. Everyone expected me to be glad I was separated from my exiled brother.”

The old pain in her voice resonated with memories of my own lonely years in the wildlands. But where exile had taught me the freedom of living like our ancestors, following the natural rhythm of the land, it had left Fern trapped in a cage made of hierarchy.

“I never stopped thinking about you,” I said softly. “Everything I learned out there about what a pack could be—”

“Save it.” Her eyes flashed. “I’ve seen what your perfect pack looks like now. You parade around with your alpha friends while treating the rest of us like we’re beneath you.”

“That’s not true. Freya—”

“Your precious half-breed mate,” she spat. “You fought against alpha tyranny once. Now look at you, sharing a mate amongst yourselves, defending them while they imprison anyone who questions their authority.”

“Tork betrayed his last pack,” I reminded her. “He’d do the same to us.”

“Us?” She laughed again, the sound devoid of warmth. “There is no us, brother. You’re one of them now. Another alpha throwing his dominance around, pretending it’s for our own good to hide the truth from us.”

Our old pack’s teachings echoed in my mind — how a true leader serves the pack through wisdom and compassion, not force. But as I stared into my sister’s eyes, I saw no compassion there. Only bitter hatred that had festered for years.

“The pack needs protection,” I tried one last time. “Denraider is dangerous and preys on any pack that shows weakness—”

“We don’t need alphas to protect us. We’ve decided we need freedom from hierarchy.”

“Fern, you know we couldn’t care less about hierarchy compared to previous pack alphas. You were there when we gave up the Ironwood pack.”

“Then you can give up Frost Fang, too. We don’t want you here, either.”