Page 8 of Bullied Alpha Bride (Wolfshade Brides-for-Hire #2)

After Lexa runs from the house, the air seems to echo with chaos. As if something violent and horrific just happened, leaving its imprint on the empty spaces of the room.

Something violent and horrific did happen.

My heart is pounding up into my throat, making my head ache. Sweat trickles down my sides as I take deep breaths, trying to calm myself down.

How much does she know?

Obviously, she knows her mother died, but did she find out about that before she left town or after? It seems odd that she didn’t take any of her things with her or tell anyone she was leaving.

Unless she heard the death squad was coming for them. Maybe she found her mother’s body—maybe she was even there when they killed her. For all I know, Slade, Bolton, and Wick dragged them out of the house and tortured them both before Lexa got away.

Of all the questions I have about this situation, that’s one of the biggest. It doesn’t make any sense that those three would let her get away. Their actions are always very thorough.

Unless Laura fought them to give her some time.

From the look of the body and surrounding area, this is entirely possible. My heart goes out to Laura, pitting herself against brutal, violent monsters, giving up her life just so that her daughter could get away.

But does Lexa know that I was involved? The two of them were supposed to die by my hand. If she knows that, then she’ll never be able to trust me.

Too many uncomfortable thoughts jam through my brain, twisting my mind. Lexa might suspect I killed her mother and was given orders to kill her as well. Or maybe, she knows who killed her mother and knows I’m involved, that it was supposed to be me, and hates me for that.

Piled on top of that mind fuck, there’s the horrible way I used and discarded her. The timing of it all comes together in a hard knot, and I put my head in my hands, groaning softly.

How was I supposed to know that they were next on Grandfather’s kill list? Why didn’t I just tell him where to go that day she came to the house?

Maybe I could have saved them both.

Maybe I would have died with them.

My phone buzzes again, and I get up slowly, putting it in my pocket. The last thing I want to deal with right now is a council meeting, but since I just got married, I know the pack elders would like to set up plans for the future.

So would I.

As I walk to my car, I think about where Lexa has been all this time and what happened to her when she was away. I tried so hard to find her, and my scouts always came up with nothing.

But I didn’t go out into the human world, and there were just a few packs we didn’t search.

Most of Wolfshade is amicable, or at least neutral, but there are a few territories we don’t go into. It’s important to keep the peace because the series of valleys is the only place we are free to be what we are.

There are other places of magic in the world, but they belong to different creatures. This is the home of wolves, and if we don’t keep peace within it, the entire Range could tear itself apart.

The idea makes me shudder. As I start the truck and pull out into the street, my discomfort slowly turns to horror.

Grandfather wanted war. He was always pushing the other clans. Would he have torn up the Pass with his lust for power and violence?

My thoughts turn to how my grandparents were killed and how the murderers were never found. It was almost as if the second they left the safety of the Range, the assassins were waiting for them.

If Grandfather intended to sink the entire Range into war, I’m not sure I blame them.

I pull up at the old church and take the back entrance into the meeting room. Grandfather always insisted on having meetings at the estate, the church, or the rec hall attached to it. But since I became alpha, I’ve begun holding council in a small study behind the church.

The room is bright and comfortably furnished. A wide window at the back lets in clear, golden sunlight and crisp, fresh air. The walls are lined with shelves of books, and a thick red carpet covers the floor. There are soft armchairs and couches, and small crates of toys in the corner.

The younger members of the council—Mabel, Xavier, Cass, and my beta Cade, are gathered around a low table piled with cookies, cakes, and tea.

“Hey, big man!” Cade greets me, toasting me with a slice of cake. “Big married man, I should say.”

“Yeah,” I chuckle, trying to cover my inner turmoil. “It’s been a rough night.”

“I bet,” Mabel says, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Cass snaps. “As if anything is happening yet. I’m sure Kit means getting used to each other is tiring. Get your mind out of the gutter.”

Mabel blinks innocently. “I meant the long drive, then the rushed wedding. I have no idea what you’re talking about. Maybe you should get your mind out of the gutter.”

Cass rolls her eyes and goes to sit on a nearby couch. Mabel sticks her tongue out at her, and Cass giggles, almost spilling her tea. The two of them have been teasing each other since the first year of school, and it’s never serious.

Well, okay, maybe that one time. But after we disarmed Cass, it all worked out.

I turn slowly away from the refreshment table to face the end of the room. Sitting together on a long couch are Loretta, Derrik, and Jones, the pack elders.

All of them look annoyed, but that doesn’t surprise me. I doubt any of them has ever smiled in their lives.

“Kit,” Loretta says, a hard edge in her voice. “Sit down, please.”

I turn my back on them and get a slice of butter cake and a cup of sweet tea. I enjoy making them wait, and I know they hate the informality of these meetings, so I want to rub it in their faces as hard as I can.

I’m in charge now, not the old man. You can’t intimidate me.

While I’m getting my food, Mabel casually tosses herself down onto the couch next to Cass, cursing when she gets a shower of cookie crumbs across her chest. Cade goes to sit on the floor next to them, and I can practically hear the blood vessels popping in the elders’ brains.

I take my time going back towards them and sit down in a comfy armchair, casually resting my foot on my knee as I start eating my cake.

“Okay, guys, let’s begin,” I say. “What’s the matter of discussion today?”

Loretta takes a deep breath, ready to unleash a scathing tirade of some sort, but Cass speaks up, not even noticing she’s cutting Loretta off.

“Your wedding!” she says brightly. “That’s the only thing that matters. I’m so happy for you. We should really have a party.”

“Yeah!” Mabel agrees. “A big one. With a bonfire, and some games, and—”

“That’s enough!” Loretta snaps. “This is an official meeting, and all of you should conduct yourselves as such!”

I keep my eyes on the elders, my gaze steady and a casual smile on my face. I hear Mabel snicker quietly.

“This is important business,” Derrik adds. “As you know, Kit, we have urged you to find a mate for some time—”

“And I finally did,” I answer. “Shouldn’t we be celebrating?”

“You did not consult us about your choice!” Loretta argues. “We should have had a vote. This affects the whole pack, not just you.”

“Well, for a start, it wasn’t my choice,” I answer. “And I know how important it is. That’s why I asked for professional help.”

“When we told you to marry, we gave you a list of acceptable females,” Jones says. “We expected you to court them until a match was made. Setting off down the Pass to bring back a—I mean, a—”

Jones stumbles over his words, eventually giving up and staring at the floor. I keep my steady gaze on him, then look over at Derrik, who immediately turns his face away. When my gaze reaches Loretta, she glares right at me, her wolf shimmering in her eyes.

She might know about my orders and that I did not carry them out… and that Lexa should have died by my hand.

I refuse to look away, and Loretta doesn’t back down. We glare at each other as the tension in the room rises until Cade clears his throat.

“What about heirs?” he asks, settling himself more comfortably on the floor. “Isn’t that a major part of this?”

I tear my eyes away from Loretta to look at my friend. He grins at me like he just came in for the big rescue, but I don’t feel rescued.

“Yes, thank you, Cade,” I mutter. “Thanks so much for bringing that up.”

“Offspring are of the highest importance,” Loretta huffs. “If she cannot produce within a reasonable time frame, you will have to put her aside.”

“We have quite a bit of time before considering that,” I answer, trying to keep my voice even but getting exasperated. “I have every reason to believe Lexa is fertile.”

Why did I just say that?

“Fertile, maybe,” Loretta says, taking a sip of tea. “But willing? I mean, we know she isn’t worthy. But willing is pretty important, too.”

I glare at Loretta again. She glares right back, a nasty smirk on her face.

This is it. Right here, right now. I’m calling her out to battle for insult against the alpha. I can’t let her get away with this—

“There’s still time,” Derrik cuts in, getting up and putting himself between Loretta and me. “You can change your mind. Admit you made a mistake, banish Lexa, and take one of the females we suggested. My daughter Elaine is perfectly suited to you. And she is most certainly willing, my alpha.”

I look away, sighing as I pinch the bridge of my nose. I don’t know if Derrik intentionally stepped up to save Loretta, or if he just decided his point was so important that he had to make it immediately.

“Thank you,” I say firmly. “But I won’t be putting Lexa aside. As I mentioned, I went to a professional for help, and I trust her judgment. She is very good at this kind of thing, and her matches always work out for the individuals—and packs—involved.”

“It is true,” Loretta admits, her voice low. “I have heard good things about this Iris Porter.”

A little smile sneaks onto my face as I realize Loretta must have done some digging, hoping to undo my contract.

How does it feel to be wrong, you old bitch?

“Is the match working out for you?” Jones asks, his tone overly casual. “Are you… getting along?”

I look up at him sharply, and his grin is a terrible expression, full of malice.

He knows!

But how much does he know?

“There was so much confusion the day she left town,” Jones goes on, sounding sincerely regretful. “All that business with her poor mother, and you… where were you, Kit?”

I meet his eyes, but I can’t find anything to say. They’ve got me, and they know it.

What do they know? And what will they tell Lexa?

“I’m done with this discussion,” I state, standing up. “It’s the first day of my marriage, and I have important matters to attend to. We’ll follow this up another time.”

I see the elders ready to protest, but I just turn my back on the entire room and stride out. I hear Mabel’s voice and know she’ll distract the elders with an inflammatory topic, giving me time to get clear.

I have to find Lexa! What the fuck am I going to do here? I don’t know who knows what, and I can’t trust anyone.

The only thing I know for sure is, when the shit finally hits the fan, it’s going to be a fucking catastrophe.