Page 18 of Bullied Pregnant Mate (Silver Meadows Wolves #7)

Walking into the back of Shelley’s feels like walking to the gallows. I don’t know why I feel so guilty. I haven’t done anything wrong.

Except allow enemies into our territory and put everyone in danger.

As if she can sense my distress, Alisa takes my hand when the big door swings shut behind us. At the long table, Bae, Carson, Jack, and Rider are waiting for us. All of them look as serious as a heart attack. There’s an aura of gloom hanging around their heads, so dense that it is almost palpable.

Maybe I really am sharing Alisa’s powers.

“Come in,” Bae says, gesturing to the end of the table. “Sit down, Jenks. Good morning, Alisa.”

“Good morning,” she replies a bit shyly.

I don’t blame her—she’s the only woman here. This meeting is more formal than I realized.

I’m glad to have her by my side, though, and squeeze her hand a little as we sit down. She squeezes back right away, and this gives me some confidence, even though my anxiety doesn’t fade.

Even choosing a seat feels difficult. If we sit down at the end of the table, it puts distance between us and the others. It also feels wrong to sit closer, though. Even with my friends and family, I’ve always felt like an outsider.

Mom isolated me, it’s true. But even though Carla made every attempt to include me, Bae never did. I was always on the edges of the pack. No one cared enough to invite me to family gatherings or pack events.

At the other end of the table, Bae is talking with Carson, too quietly for us to hear. Across the table, Jack and Rider get into a conversation.

“Have you seen anything over at New Hope?” Jack asks.

Rider shakes his head. “All quiet over there. Jen is really spooked about the Ancient Ones. She spends a lot of time out on the ridge, just staring into the mountains.”

“Is she okay? Like, I know you have a lot of respect for her, but she is old. And sometimes she acts kind of… cracked.”

Rider chuckles. “I agree. She is getting on, and neglecting herself, as old wolves tend to do. If she decides to wander off into the wilderness for her final days, it’s not like we could stop her.”

“That’s true,” Jack sighs. “It would be nice if she told us a bit about the Ancient Ones before she did that, though.”

The door bangs open, cutting off the conversation. Peter, Body, and Kyle all walk through the door. I feel sweat break out down my sides.

The gang’s all here. Jesus fuck.

Just when I think it can’t get any worse, Nate and the younger girl, Driss, hurry in right on Kyle’s heels. My guts twist as I start to think about the ground that must be covered by our patrols and how obvious it must be that there is a breach.

I’m fucked! I’m totally fucked!

“Hey, Nate,” Jack says, gesturing to a seat next to him. “Have you got any news?”

Nate sighs, shaking his head as he sits down. “We’ve got a den set up in an old mine connected to a cave system. You know the other wild wolves in my faction won’t move into town. They need to live rough.”

“Crazy, but okay,” Jack says with a shrug.

“Suit yourself,” Driss says curtly.

Nate nudges her. “Easy, Driss. You’re here to learn diplomacy, because we’re becoming an official faction now. I need others who can coordinate.”

As the others ramble on about seemingly unimportant topics, my mind starts to drift. Alisa gives my hand another squeeze and smiles. I smile back, but my thoughts are a million miles away.

My anxiety over being blamed for the breach to our defenses is strong, but it’s matched by an overwhelming desire for family connection. It’s not just that I want to believe Brad—no matter how many times I examine it, his words ring true. Beneath my yearning, a red-hot, glowing fury is beginning to burn, streaking through my blood and clouding my thoughts.

How could my mother have hidden my father from me?

Okay, so he’s from Decker. Back then, we were at war, which was exactly why Bae attempted to make peace with Jack’s marriage to Lena. Obviously, my mom had an affair, and she didn’t want anyone to find out about it.

And she didn’t want my father finding out about me , in case he came for me.

As much sense as this makes, I can’t forgive her for it. The fury in me is born of pain, longing, and desperate loss. Because of her, I never felt loved.

Even if I can understand her reasons for not telling me about my father, why did she close herself off from me?

I always blamed her witch side for how erratic she was, but now that doesn’t make any sense. I’ve gotten to know the witches. None of them are anything like her.

And this marriage brought me into the pack. It made me feel like a part of things for the first time in my life. No longer the party guy, the joker, the clown. I finally feel like somebody important.

Finding out I have blood relatives—wolves who want to meet me, who seem interested in getting to know me—has shocked me to the core.

“Okay, everyone, listen up!” Bae shouts. “Let’s get started. We all know why we’re here.”

I don’t.

Nobody speaks, but everyone nods. I feel completely lost, but I keep my mouth shut. Saying anything at all could expose me, and I don’t know what would happen to me and Alisa then.

Would he really banish us?

“Fresh tracks were found this morning,” Nate announces. “We received your communication yesterday about a strange scent and scraps of fur left on low-hanging branches, so we expanded patrols and found tracks.”

“Nate, I know I already asked, but can you be absolutely sure that this is not an Ancient One?” Bae asks.

“A hundred percent,” Nate affirms. “Smell is all wrong, and the tracks are nowhere near big enough. On that front, I’ve got good news and bad.”

“Spill it,” Bae urges.

“We have an elder and three wolves that left Kelta’s group. They don’t support what she’s doing. Old Mary, she’s dealt with the Ancient Ones directly.”

“Does she have intel?” Bae asks eagerly.

“She might,” Nate answers. “But she’s blind, and pretty senile.”

“Great,” Jack mutters.

“Okay, okay,” Bae says, waving his hands. “Back to it! Where did you find those prints, Nate?”

“Top ridge. It was definitely our territory. Whoever it is, they don’t care about the boundaries. They’re coming in for some reason.”

“And there’s been no attacks, except for Jenks’s place,” Bae mutters, rubbing his chin. “These have to be the same guys.”

“For sure,” Nate confirms.

Alisa squeezes my hand, and I glance over at her. She looks tense, but I know she won’t say anything.

She promised me she wouldn’t, but I’m only just realizing how much of a conflict this is for her. She could be putting the other witches in danger.

“How close did they get?” Jack asks.

“The tracks were covered by snow about halfway down, so we don’t know exactly,” Nate answers. “But Bailey said the patrols found scraps of fur a lot lower than that.”

“Yes, it was me,” Body says. “The other day when I patrolled near Jenks’s house, that’s when I found it.”

My anxiety shoots through the roof, and sweat trickles down my sides as I fight to stay still. I know I should say something, but I don’t even know where to start.

And I’m in way too deep now. If I tell them, I’ll have to go back to the beginning, and they’ll never forgive me for hiding this.

“Jenks,” Bae says, turning his gold eyes to me, “this is your territory. What have you seen?”

My tongue seems to get stuck on the roof of my mouth. I shake my head, trying to loosen it. “Nothing,” I mutter, forcing my voice through my throat. “I haven’t seen anything.”

“The tracks led towards your house, and Body found signs of a wolf close to your property. Are you sure you haven’t seen anything?”

I shake my head, and Alisa’s grip on my hand tightens like a vice.

“It was only the smallest scrap of fur,” Body says. “It looks like the wolf, whoever it was, crouched down to go through a thicket, probably to avoid patrol. Jenks is new at this, so don’t lay too much on him.”

Body’s words make my heart sink. I never expected to be supported by the other pack members. Now hiding information from them seems like an utter and complete betrayal.

But this is my only choice, isn’t it? Betray my blood relatives or my pack. I’m stuck between those two paths, and there is no escape.

“We went up pretty high, as far into the peaks as we could go without antagonizing Kelta,” Nate says. “There’s no sign of anything going on up there. She’s secluded herself and gone all the way back up to the harshest conditions in the higher peaks.”

“That’s something,” Bae replies. “So, these breaches have to be wolves from Decker’s pack?”

“They must be,” Jack says. “But what do they want? Why are they sneaking in like this? The only thing I can think of is that it’s family members. Maybe Sam?”

“Maybe,” Bae considers, nodding. “Or maybe someone who supports the imprisoned wolves, trying to get help but afraid of being killed on the spot.”

“This is such a fucking mess,” Kyle groans. “Leslie was a loner, but she still misses some people back in her hometown.”

“We didn’t do this!” Bae snaps, anger flooding through him. His eyes shimmer, and he seems to take up more space as his anger rises. “They attacked us,” he thunders in a voice that echoes around the room. “We were completely unaware, and at peace, and they brought war to us. We are innocent in this, and I am still giving them every possible chance to go back and make amends. I understand how difficult it is for those with ties to Silverton, but it is not our fault they are now our enemies!”

Bailey has such presence, I’m actually a bit scared. He’s usually so easygoing, most of us forget that he’s the alpha, and much more powerful than any of us.

Bae looks down at the table, blinking and taking deep breaths until his wolf settles. When he raises his head, his eyes are deep amber again, not shimmering with liquid gold as if he’s about to shift.

“So, what next?” Jack asks, trying to break the mood. “Strengthen patrols?”

“Yes,” Bae answers. “We’ll need to tighten the grid. I don’t want anyone attacking until we are sure they mean us harm, but if it comes to a fight, don’t hold back. Call for help and use any force necessary.”

I swallow hard, pressing my lips together so I don’t shout. I don’t know what I’ll do if I encounter my brother or father again, but I’m pretty sure I can’t attack them.

Even though they attacked Alisa.

I shake my head, trying to clear it of these thoughts. They had no way of knowing she was my wife. I’m sure if they knew she was important to me, they wouldn’t have attacked.

This might even lead to a new era of peace. If they can reconcile their hatred of witches to accept Alisa, it could lead to a truce.

The idea is unlikely, but it gives me hope, and I don’t want to let go of it.

“Okay, so we’ll organize patrol groups,” Bae says. “Tighten up around Jenks’s house in particular. I’ll go through it all on a map, and we’ll set up tonight.”

Terror starts to rise in me again. What if I’m on patrol and see Brad, and the others realize I know him? I’ll be screwed!

“It’s okay, Jenks,” Bae says, apparently noticing my unease. “This assignment is way too heavy for you, and you’re inexperienced. What I want you and Alisa to do is go away for a few days, to a hotel or inn on the other side of town. How does that sound?”

“That sounds great,” I answer, my voice trembling with relief. “Thank you, Bae.”

“I just want to keep you safe,” he replies. “You’ve put yourself in danger and willingly joined in on pack business, but you’ve never been in combat, so it isn’t fair to expect you to run with the others. Also, it’s pretty obvious you’ve missed some signs around your place.”

And that means you’re a liability.

I hear Bae’s last sentence in my head, not with my ears. His eyes shimmer again as he looks at me, and I truly don’t know if he thinks I’m hiding something or if I’m just incompetent.

Jokes on him—it’s both.

Alisa leans against me, rubbing my arm. Comfort floods through me, and I’m relieved that we are going away together for a few days. I can’t wait to get away from the pack, the mountain, even my own house.

This is exactly what we need—time to work this out.