Page 63 of Crossed Fates

“Sir, Beta Mavi from Elk Neck Pack called into our main line. He wants to talk to you,” a male voice said, his deep voice easily carrying to my wolf ears.

“Beta Mavi?” Hawk frowned. “What happened to Beta Byers?”

“I think that’s why he’s calling, sir,” the man replied.

Hawk’s shoulders squared, his sharp gaze cutting to his son as he said, “Thanks, Rick. You can put him through.”

Alaric braced his legs, his stance rivaling his father’s protective posture. I smiled a little inside at the sight, noting how similar Alaric was to his dad. I’d noticed it outside earlier, and I’d glimpsed it during a few other interactions, but now with the way they held themselves in the same stance, using the same tone while speaking, I realized just how identical they were.

Alaric was definitely born an alpha, destined to lead.

However, my musing ended when a deep voice said, “Alpha Calder, sorry to meet like this, but we have five more sick wolves. All silver poisoning and fresh.” There was a pause as the male cleared his throat. “We think it’s linked to Alpha Warren’s funeral.”

“Why?” Hawk asked, his body vibrating with anger.

Alaric appeared the same, tension lining his limbs and tightening his jaw.

“Because the funeral was last night and our leadership all fell ill within hours of the ceremony,” Beta Mavi replied, his tone gruff. “We… we think the ritual cup was somehow laced with silver.”

I wasn’t familiar with Bitten pack burials but suspected that part of the tradition was reserved for those in power positions. Which explained Hawk’s confusion about Beta Byers.

“It’s… it’s why I’m acting beta,” he added, confirming my assumption.

“Inform the others,” Hawk told him, the alpha clear in his voice.

“Yes, sir,” Beta Mavi replied.

“I’ll organize a council meeting as well,” Hawk concluded. “Be sure to attend.”

“Of course, sir.”

“As well as your acting alpha,” Hawk added. “Assuming you have one?”

“Not yet, sir.” Beta Mavi sounded uncertain. “I… I would be next in line.”

“Then call yourself Alpha Mavi,” Hawk said, his tone underlined in command. “If someone wants to challenge you later, so be it. But own the position, son. It’s how you maintain order within your pack.”

“Y-yes, sir,”AlphaMavi replied, not sounding at all certain or in charge. He cleared his throat. “Thank you, sir.”

“You’re welcome.” Hawk ended the call, then he looked at his son.

“Spiking the ceremonial cup would have to be an inside job,” Alaric said, not missing a beat. “Which means Elk Neck is compromised.”

“And Gloria is still missing,” Hawk added, emotion darkening his voice. “First someone enters our boundaries and attacks a wolf under our protection—because Kristen was under our jurisdiction while visiting—and now someone has attacked a burial rite.”

Alaric’s chest rumbled, his wolf agitated. “We need to confer with the other packs. Find out who else was attacked.” He glanced down and then up again. “And I should also reach out to McKenzie Pack about Kristen.”

A very alpha-like thing to say, but Alaric didn’t seem to notice.

His father did, though. I caught the glint in his blue eyes, the pride eclipsing his frustration for just a fraction of a second before his shoulders fell on a sigh. “We can’t properly honor Tyler’s life under these circumstances. Not when I can’t trust the unspoken laws of engagement to be upheld for a funeral.”

“Yes, whoever is doing this lacks any and all honor,” Alaric agreed, as did I.

Because who the hell attacked mourning wolves during a funeral?A monster,I thought.A fucking monster.

Hawk swallowed, his expression shadowed as he softly admitted, “I don’t know what to do. I can’t not bury my son. But I can’t risk the pack either.”

My heart broke for him, not only because he had to voice that confession, but also because he was right. They couldn’t host a funeral under these circumstances. And they also couldn’t just leave Tyler’s body in a state of unrest. It went against the natural order for wolves. We mourned our dead as a pack. That was the same across both realms.