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CHAPTER 39

Freedom

ALIA

S hen’s eyes met mine. I saw the moment he knew and the moment he decided.

His eyes pooled with emotion and a tear slid down his cheek as he watched his pack members writhe in torment as they all accepted his burden. I wished in that moment that I had it in me to do the same, to take some of his pain, but I couldn’t. I’d brought them here. It had to be enough.

A surge of power went through the tent and knocked me back. When I scrambled to my feet, Shen was laughing. Laughing , the dolt. It was choked and it was hoarse, but he was alive .

“I am free,” he whispered. He turned to the werewolves. He slowly rose to his knees and bowed his head to them. “Thank you.”

“None of that. Ye saved us first, sir. We’re just here to return the favor,” Daisy said, lifting Shen’s chin and gently patting his cheek with a soft smile on her tanned, slightly wrinkled face. Tears trailed from her eyes and dropped from her chin.

Shen bowed his head as if struggling to reign in his emotions. He slowly stood and stared at those who had come to support him. They bared their necks to him, each and every one smiling with gratitude to the one who had earned their loyalty.

This was my Shen. A compassionate leader. A worthy Alpha. A kind man.

He turned to me. There was a warmth so deep in his eyes it made them sparkle. “Thank you,” he said, reaching out a hand.

But then, a hint of moonlight touched his boot. He winced and a wry smile crossed his face. “We will talk later,” he said, crouching over as the moon brought forth his wolven side. The rest of the werewolves in human form did the same.

I winced as his bones cracked, as fur sprouted along his skin, and as his nose elongated. A split second later, he was there. His wolf was the size of a bear, his head a little higher than my eye level. If he stood on his back legs, he’d likely be seven to ten feet tall.

His silken fur was the black of rich earth with hints of amber. His eyes were nearly pure gold and glistened in the moonlight. When they met mine, his tail slowly slapped against his sides as his tongue lolled from the corner of his mouth.

And then I understood why he never let me see his wolven form. His tail was tipped in white and there was a heart-shaped white spot on his hip—Hood’s calling card.

I walked over to him. My heart pounded an erratic beat within my chest, but fear was not why. He was intimidating, yes. He was magnificent beyond comparison, also yes. But the man I knew was still the werewolf; they were one. I rested my hand on his cheek, his breath washing over me, nearly causing me to gag. His breath was worse than Fenbutt’s. Then he sighed.

“You’re beautiful,” I whispered, kissing his nose. It twitched and his hind end wiggled in happiness. He licked my nose.

His eyes was asking me for something, but I couldn’t tell what.

I blinked at him and my eyebrows furrowing with confusion. He laid down before me and gestured to his back with his nose. I blinked and blinked again, my nose wrinkling, unsure he meant what I thought he meant.

Just get on already! Ran groused, pushing me forward with her snout on my behind, smoke curling around her nostrils.

I slowly eased my leg over his broad back and settled just behind his shoulder. I pulled my hood up and snapped my cowl into place. Shen patiently waited until I gently patted his shoulder, then he rose. He lifted his head and howled. It was long and haunting and ended in a deep growl. The werewolves in the tent lifted their muzzles. A werewolf responded in the distance. Another howled from outside the tent and others from miles away. That was not merely a howl. It was a war cry from those who weren’t close enough to make it, but who had chosen their Alpha.

Pride swelled in my chest. Shen was a beautiful, caring soul in a dangerous package.

He glanced back and whined, his nose twitching at the blood tricking from the wound in my side. His eyes were a mixture of self-loathing and hatred. I had never seen such emotion in an animal before.

I pulled back my cloak to look at it. The wound wasn’t deep and the bleeding had mostly stopped. I put a yarrow and sap mixture on it, which would seal it until my body healed naturally.

I booped his nose with my finger, making his nose twitch as I grinned. “It’s fine, Wolfie. A mere scratch.”

He snorted in what sounded like disagreement. His eyes met mine as if trying to convey something. Then he turned forward and walked into the dawning of a new day.

I glanced back to see Fen and the rest following us. I realized now how I had mistaken Fen for Hood. He had the white-tipped tail and a spot of white on his flank, but it wasn’t heart-shaped like on Shen’s werewolf. It was almost a half-moon shape.

I chuckled at myself for having missed such a minute detail. I would’ve never forgiven myself if I had killed Fen. It would have eventually killed my soul. I would be forever grateful that Shen was Hood for that one saving grace.

Shen kept his first steps gentle, but I had become good at riding due to a crazy unicorn-dragon with a penchant for trying to throw me in ice-cold rivers. Ran’s wingtip smacked me on the back of the head as she tottered out the door ahead of us. I snarled low in my throat and then paused when the sound nearly scared me off Shen’s back. What the heck was that?

You ’ ve been hanging around a werewolf too much, that ’ s what, Ran said, amusement coating her voice.

I ignored her. Shen glanced back at me, his eyes searching me from head to toe. I leaned forward and rubbed his ears. “Let’s go,” I said, smiling. “I need to pay a visit to a little friend and rescue my nieces.”

He cocked his head, interest in his eyes. His freedom inspired me. I was Matriarch of the Reds but had been tiptoeing around my sister’s husband for weeks, trying to keep him away from Anna and the kids, afraid he would use what he knew against us. It was time that stopped. “Take me to the shop that smells of candles and lye.”

He gave a light yip and increased his pace, the werewolves yipping behind us as they joined in a run with us as the spearhead.

I wrapped my hands in Shen’s thick fur and held on with my legs. His gait was much different than that of a unicorn. It was rolling and nearly smooth, but with a tiny quirk. When he’d speed up, there was a slight lag before the rest of his body caught up. But it was nothing like what Ran put me through, so it was quite easy to sit. We passed my villagers, and they stopped to stare.

“What… is that…”

“That’s Mistress Red!”

“Is that Hood?” another voice screamed, running away in terror.

Others stood still, their eyes popping from their sockets in pure shock.

“Mistress Red is riding Hood!”

“It’s a Red riding Hood!”

“A little Red riding Hood!” another said, which I swore was Brandt’s voice.

“Hey!” I shouted, but they were already well behind me. I was offended. Shen was huge in his wolven form, sure, but heck. I wasn’t that small.

People quickly scrambled out of our way, one even tripping over a kid they didn’t see behind them. I glanced behind me and both were getting up, staring after us with open mouths.

I smiled, letting my arms relax. This was… nice. It was freeing, exhilarating.

We stopped in front of Rey’s father’s shop. Rey walked out, wiping his hands on his apron, his father right behind him to see what the commotion was. They both froze.

I got down from Shen, clenching my teeth. I’d had to make nice to this man for too long. It was time it ended.

I walked up to him. “Curo, is your sister alright?” Rey asked, his voice concerned and his brows furrowing.

I said nothing.

He shifted his feet, glancing at those surrounding us, people who were too curious for their own good and had followed the werewolves instead of running. The werewolves spread out behind me, careful not to get too close to the humans who eyed them with distrust. “Please, is everyone alright? This is a frightening way to show up?—”

“Where are Jess and Fina?”

His eyes darkened. “My children? Did you lose them?” he asked. For a moment, my heart dropped. But then two little voices came from overhead.

“ Leelee ! We’re up here!” a sweet, sweet voice said. Enforcer Markus pushed open a window.

“They were locked up here, madame,” he said. He paused, then added, “Fina is not speaking, but Jess has expressed her father was not kind to the children.” A threat underlined every word. Rey paled.

“No, he weren’t!” Jess said, her voice wavering.

“Please get them out and to my family, Enforcer Markus. Thank you for finding and protecting them,” I said.

There were people gathering around, watching with wide eyes and bated breath.

“This is not like you, Alia. Please, as my sister, know I meant nothing wrong. I just wished to see my children. You all have been keeping them so much and have been so busy, you have turned me away the last few times I came to see them?—”

He had to stop speaking when his nose crunched beneath my fist. He squealed like a girl, his voice ringing with pain. “Whash you dosh?—”

“That is for my sister. This is for my family.” I punched him again, driving him to his knees. I was always scared of this man. Scared that he would finish my sister off. Scared that he would use his connections to oust my family secret that my sister had so painstakingly hidden, but it was time.

I was done being a pushover. I was done letting boys run over me and my family. I knew what a real man was like, and it was so much more than this quavering heap before me. True men protected you from others, yes. But most of all, they protected you from themselves. Shen listens, respects me, and works hard to understand what I need. This boy before me was an insecure brat trying—and failing—to be seen as a man.

Sadly, true men were few and far between. There were many who were roped into thinking men like this bag of bones was what a man was supposed to be, and they go their entire lives not realizing they deserved better.

I glanced back at Shen, who was sitting like a dog, Fenbutt at his feet. Ran and the other werewolves were nowhere to be found. A couple of orphans were slowly inching up to him. His imperial bearing was enough to drive most of the adults off, but kids were another breed entirely. They were closing in on his tail, watching as it twitched on the ground. Their eyes were wide with wonder and curiosity, their bare feet peeking out from their grimy trousers.

One child reached out, almost touching the tail when it twitched away from her hand. She tried again and it wagged, brushing against her nose before falling to the other side. She pounced, straddling his tail between her legs and sitting on it with a wide, gap-toothed smile. She glanced up and paled, seeing Shen had turned his head in an act of contortion and was staring at her from inches away.

To her credit, she didn’t move. Whether that was in fear or wonder, I’d never know. She met his eyes, her mouth wide and her green eyes dancing from beneath mud-streaked hair.

Shen sneezed. The girl jumped… and then she giggled. Shen nuzzled her with his nose. She raised her hands and caught his muzzle, smiling so bright her eyes nearly disappeared from her grin as she stared up at him. His entire being softened. How a bear-sized werewolf could suddenly become a puppy in the hands of a child a tenth of his weight, I would never know. She felt around his face and nearly poked his eye before one of the other kids got there. Shen rolled over, gently playing with the kiddos, Fenbutt prancing around and mock-growling as he joined the fun.

Could my heart have melted anymore? Doubt it.

He’s gonna be a lovely father.

Oh heck no my brain did not just go?—

There? Oh girl, you ’ re as smitten as a dragon smelling embers for the first time, Ran teased.

“You’ve brought a cold-blooded murderer into the village, ousted our very leader with your witchery, and now you come for your very brother?”

The words of Rey’s father, Bill, prompted me to spin around, only to see him holding a crossbow pointed at Shen and the kids. A few others were on top of buildings, their crossbows glistening with silver arrows. Shen wasn’t concerned, even turning to give me a wink, but he moved so the kids were beneath him, away from the arrows even as they continued to play. I sighed, resisting the urge to rub my eyes. Couldn’t he take death threats a bit more seriously? And could he stop putting himself in the way of blasted arrows?

“Are you this much of an idiot, Billy?” I said, stepping between him and Shen. “They were never our enemy. We hurt them first. We began this war. And now you and your little boy-child threaten my family? It ends now. Your child was never my sibling. He is a manipulative abuser who has used my sister all these years, keeping her sick just so he can use her all over again.” I raised my eyes to those around me, those with their hands on weapons and those watching in contemplative silence.

I stood on a precipice. How I responded would determine my reign. I could win them or lose them, here and now. No pressure.

I took a deep breath, and I decided. Regardless of whether I won or lost, I would stay true to myself. I would be honest.

“My sister has magic, just as I do. But old Billy boy here didn’t want you to know that, did he? No, he must keep her Gift contained, because her Gift allowed him to buy this shop, allowed him to gain riches—all by knowing a person’s deepest secrets so he could blackmail others into subservience.”

The crowd stepped away from Rey and Bill.

“Is that how you knew Shawn was conceived out of wedlock? You cost me my son because I wouldn’t give into your demands!” a woman cried out, her voice verging on murder.

“He cost me my best pigs and slaughtered my best stock!”

“He’s made me pay tithe to his family.”

That and more was tossed at the two, weapons slowly lowered and the people staring at the them with clenched fists and hard eyes.

“Why did you not say anything?” Elder Timone asked. His face was weathered by time and hard work, but his voice and body were still strong as he came up beside me.

I shrugged. “What would have happened differently?” I asked. “Mom had already come forward, questioning the marriage and his behavior, but you said it was young love. You allowed this abuse, Elder Timone. Because you looked the other way, my sister became sick. Because you wished to hide under a rock and not allow your secrets to come out, you gave into demands that went against all we stood for. But now we have a second chance. We all do. A second chance to do this right, to protect the innocent and those who cannot protect themselves. A chance to right the wrongs of our ancestors. To usher in an age of peace where we wage war on those who would harm the innocent, the weaker but not lesser, and the broken but healing people and creatures of our world, just as our code was meant to be.”

“And we stand by you.” The voice came out of the crowd. It was of a deep timbre, shivering with pride.