Page 23 of Forced Alpha Bride (Wolfshade Brides-for-Hire #3)

Silence rings through the room, a singing note of tension that feels like the pause right before an explosion. Damon stares at the flower on the cloth, his face twisted with conflict.

“Warriors have been assembled,” Regina says sharply. “They are out in the courtyard, waiting for your order. Will you lead them, Damon?”

He takes a deep breath, slowly raising his head to look Regina in the eye.

“No,” he states.

The elders start shouting, all of them getting up to hurry over and say their piece. Damon waves his hands, roaring for them to shut up.

“Regina,” he says, and the ruckus settles.

“You can’t show me a dried flower and expect me to go into a full-force attack.

You haven’t even given me any context. Who found it?

Where? Give me all the information. I wouldn’t be a very good alpha if I didn’t fully investigate this before putting our wolves at risk. ”

Well done. She can’t argue with that.

“Rafe, a member of my personal guard, found this flower in the hills nearby,” Regina says. “There was evidence of a small group camping there and the remains of other flowers, too. These can be made into an explosive liquid, as I’m sure you know.”

“Yes, I do,” Damon answers.

“Hex, one of my most loyal men, has taken samples of the burned buildings, and he is certain fire flower syrup is the incendiary. What more evidence do you need? Take our warriors out, now!”

“No,” Damon says very calmly. “I want to hear reports from these men—in person. Your word is good, Regina, but not as good as theirs. I’d also like to examine this campsite myself and see if I agree with your men.”

“Why?” she demands, losing her cool.

“Because it’s my decision to make, and I won’t commit to a course of action until I know for sure it’s the correct one. So far, all we have is your scouts bringing back different information from mine.”

“Did they have evidence?” Regina asks, showing the flower at Damon’s face.

“This is a clue,” he says. “Not evidence.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Regina snaps.

“No,” Damon answers. “My people didn’t bring back any evidence—or clues.”

“Then I don’t see why—"

“Damon’s right,” I agree, cutting her off. “We can’t just attack based on this. We don’t want any innocent people to get hurt.”

“I told you already,” Regina utters in a scathing tone. “None of them are innocent.”

“Even the children?” I ask.

“You have no knowledge that there actually are children there,” Regina huffs. “And even if they are, I’m sure they’re criminals, just like their parents.”

“Regina,” I reply, glaring at her, “I refuse to believe such a thing, and I struggle to comprehend that you would believe this. I was present for Austin’s report this morning, and his words were compelling. I’d also like to hear your men report on the subject to judge for myself.”

Damon shoots me a grateful look, and I smile back. I’m not ready to jump into his lap and trust him again, but Austin’s words affected me, and Regina’s evidence seems incredibly convenient.

“Fine!” Regina snaps. “I’ll recall all the scouts. Mitchell, you'd better go out and tell the warriors to stand down.”

“Yes, do that,” Damon says. “If I find anyone acting against my orders, my punishment will be swift and painful.”

He gives Regina a hard look as he says this, and I see the faintest flash of a smile on her face.

Something is definitely not right.

“As you command, Alpha,” she says in a forced, almost mocking tone. “Let us assemble our scouts and meet again once they are ready to give their reports to you.”

“I’ll wait right here,” Damon says, striding over to the chairs around the fireplace. “I should talk with all of you, and we’ll have some time while the scouts come in. Don’t you agree?”

“I have to go out the back and tell the warriors to stand down,” Mitchell says.

“I’m going out with him,” Regina says. “And I have to make some calls to bring my people in.”

“Then Ledra, Cora, Norman, and Bryce will keep me company,” Damon says. “We have much to discuss. Will you join us, Winnie?”

Even though I know I should, I’m itching to see Krista all of a sudden, and it’s not just because I’ve been missing my friend.

She might know something about all of this. Behind all the gossip and misinformation, I could find the truth.

“I’m going to see Krista and her mother,” I reply. “I’m long overdue for a visit with my good friend.”

“As you like,” Damon says with a wave of his hand. “Keep me informed.”

“I will,” I reply, turning to go down the hall. Behind me, I hear Mitchell and Regina head for the front door, whispering furiously to each other.

So much deception. I’ve spent my whole life seeing things as black and white, right and wrong. Now I’m drowning in gray, and all truth seems conditional.

When I come to the library door, Krista’s shriek is so loud I’m sure it could be heard at the peak of the spires on the manor roof.

“Winnie!” she yells, racing across the room and throwing her arms around me. Breath blasts out of my lungs as she squeezes me, almost lifting me off my feet.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, dragging me into the library. “How have you been? Is he a total beast?”

“I’m here for the meeting,” I say, ignoring Krista’s other questions as I sit down in front of the roaring fire next to Krista’s mother. “It’s nice to see you, Isla.”

“And you, too, dear. I’ve been so worried.”

“I’m fine. I’m more worried about this horrible conflict than anything else. I don’t want more people getting hurt.”

“I agree,” Isla says. “This is a terrible situation. It would never have happened if Roderick were still alive!”

“Why?” I ask, keeping my tone light.

“Because Valentine Creek was afraid of him. He pushed them back into their boundaries years ago and dealt with anyone who came out with lethal force. He kept warriors in constant watch and executed a group of young wolves that tried to escape. He did it in full view of the town, and no one has tried to leave since then.”

“So he kept a force of warriors around the town itself?” I ask. “And the wolves he executed, what was their crime?”

“They left the borders,” Krista says. “That was bad enough.”

Her words sink into me, and a sick feeling of horror rises in my guts.

Those young wolves could have been going anywhere in the Range. Who says they were coming for the Eyrie?

“So, you’re saying that Valentine Creek knew Roderick died, and that’s why they attacked?” I ask.

“When Roderick died, Regina became the council’s strongest member,” Isla says. “She sent reinforcements to the warriors around the Creek. The alpha challenge was supposed to be a brief meeting. A debate and a vote, nothing more. No one expected Damon to show up, let alone win.”

“But why let him fight at all?”

“We could not refuse him,” Krista says. “His mother’s line is from the first families. She was the last of them, and when she died, we thought Damon would never return.”

“He also has a loyal group of fierce warriors,” Isla continues. “He could have forced a battle. No one wanted that. The first thing he did after winning was recall warriors and have everyone stand down. When our sentries left the forest, Valentine Creek would have known we were vulnerable.”

“And you think they moved on us because of that?” I ask.

“I think it’s awfully convenient that the attack happened right after Damon ordered an end to hostile maneuvers with the Creek,” Isla says.

“But if they are so poor, then how could they launch the attack in the first place?” I point out. “It’s not like I’ve seen it with my own eyes, but the reports say the town is very small, and they are simple people.”

“That’s exactly why they’ve always attacked us!” Isla says furiously. “Because they have nothing. The only way for them to survive is to steal from others, and they think nothing of taking innocent lives if anyone gets in their way.”

Before I can ask another question, an alarm sounds, and people start screaming. There is a terrible howling coming from the back courtyard, and the three of us run through the house to get out there as quickly as we can. When we pass the parlor, I see Damon and the elders ahead of us.

We follow them through the back doors and out into the open courtyard where the party decorations are still set up, wilting in the cold breeze. All around us, injured men are being dragged in, and wolves bay and howl up and down the valley as if they are warning of an incoming attack.

A horrible wailing sounds from the back of the yard, and I follow Damon towards it. When I see Regina clutching a young man to her breast, screaming as she strokes his hair, horrible fear and grief almost stop my heart in my chest.

“Rafe!” she cries. “No! My boy… no!”

Damon stares down at her, his face white with shock. Regina sits up and points her finger at him, still clinging to Rafe with her other arm.

“You did this! You’re responsible for the deaths of all of these boys! Rafe was like a son to me! When we sent out scouts to bring in our warriors, we found them being attacked by assassins from Valentine Creek!”

“Regina,” Damon whispers. “I’m so sorry.”

“This didn’t have to happen!” she screams. “If only you had sent out warriors when we told you to, all of these young men would still be alive!”

“Where are my scouts?” Damon asks. “Do they have a report?”

“Ah, alpha,” Mitchell says, coming up beside us. “There’s something you need to see.”

What now?

I don’t want to see the carnage, but I can’t seem to look away. All around me are bloodied bodies and people screaming with grief and loss. Regina doesn’t stop wailing, and my heart breaks for her.

She loved him so much. I knew she was close with her guards and took good care of them, but I never imagined she thought of them as family.

I glance behind me to see Isla backing away, her face white and her hands over her mouth. Krista has her arms around her mother, her eyes wide with shock as she leads her back to the manor.

We fucked up. How could we let this happen? I’m the luna—it’s my fault, too!

My chest tightens uncomfortably as I remember backing Damon up when he gave the order to wait.

This will haunt me for the rest of my life.

I turn to follow Damon, taking quick strides so I can catch up with him and Mitchell. At the far end of the courtyard, there are three bodies laid out. No one is crying or wailing over them.

Why? Who are they?

As we get closer, Damon’s step falters, and I reach for his arm. He brushes me off, his eyes fixed on the three covered bodies.

“Show me, Mitchell!” Damon demands, his voice cracking.

Mitchell hurries forward and pulls the covers back. Damon gasps with shock as they are revealed. I don’t know who they are, and at first, I’m confused.

Then Mitchell reaches the last body and reveals a face with a name I couldn’t forget.

Austin!

With an anguished cry, Damon falls to his knees, grabbing Austin’s dead hand.

“Oh, my brothers, what have I done!” he bellows.

These are Damon’s men… and they were killed by Valentine Creek.