Page 56 of Same Thing

“But you—”

“Haven’t done anything wrong either,” Nate growled as he walked right through the middle of the Elders and their guards.

“The hell he hasn’t. He’s bonded to a human!”

“You wouldn’t give a shit about any of this if it wasn’t your daughter that was rejected!” Nate yelled.

“I can step down as Alpha and leave the territory,” Liam negotiated. “Nate is Second. He can take over—”

“They stood by and supported this. You are throwaway wolves. All of you are listed as Rogue as of now. You will have no protection from us, and no protection from other nearby Packs.”

“But they didn’t do anything wrong,” Liam snarled.

“An Alpha’s failures fall on his Pack,” Aro said through a cruel smile. “My daughter will choose the new Alpha for this territory, and they can build it up together. I gave you a chance to build this Pack, and you refused. Don’t worry. It will be well defended.” Aro turned to leave. “One week. Disobey me and we will eradicate every last one of you.”

“Declaring war on a Pack?” Liam barked. “Sounds an awful lot like what you pulled in Wyoming.”

The others had been leaving, but a few of them stopped and looked at each other.

“You know that feels right,” Liam said.

“Enough!” Aro barked.

“Kill whatever you can’t control, right?” Liam yelled.

“Enough!” Aro screamed, the veins in his neck protruding. “You have no idea what happened in Wyoming. No one does.”

“Because you killed the witnesses,” Liam gritted out. He looked at the others. “You know I’m right.” He stepped forward and pointed at the wolves on the ground. “Take your dead!”

Shock vibrated through Nory’s shaking body as she watched the living wolves turn back into men, and pick up the dead, and leave with the others. The SUV’s pulled out of the yard, one by one.

Her leg and neck hurt so badly, and she clung desperately to Liam’s arm.

The yard was littered with scraps of clothing, and Liam smelled different. He smelled like an animal.

The second the SUV’s were out of sight, he turned and bent slightly, scooped her up and strode inside with her. She clung to his shirt and winced as the movement jostled her ankle.

“Is it enough to turn her?” Nate asked low as he followed them in.

“No.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because I’m sure!” Liam snapped, setting her onto the couch. He knelt and ripped her jeans up to her knee and pushed the fabric out of the way. “Fuck.”

Nory didn’t want to look. “Is it bad?”

“It’ll be fine. I need a first aid kit,” he said to Nate, who disappeared into the other room.

Tears were burning her eyes, but she didn’t know why. It was all too much. Jackson, meeting the Pack, being with Liam last night, him leaving, the uncertainty that had consumed her all morning, the Elders, and the blood stains on Liam’s shirt.

“What happened last night?” she asked softly.

He stood and made his way into the kitchen without answering and ran water as if waiting for it to warm up. He stared out the window over the sink.

“Liam?” she asked.

No answer.