Chapter 24
DREW’S POV
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‘Can he hurry the hell up? I wanna go out for a run,’ Remus complained as we stood there at the entrance way of the castle, listening to my father barking out yet another list of strict orders to the household staff. His voice echoed off the high ceiling of the wall, booming with authority.
He looked so regal as he looked at us from the top of the staircase with Hilary by his side.
‘He’s almost done.‘
‘Well, he’s been yapping for about an hour,‘ Remus huffed.
“And one more thing!” Father said, holding up his hand like he was blessing a sacred ceremony. “My son and I will be leaving for a camping trip tomorrow morning. I expect all of you to report to Walter until I return. I don’t want any trouble while I’m gone,” his sharp eyes landed directly on Becca as he said this and I smirked.
It had been a while since I met anyone other than myself to rattle my father’s balls like this.
“The ball is coming up soon and I want everything to be flawless. There is no room for imperfections.” He added. “So all of you, get to work.”
The staff scurried like rats as soon as the meeting ended, rushing to resume their duties.
Becca strolled over to me with her hands at her sides, looking unconvinced. She had one brow raised like she already knew something was up.
“So, you and your daddy are going camping?” she asked skeptically.
“Yeah,” I shrugged, “he’s making up for lost time.”
“Sure,” she giggled, shaking her head. “So, how long will you be gone?”
“Aww! Don’t tell me you’ll be missing me,” I used my finger to tickle her chin.
“You wish.” She rolled her eyes, swatting my hand away playfully.
I didn’t even noticed that Father and Hilary had joined us.
My father was already in commander mode, his spine ramrod straight while he folded his hands behind his
back.
“Drew, I want you fed, well–rested, and ready by dawn. The journey will be a wild one,” he said with a nod.
“Of course, Father.” I returned the nod.
“You two sound like you’re going to war,” Becca laughed.
“There are many evil things out there, young Becca,” my father grinned. “One cannot take too much
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Chapter 24
precautions.”
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“Come on, Mom. Let’s go see what kind of goodies they have in the bakery,” Becca dragged her mother away. I could tell she was visibly creeped out by what my father said.
My eyes lingered on her as her hips swayed under her jeans jumper.
“NO!” my father snarled.
My head snapped back to face him. His eyes were jet black and rimmed with rage.
“Why are you shouting?” I asked. I know they said having Alpha powers can make a wolf go mad, but he’s just always on the edge.
I hoped this wouldn’t be my fate when I ascend to being Alpha of this pack.
“You cannot like her… not in that way.”
“I don’t.” I tried to brush past him.
He grabbed my jaw and yanked my face to his. His nostrils flared as he sniffed me. “Liar!” he growled, pushing me back. “Your pheromones are off the chain. That means your wolf wants her, and we both know Remus is even more unruly than you.”
‘I’m touched,‘ Remus faked sniffled. ‘And here I thought my father didn’t know me at all.’
“Why does everyone keep telling me how to feel?” I snapped. “Plus, Becca and I are not blood–related.”
“I know all of that,” he hissed. “But I cannot have you wanting her or her wanting you. She must stay a virgin.”
Now this was fucking intriguing to me.
“Why?” I held my breath for his answer.
“Drew, this is Alpha business.”
“And as the future Alpha, I deserve to know. Why is it important for Becca to keep her virginity in tact?”
“BECAUSE I ALREADY GAVE HER HAND TO ALCIDE!”
My entire world tilted.
“What?” I growled. “Tell me you’re fucking lying.”
He didn’t blink. Father stood there like this was just another negotiation. Like this was normal.
Alcide was known as The Dark Alpha. A monster dressed in silk and flesh. He wasn’t from this region, he commanded the South all on his own. He didn’t need pack alliances, since his pack already had numbers.
“You can’t be serious. Alcide is known for raping his human brides in wolf form. Becca won’t survive him. None of his wives lasted more than a month.”
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Chapter 24
“I know,” he said quietly. “But he promised me he wouldn’t do that to her.”
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“You think he’s going to keep his word? He’s a sadist. And Becca’s not just some girl. She’s smart. Kind. She’s…” I couldn’t even finish. My chest ached at the thought of Alcide’s hands on her.
“I had no choice,” Father said, his voice low. “I owed him. He helped me win the Alpha Wars two decades ago and for that he made me promise him my firstborn daughter’s hand. But I never had one. Until now.”
I clenched my fists. “She’s not even your blood.”
“That doesn’t matter to Alcide. When he found out I remarried and had a stepdaughter, he demanded a photo. As soon as he saw Becca, he wanted her. Said he didn’t care if I got my new wife pregnant and had a daughter of my own. Becca is the one he wants.”
“She will never agree to this,” I snapped.
“She will,” he muttered. “She has to. Because Alcide threatened to kill her mother if she refuses.”
My heart thundered in my ears. The image of Becca’s lifeless body flashed before my eyes.
“This is why you tried to have a daughter with my mother even though she was sickly? My mother died because of a debt you owe?”
“Yes,” he admitted without flinching. “Your sister, Dolly, was supposed to marry Alcide when she turned eighteen. But unfortunately she didn’t live past a day.”
“And Becca?”
“Since she’s human, I made Alcide agree to wait until she finishes college. That was the deal.”
“You’re disgusting,” I spat.
“I did what I had to do to protect this pack.”
“By sacrificing an innocent girl?”
“Don’t lecture me about sacrifice, boy. You think I haven’t bled for this territory?”
My vision blurred with rage. I turned away, trying to catch my breath. The walls felt like they were closing in on me. My instincts were screaming to shift, to find her and run, take her far away from all of this. But I couldn’t, not yet. I needed to ensure the safety of my pack and figure out this rogue threat.
I’ll deal with this later, I told myself.
Remus was quiet in my head, which was strange and very dangerous. I decided not to disturb him by asking if
he was okay.
I sighed. “There’s something I need to tell you,” I said, calming my breathing. “Scott told me something.”
Father narrowed his eyes. “What did he tell you?”
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Chapter 24
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So I told him about what Troy had remembered about the rogue attack. That they said they were coming for
a girl.
Father’s expression turned to stone.
“Do you think it’s someone in our pack?” he asked, his voice barely audible. “They did attack near the party,” he muttered. “Which means the girl was likely one of the guests… or someone who lives under that roof.”
The thought chilled me.
I shrugged, running a hand through my hair. “I mean. There were a couple of she–wolves from our pack at the party, but so were she–wolves from other packs. Troy said the rogue mentioned a girl with an ancient bloodline. That their master believed her line was extinct. That doesn’t exactly narrow it down.”
His eyes scanned the ceiling like the answer might be written in the shadows.
“Who do you think it could be?” He asked.
“I don’t know,” I admitted.
“But if it turns out to be one of our own… and we have that someone living in my pack, then things are worse than we thought.”
“We got to figure out who this girl is,” I said.
“I agree. So we’ll need to keep our eyes peeled and our ears open. I’ll have Walter pull all our guest lists from the past few weeks. We’ll track every newcomer, every unfamiliar scent and every she–wolf that comes from a high–ranked bloodline.”
“And if we find her?”
He looked at me, the edge in his gaze sharper than steel.
“Then we decide if she’s a weapon… or a curse.”
AD
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
