Kendrick’s warriors stepped back, but the Beta who had sat beside Kendrick at dinner stepped forward. As the man who had killed the Alpha, he was rightfully this man’s new Alpha, but he had no desire to touch anything Kendrick had owned. He had no desire to lead anyone.
All he wanted to do was die in peace. Why couldn’t this witch let him have that?
“Take your Alpha home,” he said, finally dropping the body.
He relaxed and allowed his body to return to its normal human form. Kendrick’s Beta and one of his warriors carried their Alpha down the rest of the front steps and into his car. The rest of the warriors didn’t hesitate to pile into the other vehicles and then drive off.
Only when he turned back did he realise Amber was still there.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” Amber said in a shaky voice. “I only begged to join them today to visit your Beta. I had no idea of his plans.”
She seemed sincere, but that didn’t explain why she hadn’t gone with the rest of her people.
“I came here to seek refuge in your pack. Alpha Kendrick is not... was not in his right mind, and his Beta is just like him.”
He looked back at the cars driving through his gate. The young Beta didn’t strike him as an egomaniac, but power changed people.
‘Let’s go and kill him,’ Cain snarled.
He shoved the beast back before he could pull the same trick.
“Go home. Kendrick is dead, so whatever other issues you have in your pack are of no concern to me,” he growled as he started to make his way back into the house.
“Alpha, maybe we can let her spend the day here in case she wants to make other plans?” Dylan asked.
His friend was shielding most of his emotions, probably hiding what he thought about what had just happened. Only hours earlier, he’d accused him of being like his father. But he wasn’t unreasonable. Besides giving him that flirtatious smile, Amber hadn’t raised any warning bells. Her confession could explain away that hint of deception he’d sensed from her. But he still doesn't trust her.
“Keep her out of the packhouse,” he told Dylan.
His warriors and Alpha Chase’s warriors parted to give him way, and right by the entrance stood the cocky Alpha Chase. He wasn’t cocky anymore. He had a frown on his face as he lowered his head. He was worried about what he'd just seen and heard.
“I’m the one under attack, so I don’t think you will get any problems,” he said. “Speak to Diedre before you go.”
He’d walked past him before he decided to turn back.
“If you decide you want to fuck with me, too, I will not hesitate to rip through your whole pack.”
The hint of fear he felt in the air was a little satisfying.
He closed the door on all of them and locked it so they all understood they were not welcome, and then he looked towards the stairs. Layla. He dreaded the conversation he was about to have.
Chapter 63
Layla sat on the carpet floor in the walk-in closet, hugging her knees as she waited for Jackson to return.
His face had been different, and he’d had claws. Fucking claws. But still, there she was, waiting for him because she didn’t know what was going on and if she was safe.
Why had he knocked the door over like that? And who had been chasing him? Those people who had come for the meeting?
The moment he’d looked behind him, something had crossed his face that looked like fear. The huge monster from the forest was scared of something. That had been enough to hammer in that something could be out there that was much worse than what she had seen with her own eyes.
Jackson had constantly told her to just follow the rules. To not challenge him and not ask questions. She was starting to wonder if that had been his way of keeping her safe from his people.
She lifted her hand and looked at the ring that had appeared on her finger in her sleep. Jackson hadn’t explained why he’d given her another piece of jewellery, and she wasn’t even going to presume it meant he had feelings for her. But was the ring supposed to protect her like the pendant? Did it repel wolves?
If so, why had he been so scared when they had come after her?
She didn’t know how long she sat quietly, but her shock wore off after a while. She had already guessed Jackson was a werewolf, but realising he was the same monster in the forest that had scared her was a different story.