Page 63 of Deadly Wolf Bite

“Nothing direct. He knows better than to implicate himself,” Charlie says, but his tone makes it clear that’s not a good thing.

“What do you know?” I press.

“He’ll use the girl. Lexi.” Charlie’s eyes glitter with the closest thing to regret I’ve ever seen in a general. It’s unnerving coming from any of them, but with Charlie, I don’t immediately brush it off as an act.

“Use her how?”

“I don’t know the whole story. We’ve held round-the-clock strategy meetings about how to respond to what happened to Anthony…” Charlie shakes his head. “But your father doesn’t attend. He’s holed up in his office taking phone calls.”

“From who?”

“A doctor from Franco’s past. I don’t have a name. All I know is it has something to do with Lexi’s wolf. A secret Franco’s kept from us all.”

“What kind of secret?”

“Lexi is powerful. More powerful than your father or even Franco. Your father wants to control that power. Take it for himself.”

I study him, trying to gauge whether he’s playing me. “Why are you telling me this? This kind of betrayal will get you killed.”

Charlie meets my gaze unflinchingly. “Despite his many faults, your father’s always been there for me, but his thirst for power has taken him down a road I can’t follow. His desire to own Lexi—to treat her like a possession to be used—crosses a line for me.

“As the father of a strong, smart, capable daughter, I can’t sit idly by and watch the women of this pack continue to be overlooked and exploited. They deserve better than that.” The steel in his eyes softens for a moment as fear flickers. “They deserve better than us.”

Charlie’s always been pissed about the sexism against Mia. That’s no secret. Even so, I didn’t survive in Indigo Hills this long to lower my guard now when it matters most.

“How do I know my father didn’t put you up to this?”

“What does he gain by letting me give you this warning?”

I don’t know, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an angle. “What makes you think I give a shit about Lexi?”

His tone is gentle, but that doesn’t soften the blow as he says, “She’s your mate, son. I’m not an idiot.”

My heart thunders in my chest as my whole body reacts to his words. My wolf strains against my skin, my alpha power surging. It’s all I can do not to unleash it on Charlie, but I can’t hide the work it takes to regain control.

Fuck. I have no doubt the truth is written in my expression. There’s no denying it now. There’s also no point asking if my father knows it too. If Charlie’s put it together, the old man surely has.

“When will he make his move?” I ask.

“I don’t know. Soon. And when he does, if you haven’t made one first, it’ll already be too late.”

19

LEXI

The center aisle is crowded as I make my way toward the back of the church. Mourners press in around me until I lose sight of Mia. A woman steps into my path, her smile fake, her fur coat real as they come. She extends a hand dripping in diamonds, and I know the only way to get past her is to give her a moment of attention.

“Lexi Giovanni, you are a sight, darling,” she drawls.

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“Oh, you can call me Joan. Joan Balistrieri. My husband, Fortuna, is your grandfather’s attorney. I think that makes us friends, don’t you?”

“I—”

“Now, I have to say, the pictures from your engagement party did not do you justice. You are far prettier than those gossiping trollops claimed.” She looks me up and down. “You simply must share your designer with me. The way your curves are so tastefully accentuated… I don’t know how they do it.”

There are so many backhanded compliments in there that I opt to simply smile in response. Something tells me snapping at this woman wouldn’t be smart.

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