Page 15 of Wolf Sacrificed

My dad hopped down into the hole. “That little brat with your pup is there, too. We’ll bring her back until she births it and then dispose of her, too.”

I swallowed hard. I hoped that didn’t happen. If he ever got his hands on Willa again, I didn’t think it would take him long to figure out that the child wasn’t mine.

Dad tossed mud out of the hole. “Unless, of course, you want to keep her. I’m sure she will have her uses. It is only you now. Perhaps you should have a few mates. Then we can choose the strongest male to be an alpha.”

My stomach turned. The thought of touching any woman but Sloane made me want to vomit. My skin crawled just thinking about it. “Dad, you’re getting ahead of yourself.”

He glanced up at me, a sickening smile twisting his face. “I suppose I am. First things first, we have to get the Denning wolves.”

“You plan to make them join us?” I asked with a sigh.

Dad shrugged. “That will be up to them. They can join us or be ridded from this world. Either way, it helps us.”

“You said there are only thirty of them?” It would be foolish of them not to join us. My father would obliterate them.

He chuckled and picked up the pace. “Only thirty. An easy conquest. We will destroy them for your brother. He so did enjoy the thrill of the hunt.”

Yeah, because he was mad!

So was my dad. I couldn’t let this other pack fall. They wouldn’t stand a chance against us.

Unless someone else got there first. I would have to tell Sloane and Lincoln about Charles Denning. Maybe they could warn him, and if Sloane brought new wolves into the pack, it would strengthen her position as alpha.

My insides knotted. My father was right, though. That jerk had already questioned Sloane at her father’s funeral. He probably wouldn’t be the only one.

Her place as alpha balanced precariously. Maybe I should have never left. Lincoln and I could both be there to protect her. To be her champion should another alpha be misguided enough to challenge her.

Dad climbed out of the hole and tossed his shovel over to the side. “I think that’s deep enough now.”

He wiped his arm over his brow, and his face fell as he glimpsed Mikey. “Help me lay him down in there.”

I threw my shovel to the side. The metal edge clanged against the one my father had used, making a ringing noise before it thumped against the ground.

Dad crouched down by Mikey’s head, resting his hand on the plastic. He leaned forward, pressing the wet black bags as he patted where his cheek would be. “My poor sweet boy. I promise you, your death will not be in vain. You will see. We’ll make you proud.”

I shuddered at his words. Then I kneeled and grasped his ankles.

I’m sorry, brother. I failed you. I wish things could have been different for all of us.

Maybe he had always been mentally ill, or maybe it was father’s cruel upbringing after losing our mother at such a young age. I’d never know.

We lifted Mikey’s body carefully. Dad climbed down into the hole first, supporting my brother’s head, before I eased down as well. We set him gently at the bottom of the grave. I put my hand on his knee and patted it.

Dad placed both hands on either side of his head. “Until we meet again, my boy.”

He sniffled, wheezing as he gasped for breath.

I swallowed hard. “Goodbye, Mikey.”

I stood, a bout of dizziness washing over me. I squeezed my eyes shut and then climbed out of the hole. Dad stayed down there a moment longer, paying his final respects.

When he finished, I offered my hand. Dad clasped it, and I heaved him up and out of the hole. We walked silently back to our shovels and picked them up.

I scooped up the mud, said a silent prayer to Luna that Mikey had found peace, and then tossed it over him.

My dad had a vacant look before meeting my eyes. “We are going to make them pay for this, Sawyer. Every last one of them. Together. This is our mission now. I won’t lose anyone else I care about.”

I didn’t have the heart to tell him he’d already lost me. Not to mention it would expose me.

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