Page 33 of Wolf Sacrificed

His eyes flickered, darkening like he might turn into a wolf. “You insult me?”

I shook my head and planted my feet as I glowered at him. “You said you were friends with the Hamptons and horrified about what happened to them. Look at Ian.”

I pointed to him, meeting Ian’s eyes for a moment.

Alpha Charles looked at the ground, a bright red tinging his cheeks.

“You should ask him what they did to Willa. What they did to his parents.” I touched my stomach. “I’ve never seen something so disturbing in my life. It’s going to haunt poor Willa for the rest of hers.”

Me too, if I was being honest. An image of the Hamptons’ decapitated heads filled my mind, making my stomach roll. I gagged and put my other hand over my mouth as I swallowed hard.

“He will come for you, and if you want more proof, why don’t you ask Alpha Dane’s son? Lincoln is right over there.” I pointed to where Lincoln stood then clapped my hand against my side. “Alpha Dane’s own son was so disgusted with what he is doing, he turned against him. How often do you hear of family turning against each other?”

Alpha Charles rubbed the back of his neck. “It is uncommon.” He looked down at his hands. “You have to understand I can’t risk my men.”

I took a step back like he’d slapped me. Was he really that ignorant?

I swallowed, trying to control myself. “Human history is full of repercussions for those who turned their backs and pretended nothing was happening. Maybe Alpha Dane won’t come for your pack today or tomorrow. But he will eventually. And by that point, there will be no one left to help you.”

Alpha Charles pressed his lips into a thin line. “You sound like you’ve already lost.”

A growl bubbled up my throat. “I haven’t lost. And I don’t intend to,” I insisted, my voice low and full of venom.

I jabbed my finger at the ground. “I will fight for my pack until my last breath. But this is your chance now to do something to keep other packs from falling, other wolves from dying, and you’re turning your back on us.”

Alpha Charles shrugged. “I’m sorry. I just don’t see the benefit of involving my pack when he’s not interested in us. You’re a young woman in charge of a pack with no leadership skills whatsoever. I just feel that putting my men there is a suicide mission.”

Angry tears burned my eyes, and it felt like I’d been slapped across the face at the same time someone had stomped down on my chest.

I wanted to shake him, knock some sense into him. He was insane. If he thought Alpha Dane was just going to leave him alone, then he would be sadly mistaken. It sucked that the men who followed him would end up paying for his stupidity.

My jaw worked as I thought of what to say to him next. “I have good information that Alpha Dane plans to come for your pack. Lincoln is the operator behind the DarkSide website. Wolves talk, and intelligence says your pack is in trouble. By then, it will be too late. If you have no women, and you don’t bow to him, he will slaughter every single one of you.”

Alpha Charles shook his head. “I appreciate your concern. I’m afraid you don’t know how pack politics actually work. He’s only going to come after us if we have something he needs. I already told you we have no women.”

I laughed and took another look at his sons. They were in their late twenties or early thirties by my guess.

“Maybe not now,” I said. “But if you ever want your sons to have a mate and children, you’ll have to have women eventually.”

He frowned and looked over at his children. Worry lined their faces.

Lincoln and Brandon started to close in, and I wondered how much of the conversation they could hear.

Alpha Charles sighed. “I’m not willing to risk my pack. Not right now, not for a young girl who doesn’t know how to lead. I’m sorry. I wish the best for you and for Ian and Willa.”

He turned on his heel and marched away.

A lump formed in my throat, and a tear slid down my face. I swiped it away so fast that I scratched my cheek with my nail, making me curse under my breath.

He was a fool. Maybe I was too for thinking that I could convince someone to join us now. If I couldn’t lead these men, if I couldn’t bring new people in, then we were doomed.

I might lose my position as alpha.

Twelve

Lincoln

I could hear the conversation, but I knew I couldn’t step in. It would damage Sloane more if I did.

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