Page 43 of Wolf Crowned

I pointed to the bed with an open hand. Nobody moved.

Dad blinked a few times and looked at the floor his face an unreadable mask, a hard wall of stone that I couldn’t place. His jaw worked, and he opened his mouth and then closed it.

After an eternity, he looked up at me. “I don’t know who the woman’s scent is, Sawyer. But I’d be lying if I said something wasn’t amiss. I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t realize it until now.”

His eyes gleamed as the vein by his temple throbbed. “You smell like your brother.”

He knew.

Sweat beaded my brow. I shifted my feet. Dad would know the difference between us. He always had when we were younger. We’d made a game of it as kids, trying to sneak candy or cookies from the kitchen late at night to see which one of us could do it without getting caught.

I was done for unless I could come up with some reason I would smell like Lincoln.

My mind spun, trying to come up with something, anything that I could say to get myself out of this. But nothing I said would matter. I knew that look on my father.

Rage. Hatred. Murderous.

It was the look he had when he was killing. It’d never been directed at me. But I knew it and and there was no reasoning with him.

I had to get out, and it had to be right now.

Sixteen

Sawyer

Dad took a menacing step. He flexed his hands at his sides. Hair crept across his flesh as his hands partially shifted into his paws.

I gritted my teeth. It wouldn’t be a fair fight. Drake would jump in to help dad, and Fiona too. Other enforcers were just down the hall, probably waiting to come to my father‘s aid.

I had one last ditch effort to try.

I pumped my fists at my sides. Tendrils of doubt and fear pressed down on my shoulders, leaving every muscle on edge. “You’ve gone astray, Dad, leading this pack down a path I can’t follow. Mom would be ashamed.”

He snarled, but I held my ground.

My lip curled up as anger replaced fear. “It doesn’t have to go down like this. We can fix the pack. Together. Make Mom proud.”

He stomped toward me. “Enough! Your mother has nothing to do with this.” He shoved a finger at me. “How dare you bring her into this. You betrayed our family. Our pack.”

I stood toe to toe with him, my hackles raising. “No. You did!” I wasn’t done. Here went nothing. I swallowed hard. “I challenge you for the role of Alpha.”

He blinked a few times, surprised, before he snarled, sending spittle flying. “No. This is my pack.” He jabbed his pointer finger at the floor. “You won’t disrespect me. And you sure as hell won’t take it away from me.”

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled. “I’ve challenged you. By pack law, you have to accept.”

He threw his head back and laughed like this was some joke. “You’ve forgotten who your alpha is boy.”

He was refusing my challenge. It stung, but didn’t surprise me. He’d spent so much time building his army he thought he was the only one capable of running it. Any other alpha would have to defend their position.

He didn’t have to. The people running around the pack were all men and women who had promised themselves to him. They’d taken an oath, swearing to always stand by him. None of them would care. They were too far gone on the crazy train with him.

If I stayed to face him, I’d be fighting the whole pack by myself. And I would die.

A wave of nausea washed over me. I was trapped. My gaze darted around the room. There were only two exits. The door which was blocked and the window. “I’m sorry it’s come to this. I didn’t want it to.”

I exhaled as a lump formed in my throat. “There was a time when all I wanted was for you to love me the way you and Mom did when I was a kid. But that man, that alpha, he’s dead.”

I trembled as the truth of my words washed over me. It affected Dad too.

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