Micah leaned against Dylan, her hand cradling her belly, with a small smile on her face that did nothing to mask the bitterness in her gaze that promised me retribution for surviving her last attempt to kill me.
Dylan’s features, on the other hand, were as severe as if he’d aged in the few days he’d been away.
His hollow gaze met mine before flicking to his brother. His expression hardened.
“The treaty is void,” Dylan announced, his expression unchanging.
Even though I’d already had my suspicions, Dylan’s words stole the air right out of my lungs.
Alexander went still next to me.
“That’s impossible,” he said evenly. “We had an ironclad agreement with the Bloodfrost Pack.”
That set off Dylan.
Dylan got to his feet slowly, anger sparking in his dark gaze.
“Youhad an ironclad agreement with them. You also ordered the withdrawal of our forces from a war we’d already won.”
He moved toward Alexander, every step dripping with dominance and predatory intention.
“Now half of our diplomatic team is dead, and the Bloodfrost Pack has breached the northern border.”
His gaze narrowed, his tone sharp with suspicion as he stopped right in front of Alexander. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think this was a plot to sabotage my rule as alpha of the Nightshade Pack.”
Alexander’s expression didn’t change, but I saw his hands form fists at his side. When he spoke again, his voice trembled with an emotion I couldn’t decipher.
“Everything I’ve done, I did for the sake of this pack.”
For a moment the two brothers stood with their gazes locked, the tension in the room so thick a knife could’ve sliced clean through it.
Dylan smiled, but it held no humor.
“Good. Because you’ll be leading the retaliation force on the frontlines,” he informed Alexander, a note of finality to his words. “Get ready. You leave within half an hour.”
My knees buckled, but I couldn’t understand why.
With all that had happened and all he’d said, I shouldn’t have cared that Alexander was leaving to put his life in danger once more.
And I didn’t.
I. Didn’t. Care.
Dylan was almost halfway back to his seat when Alexander spoke.
“I will not be returning to the battlefield,” he said casually, like those words hadn’t just disintegrated what was left of the serenity in the room.
My heart raced in my chest.
Did Alexander have no sense of self-preservation? Was he trying to give Dylan an opportunity to frame him for the failed treaty?
Dylan turned to face Alexander, his expression darkening.
“It’s not a request,” he snapped. “It’s a command from your alpha.”
Alexander didn’t hesitate, his ocean blue eyes resolute and unyielding
“I refuse to leave my mate defenseless so that your luna can make another attempt on her life.”