Page 25 of Eclipsed Heart

I marched forward, refusing to cower. If I were to truly be queen, I had to act like it, even in front of the man who’d tried to break me. “We figured you’d have answers.”

“Did you now?” He smirked.

Bodey moved beside me, and the two of us stared him down. A lump formed in my throat, and I had to force out my next words around it. “Why did you hide me, knowing who I was?”

His irises darkened, filling with the hate that he always showed when looking at me. He remained silent, and I wasn’t sure he was going to answer.

I straightened my shoulders, ready to fight. Then he lifted a hand and sneered at me.

CHAPTERSEVEN

My body recoiled,but I managed to hold my ground. I had no idea why this man hated me so much, but he’d never hidden the fact, except during the few days after I’d first come back from Bodey’s house.

Bodey’s jaw clenched as he took my hand. Despite the animosity emanating from him, his thumb rubbed the inside of my wrist, reminding me that he was there. He snarled, “Answer her, or I'll make you.”

Crossing his arms, Zeke glared, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was pushing our buttons. We couldn’t risk a rift with him right now. There was enough chaos without the alpha in charge of all the Oregon packs trying to split off and causing a civil war.

There was one strategy I knew would work best.We need to goad him, I linked with Bodey, Jack, Lucas, Miles, and Michael. I wasn’t sure if Zeke’s reticence was because he had something to hide or because he didn’t want to answerme. Either way, discounting his importance would make him start talking faster. And none of us had time for the pissing match Zeke so clearly wanted.

“Just like I suspected, Zeke doesn’t know shit.” Jack chuckled as he strolled to my right side. “I bet he and Queen Mila weren’t even really friends since he clearly didn’t know what you looked like. Maybe theirfriendshipwas merely a ruse to help her family pack elevate their status.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to keep a smile from forming. I should’ve known he’d be the first to jump in.

Zeke’s eyes hardened. “Of course I knew who Callie was.” His nostrils flared. “Michael, tell them. The queen and I werebestfriends.”

A hint of something flashed through Zeke’s eyes, and my breath caught. But as soon as it came, it vanished, making me wonder if my imagination was getting the best of me. Not only that but there was no hint of a lie.

I was having a hard time reconciling the woman whom so many spoke highly of with her alleged friendship with Zeke. He was a horrible person, so how could someone said to have been kind and gracious have been friends with him, let alone given him control of this territory?

“He was. She often talked about Zeke when he wasn’t around. She loved him dearly.” Michael sighed and moved to the other side of Jack. “Why did you keep Callie hidden? Why wouldn’t you tellus? The advisors deserved to know.”

“I did what was best for her. I was the only person who knew she was alive, and I made her part of my pack. No one—including Queen Kel—knew. By keeping her hidden, I saved her life,” he spat, then he lifted his chin. “Mila would’ve wanted me to watch over both of them, but you took in Samuel as one of your own.”

A clear line divided Zeke from us. Though it wasn’t visible, it was palpable. He held deep hate and resentment.

“You knowingly kept my sister and me apart,” Samuel gasped, his voice thick as he stood behind me. His heartbreak coursed through our pack link, settling hard against my chest.

“I did what had to be done.” Zeke thrust out his chest. “Nothing more, nothing less.”

Bodey’s anger soared through me, making my own blood warm. He growled, “King Richard wanted his ancestral pack to protect his children—it was in his will, and the queen agreed. You should’ve known that.”

“What?” Zeke’s jaw dropped. “No. She wouldn’t do that. She trustedmeto protect them. No one else.”

“Protectus?” A bitter laugh escaped, and my whole body shuddered. “Is that what you think you did? Forcing me to live like a fucking servant at the bottom of the pack? You let people—including yourself—mistreat me. If anything, I needed protection fromyou.” I wanted to punch him, and my wolf snarled within, but I held myself back.

Bodey wasn’t nearly as controlled. He stepped toward Zeke and shoved the older advisor back into the white garage door.

Zeke’s eyes never left mine. They glowed as he stared at me. “I protected you by making sure no one knew who you were. No one could’ve fathomed you were the future queen.”

“Is that your fucked-up way of trying to make everything you did to her okay?” Bodey snarled, his spit droplets landing on Zeke’s face.

Michael linked,Son, until we know more, I need you to calm down.

I’m going to make the bastard pay,Bodey vowed.

Oh, he will,I replied. I needed him to know that I was definitely on the same page, but Michael was right. We needed to remain somewhat calm right now.But we need answers. Don’t think for a second that I’m okay with how he treated me and kept me away from my brother.

I touched Bodey’s arm, and our fated-mate connection buzzed, helping him relax marginally.

---