Page 26 of The Alpha's Envy

Her voice is barely more than a whisper. I squeeze her hand and push as much of my calming aura toward her as I can.

“We think maybe she’s just badly hurt, but we don't really know. I don’t think Dean even knows. It's bad though, so what can we do?

Pride surges up inside me that despite the conflict between our packs over the years, Cooper is able to feel for Dean, who's done nothing wrong other than be born into the bloodline of a madman.

“I don't know if there is anything we can do, son. Intervening might make things worse for them.”

The words are bitter. I've tried many times over the years to gain access to Reynolds’s pack to speak to his border patrol and find out what's going on behind the veil of secrecy. I've gone to the council, Marie has exhausted her endless list of contacts, and yet we know next to nothing.

Graham has kept the pack on lockdown, and we’ve heard nothing more than the odd rumour from other packs, none of which are good.

His first mate is dead, suicide he claims, but I have my doubts about that. Then a second mate, that nobody has heard from since she crossed the border years ago, was sporting some nasty bruises the last time the council managed to get onto his land.

Now this.

Could he have become so deranged that he's killed his own daughter?

I look at Marie, the memory of that day I found her terrified near the bridge as vivid as if it was yesterday.

She’s turned pale, no doubt, also remembering her own ordeal at his hands. I’m lucky she’s still here. She knows better than anyone what Graham’s capable of.

Cooper growls, not willing to accept that.

“There has to besomething. Anything, Dad. What if he's killing them all, what if he's…”

I cut him off, recognising his frustration because it mirrors my own.

“What ifs are not going to help us right now. Here’s what we can do from our side of the bridge. I'll get Leila to contact the hospital and ask them to send an ambulance to the border. You get your ass to the bridge, STAY ON OUR SIDE, and make sure Dean doesn't get stopped or bothered if he comes across. Clear the way for whoever's going with him to the hospital, and for the first responders, or whatever. And make sure he gets any help that he needs. I don’t want anyone refusing to treat them just because they’re scared of all Reynolds.”

Cooper hesitates, and I wait, letting him pose the question I know is on his mind. “I mean Dad, do they have any money?”

Marie meets my eye. We’ve raised a good kid.

“Nobody's doing any business with them, they can’t leave the pack. Even if Graham has money hidden away, that doesn’t mean they do. How are they going to afford the hospital?”

If she’s seriously injured, that could be a very expensive trip. We might heal fast, but if Dean’s worried, it might not be something her wolf can repair on her own.

“Don't worry about that. We'll take care of any bills. I’ll tell Leila to make sure the hospital knows to charge us.”

Marie nods her agreement, and Cooper blows out a long breath.

“Thanks, Dad.”

It's not Maya or Dean’s fault they've been born into this mess, and if there's any hope that they can turn things around for their pack, we'll help them.

“I better go, I'll let you know when I hear anything else.”

“Okay Cooper, mind yourself.”

Marie and I look at each other, and without words, I know she’s thinking the very same thing as me.

We're so lucky, so very lucky that things turned out for us. We have happy healthy kids, a pack that's thriving, joy and harmony everywhere. When you compare that to how Graham Reynolds has ended up, and what he's done to his pack and his family, there’s no doubt about it. I’m a blessed man.

I pull Marie into a hug. She’s beside herself with worry, not even for her own children, but for those of a man she should despise. Her luna instincts kicking into overdrive, she's desperate to go and fix it, but that's not always the way it works.

“You can’t go. You know that.”

If Graham is this volatile, I’m not letting Marie anywhere near this mess.

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