Page 22 of Wolf's Reckoning
As we crossed the grass, an older shifter approached to greet us. I recognized him and slowed to a stop.
“Wolfe?” Lewis looked me over in surprise. He was Malric’s beta and pretty decent. Didn’t say much, which is why I’d liked him when I was here. “Is that you?”
I nudged Killian with my elbow. “Lewis, it’s been a long time,” I greeted him.
He looked between us, a frown line forming on his brow. “We didn’t know you were coming…”
Killian stepped forward, just like we’d discussed. “We missed you at the Pack Council,” he said smoothly. “My alpha of the Stonefang Pack has sent me to talk alliances with old packs, but we heard the alpha’s daughter is to take a husband. He sent me to make enquiries.”
Lewis blinked. “Why would an alpha care about Rowen?”
There was no malice in it—justconfusion. But if she’d been here to hear it, she would’ve torn him a new one with that sharp tongue of hers.
She’d always been everything they didn’t expect her to be.
Calm. Precise. Deadly.
I said nothing. Killian hadn’t lied; they just didn’t need to know his alpha was standing beside him. Not yet.
“Why would my alpha care?” Killian tilted his head slightly as he assessed the beta in front of him. “Legacy? Bloodline? Tradition? Your alpha’s daughter is getting married. That could have consequences. Alliances are sought, so now would be the best time, no?”
Lewis had the grace to look faintly embarrassed, but he gestured for us to follow. “We’ve had a couple arrive already. I think that the Council wanted to offer a fair opportunity.”
Fair.Sure. For who?
We approached two wolves lounging near the long table that had been set outside the hall for as long as I could remember. One had the look of someone used to getting what he wanted—smug and bored in equal measure. The other was all sharp angles and ambition, with eyes already tracking us as if we might be competition.
They both reeked of arrogance. One of them was the one who’d called her a bitch.
Killian kept his face neutral. I didn’t bother trying.
Lewis introduced us to the other two as he came to a stop at the end of the table. “From Stonefang. Emissaries.”
The smug one raised an eyebrow. “Thought Stonefang didn’t send boys unless they were ready to run with the big dogs.”
“Guess you don’t know much about Stonefang,” Killian said easily.
I met the dick’s gaze and smiled—all teeth, no warmth. He looked away first.
Lewis cleared his throat. “I’ll bring you to the druid in a moment.” He dipped his head and went into the hall. Iwatched him go, then turned my attention to the two idiots in front of me.
The druid? Not Malric? Was it really that bad? I looked at the two hopefuls and had to stop myself from shaking my head. Goddess help them, Rowen would eat them both alive.
You’re glaring at them, Killan warned.If you’re trying to be subtle, you’re failing. Miserably.
Is my scent masked?
Yeah, no alpha vibes at all. Just the murderous glaring.
I shot him a look.
Yeah, like that.Killian’s mouth twitched, and I turned away from him when one of the simpering fools in front of us asked us how our journey was, and Killian answered him smoothly instead of asking him how he thought we got here if not on paws like he did.
I took my time to look around. Not much had changed, but for a pack so closely tied to traditions and the Hollow, that was normal. There were few of the pack that lived so near the hall. Their homes were scattered throughout, hidden, mostly concealed in their surroundings.
Tradition was strong in Blueridge Hollow. A pack that clung to the old ways. Old magic and a reclusive pack, who were deeply distrustful of outsiders. How the Council thought either of these two idiots in front of me would help win over a pack that was led with druid-magic in a heavily protected territory was insane. They still had iron and bone markers to ward off danger at the edges of their territory for fuck’s sake.
Malric, Rowen’s father, might’ve been alpha still in name, but everyone here could smell the blood in the water.
