Page 83 of Wolf's Reckoning
I turned, every muscle in my body coiling in anticipation. “What the fuck did you just say to me?” I asked him softly.
He stumbled back a step. “We all know you took the house, and that your man’s with you. We know she’s in the pack hall.” He seemed to grow braver the more a hush settled over the pack. “You want us to respect her, but you can’t even bring yourself to fuck her.”
“She just lost her father, you fucking idiot,” I snarled at him.
“Yeah, and what will your excuse be next week?” he sneered.
My movement was a blur of speed, and the deadly silence that followed as I stood in front of his crumpling body with his throat torn out made it so I didn’t have to raise my voice.
“Rowen?” I knew she was there.
“Yes?” Rowen’s voice was low but steady as she emerged from the shadows.
“I never promised you I wouldn’t hurt him.” I stooped and tore the shirt off him, using it to wipe my hands. “But Ididintend not to, as per your request.”
Rowen was paler than I had ever seen her, but she played her part well. “I know.” It was a whisper, but I had no doubt everyone heard her.
A roar of rage crossed the clearing, and an older male was racing towards me. He didn’t get far. Killian had him immobilized in a headlock in seconds.
I shared a look with Killian.
Let him challenge, Killian said through the mindlink.
He doesn’t want my place; he wants to avenge his son.
“Let him go,” I told Killian. I watched as the male seemed frozen between the two of us, his emotional outburst suddenly warring with common sense. He knew he couldn’t fight us both. “You lost a son tonight,” I told him flatly. “One death in your family is enough.” I jerked my head to the two younger males who Axel and Cody were holding back. “Take your family, and make your decision to stay or go.”
He hesitated, but both my pack let his sons go, and they came hurrying to their father, their hands circling his upper arms and pulling him gently back. Neither of them looked at their fallen brother or me.
“You have tonight,” I told the pack. “When the dawn breaks, any who intend to leave should be gone.”
“Is this how you will rule us?” Someone else’s voice cut through the darkness. “With fear?”
I turned towards them. “I don’trule, I lead. I lead those who want to follow. This? This isn’t to scare you.” I gestured to Kirk’s dead body. “This is what happens to those who insult what’s mine. That includes my wife and members of my pack.” I considered my next words carefully as I spoke to the pack. “This is the kind of leader I am. You accept me, or you don’t. I don’t care about the ones who choose to go, but I will fight till my dying breath for the ones who stay.”
I turned away before I said something worse. Or did something I wouldn’t regret. Like tear some more throats out. I didn’t need the pack to fear me. But they would learn to respect what I stood for. Killian fell into step beside me as we walked away, and I could feel his approval through the link.
And Rowen? I turned back to her, seeing her still rooted to the spot, as I walked closer. “Pack your bags, princess, you move tonight.”
“Move?” she asked, her eyes widening. “I amnotleaving my pack.”
“No, but youareleaving the pack hall.” I didn’t look around to know we were alone. “I just made a very big fucking statement for you. I’m not saying your mourningperiod is over, but you staying at the hall is. I’ll send someone to help you move into our house.”
I could feel her seething behind me, but she said nothing. She knew what I’d done here, more than her father ever had done for her when it came to establishing her authority in this pack.
She’d never need to fight for her place here amongst them again. That was my vow; that’s what I’d given her tonight with strong words and one dead shifter. She knew it, and she’d accept it, even if she’d snarl in my face for making it happen.
You sure you want to sleep beside her?Killian asked with amusement.I’m still not convinced she won’t stab you.
But think of how exciting bedtime will be.
He chuckled out loud as Axel, Cody and Brand fell into step behind me. I knew exactly what we looked like as we left the clearing.
A conquering leader and his betas.
They’d thought I was here at the behest of the Pack Council. They’d thought I wascontrollable. They thought I wasjusta pack leader.
They’d thought wrong.
