Page 83 of Wolf Tormented
“What?”
It wasn’t an accident? Someone did this intentionally. Why?
“It wasn’t an accident. Someone cut the stair. They wanted to hurt you.” He takes a step back.
“How did someone do this?” I ask.
“I’m guessing that they waited for you to be alone and cut it then. So Angela leaving you alone resulted in this person’s plan going into place.”
That’s how he’s justifying punishing her? She left with Patrick and someone came in. Ridiculous.
“I would have heard them, Archer.” I shake my head emphatically.
It’s not Angela’s fault.
“What did you do when you first went into the bedroom?” he asks.
“I took a bath to block out the world.” I slap a hand to my forehead. Fuck. None of my arguments are going to help my friend.
“Exactly, so drop it, Jara. I have to do this.”
I slump against the wall. I thought a pack member trying to kill me was behind us. Is he right in punishing Angela?
She wouldn’t have done this, right? There’s no way Angela is trying to kill me.
“Angela didn’t do this.” I straighten my spine to my full height, ready to square off with the alpha if needed.
She didn’t do this. She couldn’t have. She was with Patrick, wasn’t she?
“No, she didn’t, but she still failed her alpha and my mate. I have to make an example out of her while I try to find out who wants you dead.”
“That’s not fair, Archer. It’s not her fault.” I’m a damn broken record, but I need him to see reason here.
“What’s not fair is that someone in my pack is trying to fucking murder you, Jara.” He tilts his head back and squeezes his eyes shut.
Frustration and anger pour off him in waves. The scent of his frustration is a lot like the smell when you cut an onion and your eyes water.
“Then find out who did it, but don’t banish her.”
“I have to banish her. These wolves have started to think there are no consequences for their actions,” Archer growls.
“So Angela is the cautionary tale to make them stay in line?” I ask.
“They ignore direct orders, and I have some fucking disloyal pack members who strip bolts and loosen roof tiles in an attempt to hurt you. They need to know that they will be punished.”
“Wait, what?” I ask with wide eyes.
The other accidents weren’t accidents either? Is he serious? How long has he known this?
“Someone has been trying to kill you and make it look like an accident for days.” Archer clenches his fists at his sides.
“How long have you known this, Archer?” My body vibrates with a mix of fear and anger, and my heart thumps loud in my chest.
“I suspected from the beginning, but it was confirmed when Patrick came to me. Tim found evidence that the tile was tampered with.”
“And the shelf?” I ask.
My voice is hollow. How could someone try to kill me again? Did Kyle go back on his blood oath? Did Grayson find someone in the pack to kill me?
