Page 49 of Loved By the Wolf

“I’ve been drugging all of you since I’ve been living with you again,” I said. “You never knew, did you? That I and the ‘human’ doctor were one and the same?” I laughed again. Maybe this laugh did suit me. “I suppose it is hard to believe that you allowed me to live under your roof for the last month while doctoring your sick and wounded. You had no idea it was me who was providing you with tonics that you believed to be beneficial for your health.”

The horror on Theodore’s face spoke volumes. I congratulated myself on making him squirm.

“You’ve always been too trusting,” I continued. “Not proper alpha material. I, on the other hand, would do so much better in the role.”

Theodore’s brows drew together. “That’s what this was all about? You wanting to be alpha?”

“That’s what it started out as,” I admitted.

“But you could have formed your own pack ages ago.”

“I know that now, and I have, Theo. I have. I did what you taught me, which was to take in every stray that needed me. But unlike you, I rule with an iron fist. I don’t trust my men like you do. I rule with fear, and they listen.”

Theodore stiffened. “That’s not how you become a leader.”

I waved my hand in denial. “You were always too soft! And it’s too late now, Theo. You and your family are doomed. Even if you kill me, my plan will continue forward. I have loyal subjects who will carry out what I’ve started. And as for you, without an antidote you will soon lose your alpha powers—and I’ll leave you guessing as to who else will also be affected by the same malady.”

This was better than I had planned—being able to see Theo’s horrified face and his fists clenching. I felt the first punch to my face a second later and laughed as he continued hitting me. I had won, and he knew it.

Brandon

The whole packhad been called for a meeting at Dad’s house. While I had been with Becca, Dad had been interrogating Pac, and from what I’d heard on the grapevine, the news was not good.

When I headed to the kitchen to talk to my family, I saw some members were in wolf form, laying on the floor with their ears forward, looking ready to go on a mission if Dad asked them to. My brothers and Sandy were sitting at the kitchen table waiting for me to join them.

“How’s Becca?” Sandy asked when I walked in.

“She’s doing well. She’s at Jill’s new house right now having lunch.”

“Glad you finally came to your senses,” Luc said.

I gave him a nod before Dad started speaking.

“As you all know, we recently apprehended Pac, who had taken Becca, Brandon’s mate, hostage.”

My hands tightened at the thought of what had happened. It was all my fault. I’d been thinking about myself and not the whole pack.

I felt a hard nudge and glared at Luc, only to have him say, “Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You’re part of this family. We’re not going anywhere without you and vice versa.”

I took a deep breath and nodded. This was my family. I turned back to Dad to hear what he had learned from Pac.

“Becca has shared with Brandon everything Pac said to her. With that information and what we’ve gleaned from Pac, it seems we must prepare for the worst.”

The resounding gasps around the room, followed by a lot of growling, lasted for a good full minute before Dad was able to calm everyone down again. We listened with horror while he explained what Pac had done and how we didn’t know who had been infected by the tonic water.

We were so enraptured we didn’t hear the front door open.

“Brandon!” Becca yelled.

Her yell startled the wolves, and they jumped up and snarled at her. But before I could get to her, Becca screamed and went running out the door. I chased her all the way to Jill’s before I got ahold of her.

“Becca! Becca!”

Her fists were hitting me everywhere; she was trying so hard to get away.

“What happened?” Jill said, coming out of the house. “Becca! Becca, it’s me, Jill.”

I managed to clamp Becca to my chest and simply held onto her until she stopped struggling. Moments later, she gripped the front of my shirt and began sobbing.

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