Page 91 of Wolf’s Fated Bride

Sven sold her out. We don’t know what he said, but he said enough. “It’s not true,” I say. “He’s lying.”

My father watches Maren, who sits in silence, letting men speculate and grow weary of her.

“What does he mean by that?” my father asks, his nails forming claws. The Wardens draw their weapons.

“No.” I stand slowly so I don’t get shot by these men who are fast to shoot at werewolves. If we shift, they’ll kill us. My brother is down, so he can’t help. We’re on our own.

“We will speak of this later,” Father says to Maren, then turns to the Peacebroker. I can tell he’s itching to get up and confront the man who stands calmly by the window, but if my dad rises, they’ll consider it a threat and shoot him.

“You told me you’re here for the Fireborn Alpha,” my dad says. “I’ve kept him here during the storm. It’s your job to find him now. I suggest you take your army with you and take him down while he’s suffering from the injuries my son inflicted. You may never get another chance. If Ash decides on revenge, you will need us to keep the fire at bay.”

“You had the Fireborn in a state of perfect submission, wounded and weakened with poison that my Regulator inflicted. Ash will take a week or more to recover. But you lost him. It’s as if he’s vanished. You’re lucky I don’t execute you for treason, because I know you watch your territory like a hawk, and Ash couldn’t have escaped without you showing him the way out.”

Cold sweat bathes my body. My father looks from me to Maren, lingering on me for a second longer. He knows. Guilt must be written on my forehead.

“Ash likely escaped by sea,” my dad says. “You should send your navy.”

“Regardless, Runa is coming with me, today.”

“Over my dead body,” Maren and my dad say at the same time.

My father rises, but I leap out of the chair and push down his shoulder. “I will go with you.”

The Wardens rush me, sticking their rifles in my face, just as the doors swing open and my mom runs inside. She’s in her robe with curlers in her hair, and she opens her mouth to say something, but a rifle fires at her.

The bullet hits my mother in the chest, and she jolts to a stop, shocked. More shots ring out. My dad attacks the Shackler who fired on her. Outside, our pack’s guards howl. I sprint after Maren, who’s covering my mother’s body while blood pools around her on the floor.

“Mom, Mom!” Maren shakes her.

Someone picks me up. I fight them with my fists, shift and bite the man who curses as my teeth pierce his protective armor and draw blood. The taste of it makes me feral, and I bite down harder, feeling the satisfying crunch of his bones.

The butt of a rifle slams into the side of my head.

Lights. Out.

Chapter 38

Ash

Iwake up rocking in the wagon. We must be moving.

My blurry vision prevents me from seeing my surroundings. I try to focus on the shapes on the ceiling. Old werewolf writing catches my attention. It reads like a prayer to the Moon.

There’s only one Moon. It shines above us. Yet, for werewolves like Belda Kissimore, ones loyal to no pack, the belief that the Moon is more than a physical satellite justifies the practice of dark alchemy.

Belda believes she draws energy from the Moon, even though that isn’t possible. Werewolves command either fire, water, or air. Humans manipulate earth. Alchemy is of earth.

Dark alchemy is something inverted. Unnatural. It shouldn’t be practiced.

I sit up and groan as my head swims. My bladder might explode. I haven’t taken a piss all day. I was busy not dying. The world will be disappointed.

I slide off the bed and step onto the marked runes the healer placed on the floor all around me. The wagon stops. Just as well. I hop off, but my knees give out, and I tumble, unable to land on my feet. With hard ground under me, I stare into the sky and just lie there on my back, gazing at the moon.

Blade’s face comes into view again. “What are you doing down there?” he asks.

“Having a bit of a rest.” I’m not about to tell him I fell from a height of two feet.

“There’s a bed in the wagon for that purpose.”