Page 7 of Alpha’s Wife

She begins packing up the wards, and I take it as a sign to move on, unsure what to say, which is becoming a bit of a theme today.

It would be easy to hate a group of monsters, but these people are far from what I imagined. I expected to just take a brief walk with my guard, look around, and see the squalor I’d imagined and spot weaknesses in their defenses I could capitalize on later. Instead, I met a widower with two girls in a nice school, a scarred healer who was friendly, and a witch who didn’t look the least bit alarmed by the presence of shifters. And to top it off, the cabins are all well-kept, the streets are clean, and the damn bakery smelled great.

This isn’t a prison, it’s not a dump, it’s actually quite…nice. And the alpha they all seem to like is the same one who had me kidnapped and intends to use my bond magic as part of some plan to…do something bad, I guess. I don’t know how to reconcile it all at the moment.

I’m so lost in thought, I don’t notice the man on my cabin’s porch until I’m almost at the steps. I jump, but the guards don’t seem concerned. And then I realize why. It’s him…but also not him. He’s sitting on one of the chairs by the door with a book open on his knee. His shoulders are leaner, his face gentler, the same dark hair and eyes, but overall, he looks…nicer. There’s only one explanation.

“You’re the brother,” I say.

“Ryder,” he replies, closing the book and offering me a smile that actually seems genuine. “And you’re the famous witch who’s been thrashing him at chess. He’s been in a foul mood about it, which I’m enjoying enormously, so thank you for that.”

I like him immediately, which is annoying, because liking people around here is starting to become a problem—unless they like me enough to let me go, obviously.

“Reluctantly,” he laughs. “He’s not used to losing, so whenever I asked, he hedged until I was absolutely sure. We’ll have to play sometime. I’m the only other person to ever beat him.”

I laugh; I can’t help it. “Are you all just really bad at chess?”

He grins, and I see a glint of something that looks like surprise behind his intelligent eyes. “Interesting. He must just not be concentrating enough.”

I sit down on the step, because I suddenly feel weary, and I know this might be the one person who can actually tell me what’s going on—or rather, this might be the one person willing to tell me. “Can I ask you something, since your brother seems allergic to the truth?”

“You can ask, but I make no promises,” he says, looking almost apologetic.

“Why take me?” I gesture down the hill to the settlement. “You’ve built all this: houses, a school, docks, practically a whole town. Surely you have enough here; why steal a bond witch?”

Ryder’s easy smile falters just a little as he looks down over the settlement, and when he does speak, it’s like a man stepping around a fire, not wanting to get burned.

“Did he tell you about our father?” he asks. “It’s not a secret here.”

“He hasn’t told me anything,” I reply.

“No, and I’m sure I’ll get in trouble for it, but as I said, it’s not a secret here.” He sighs. “Our mother was exiled to the mainland when she was pregnant with us, penniless. We grew up here knowing nothing, with nothing. We were outcasts. Just before she died, she told us that our father was the alpha of the island, and he got rid of us because we were an inconvenience. Three brothers got everything; we got nothing. So we built something.”

The pieces all fall into place at once, and they form a picture that makes me nervous.

The island. Three brothers had everything, two more had nothing. A settlement with larger-than-average docks and fortified gates. And me, a bond witch with the kind of powers alphas take seriously.

“He’s not building a home,” I say slowly, “he’s building an army.”

Ryder doesn’t answer, which feels a lot like confirmation.

“And I’m the weapon.”

“You’re the piece he thinks is missing,” Ryder says, meeting my eyes. “Who knows, maybe he’s right.”

“If he wants revenge that badly,” I say, “why build all this? Why build schools and a clinic, and gardens?”

“Because he’s a true leader,” Ryder says, and I hear the pride in his voice. “He’s got his plans, but he also knows what his pack needs. My mother tried to save us; she gave everything, and in the end, her life, because she was so worn down. Ronan was determined to build a place where no one would ever feel like that again. And he’s done it.”

“Sounds very noble for a man who goes around kidnapping women,” I reply, and I mean it to sound harsh, but it comes out far too soft.

“Yeah, well, he’s a complicated man.” Ryder chuckles. “I should be going. I’m sure he’ll be up soon. He gets twitchy when he doesn’t see you for long. I was just dropping off some more books.”

I glance through the open door and spot another stack of books on the side table. I suspect it’s Ryder I have to thank for the never-ending supply. I want to ask what he means about Ronon getting twitchy when he doesn’t see me, but he’s already up and heading down the path.

I head inside and thank the guards for accompanying me, which feels strange as I’m thanking my captors, but it just slips out, and the man looks so pleased I can’t bring myself to take it back. So I wave them off, and they lock the door.

I pick up the new books, read the backs, but don’t really take in the words. I was so certain that rogues were monsters, that Ronan was a monster. It would be easier if that were true.