“Ours would do no less,” Brad says, giving Rex a squeeze on the shoulder.
Rex nods, but I know his heart is torn to shreds over this.
“I will get to the bottom of it,” I promise him. “I swear. I will find out what they were doing out there, and how all this went down.”
“I’ve already got a pretty good idea who the instigator was,” Rex mutters, gesturing with his head.
I follow the gesture and see a small group of people walking up the dirt track towards us, Jackson in the lead.
That guy makes my skin crawl.
I can tell by the reactions of my buddies that he has the exact same effect on them. All of us have to go to some effort to compose ourselves and look welcoming as Jackson approaches with a sly grin on his face.
It’s as if he knows how we feel, and he doesn’t care. What is this fucker cooking up behind that cold gaze?
“Good morning!” Jackson says, enthusiastically shaking my hand. “Where is that daughter of mine? Is she making us wait to get this happy day started?”
“She is being prepared by our mates,” Rex tells him. “And when they decide she is ready, we will begin.”
“As you like, Alpha Rex,” Jackson says with a nod. “Allow me to introduce you to our prominent families and elders. This is my mate, Melanie.”
The thin, mean-faced woman from yesterday steps forward, shaking hands with each of us.
“Pleased tah meetcha,” she mutters in a country accent so thick, I can barely understand it.
“This is Leah, our oldest pack member and revered elder,” Jackson says, gesturing to a tall, slender woman with long, silvery hair.
She nods in our direction, but doesn’t speak. Her pale gray eyes rest briefly on each of our faces, and I feel a chill down my spine, as if she can see right through to my soul.
“You must forgive Leah her silence,” Jackson says. “She’s always been a woman of few words, but she is in mourning for Talon still. She appointed him as alpha when he was very young and has felt his loss deeply.”
I look closely at Jackson, sure that I can hear a hint of jealousy in his tone. I decide to give Leah the utmost respect because she is probably the most valuable person here, and from her perspective, she is being forced to accept her conquerors as rulers.
I swear I’ll make you proud, great lady. The murder of your alpha was an accident, and I will prove it to you.
I resolve to speak to her privately as soon as possible and hopefully put her mind at ease.
And find out what she knows about the history of this place, and the snake.
Jackson introduces us to Nick, Mal, and Seline, whom he calls the heads of the first families. The other three men, Bruce, Axe, and Rafe, look like goons that share one tiny brain cell between them.
That’s exactly the kind of person I expected Jackson to keep around him. More brawn than brains, practically made to take orders and smash things without question.
“Are we ready?” Gen asks, coming around the side of the hall. She looks beautiful in a full-length, dark blue dress, and I see Cody take an extra-long look.
A marriage between the beta of Rose Hollow and the youngest elder of Eccles would be a good move politically. I’ll have to mention it to Rex…
All of us affirm our readiness—even though I most certainly am not ready—and we go into the hall where a small podium waits at the front of a row of chairs. Leah takes her place behind it, and the townsfolk sit down. I stand between Bruce and Rex, beginning to sweat and wondering what the fuck I’m doing.
A few minutes later, I see Scarlett and Alisha in the doorway ahead of us, with Sara just behind them. Grace and Gen bring up the rear, but instead of looking like a bridal party, they look like jailers bringing a captive to prison.
Jesus fuck, they didn’t have to tie her up or anything, did they?
As they get closer, I realize Sara isn’t actually bound, but her head is bowed, and her shoulders slumped forward as if she is carrying a heavy burden.
I will be worthy of you, Sara. I promise!
When they reach us, Scarlett and Alisha move to either side and lift Sara’s veil. The shimmering white net flicks back over her long, honey-blond hair as she looks up at me, and I’m struck again by her huge, dark brown eyes, glimmering with depths of shimmering gold.
