I felt my eyes widen, and I stood. Of course, he would spring this on me. “We were in the middle of a pack meeting to discuss…pack business.” I hesitated, unsure of what I should say.
“What she is forgetting to explain is that she uncovered a conspiracy a she-wolf had put together to take over the pack. They were in the middle of sentencing and the accused had escaped.” Rowan called out.
“Escaped.” Nina scoffed. “How could you let her escape?”
I clenched my fists. “The accused had help. More help than was expected. She escaped at the same time a large-scale attack happened by the rogues.”
“A large-scale attack?”
“Rogues work alone.” Nina tossed out.
“Hush pup. I will explain after her recount.” Rowan called out, and Nina paled.
“During the sentencing, while waiting for one suspect, I sentenced the first there. My wolf came out when she challenged me, and it was my first shift. Instead of running, as is expected of a first shift, a howl went out. Rogues were attacking, and we all had to move to protect our pack. As my father and I ran, a second call went out. Somehow the rogues were attacking multiple areas at the same time. So we split up.” I heard Nina’sscoff, but I pushed on. “I helped a family fight off a rogue and get their two pups to safety and then went on. I moved from one call to another and a pattern became clear. The rogues were targeting the females and pups. Then there was another call, but it was more panicked, so I headed that way and two pups were standing over what I thought were the lifeless bodies of their parents facing three rogues. I sent them to safety as I attacked.”
“You faced off three rogues?” Nina scoffed again, but this time, Rowan growled.
“Alpha Nina. No one interrupted as your ‘attack’ was told. Shut your mouth.” There were a few chuckles as Rowan used air quotes around her attack, but I pushed on.
“I killed the first one quickly. Then faced off with the remaining two. I gutted one, but was gravely injured. I knew I had to be quick to protect the pups, so I rallied and gave a final push as my throat was pouring blood. I killed the last before succumbing to my injuries.” Rowan nodded, and I sat back down.
“This pattern that Amy spoke of has become evident in not just her pack, but almost every attack by the rogues. They are working together. They are targeting the pups and females to break the males and make the annihilation of the packs easier.” Nina looked lost as he continued. “Amy, as I have seen the doctors’ report, had deep claw marks down her body and a bite mark on her neck, including a few fractures she fought on to save that family. And yes, she saved the full family as the parents were close to death, but thank the goddess, they were also saved. I wasn’t going to show you, but since certain people keep questioning everything. Here.” Rowan made a few clicks on the podium and a screen descended and photos were on display. There were dead bodies, people wounded in hospital beds, and then there I was. On display. All my wounds still open.
Chapter Nineteen
This was the first time I was seeing it myself. I looked dead, eyes half open, and mouth bloodied. My neck looked ravaged, jagged teeth marks still circle my throat, with bits missing. My arm was snapped, laying the wrong way and my leg had a bone sticking out of it.
I heard one giant inhale of breath before everyone turned to look at me but I focused on the screen. This is what I had, we had, survived.
We are stronger than you think. Nix’s voice was firm as she stroked her side against the wall between us. Megan did the same. They were trying to calm my racing heart. I was so close to death.
But the goddess saved us.Megan’s sweet voice seemed to calm me down.
Yes, the goddess has need of us.Nix and Megan settled against each other and I smiled.
“How?” I was snapped back to reality. I turned to face Hanna.
“What?” I furrowed my brow, and she clutched at my hand.
“How did you survive that?”
“Luck.” Was the only answer I could give.
“Fuck off, this is fake.” Nina seemed to rally and stomped her foot.
“What did you just say?” Rowan’s voice was dark.
“I said this photo is fake.” Nina turned and pointed at me.
I snorted, and before Rowan could say anything, I raised my hand. I could see him almost recoil. I wanted to laugh, but I focused on Nina. “Let’s be clear here. You say that I faked that? I used makeup and what, prosthetics to cover my body in injuries like some kind of human movie production. Sent the photos and faked a doctors’ report to the king, and then what? Used it for sympathy or brownie points? For what reason?”
Nina pointed at me. “See, you admit it.”
“I admit nothing. Because the lie or explanation you concocted is bullshit.” I snapped back. “What reason makes sense to you?” I crossed my arms. “I wanted the king to feel bad for me? Why would he when he is losing wolves left and right to these attacks? He has enough people to mourn and worry about. That I wanted brownie points? Again, I ask for what reason? Do you think that somehow surviving this attack would make the king want to meet me? Be near me? That makes no sense as again there are hundreds of females that survive attacks, and they have been here for longer than I have been of age. So again, if he wanted anything like that, he would have already chosen a female attack survivor long before me.” Nina shook her head, realizing that her outburst was nonsensical. “Or let’s talk about pushing the war effort, which also makes no sense. The rogues were the ones that brought this war to our borders. They were the onesthat targeted us. We have lived peacefully for years before they started to attack us. They killed the Lycans.” I felt my voice rise as my anger did. My hands dropped to my sides. “They killed our king. Our Alphas, our females, our pups and you want to blame me, a single eighteen-year-old Alpha who just shifted, for pushing the war agenda? I think you are wildly overestimating my importance to not only the king, but the werewolf world, or you are so fucking jealous and stupid that your mind makes no sense.” I watched her mouth drop open. “So what is it? Are you thinking I am more important, or are you just jealous?”
“I, I, I, I.” She stammered.
The council member stepped forward again, and I glanced his way. His face was flushed. “Nina is the next queen. You will not talk to her that way.” He screamed, and I watched the surprise flash on Nina’s face as Rowan turned.
