“Yes.”
“What is that?” Our Alpha barked, pointing to the phone, but I didn’t answer.
I couldn’t.
I was trying desperately not to cry out as trails of blood freely slipped down my forearm… and I sure as hell wouldn’t give the shifters urging him on the satisfaction. Not anymore.
“What is that?!” The thundering question returned as he motioned to the eyeshadows and brushes, to the pretty clothes on the open suitcase. “What is it?!” His command reverberated through the room, its magic power bouncing off the walls before slamming into me and forcing me to my knees. He never let go of my arm, his claws ripping the skin farther with the movement.
“Human things,” I finally replied through my teeth.
Straightening, my uncle glanced over his shoulder. “Ryker.”
There was no need for him to finish, my future mate and the son he never had knew exactly what to do.
“Get it all out of here, guys,” Ryker ordered from behind me, causing a tear to slowly spread down my heart.
I barely got a chance to see Barrett and Kellan walk past us toward the suitcase and phone, before the grip on my arm became impossibly tighter, and I was jerked to my feet.
“Burn it all,” our Alpha growled, dragging me outside again.
He hauled me all the way to the clearing, walking past the rows of breeders, mates, cubs, and other Omega shifters who were brought to their knees by his influence too—silently commanding them to follow. The Hunters joined us too.
My hands and knees hit the dirt harshly when he released me, the pathway specially carved for the magical fire crystals to be laid stared back at me with pity, only a few feet away.
“I swear, sometimes I don’t know what’s wrong with you!” our Alpha roared while turning to face me.
His German accent was almost gone from all his years living on this mountain, but it always returned the angrier he got—becoming so sharp now that it could probably slice stone.
“You do this two days before thefire ceremony,Natasha? Two days?! I should take it away from you. Make you wait another five years to meet your wolf.”
Gasps and cries of shock erupted from the pack around us, even from his Hunters. Not from me, though. I didn’t allow myself to react, even when pure horror unleashed through me.
Five more years would surely kill me…
“Arnoldt…” Ryker’s voice was filled with caution and warning, signaling to the Alpha that he had gone too far this time.
“Were you ever going to let me into the Hunters?” I asked our Alpha instead, lifting my gaze slowly until I met his eyes fully.
His nostrils flared at the clear challenge, mixing with the annoyance spreading over his features, but he remained silent.
“Ryker said you will never let me be a Hunter because of what happened to my parents, and that’s the reason you gave me to him as his mate, because he will follow your command and never let me join either. Is it true?”
A low growl escaped him as his glowing gaze snapped to his Beta. Ryker had disappointed him.
“Forgive me, Alpha,” my future mate instantly offered. “She insisted on that stupid idea of joining the Hunters after thefire ceremony,and I’ve had enough of her plans. She’ll be mine soon, so it is time to shut down that nonsense.”
I didn’t need to look at him to know my future mate’s gaze was focused on the ground. Everyone submitted to themighty Alpha, and those who’d ever dared challenge him never lived to tell the tale.
Part of me felt bad for putting Ryker on the spot, yet I didn’t relent. I couldn’t.
“For years you have watched me train and dream about the day I would be able to go out there,” I pressed, forcing his attention to return to me. “You have let me believe that one day I would fight alongside the Hunters, alongsideyou… my uncle?—”
“YourAlpha,” he growled.
“My Alpha,” I corrected, for some reason the words burned through me like they hadn’t since I was a child. “You made me believe that I would get justice for my parents by ripping those mindless, deformed monsters apart… But it was all a lie, wasn’t it? You never intended to let me leave this mountain.”
Tears stung my eyes like acid as our Alpha’s expression settled on the truth.
