She started to turn away, but I called her back. “Mrs. Morgan, why did you have Everestkilled?”
“I didn’t have Everest killed. I had himfollowed.”
“Having him followed got himkilled.”
“Extorting money from my pack got him killed,” she lobbed back. “Your cousin was a thief. He said he had access to Sillin, made us pay a substantial deposit for it, and then he neverdelivered.”
My heart was beating double-time. “What did you need Sillinfor?”
She made a sort of guttural sound, halfway between a growl and a sigh. “For injuries. For travel. For my cousin—although now he won’t be needin’ it anymore. And before you go on assumin’ anything, we hadnointention of using it as aweapon.”
Like I’d ever believethat. . .
She shook her head. “An Alpha’s responsibility is to protect the pack at any costs. At least, that’s what an Alphashoulddo. May I suggest that before you go judgin’ me and mine, you take a good look at your ownAlpha.”
Liam’s eyes glowed as bright as the flames I’d imagined licking up the sides of theinn.
With a skein of Creeks trailing her, she finally took off toward the living room but paused by the sliding door, her blue sheath flapping in the gentle breeze. “Oh, and, Candy, I’ll be here for several days. We still have so much to discuss, you and I, so don’t be a stranger.” She flicked her fingers in a little wave, then went to take a seat on one of the couchesinside.
Her wolves milled around her, quietly ferrying plates to and from the buffet, gazes roving over us in both curiosity andcaution.
The hush that draped over all three packs raised the hairs on the nape of myneck.
“Liam?” Iwhispered.
He looked everywhere but at myface.
My stomach felt as though a swarm of moths were flapping their little wings against itslining.
“What was Morgan talking about, Kolane?” Augustasked.
“None of your fucking business, Watt,” Liamsnapped.
“If it has to do with Ness, it is my fuckingbusiness.”
Without turning around, I said, “No, August. I know you consider me like a sister, but I’m not. So it’s not your business. This is between Liam andme.”
My words stung August. I sensed it in the tremor that crossed through the tether. As he backed away, it vibrated like a flicked clothes string. He didn’t leave the inn, just put distance between us. A lot ofit.
I accorded Liam my full attention. “I’mlistening.”
A nerve ticked in his temple and another in hisjaw.
When he still didn’t speak, I asked, “Would you rather I ask Aidan Michaels to enlightenme?”
“A couple days before he was shot, your father challenged mine for Alpha,” Liam said roughly. “My father said he would kill him, and Aidan caught it with one of the many bugs he’d planted in our homes. After Callum died, when we came for Aidan, the bastard played back the recording. Said he’d play it for the entire pack. Even though Dad didn’t shoot Callum, it made him look guilty. That’s why your father’s death wasn’tavenged.”
The music stopped, replaced by a screechy recording. A voice risen from the dead boomed across theterrace.
“The nerve of Clark! He already stole my mate. And now he wants my pack?”Heath sounded crazed.“The fucking nerve ofhim.”
Something shattered. Heath had probably lobbed one of his crystal highballs into a wall.I could just imagine the whiskey dripping down the wooden pillar in his cushyhome.
“Why do you think he challenged you?”Liam’s fifteen-year-old voice rang across the deathly quietporch.
“To bring his bastard child into the pack. He doesn’t get that she’s not his kid. That she can’t fucking be his kid. Boulders don’t have girls!”Heath bellowed a couple expletives that had Frank shutting his eyes.“The Clarks are parasites, Liam. They suck up the resources of the pack and bring nothing but fucking problems inreturn.”
For a moment, no sound came out of the speakers, and I thought Aidan or whoever was broadcasting the recording had pressed pause. I looked at Liam, but he stared at the weathered teak slats beneath ourfeet.
