“Really. My wolf insists.”
“One of the outsiders?” I could hear the sneer even without looking sideways to confirm it.
“Savannah. They’re not outsiders anymore. We’re putting all the old drama behind us. Lucien won the challenge. He is our Alpha now. The Blackwater pack are strong allies, and we need to band together for what’s coming.”
She slammed a glass pot lid against the bottom of the sink so hard, it cracked. “It wouldn’t be coming at all if they hadn’t broken the laws!” Savvy spun toward me with all the fury of a cobra poised to strike. “Why do you condone them breaking the old laws when they’re only hurting us! You think the ODL isgoing to stop with them? Hmm? What happens when they come for me next? All the women?”
I shook my head, sadness at the division in my own home—which was reflective of the rest of the pack, as well—making me take my time to find the right words.
“You know that healer and her Goddess-touched pack aren’t going to hurt anyone. Why should wolves suffer, losing our women and children, if the Goddess herself has blessed them to change that? We could have more,bemore.”
“We’re going to benothingonce the ODL comes and murders us all.”
“I’m not going to let that happen.”
She scoffed, elbowing me hard in the ribs. “You still feel like flesh and blood to me. You’re just planning to magically stop us from getting wiped off the map… how?”
I dropped the pot I’d been scrubbing back into the soapy water, turning to face her more fully. “I don’t know, honestly. But we’ll figure it out.”
“I’m not willing to trade your life for theirs. And you’re too…good. You’ll throw yourself on a blade to save someone else. It’s only a miracle you didn’t for Petró.” Her bottom lip trembled, and I thought now we were working our way back around to what was actually bothering her.
“Petró was challenged fairly and defeated the same. I was honor bound to protect Lucien’s mate and ensure a fair fight as second. You know pack law as well as I do, maybe better.” I dried my hands on a towel, waiting.
“Is it bad that I’m glad he’s dead? We were set to be bonded, and all I felt wasdreadbecause he was a terrible male. I didn’t want to bond him. I wanted to rip out his throat. Always with other she-wolves, always flaunting his wealth while our neighbors suffered… But I shouldn’t begladthat someone is dead. I’m a terrible person.”
Tears welled in her eyes, and I wrapped her in a hug, burying my nose in her hair, the familiar scent of her coconut shampoo the same she’d been using forever. She’d never once admitted she hadn’t wanted to marry him before now, or I would have insisted she call it off. “You could never be a terrible person. A terrible cook, for sure. But I’m glad he’s gone too. It galled me to think of him laying a finger on you.”
She sniffled, hugging me back for a few moments before pulling away, swiping carefully under her eyes so as not to smudge her mascara. “Tell me about this new mate of yours. Which one is she?”
I smiled just thinking of Elodie’s beautiful face. “One of the maidens. Elodie.”
Savvy nearly dropped the lid she’d already cracked. “What? She can’t be your mate, can she? They’re practically nuns.”
I shook my head, turning back to the task at hand. I liked to keep my hands busy. It let my thoughts roam free.
It was impossible to hold back my sarcasm when I asked, “Do they look like nuns to you? Technically, no, she hasn’t agreed that our wolves are a match. But I’m sure. I’ve just got to give her some time and space to come around. So don’t say anything, all right? Nobody knows yet. I want to take things at her pace.”
My sister nodded, carefully setting the cracked lid aside. “Well, she’s an idiot if she doesn’t want to bond with you. You’re the best man in the pack. Probably the whole world.”
“You’re a little biased, given I raised you and didn’t give you a curfew. Looked the other way on quite a few term papers too.”
Her grin was wicked when she turned it my way. “True. Best big brother around. Want to go grab a pizza? My treat. For all those term papers.”
“Absolutely.” I threw the towel on the counter, leaving the rest of the mess for later. It would keep.
Chapter 5
Elodie
Ipulled on my tunic the next morning. Galyna’s quiet footsteps alerted me to the fact that she was already in the kitchen. A few moments later, the steady drip let me know she’d started a pot of coffee.
I was going to need a whole pot to myself. I barely slept, restless at the memory of the almost kiss with Valens. Then angry at myself for focusing on that instead of how to complete my mission.
Full-out war with the ODL was the worst-case scenario, but I couldn’t see how we’d avoid it. And Leigh was getting rounder by the day, her pregnancy advancing into the third trimester. How would I hide her, protect her?
I had no idea. The Romanian castle’s bunker was the best bet, but last we heard, it was still a burned-out husk, not yet habitable or anywhere close. Though, the butler, Cristian, was working on it. Eventually, it would shine again, but we’d have to live to see it restored.
I reached for my sword, then hesitated. The growing suspicion in my gut was that Valens was right. And if he was right, my remaining days of carrying this sword were limited.
