“Um...” He gapes at Tyler and me for a lifeline.
Tyler and I avoid their pleasing gaze, looking around the room—really anywhere else but directly at them.
“You don’t know . . . do you?”
“Well, I—”
This is pure gold. I hate the council just as much as the next guy. They’re helpful when they actually do their job, but most of them stick to the status quo and are compensated for doing nothing. They are an obstacle to any sort of change. And Sam clearly sees right through that. They’ve been a broken system for quite some time.
“We’ve been rather busy . . .”
“Aw, I understand.”
Sam is sarcastic, yet the councilman doesn’t seem to pick up on this.
The council nods and grins at Sam’s faux understanding, but their relieved smile falls as Sam says, “You’re lazy.”
It happens quickly. Sam pounces on Ezra and slices his neck without even shifting. He lies on the ground next to his chair holding his throat, choking on his own blood.
Alexa holds the pendant on her chain close to his lips, her eyes closed tightly shut. She says a prayer and waits for Sam to end her life as well. But he doesn’t.
Actively dying, Ezra chokes on his own blood. The gurgling continues as Sam returns to his seat. He regards Alexa, “Don’t worry, you’re our spare.” Then he focuses on me. “Can you answer my question?”
“It’s because our pack is not prepared to fight. This is a weakness that was exposed to the rogues during the attack. They see us as easy targets.”
I speak clearly, but regret is evident in my tone. I own my family’s mistakes as if they were my own.
“Honesty,finally. That is why the king will be here soon to oversee combat training to strengthen Bloodhound’s brute force and ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
Oh, great. Just what I need.His Majestyshows up to point out everything I’m doing wrong in my own pack and undermine me publicly—right when I most need everyone’s faith.
The pack’s loyalty has been shaky since the first attack. We didn’t prepare them to fight because we thought we were too important to the entire realm. Because of this, they question my parents’ leadership.
I can’t say I blame them.
I need to prove to them I intend to do better than my father. Starting with the crown. Which, unfortunately for me, means kissing some hybrid ass. Otherwise...
I peer over at a twitching Ezra.Dang, hestillisn’t dead. The little fucker’s really hanging on, huh?
“As it seems that the councilman has failed to relay pertinent information to you, there is something else I should make youaware of. We have captured a rogue who we believe participated in the attack that led to my father’s death. Typically, we would have eradicated her already, but we have imprisoned her instead—something our pack has not done previously.”
“Why keep this one?” Taya asks.
“To give people hope. Interrogate and investigate. Plenty of reasons. But my people are also losing faith in my family. Which is a reason I believe a mate of my choosing would help.”
“Then, it might be good for Tyler to be matched as well,” Taya says to Sam.
“Hm...” Sam considers it as well and ultimately, seems to agree.
But Tyler does not. “Why are you even here?” Tyler snaps at Taya.
I ball my hand into a fist at his tone. My knuckles turn white.
Sam rests his elbows on the table and leans forward, clearly agitated and with my beta. “She is my mate and your superior. You will show her respect.”
“Sir, I think what my beta is trying to say is, we’ve known Taya our entire lives. She can’t fight.”
“And whose fault is that?”
