The Silver-Loaded Rifle

Chapter 2 Forced to Bow

The word stopped him.

Killian stared at me. No one refused the future Alpha, least of all his mate.

“What did you say?” he growled, the sound low and dangerous.

I didn’t flinch. My gaze dropped from his eyes to the woman hiding behind him. “I said, she’s lying. And I have proof.”

I raised my blood-stained hand. “Look at her sleeve. The one she’s hiding.”

Lyla went rigid. Killian followed my finger. Silvery-white powder dusted the dark fur of the cloak I had made.

“Moonbone. It’s f*******n for a reason. It drives wolves mad before the poison kills them. Maeve was driving a thief away from my stores.”

Killian looked at the powder again. His grip on the rifle loosened.

Lyla burst into tears. “She’s lying, Killian! She’s always hated me. She’ll say anything to make you send me away!”

One of the guards behind him snickered. “The future Luna is getting desperate.”

Killian tightened his hands around the rifle. The brief doubt was over.

“You would stoop this low?” Disgust pulled at his mouth. “You accuse an innocent Omega of poisoning because you want to win an argument?”

Power slammed down on my shoulders. My knees tried to buckle. My neck strained to bow.

His Alpha command.

“Kneel.” The command rattled through my bones and bent my legs.

My knees dipped before I forced them straight.

He came closer. “Apologize to Lyla, Rena. Now. End this foolishness.”

The old name came with another wave of power. I held my ground.

When I still didn’t move, he said, “Fine, then.”

He pointed the rifle toward the hooks beside the door. “If you won’t kneel for her, you will obey me in this. After you apologize, you will take a silver chain and drag that beast out for execution.”

He wanted my hands on the chain. He wanted me to deliver Maeve to him and call it loyalty.

I stopped waiting for him to listen.

I turned my back on my mate.

His command ground into my bones as I knelt in front of Maeve. I wrapped my arms around the shivering wolf’s neck and pressed my face into her fur.

I held Maeve tighter.

His guards had watched me refuse him. Killian roared.

“Guards!” he bellowed, his voice breaking with rage. “Drag her away from that monster. Now!”