Chapter 4
605 Words
Just two hours earlier, those same warriors had smiled at us with nothing but respect. They had even stopped to ask how we were doing, careful and polite.
Now they looked at us like we were vampires they wanted dead.
My father roared at them. He was no longer young, but he had once been an alpha. The force of his presence made the warriors hesitate and hang back.
Rosaline strutted over in her heels and drove a kick into my father. The imprint of her shoe stayed on his fur.
He froze. A few seconds passed before he went berserk and snarled at her. Rosaline stood safe behind the guards and laughed even harder.
My father had been the finest alpha in the region. Even the old Wolf King had held him in deep respect and called him the strongest warrior in a hundred years. On any battlefield where he appeared, vampires did not dare to engage. Back then, no one would have dreamed of treating him this way. I could not imagine a deeper humiliation.
He was growling low, ready to lunge at Rosaline, when I raised my hand and stopped him.
"How can they do this? Our old alpha was the kindest alpha I have ever known. Do you know how many rogues he took in over the years? And this is how they treat him?"
"This is all Nora's fault. Who told her to bring home a mate like that? And how could she hand the pack over to him? Is she under some kind of dark spell?"
"If she were my daughter, I'd throw her out of the pack myself. I'd rather lose the child than lose my people."
"Keep your voice down. Alpha Kael runs this pack now. Don't get us kicked out, either."
The voices around us grew louder.
Kael ignored them completely and kept his eyes on me, his smile stretching wider and wider.
"Whatever you may think, Nora, I still have to thank you for giving us such a lovely life. Without you, how would my child ever become alpha?"
"Oh, thank you for reminding me, darling. I had nearly forgotten that part." Rosaline planted a kiss on Kael's cheek and raised her glass at me, gloating. "The one we really ought to thank is you, Nora. If you weren't so unbelievably stupid, how would we have ever landed such a good life?"
I smiled.
Was that really how it was?
My father shifted back to his human form. He stared at them, his body swaying, and then he spat up blood and collapsed.
My father had been badly wounded in the war against the vampires, and his health had never recovered. Years ago, when he learned I did not plan to have children of my own, the shock put him in the hospital.
"No! Dad!"
"Darling!"
My mother and I rushed to him together. By some luck, a few pack healers were still in the crowd. They gathered around him and applied emergency care until his eyes slowly opened again. The healers helped him away to rest.
"Nora, I don't want to blame you, but how could you..." My mother sounded on the verge of tears. I pulled her into my arms and gave her a quick, secret wink.
"I know what I'm doing." I steadied her arm and guided her toward the door. "The ceremony hasn't started yet, right? Don't forget, Mom. I made a promise to the Moon Goddess. I said I would stand here today, holding my mate's hand."
"Nora, Alpha Liam has arrived." A warrior approached me with a respectful bow.
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