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A bite is all they’ve ever known, I snapped. My anger drained away as suddenly as it had arrived. These wolves were the product of their pack and the toxic environment they’d been raised in. I had to do better, even though they weren’t making it easy for me.
I turned away from the attackers to face my real concern, Noah. ‘Hey,’ I said softly. ‘Let’s get you up.’ I helped him to his feet and studied his face: it was already reddening and starting to swell. Now Noah didn’t have his wolf, Roan, he’d lost his werewolf ability to heal quickly. ‘You didn’t even fight back?’ Despite myself, I was asking a question.
He looked at me with dull, grieving eyes. ‘I deserve it. I lost Roan.’
Anger sparked again. ‘You didn’t lose Roan. He didn’t wander off at the shops; he sacrificed himself for you. He gave up his life in the here and now, and his life in the Great Pack ever after. I swore to him that I’d look after you, and you’re making me do a terrible job.’
I pulled him into a hug. ‘You want me to kill them for you?’ I murmured fiercely, aware that his attackers could hear me. I might not want to throw any punches, but I didn’t want them thinking mercy made me weak.
Noah let out a choked laugh. ‘No, they’re just idiots, alpha. It’s fine.’
I gave him one last squeeze. ‘Into the kitchen. I’ll follow you there in a minute.’ As he turned obediently and went into the kitchen, I faced his attackers. ‘Names,’ I barked.
They had the sense to look down at the floor.
‘Harry.’
‘Max.’
‘Toby.’
‘Well, Harry, Max and Toby, I assume you are bullying Noah because he doesn’t have a wolf.’
‘He’s not pack,’ the one who’d identified himself as Harry snarled.
‘He should leave,’ Max grunted. ‘It is disrespectful to you to stay.’
I spoke as mildly as I could. ‘If he left, I would take it as a terrible insult.’ I studied the three of them. They were all young, eighteen or maybe nineteen. I remembered what Elena had said about Beckett Frost and how he’d inspired trust in the young pups by gradually asking more and more of them until they were stuck on a slippery slope of doing increasingly despicable acts. What had he made these teens do for him? My tummy clenched. Nothing good, that was for sure.
‘I connected you to the Great Pack,’ I said finally. ‘I connected you to your wolves. You can hear them now, yes?’ All three nodded. ‘Ask your wolf what he thinks of Roan’s sacrifice.’
They were all silent for a beat, then they started to look even more uncomfortable. I hummed a ditty under my breath and reached for their wolves. They have been led astray, I said to them.
They have been taught wrong things, like killing when you are not threatened or when you have no need of meat, Esme added in a horrified tone.
It is your job to teach them the right way, I continued, to help them understand what pack truly is. Knowing how much Roan must have loved Noah to have given up his life for him, you understand how much Roan respected him. Noah is worthy because his wolf judged him so. Which of you would die for your human?
The silence stretched out: none of them would. The human men swallowed hard at the evidence that their wolves were not as devoted to them as Roan had been to Noah.
The door behind me snicked open and Finley’s scent – and yummy cooking smells – rolled out.
I pulled back from piping the wolves and looked at their humans instead. ‘I lead differently to Beckett Frost, and no doubt that will be an adjustment for you. It is important that you know that I love my pack. I would die for my pack – but I wouldn’t ask them to die for me.’
‘And yet we would still die for you, alpha,’ Finley said fiercely from behind me. ‘Even in the few weeks that I have been here, you have given me a home. You have never once raised a hand to harm the pack, only to defend it. I will never forget that for as long as I live. The feeling I have had here is like nothing I have ever felt before, the sense of security, of family.’
I gave him a warm smile over my shoulder, gratified that he had found his place here so quickly. Then I turned back to the ruffians and my smile faded. ‘We do not rule by tooth and claw, but do not think us weak. If you hurt another of our wolves in an unprovoked attack, then know that you will be lone before you can say “death sentence”.’
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Finley flinch a little at that. Harry, Max and Toby looked chastened but I had no doubt that it would be a long time before they’d start to see things my way. Still, we had time. I’d undo Beckett Frost’s evil – and that of Jimmy Rains and any other abusive alpha assholes – if it was the last thing that I did.
Chapter 9
I went into the kitchen to check on Noah. He was kneading bread, which I recognised as a therapeutic activity; beating the shit out of yeast always made me feel better.
I made myself a brew and one for him as well. Finley joined us a few moments later, his fists swollen and red, and Esme’s sharp nose smelled the tang of blood. He might respect me and the home I’d given him, but he’d clearly seen the need to teach Harry, Max and Toby a lesson. I was conflicted: I didn’t want the newcomers to be on the receiving end of violence, but I could understand that he was trying to protect our pack by making sure that Beckett’s pack knew that we were not weak.
I could feel Esme’s approval of his actions and her annoyance at me that the blood wasn’t on our paws. They’ve had enough abuse from their alpha, I said firmly. We rule differently.
Yes, but respect is earned and they haven’t given it to us yet.
