Page 112 of The Wolf Queen’s Curse

“This little speech, trying to convince everyone it’s actually a good thing that you got half the Albion Pack killed and ran with your tail between your legs.”

I blink in shock. Rufus lunges with a growl, but Bishop lifts a hand. I still can’t see his face, but his body language tells me Doyle’s backstab is not entirely unexpected.

“I don’t think everyone wants the full story again,” Bishop says coolly. “But does anyone not know what happened here? So they may make their own decision?”

“You mean the lie of what happened?” Doyle says. “How your mate’s grandmother imposed a blood debt on your Pack for what Silas did to her daughters?”

“If you are questioning—”

“Oh, not that part. The part I question is you saying that you had no choice, that you could do nothing to stop Beryl Levine.”

I step forward. “If this is about having me go with her, I offered—”

“And she refused,” Doyle cuts in. “Of course she did. You weren’t enough. It would be like Bishop offering me twenty pounds to join his cause. Laughable.”

My cheeks heat at the insult. Bishop rocks forward, but Julius moves between him and Doyle.

“Is this about money?” Julius says. “We negotiated in good faith—”

“You do nothing in good faith,” Doyle sneers. “I’m talking about the lie you told the Pack. That witch offered you a way to pay the blood debt. With the life of the Alpha.”

Both Bishop and Julius go still. The breath catches in my throat.

Finally, Bishop says, “She said she would accept the deaths of myself, Julius, and Claude, our controller. We attempted to negotiate, and I offered myself. Just myself—”

“Lies.”

Now it’s Julius rocking toward Doyle, and Bishop holding him back.

“That was my counteroffer,” Bishop says calmly. “Her response was to kill Claude, and when we ran, her forces were already attacking the Pack. Even if all three of us had accepted death, she would have—”

“Lies.” Doyle steps forward. “I’ve heard the real story. How she only wanted you, Bishop. Your death would have paid the debt, but you said you’d rather see the house burn to the ground with the whole Pack in it—”

“What?” I say.

“—as long as you and your mate and your cousin survived. Claude tried to make you see reason, and you killed him.”

To my right, Felix goes rigid, his lips parting as if in a noise no one else hears. Bishop thankfully can’t see him and only gives a short, ugly laugh.

“Do you think you can spin whatever story you like? You weren’t there—”

“No, but I spoke to someone who was.”

That sets Bishop back. “One of Beryl’s people? They’d hardly tell the truth.”

“No, one of your own wolves.” Doyle waves, and we all follow his gesture to where Harry Cain stands, slightly apart from everyone else.

“Harry wasn’t there,” I say. “If he says he was, he’s lying because he’s still upset that Silas killed his father.”

“He overheard you,” Doyle says. “Tell them, boy.”

Harry only shuffles and shrugs.

Rufus slowly turns on his cousin. “What have you done?”

“Told the truth,” Doyle says jauntily. “He wasn’t with the other wolves in the main hall. I’m sure you can attest to that, Bishop. He’d walked out after you killed Silas. Then he heard everything through the window.”

“Through the window?” I say. “Beryl cast a privacy spell—”