Page 34 of The Wolf Queen’s Curse

“I mean you no disrespect, boy.”

Julius drops his head into his hands and shakes it.

“Fine,” Rufus says. “I acknowledge you’re not a boy, but I still get to call you that. It’s ‘pup’ that’s the insult. I won’t use that, and I won’t call your mate a girl. Now come back inside.”

Bishop turns a cool look on him. “Are you going to tell me to drop this Alpha madness?”

“You make a fair point, all right? There. I admitted it. I don’t think Pack life is worth saving, but if the Albions disappear, someone else will take their place.”

“And?” Julius prompts.

Rufus looks at him. “And what?”

“And whoever takes over will be worse than Bishop.”

“I’ll acknowledge Bishop will be better than Silas. Though even I’d be better than that bastard, and I’d make a fucking terrible Alpha.”

“I meant whoever takes over England will be worse for you.”

“Fine. Yes. It’s in my best interests to have an Albion Alpha I know. It’s even more in my interests to have Bishop there. Because I can trust you to be fair, boy.” He grumbles under his breath and then says, “And you’ll make a good Alpha, even if I think you’re wasting your talent. There. Have I groveled enough?”

“Admitting the obvious is hardly groveling,” Bishop says.

Rufus lets out a laugh loud enough to startle me. “Ah, to have the confidence of youth. Come back inside and tell me your plans.”

TWELVE

The first thing Rufus wants to know is who survived the other night and who did not. When he gets the full list of the dead, he’s quiet for a long time, and Julius goes into the kitchen to make tea. I join him, and we do that together while Bishop’s and Rufus’s murmured voices come from the other room.

Julius carries in the tea tray, and I pour. The men all take a cup, and as I settle in beside Bishop again, Rufus says, “You’re not left with much.”

“I know,” Bishop says.

“Oliver is a good man. You’re lucky to have him. But the rest? Felix is little more than a child. Augustus isn’t much older. Neither is Etienne. And Harry?” He shakes his head. “He was a boy when I left, and he seemed smarter than his dad, but that’s not saying much. He was Henry’s pride and joy. Hell, he named the kid after himself. It doesn’t matter who actually killed Henry—Harry will blame you.”

“I would have rather he left,” Bishop says, “but I won’t drive him off. I do think it’s possible to make a good wolf of him, now that he’s away from his father’s influence. But that could just be me.”

“Overly confident in your leadership abilities? Yeah, I can see that.”

Bishop glares at him. “I meant I could be too quick to see good in others.”

Rufus bursts out laughing and then reaches over to thump Bishop on the leg. “Sure, that’s it.”

“Continuing on … There’s Wallace, who joined the Pack after you left. A good man and a good wolf, though not one who has particularly distinguished himself. The other two are former Pack from your time. Lewis and Kenric. Lewis seems good. I’ve worked with him on missions, and he quietly supported me.”

“He’s fine. A follower, which is what the Pack needs in times of peace but not necessarily in times of war.”

“And Kenric?”

Rufus shrugs.

“You didn’t know him?” Bishop presses. “He’s about your age.”

“I grew up with him, but he barely said a word, and I don’t trust the quiet ones.” He peers meaningfully at Bishop. “They’re always thinking. No man needs to do that much thinking.”

“Compared to Kenric, Bishop is positively loquacious,” Julius says.

“That’s my point. I don’t trust Kenric. Never have.”