Chapter Thirty
Alpha Kadden POV
What the fuck!
That was the only thought on my mind when 1 sat in the chair at my bedside, watching as Von slept. Half an hour ago Id arrived in the security of the manor, the safest place for the royal family. Confident that my wamon would be able to eradicate the threat of the rogues. I’d seen to the needs of my family. Though I knew my daughter was pretty banged up from the wreck, it was Von I was really worried about
It’d been halfway through my jaunt back to the manor when I knew her silence wasn’t done by choice. Von had fainted in my arms. Id become panicked at the thought of anything happening to the woman from the attack. Even as I denied the existence of the bond between us, I knew I couldn’t survive it a second time. My wife had died due to the effects of an attack due to my failure, a repeat of the pain would surely kill me. Because no matter my feelings Von was my mare, a part of my family and is was my job to protect her
Thankfully the doctor had assured me there wasn’t any need for me to be worried about her survival. She hadn’t fainted from injuries. In fact from what the doctor could tell the woman hadn’t suffered any injuries at all, not even a scratch. She’d fainted from weakness and exhaustion as it turned. out. Something about the wreck had weakened her and her body succumbed to sleep to recharge. I didn’t give myself time to think of what could’ve placed her in the state, simply relieved the wouldn’t suffer.
Tucking the comforter up over her where she lay in my bed, needing her protected, I walked out of the room. I stared at the warrior ourside. Ethan 1 believed was his name. “You are to remain at this door at all times. No one aside from me is to gain access”
He nodded. “What if she wakes!”
“She’s not a prisoner,” I growled. Not anymore. As she too would come to realize just as soon as the two of them had the chance to talk
Stalking down the stars I wasn’t surprised to fad both Beta Alex and Gamma Thom sitting on the couch. The both of them were waiting around for their Alpha and King to find them to wait my order. “My daughter?”
“In her old room, Gamma Thom explained.
I wasn’t particularly pleased with the familiarity this man had with my daughters old habit but didn’t comment. As long as the man kept to himself I didn’t frankly care what he tended to pay attention to. I focused on my beta “How did those fuckers break through“”
Beta Alex dropped his head. “I unt some of my men out to check the borden once the rogues were chased out of town. Connor reached back to me. It seems that some of the protection charms were removed and there was counteracting magics to the barrier.”
I growled. “Meaning we have a traitor.”
“Yes,” Beta Alex was forced to agree with the belief of what’d happened, shame flooding him at his failure. “Someone had to have removed the charms from the inside, as the magic could only be performed in the borders. I really hate to ask this… but the woman how well do you know
“It’s not her,” I instantly denied
He wasn’t so willing to believe me. “Alpha I don’t mean any disrespect, but now iant the time to avoid the obvious. This strange girl appears out of nowhere, claiming to be old friends of your wife, though none of us have ever seen her before. I know she isn’t pack, she doesn’t smell or register as one. In fact, she seems to be masked. Then on the first night, you take her out to dinner the rogues just happen to gain access and know exactly where you were.”
“Beta Alex is right.” Gamma Thom jumped into the conversation then, siding with the beta on the terms of his suspicions. “I’m not saying one way or another, but the coincidences can’t be ignored. She shows up in town just as Luna Sara–Beth is buried, who died from very mysterious causes She managed to place herself inside of this house and there’s been two attacks since she came here.”
“It’s not her,” I assured them both never once having any doubts where her innocence was concerned. Even though I knew there was a traitor in my pack. I knew Von wasn’t the enemy they were mapping her out to be.
My bera faced me down, unwilling to bend Tm sorry, my liege. I can see that you’ve grown attached to the young woman, but that’s undoubtedly her intention. I think it’d be best to place her under guard, at least until we can find out who’s really behind these attacks.”
“STOP” the unvage roar ripped out of my throat unbidden, a hand closing around the throat of the man. Yellow gold eyes bore down on the man as he was lifted from the ground. Rhavage was in full control. “If you even attempt to touch her. I will kill you.”
“Majesty.” Beta Alex whimpered beneath the glare of the animal, his king’s wolf demanded respect from these people. “That woman
Thom gulped “As in your destined manest
Dropping the man from hus grasp, khuvage retreated to the back of my mind as I took full control. I cursed at the lunatic animal, this was so not the way I wanted people to find out the truth. Sigh “Yes. Von un’t merely an old friend of my wife following the funeral we framed the was my mase have no wash for people to know the truth, as it’d be disrespectful so soon after my wife’s death.”
Neither dared mention their suspicions again. Simply the knowledge the was my mate had taken her out of the running for the traitor them to wonder who was the one really beland these repeated attacks on the alpha family.
Leaving all of
Beta Alex pared the confines of the living room, as he was plagued by questions about who the perpetrator could be. “I have already seenta doubling the warriors on the boundaries and have increased patrols. The fastest warriors have already headed to nearby packs in alert them of the
Chapter Thiny Спарест
Haveness was a proselyte. The highest order of Priestess for our great goddess, who’d seen to doing the work in her name. It’d been that woman who’d placed the protection barrier around the kingdom, shen an additional one to protect our cubs. She would be the one person to be able to reinforce the barriers around town, to ensure this never happened again.
placed on ber derail at all
I offered him a grateful anale “Until further notier my daughter is to remain bere at the manor, a guard is to be place irfuse to allow any harm to come to my family”
Trince Larken” Thom wondered.
at all times. I
I shook my head. “You can send word to him that his presence has been demanded at the manor but don’t expect him to listen. My son isn’t himself these days and being bound to this house with me will be the last thing he wants.”
Alex bowed his head. Tll see it done,”
I stopped him from leaving the manor. “Alex, until further notice I want both you and your mate’s guard posted around the manor. I will have chambers prepared for the bath of you, though your men can bed down in the warrior quarters. The same goes for you too Thom.”
Neither of them thought to argue.
Grateful that both of them had accepted their new placement in the pack. I headed back upstairs. I wanted to be there for when Von finally awoke from sleep, the two of us had a low to talk about. Now more than ever I was reminded of the talk with Simon only days ago, knowing a decision needed to be made. Aware it would only be a matter of time before those bastards were hack demanding to receive an answer from me Unfortunerly, I’d have to talk to You first before any decisions could be made on my next action.
Only too exhausted from the stresses of the last couple of days, I knew staying up was out of the question Glaring at the tiny couch thard barely contain half my size, I immediately climbed into the bed. What the hell did it mutter if I slept in the same bed with the woman, she was my mate Besides, it’s not as if this was the first time we’d slept in the same bed, howing shared the same chambers now twice.
