“Hey.” Ty’s voice was husky when he saw me ogling his sculpted muscles. “How was training?”
“Intense,” I said, tracking a bead of water that dripped down his abs. “Liam was really tough on me today, but… I think it’s actually helping.”
“Good.” He grinned. “You’re so strong. You’ll be able to overcome anything.”
His words were like a balm to my frayed nerves, soothing the raw edges of my emotions. The desire I held for him grew stronger, fueled by the connection between us. I stepped closer to him, the heat of his bare skin radiating onto mine.
“I couldn’t do it without you,” I said, my hands finding their way to his waist.
“Neither could I.” He gave me a searing kiss that ignited a fire inside me. In that moment, I needed him more than anything, not just for the physical pleasure he provided, but for the emotional support that helped keep me grounded.
114
TY
My heart raced with anticipation as I listened to howls of wolves in the forest. Slowly, my pack began to gather in the clearing.
I had never been more nervous in my life.
“Are you ready, Ty?” My father stood beside me, his sharp eyes quickly moving from one pack member to another.”
I blew out a breath and nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Dad clapped a hand on my shoulder. “You’re going to do great, son. Just tell them the truth. They’ll understand.”
I gathered my courage and took a step forward to address the crowd. “Thank you all for coming at such short notice. I’m aware there are a lot of rumors and whispers about what’s been happening lately, and it’s time to clear the air.” I wavered slightly but pushed through the nerves. Since I’d taken over as alpha, it had just been one blow after the other, and all because of Castro.
“We’ve done our best to keep this under wraps, but we can’t hide it any longer. A war is coming.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. I glanced over at my father, and he gave me an encouraging nod. It was time to reveal the secrets that had been plaguing our family for so long.
“The cause of this war is tied to actions my father took many years ago.” The words hung heavily in the air, and the pack’s unease grew palpable. “In his efforts to protect the pack, he made choices that have now come back to haunt us all.”
My father stepped forward, his spine straight and head held high. “It’s true.” His words came out steady. “I made decisions that I believed were for the good of our pack. Years ago, I gave the order to eliminate the Wylde pack in Heather Falls. The pack my daughter-in-law was born into.”
Gasps resonated around us, creating a backdrop for the escalating clamor of voices shouting their outrage and betrayal. My wolf was desperate to be let out, to defend my father. As much as I wanted to do that, though, he had to face this on his own.
“Quiet down!” I roared, punctuating it by slamming my fist against the nearest tree trunk. As if someone had pressed a mute button, they all shut up. “Let him explain.”
Dominic looked into the sea of angry faces, his posture tense but unyielding. “It was a mistake.” The remorse in his words was undeniable. “I believed the pack at Heather Falls posed a threat to our way of life, but I was wrong.”
“Wrong?” a burly man near the front spat. “You wiped out an entire pack, and all you can say is you were wrong? How many innocent lives did you end?”
“Enough.” I stepped forward. “We’re all aware of what happened, and we’re facing the consequences now. Tearing ourselves apart won’t undo the past or help us face what’s coming.”
The man glared at me but said nothing, his chest heaving with barely restrained fury. I turned back to my father, silently urging him to continue.
“I am truly sorry for what I’ve done,” my father said in a cracked voice.
The pack grew silent as they exchanged nervous glances with each other, their gazes darting back to me and my father every so often. Their outrage was a wildfire that threatened to consume us all. It was then that Liam, one of our strongest warriors, stepped forward, his measured and deliberate words breaking through the heavy air.
“I get it. You’re angry at Dominic. Hell, I’ve been angry at him my entire life. He ordered the death of my family—my pack. But we can’t forget who the real enemy is.”
The pressure in the air dissipated as the crowd listened intently. I kept a close eye on Liza as she stood and moved over next to Liam. She inhaled deeply, then started to speak.
“I understand why people might think Castro has a right to be angry. After all, he lost his pack that night, too.” Her voice quivered, but it carried enough power to be heard by everyone. “Despite what Dominic may have been planning, Castro is the one who killed my and Liam’s father. He is the one terrorizing our pack when Liam and I have put the past behind us.”
The pack’s attention were riveted on her. With every word she spoke, the weight on my chest lessened. She was right. We needed to focus our anger on the true enemy. Castro.
