“We are,” Tieran confirms, stepping toward her and cupping her cheek. “Does that bother you?”
I hold my breath, curious as to what she’ll say.
She grew up with Alpha Bryson as a leader. Oftentimes packs look upon their Alphas as father figures. It wouldn’t be surprising if she harbors an innate respect for the man, even if he’s a colossal jackass.
Volt appears expectant as well, all signs of excitement fleeing his expression.
Her response matters.
As does her comfort.
If she’s not—
“Alpha Bryson allowed the Santeetlah Pack to rape and murder my mother in front of me. Then he handed me over to the Elders, told them I killed my mother, and said I was feral, all the while knowing the truth—that I didn’t kill my motherandAlpha Canton was the reason I couldn’t shift.” She sounds furious and rightly so. Just hearing her repeat all that makes my blood boil.
It has Volt narrowing his gaze in response as well.
But Tieran is still stoically focused on her, his palm against her cheek, his gaze studying hers.
“Am I bothered by the fact that you want to kill Alpha Bryson?” she asks, repeating the question Tieran just voiced. “Absolutely not. But I don’t understand what you mean bysecond time. When was the first time?”
Ah, she wants to know about the betrothal. I never told her the full story. Because it’s not my tale to tell. It’s all on Tieran to rewrite the history in her mind, to distinguish the truth from the lies.
“What did Bryson tell your pack about my supposed betrothal to his daughter?” Tieran asks quietly. “Did he say I rejected her by slaughtering her?”
“He told us you rejected her, then you slaughtered her.”
He nods. “Yes, that’s the tale he spun for the Elders, too.” He releases her cheek, his hand falling to her hip as he continues to hold her gaze.
“What’s the truth?” she asks, a note of something in her voice that I don’t quite understand. A knowing lilt. A hint of confidence.
And it results in a grin from both Volt and Tieran.
After a beat, I begin to understand—her lesson on the lie.
They told her why truth is important to a clan and she’s using it now to provoke Tieran into telling his story.
Not that he needs the coaxing.
He would tell her regardless.
But the word play is definitely a welcome breath of fresh air in the room. It means she’s starting to understand our dynamic. And I fucking love that.
“Alpha Bryson offered me his daughter as a whore, not a mate,” he says, cutting straight to the heart of the story. “He knows that Carnage Wolf Alphas need Omegas for their clans. But he tried to seduce me into a deal between our packs by offering his daughter as a slave.”
“Harem member,” I correct him with a grin.
“To him, it’s the same,” Tieran replies. “And I refused, which he blamed on his daughter. He told her she wasn’t good for anything and killed her in a fit of rage. Which doesn’t exactly paint him in the best image, so he told the Elders I rejected her and killed her. And he convinced several of his wolves to back up the story.”
“Was my father there?”
Tieran nods. “Yes. His Beta was present. Gafton, right? He provided a full testimony to the Elders. And it’s all a lie.”
“Which you have proof of,” Volt adds, making Clove’s eyebrows hit her hairline.
“You have proof that he lied?” Her voice matches her shocked expression.
Tieran nods. “I do.”
