Wade flung his arm around Rafe’s neck. Lucas pulled him by the waist.
“Do not joke about this! I watched your mother killMYfather!”
Fury ripped through Adalyn. She was getting tired of being Rafe’s punching bag. Brother or not. Upset or not. This neck grabbing shit ended now.
She closed her eyes and beckoned whatever majik she had in her. Crimson flames danced around her fingertips. Without a second thought, Adalyn sent those flames directly into Rafe’s chest.
He flew backward, crashing into the dresser. Shards of wood scattered across the room.
“I don’t give a flying fuck if you’re the Alpha of the goddamned universe. If you pull that shit one more time, I won’t give you a warning. I will put you down.”
Rafe stood, brushing the particles of wood from his shirt. “You’ll do well to remember your place in this pack,” he growled.
“And you’ll do well to remember I am not your enemy,” she growled back.
“Bjorn… what did you say about Bjorn?” Grace laid her palm on Adalyn’s arm. “Please. I must know.”
“He’s alive.” Adalyn clasped Grace’s hand.
“It’s impossible,” Rafe said.
“It’s not. My mother—”
“We were there. We saw her kill Bjorn. Sweetheart, I know you mean well, but it’s just not true.” The pain in Grace’s eyes was apparent. She’d likely never forget the day she saw the death of her true mate.
“She wasn’t lying. He’s alive. I don’t know the details, but I could feel the truth in her words. She’s planning on using him to attack Black Paw and slaughter his own people if I don’t give her what she wants.”
They looked at her like she’d grown a second damn head and told them pigs fly.
“If Bjorn somehow happened to be alive, he would never be a threat to this pack. We are his people. I am his son.”
“Rafe, I know what I’m saying sounds crazy, but it’s true. I swear it.”
There had to be a way to convince him their father was indeed alive. Wade paced back and forth in front of her, driving her nuts. She didn’t need his protection from Rafe. Next time, she’d knock him into next year instead of the dresser, and not even feel a single ounce of guilt for her actions.
“She’s telling the truth,” Wade said.
All eyes snapped to his direction.
“Explain,” Rafe commanded.
“I’ve escorted countless souls between this realm and the afterlife,” he started to divulge.
“You what?” Adalyn gasped.
He raised his hand as if to explain now was not the time to discuss his curse—or employment, as Odin would call it. How he’d managed to say the words he had was beyond him. Normally, he’d be doubled over in pain just thinking about what he’d spoken.
“Go on.” Rafe sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.
“After the day the witches attacked, I escorted all the souls from Black Paw to their afterlife, but not Bjorn.”
“Why didn’t you say something?” Rafe asked. He didn’t bother to look up. His head was still in his hands, staring down at the floor.
“I don’t know. I’d considered it, but…”
“But what? You didn’t think I should know my father’s soul hadn’t been accounted for? That my mother wouldn’t want to know her mate hadn’t made it to Valhalla?”
“I’ve been bound by Odin not to discuss souls with anyone, should they ever find out what I do or who I am. But even if I could have said something, I wouldn’t have known what to say. I didn’t know if his soul had been destroyed by the witch. I didn’t want to cause any of you any more pain.”
