“Damn it,” I whisper when I see Bella and her parents. Alpha Ashford is there too with a pissed look on his face. Of course it’s them. In what universe is anyone coming to save me? I’m on my own, like always.
“Well isn’t this…cozy,” Bella drawls, giving us a haughty look.
I don’t even have it in me to be mad at her. She tricked Keiran in the worst way possible. I’ve got no problems with her.
I shrug. “Could use a few throw pillows in here honestly.” I lift my chains and stand from where Keiran dropped me. “Maybe a longer chain too.”
She huffs out a laugh while Alpha Ashford growls. “You think this is funny?” He takes keys out of his jacket and opens the cell door. “What is this? You leave us and you suddenly grow a backbone?”
I keep silent and watch him. I know better than to provoke him. Whatever they gave me still has my wolf down. She could take him. Me on the other hand? Not looking good.
“You did this to my son.” He points a finger at me andtsk’slike I should feel bad. I stay quiet and keep watching him. “That fucking witch. I know she cursed him. When I get my hands on her I’m going to rip her apart.”
That gets me talking.
“I thought he got bondrot because she,” I nod my head at Bella, “has a mate. This has nothing to do with Maud and if you remember, she tried to warn you.”
“Is that so? You think you can talk to me like you’re my equal? I’m going to knock your teeth out. Let’s see how you talk after that.” Alpha Ashford starts for me but he only makes it a step before Keiran is there in front of him.
“No.”
“Get out of my way.”
“You touch her, I’ll kill you.”
My mouth drops open. What the hells is going on here? Keiran never defends me. He would never go against his father. I’m not the only one surprised by what’s happening. I see the shock on Alpha Asford’s face at his son intervening. The others in the room do too. I watch Bella look between them with wide eyes. No one knows what’s about to happen. In the end, it’s Alpha Ashford that relents.
“I think we’ve all had a long day. Why don’t we go to dinner? We have a lot to discuss.” He looks past Keiran and to me when he keeps speaking. “If she’s going to come home with us there’s ground rules that need to be in place.”
Keiran lets out a huff but nods. “Fine. The ground rules are that she's off limits.”
“Son…”
“I think your dad is right and I’m hungry,” Bella says. She flashes a sweet smile at Keiran. “I know that I messed up bad but we can fix it…together.”
“You have a mate, there's nothing to fix.”
“But we’re married!” She holds up her hand and I can’t stop the gasp that comes out of me at seeing the ring on her finger. It’s too like Cassidy that I’m stunned.
Keiran looks at me over his shoulder. “That shit means nothing to me. I did it for the alliance.”
“Keiran!” His father yells at him.
“It’s true. I never wanted her. I wanted Cordelia. You said there was money but where is it? They’re broke.”
If I wasn’t already sitting, I’d sit down now. Holy hells. Moonshadow is broke?
“We might not have money but we have an army,” The Moonshadow Alpha offers but Keiran just waves him off.
“Let’s get this dinner over with but make no mistake. When it’s over, I’m claiming my mate and when I’m healed things are going to fucking change around here.”
I don’t know what he means by change but the others do from the looks he gets. Keiran doesn’t pay them any mind, though. He forces his father and the others out of the cell. When he locks the cell he looks at me.
“I’m going to fix this. You are going to forgive me.” Keiran’s words are an order. We can all hear it but for the first time I’m not compelled to obey him.
I shake my head. “Never.”
Chapter
