“It was the Ironbrand pack, sir,” someone said. “We saw them lighting the fires, and they ran off in that direction.” He pointed in the direction Camden and Flora had just come from.
“Hughes, what do you know about this?” Harold asked his nephew.
“They attacked Flora and tried to kidnap her,” Camden said. “My squad and I managed to push them back, and then we saw the flames.”
Flora could see the alpha trying to figure out how the two were connected, and the moment when he finally understood.
“You,” he seethed. “You took her from Alpha Sier?”
Camden’s lips were tight as he nodded. “She was engaged to him against her will. I did it to protect her and her daughter.”
“You caused this mess!” Harold shouted, rounding on Flora. “You have put my pack in danger. How dare you!”
“No, uncle. It wasn’t Flora’s fault. I was the one who brought her to Silverrose.”
“Of course it’s her fault. Leave it to a woman to bring destruction everywhere she goes! And a human, too, no less,” he added spitefully.
Camden puffed out his chest and stood tall, grasping Flora’s hand in his own. He looked back at his uncle, full of pride.
“Your words of hate have no place here, uncle,” he said calmly and steadily. “Flora bears no responsibility for what happened tonight. This is the work of an evil alpha who cares more about getting his way than the good of his people. She is blameless. If you want to place fault with someone, it lies with me. I brought her here. I defied Alpha Sier. Would you throw me to his mercy?”
Harold scoffed. “You were bewitched by her,” he said dismissively. “A red-blooded man like yourself could hardly be expected to deny her if she asked for your help and promised to be yours.”
“She didn’t ask for my help,” Camden said. “I gave it willingly, with no expectation of getting anything in return. But she is my mate and my bride. I will defend her, no matter what the cost. So, I ask again: will you give me up to face punishment by Alpha Sier?”
It seemed like the entire pack was outside now, witnessing the exchange between Camden and the alpha. From what Flora could tell, they seemed to be dividing themselves between loyalty to their alpha and his old ways and loyalty to Camden’s new ideas about how the pack should operate. She knew that he had been working behind the scenes to change public perception of women’s place in the pack, but she hadn’t seen the progress laid out quite so clearly until now. Half the pack seemed to be on Camden’s side, although those who favored Alpha Hughes’ ideas were the vocal majority.
“He put us at risk!” one man shouted. “Send them both back to Ironbrand, Alpha!”
“He saved her!” a woman argued back, unleashing a torrent of conflict among everyone who was listening in.
“She shouldn’t be here.”
“She’s one of us.”
“We should all fight back against the Ironbrand pack.”
“Look at what they’ve done to us!”
“He needs to pay!”
“Silence!” Harold roared. “I will not make a decision based on senseless shouting, and I won’t be making any plans tonight. Everyone needs to go back to their homes immediately.”
He glared at Camden and turned away dismissively. Camden stood with his head held high, looking around at thepack. The tides were turning in his direction, and both he and Flora could feel it.
Still, despite Camden’s defense of her, Flora couldn’t help but blame herself. She saw the family whose home had burned standing in shock, staring at the smoke rising from what was left of the front of their house. It hadn’t been completely destroyed, but she knew that their sense of security had been shaken. Camden might not hold her responsible, but that didn’t absolve her.
As they walked home, Flora felt the heaviness of the night settling into her bones. By the time they reached their front door, she was exhausted.
“Can I get you anything?” Camden asked as he walked her back upstairs to her room.
Flora didn’t think she had ever seen him look afraid before, but there was unmistakable fear in his eyes as he looked for a way to help.
“I’ll be okay,” she said. “I just wish…I feel…”
“I know,” Camden said, reaching out to caress her cheek. “Get some sleep. I’ll keep watch over you.”
With the knowledge that he was protecting her and Sofia, Flora fell into a deep sleep.
