“That Sier is dangerous and needs to be appeased,” Harold replied.
“Wrong,” Flora argued. “It tells you that he is dangerous and needs to be stopped. He isn’t just angry with me. He is angry with all of Silverrose, but especially Camden. Once he gets me back, he’ll still come after the pack.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Flora hadn’t told anyone about what Sier had been doing. Demetrius had convinced her that no one would believe a word she said because she was a human, and because of that, he hadfelt comfortable letting her into his secrets. If Harold knew, he might make a different choice.
“Because I’ve seen what he does to packs who defy him,” she said. “Ironbrand doesn’t have enough women in their pack for the men to all have mates. For the past two years, he has been kidnapping women from surrounding packs and bringing them back to Ironbrand as hostages. His soldiers get mates, and he gets their undying devotion for solving their problem. When they have children, he’ll have a whole new generation for his army. Only a few packs have fought back against the kidnappings. I’ll let you guess what happened when they did.”
Harold’s face paled with each word she spoke as the evil of Demetrius Sier finally sank in.
“Do you really think he’ll leave Camden and Silverrose alone? He’s done far worse to those who have done far less to him,” Flora pointed out. “At least with me in Silverrose, he still has his revenge against me to worry about. But if he gets me out of the way, there’s nothing to stop him from killing Camden. I don’t want that to happen. Please, Harold.”
Flora knew that using his first name instead of his title was risky, but she was desperate to get through to him. Calling him Alpha had been a sign of respect, but she needed him to know he wasn’t just risking his people; he was risking his family. Camden and Sofia were the only family he had left. She had to believe that, at some point, he would realize she was family, too.
Luckily, it worked.
“You’re right,” he said with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Flora. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I can’t give you up to Sier. We’ll find another way.”
Flora breathed a sigh of relief as Harold helped her to her feet and cut the tape from her wrists. She massaged them gently, and Harold gave her a look of apology.
“We’ll figure it out together,” she told him.
“Well, well, well.”
Harold whirled around to look at the speaker, and Flora’s blood ran ice-cold as their conversation was interrupted. She had been so focused on Harold that she hadn’t noticed Demetrius sneaking up from the other side of his car.
“What a beautiful moment between an uncle and his niece,” Sier continued icily. “I almost feel bad for interrupting it. Almost.”
He smiled sinisterly, and Flora took an involuntary step backward. Her foot caught on the curb she had just risen from, and she stumbled slightly. Harold threw out an arm to catch her, and she regained her balance. Harold held her hand in his own as her heart beat faster. It was almost painful as she thought about how close she’d come to escaping from her fate. She had finally gotten Harold to see the mistake he was making, but it was too late now. Demetrius would take her back to Ironbrand. She would be punished harshly, and then….
She shuddered as she wondered what he had in store for her. Harold remained silent, and she knew he was gauging escape routes just like she was. Demetrius stood between them and Harold’s car. The alpha could escape on foot, but Flora didn’t stand a chance against an alpha.
“No need to feel bad, Sier,” Harold finally said. “You aren’t interrupting anything. Flora and I can continue our conversation later. She won’t be leaving with you tonight.”
Demetrius’ lips pressed tighter together, his smile faltering as he stalked toward Harold.
“Yes, she will,” he said. “Dead or alive, the choice is yours.”
Harold glanced at Flora, gave her hand a squeeze, and then dropped it to take a step away from her.
Is he leaving me behind?She thought in a panic.
But when Demetrius took a step toward Harold, and then another, she realized what he was doing.
“Alive, of course,” Harold continued nonchalantly as he continued to lead Demetrius further away from Flora. “She’ll be going home with me.”
“I meantyoucan be dead or alive,” Sier seethed.
Harold nodded knowingly and took another step away. Demetrius stepped right up in front of his face, and Flora knew the moment had arrived. She wanted to cry out to him to find another way, but she couldn’t see one. She angled her feet toward the car and her torso toward Harold, waiting for a signal that she knew was going to come.
“I guess we’ll find out,” he said with a sigh.
Harold threw his keys through the air toward Flora, who caught them in one hand and took off at a sprint for the car. Behind her, she heard the sound of a fist connecting with flesh as Harold swung on Demetrius, buying her time to get to the driver’s seat. She ripped the door open, threw herself inside, and slammed the door shut. In an instant, she had put it in reverse and put the pedal to the floor, steering toward the alphas in hopes that Harold would jump into the car with her.
But when she looked, she saw Demetrius standing over Harold’s kneeling body with his head in his hands.
“No!” Flora screamed.
