Page 52 of The Wolf Queen’s Curse

Hamish cocks his head. “Why? A loaded gun is dangerous, but when properly aimed, it can change the course of any battle, and it would seem you need that.”

“Montague isn’t a rifle but a cannon, one that will fire in any direction and, as often as not, backfire.”

“I still think you miss an opportunity there, lad.”

“Perhaps.”

Bishop takes a few spoonfuls of soup, and Hamish does the same before saying, “Tell me how you killed Silas Stockwell.”

Bishop’s gaze rises, his expression impassive. “In a challenge fight. He accused Julius of murdering his enforcer, Henry Cain, and I knew Julius had not. I believe Silas had begun to question my allegiance, and he reacted with the false accusation. I had no choice but to challenge him.”

“Which you otherwise did not intend to do?”

Bishop answers carefully. “It was my hope that I would not need to. I joined the Albion Pack planning to prove myself a worthy successor to Silas. I believed I had done that—he named me his heir—but the situation quickly deteriorated. He quickly deteriorated. The Pack was unhappy. I still would have held off if he had not forced my hand.”

“All right. But Edwin already explained how it came about. I want to know how you—How old are you again?”

“Twenty-eight.”

Hamish whistles. “Twenty-eight. How did you, a mere pup, best the Albion Alpha? I met the man many times, and I would not have taken him on in the ring myself. And Edwin says Silas insisted on a fight to the death, in wolf form. He should have easily bested you.” Hamish looks at Bishop. “Unless you cheated.”

“I did not.”

“No?”

Bishop meets his gaze. “I could not expect any wolf to follow me if I cheated my way to Alphahood. I intended a fair fight, but it was clear that wasn’t going to happen. Silas was enraged and willing to do whatever it took to defeat me.”

“He cheated.”

Bishop raises one shoulder. “He did not feel inclined to follow all the rules. That meant I had to improvise, but I did that through a simple ruse, not through cheating.”

“So you…?”

“Played dead.”

Hamish whoops a laugh. “Oh, Silas, undone by the oldest of tricks. You never were a clever one, were you?”

The main course comes out then—a suckling pig—and we start eating before Hamish speaks again, this time to me.

“I ought not to poke fun at Silas. He was your father.”

“A fact of which I became aware barely more than a week ago, after which I witnessed him murdering my aunt—while she was bound and helpless—and I discovered he’d had my mother killed. I am happy where I am.”

“Good. It would be awkward otherwise, your new husband murdering your father.”

Hamish laughs, as if this is a joke, and down the table, Edwin winces and Dennis rolls his eyes.

We eat a few more bites, and then Hamish waves his knife at Bishop. “What do you know of the Cambrian Pack?”

Bishop sets down his fork. “The current one is only three years old. There was a Cambrian Pack in Wales before. Then, about a hundred and fifty years ago…”

I swear all eyes shift to me, which has me checking to be sure I haven’t dropped a leafy green on my cleavage, but Bishop only continues.

“There was an incident involving the Alpha and his mate. Up until that time, the Cambrian Pack allowed all wolves to mate. The Alpha’s wife led a revolt when he brought home a third bastard son for her to raise. The other women joined and demanded fidelity, based on both the Christian and wolf-pack practices. The Alpha’s response was to order all mates executed, including his own.”

I go still in horror, but Hamish’s lips twitch, amusement lighting his eyes. “Or, perhaps, he ordered all mates executed to allow him to kill his own.”

“Likely, as the result was a mutiny. Other wolves were much more attached to their mates. Over half the Pack was killed, including the Alpha, and that led to the dissolution of the original Cambrian Pack.”