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Violet nodded, unable to hear whatever she cursed out under her breath in response.
“Hard-headed, that boy. Thinks he’s been being noble, flagellating himself all these years.”
“Alpha Kane recognizes her,” Red cut in. “He tried to ask if she knew him.”
Margie’s face twisted to concern. “Over a decade, and it’s coming to its peak,” she warned darkly. “Kane’s dangerous.”
A pit formed in Violet’s stomach.
“So, what do we do?” Red asked, leaning forward, clutching her knees.
“Well, Mikel needs to unbury his head,” she explained, like it was that easy. “He’s stronger than Kane, but the fighting days are over. Now, favor is won and lost through the whole town and the elder council.”
“So, we’ll tell everyone what happened, and then what? Mikel gets elected as alpha?” That was the world Violet knew—scandals and power plays and elections.
“No, child,” Margie scoffed. “This will split the Bluff, tear it down the middle. The echo of that massacre is in folks’ blood now. Even with the reality staring them in the face, they’ll still side with Kane because he’s known, and he’s safe. The Davis family has been the monster under the bed for twelve years.” She wet her lips. “Kane will try to remove you, Violet, before what you know can threaten his position.”
Violet’s blood ran cold at her words.
“The question is,” Margie continued, cool calculation in her gold-ringed eyes, “what will Mikel do about it?”
“We can’t just wait for something to happen to her,” Red pointed out, her voice filled with emotion. “Surely we can start spreading the truth—”
Margie cut her off. “The truth is what is believed by the majority. You’re girls stepping into the middle of a decades-old minefield.” She licked her lips again and held Violet’s eyes. “Unless you have absolutely irrefutable evidence of what Kane did, your hands are tied until the end.”
“What do you mean until the end?” Violet demanded.
“Until Mikel moves to take over the community,” she explained, like it was a foregone conclusion. “He has the heart and the strength, but he’ll need your perception. He needs his mate to ignite what’s in his veins after all these years of stifling it, then watch his throat when he steps into what he really is.”
If that wasn’t daunting, Violet didn’t know what was.
“How about if we just forget this and don’t tell anyone?” Red was shaken, Violet heard it in her voice.
Margie shook her head. “You can’t un-ring some bells, and this one’s been tinkling for years. Kane won’t chance loose ends with his leadership at stake—look what he did to get it.” She paused to consider. “Perhaps you’re lucky, and he hasn’t realized how much you know, but that grace period is coming to a swift end.”
“How so?” Violet took a deep breath and tried to shake the foreboding that was settling into her bones like lead.
“Your change will be done before the next moon.”
“That’s not possible,” Red interjected. “I’m coming up on a year since Dani bit me, and I’m nowhere close.”
“And you were a human and not mated by the true alpha bloodline of this pack,” Margie reminded her before her gaze settled on Violet. “Think of the safest you’ve ever felt. That moment where nothing in the world can touch you.”
“Uh—” It was too big of an ask with the hoard of new information battering her brain and whisperingdanger. “I don’t know.”
“What did Mikel do this morning when you woke up?”
Violet thought back. She’d woken up pressed against him, the smell of coffee already coming from the kitchen. His arm was draped over her, and his body was just so warm. He’d kissed her shoulder, and his voice had rumbled against her back while he told her breakfast was ready.
Red gasped.
“What?” Violet demanded.
“Your eyes…the gold was gone for like, a second.”
Her head snapped to Margie, who was nodding. “Practice. Center yourself, think calm and safe and about home to pull it back. Think of passion or hatred or wilderness to let the wolf forward.”
Violet tried it again, but judging by their reactions, nothing happened.
