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Immediately, I could breathe easier, the tightness in my chest dissipating. But my wolf was still on edge, her presence in my mind growing oppressive with the instinctive need to shift. To protect.
I tiptoed to the door, listening to the muffled conversation beyond.
“I can’t believe she talked to you like that,” one man said. He sounded young—and amused. “I’ve never seen anyone—”
“Garrett…” Holden’s voice was full of warning.
“Holden, the girl must participate, or she’ll be exiled.” That was Bridger.
“Yes, I know.”
“We simply cannot have a wolf who won’t pledge her loyalty, not only to her alpha but to either of us,” Bridger continued.
“When we were there, with Branson…” Holden lowered his voice, and I pressed my ear against the door to hear better. “He threatened Kayden with death for refusing to participate.”
There was silence for a moment, and I wished I could see their faces. It was true. Branson said the penalty was death.
“That’s a bit extreme, even for him.” It was the fourth, older man speaking now. “I think we need to keep an eye on Branson.”
Understatement of the year.
“I won’t send her back if you think he’ll make good on that threat,” Holden said. “But I don’t want her exiled either. Let me speak to her and see if she might change her mind.”
I backed up quickly as the door slid open once more. Holden quirked a brow as if he knew I’d been listening. But they hadn’t tried to keep quiet, so I hadn’t done anything wrong. He slid the door shut, his warm brown eyes fixed on me, and I had to fight to steady my breathing.
His presence was overwhelming, and I felt exposed when he looked at me like that.
“Why are you so opposed to competing in the Contention, Kayden?” He said my name softly, kindly, and for a moment, I was confused by the man I was seeing and the man I knew him to be—a murderer.
“Today isn’t the first time I haven’t said goodbye to a sibling because of you,” I bit out, not willing to be fooled by his act.
“What do you mean?” He didn’t move any closer, but I somehow felt his voice wrap around me, smooth and inviting, making me feel as if I could trust him.
I shook my head. What the fuck?
“You killed my brother.” I bared my teeth. “And I refuse to compete to marry a murderer.”
Holden regarded me in silence for several heartbeats, his eyes lingering on my hair that was the same shade as Nico’s. “I was unaware. What was your brother’s name?”
“Nico.” I glared at him. “It was only a few weeks ago. Do you kill so frequently that you forget your victims?”
His eyes flickered. “I remember. Your brother was given an opportunity to submit, and he didn’t take it. He kept fighting, and the law called for him to be put down.”
“Put down?” I stepped forward and jabbed his chest with my finger, the chain of my manacles clanging. “My brother wasn’t a dog to beput down. Your laws are flawed.”
Holden’s jaw ticked, thick brows drawing together, but he didn’t say a word. Instead, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a metal key before gesturing to my wrists.
I held them up, knowing when to shut my mouth. If he was going to let me out of these, I wouldn’t argue.
Holden stepped closer, and the scent of pine and sea salt washed over me. My breath hitched as he bent his head inches from mine to unfasten the cuffs, and I hated myself when the brush of his fingers on my hand sent a shiver up my arm.
I stayed perfectly still, ignoring my body’s reaction to him. Even if I could admit he was attractive, I refused to let him know.
Attractive? He’s fucking gorgeous, a voice in my head whispered. I shut that down, too, because it was irrelevant.
“Here are your options.” The shackles fell away as Holden stepped back, lifting one finger. “You can continue with this refusal and be exiled, never to see your sister and never to belong to a pack. As I’m sure you know, that doesn’t bode well for most wolves.” He raised another finger. “Or you can agree to fully participate in the Contention, follow the rules, and give it your best—no faking your way through it.”
“Death at my hands is off the table, though,” he added. “If you have a death wish, you can sacrifice yourself in the competition during a challenge.”
