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I tensed. Great. That’s just what I wanted to hear.
“Don’t worry, dear.” She patted my hand. “I’ve seen you with my son. You can handle it.”
I didn’t know what to make of that, but I didn’t have time to think about it because we were in the dining room, and Bridger was sitting at the head of an ornate black table with gilded edges.
“Hello, Kayden.” When he smiled, he looked even more like Holden.
“Sir.” I dipped my head in respect. If he was smiling, it couldn’t be that bad, right?
“Have a seat.” He gestured to his left, and Kessa took the seat to his right. “First, you must know that Holden isn’t aware of this dinner.”
I paused halfway to the chair. “He isn’t?”
“No, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention it for now. Not until after the Contention.”
I frowned as I settled into my seat, unsure I liked where this was going. “What is this about?”
Kessa gave me an encouraging smile but didn’t say anything, instead looking at Bridger.
“We might as well get the unpleasant part over with. I’m not pleased with the way you handled Branson. Your job was to play peacemaker. From the reports I’ve received from my men, your attempt was halfhearted at best.” He watched me closely, and I realized my response held weight. I’d not done what he asked, yet he was giving me a chance to explain myself.
“You’re right,” I said, owning it. Kessa smiled into her cup as she took a drink. “It was the wrong decision. Going in as we did was bound to end in bloodshed. I’ve been telling Holden all along that the only way to deal with Branson is to eliminate him. So, I did.”
Bridger blinked, his gaze darting to Kessa, who looked far more amused than she should at this conversation. “She reminds me far too much of you,” he muttered.
I bit back a shocked laugh, hardly believing what he was saying. “I’m sorry, but am I in trouble?” I was baffled.
Bridger sighed. “You didn’t solve the problem the way I told you to, but you solved it nonetheless. Despite your unconventional approach, I must admit, you did something that Holden could not. You goaded Branson into attacking you, something he would never have done if it were Holden.”
I sat back, relief washing over me that I wasn’t going to be sent home for this.
“The position an alpha’s wife holds is unlike any other, you see,” Kessa said, leaning forward, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiled. “She alone is given the right and the responsibility to question her mate if she feels he’s making the wrong decision. You demonstrated that last night. And even though I wouldn’t necessarily agree with your tactics, you took action where Holden did not.”
I wanted to tell them why, that Holden was only doing it for me, but that would be foolish. I’d come this far, and I’d even earned Kessa’s respect from the sound of it. Bridger, less so, but miraculously, I wasn’t in trouble.
Bridger cleared his throat and nodded at his wife. She gave him a tight smile and nodded in return. “There is another thing, Kayden.”
My heart sank. Of course there was.
“You killed Branson. This presents a whole new problem.” Kessa looked back at her husband. “A wolf who kills an alpha, by right,becomesthe alpha.”
She paused, and I took a minute to let that sink in, my stomach roiling with nausea. I knew that…I’d studied that, but I hadn’t considered it once since last night.
I shook my head quickly. “No, I don’t want to be alpha.” That was the last thing I wanted. Cleaning up the mess Branson made? No, thank you.
Kessa seemed to relax slightly, though it could have been my imagination.
“As I expected,” Bridger said, “but we had to make sure. I’ll give you time to think it over. It’s not something you need to decide this minute.”
Nope, pretty sure I’d decided.
“But you will need to go back and appoint a new alpha before you can continue in the Contention,” Kessa added.
“What?”
“The rules state that alphas aren’t allowed to compete. An alpha cannot marry an alpha.” Bridger gave me a pointed look, and for a moment, I felt like he saw right through me. Like he just as easily might have replaced the wordalphawithmate. But surely, they didn’t know. I wouldn’t still be here if they did.
“The next competition has been suspended indefinitely. We can postpone the final phase of the Contention another couple of days to give you time to get things in order.” He gave me another meaningful glance. “And remember, Holden isn’t to hear of this conversation.”
