Page 56 of Alien Charming

“The village was never yours,” he cut her off, his voice level but carrying an edge that made her step back. “And the house never was either.”

He turned back to the gathered crowd. “The alliance will benefit all who wish to participate—Vultor and human alike. Fair trade, fair prices. No one person will control who has access.”

He watched understanding dawn on their faces. For years Margaret had been the gatekeeper of opportunity in this village, deciding who prospered and who struggled. That power was gone now.

“Mrs. Jacobson will be escorted to her cousin’s house at the coast,” he continued. “She is no longer welcome here.”

His beast purred with satisfaction as Korrin guided Margaret down the steps. Justice, not vengeance. The distinction mattered to him—to the leader he strived to be.

The crowd parted as they passed, Margaret’s head held high despite her fall from grace. Some villagers averted their eyes, while others watched with undisguised relief.

He watched her rigid back as she supervised the loading of her personal belongings onto the waiting cart. Her movements were precise, controlled, but he could smell the acrid scent of her humiliation and rage. The beast inside him wanted to savor her downfall, but the male knew better.

“She doesn’t deserve your kindness,” he murmured to Elli, who stood beside him on the manor’s porch.

“Perhaps not,” she said softly. “But I won’t become what she is.”

His mate’s compassion both frustrated and awed him. After everything Margaret had done—the years of servitude, the lies—Elli had insisted her aunt be allowed to take enough possessions to establish a comfortable life in her new town. Not wealth, but dignity.

“Three trunks of clothing, her personal jewelry, and a reasonable sum for housing,” she had specified. “And her books. She always loved her books.”

Margaret slammed the lid of the final trunk, refusing to look in their direction. The village had turned out to watch her departure, their expressions ranging from satisfaction to uncertainty about the changes to come.

He placed his hand on the small of Elli’s back, drawing strength from her presence. “Your compassion doesn’t mean we can trust her.”

“I know.” She leaned into his touch. “That’s why Korrin will escort her.”

He nodded, grateful for his mate’s practicality. Margaret Jacobson was defeated but not harmless. The escort would ensure she reached her destination—and didn’t double back with schemes of revenge.

As if sensing their attention, Margaret finally turned to face them. Her eyes were cold, her lips pressed into a thin line.

“I took you in,” she snapped. “I gave you a home when no one else wanted you.”

Elli stiffened beside him, but her voice remained steady. “You kept what was rightfully mine and treated me as a servant in my own home. But I wish you well, Aunt Margaret.”

Margaret’s face twisted, but before she could respond, Korrin stepped forward.

“Time to go, Mrs. Jacobson.”

With a final glare, she climbed onto the cart, her back straight as a rod. He felt Elli’s small sigh as the cart began to move, carrying her aunt away from the village she had dominated for so long.

He watched the cart disappear down the winding road, Margaret’s rigid posture visible until the bend took her from sight. A weight lifted from his shoulders—not completely gone, but lighter than before. Justice had been served without bloodshed. The beast within him, so often demanding retribution, seemed satisfied.

He turned to find Elli gazing up at him, her eyes clear and bright in the afternoon sunlight. A smile curved her lips, transforming her face with a radiance that still stunned him. How had he been fortunate enough to find her?

“Time to go home,” she said softly, reaching for his hand.

Home. The word resonated through him with unexpected power. For so long, home had been merely a place—the pack lands, his den, wherever his responsibilities as alpha required him to be. Now it meant something different. Something more.

Her fingers twined with his, small and warm against his larger hand. Her scent wrapped around him, soothing the last restless edges of his beast.

“Yes,” he agreed, pulling her gently against his side. “Time to go home.”

The manor house behind them would serve the alliance well, but it wasn’t theirs. Their home waited in the forest—the small den where they’d begun building a life neither of them had believed possible.

As they walked away from the village, he felt a profound sense of rightness settle in his chest. The path ahead would not always be smooth—there would be challenges in bridging their two worlds, in helping humans and Vultor learn to trust each other. But with her beside him, those challenges seemed like opportunities rather than burdens.

He glanced down at his mate, still marveling at how perfectly she fit against him despite their difference in size. Her steps matched his, unhurried and content.

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