Page 36 of Broken Wolf Heart
I don’t know whether to be relieved or worried at that.
There’s a soft knock on the door. Elena doesn’t wait for permission—she opens it and inclines her head just enough to show respect without deference.
“Clothing for you both.” She hands a garment bag to Grey, who hangs it on the closet door for me. “I’m told more is being delivered soon. I’ll make sure it’s all put away.”
“Thank you,” I tell her.
“The guests are assembled in the foyer,” she says. “Would you like me to announce you?”
I shake my head. “I’ll do it myself.”
She leaves, and Grey slips his hand around my waist, drawing me close. “Everything’s going to work out,” he says before I can find words.
“What if they don’t pledge loyalty to me?”
“They will.”
“But what if they don’t?”
He shrugs. “Then we’ll make rugs out of them.”
I snort. Then I remember what he said when we were in the woods. “What about the hex blade?”
“What about it?”
“Should I use it to forge my pack? Like you did?”
He shakes his head. “The magic of the hex blade is an amplifier. It made my alpha stronger by speeding up my transition.”
“So, why wouldn’t it work the same for me?”
“It would, that’s the problem.” At my confusion, he asks softly, “Do you really want to offer your wolf more power than she already has?”
“Definitely not.” I shudder.
His lips twitch. “I thought so.” But then Grey’s smile vanishes, and he says, “Pick a second in command.”
“Like a general?”
He nods. “Someone you can trust to have your back.” Regret flickers in his eye. “I know that’s my job, and I’m not saying you can’t count on me, but your pack needs a hierarchy. Establishing it sooner rather than later will put them at ease.”
“Wait, you want me to pick one right now? Tonight?”
“It would help,” he admits.
“I don’t even know any of them— Wait. Who did you pick?” I ask suddenly, thinking of Mia and the others. Of their new hierarchy.
“I haven’t,” he admits, wincing a little. “And believe me, it’s not any easier without one.”
I don’t say anything to that.
Grey unzips the bag of clothing and takes out a pair of slacks and a shirt. The pants look tactical more than dressy, and there are heavy black boots to match. It makes me wonder what Mia expects to happen at this meeting.
“I’m going to head down first and see if I can send word to Mia to get us new phones while she’s at it,” he says.
Right. I haven’t seen mine since Vincenzo locked me away in his pool house days ago.
“What happened to yours?” I ask.
