Page 41 of Broken Wolf Heart
Let the silence stretch.
And I smile.
“You’re right,” I say softly. “You will have this pack.”
His eyes narrow. He waits.
“As a memory,” I finish. “Of what you tried and failed to control. A symbol of what you lost. Once the transfer of power is finished, I’m coming for you, old man. And there’s not a single wolf in this city who can stop me from ripping you apart.”
I don’t give him a chance to respond before I turn on my heel and walk away.
The asphalt scuffs under my boots. The heat of his stare burns on the back of my neck like a brand. The moment I step back through Franco’s front doors, the shadows swallow me whole.
Lexi is inside. Alive. Safe—for now.
But that safety is fragile.
Death is coming.
Just like he said.
But not onhisterms.
Onmine.
9
LEXI
Alone in my room, I pull the clothes out of the garment bag, relieved to find a one-piece with pants that Mia picked out. There are heels to match, but they aren’t uncomfortably high. And the fabric is gentle against my skin.
My wolf approves, at least.
At the bottom of the bag, I also find a brush and some makeup, which a quick mirror check reveals are urgently necessary. After bathing in a river without soap or shampoo and then gallivanting around town in nothing but a blanket, I’m ready to feel some semblance of human again.
When I’m done, I’ve almost achieved the feeling.
Then I remember what I’m about to do.
Nerves grip me so hard that my breath turns shallow, and I have to practically drag myself out the bedroom door and down the hall. If I wait even one second more, I might run the other direction. And I refuse to run away ever again.
Not that my wolf would let me if I tried. She’s bonded to Grey in a way I don’t think anything can break. Knowing that both settles and scares me. For the first time ever, it’s no longer just me.
From now on, it’ll always be me and Grey.
Like a family.
I haven’t quite gotten used to that yet.
And now, I’m about to add dozens more to the list of people I’m promising never to leave behind. As long as they pledge the same to me.
Before I even reach the landing, the murmur of voices hits me, followed immediately by unfamiliar scents. My wolf stirs restlessly inside me, sniffing out the unease. The potential enemies in our midst. I do my best to shove her back. She’s done enough to establish our dominance over these people. Losing control a second time in one day wouldn’t help matters.
But I haven’t been able to regain my sense of self since that first shift. Not fully. Not even claiming Grey steadied me like before. And I can’t bring myself to tell him that.
When I get to the top of the stairs, I force myself to look out over the crowd gathered below. One by one, they look up at me until everyone is staring. The press of their eyes on me feels like a weight on my chest. I pause, drawing in a breath and gripping the banister. The railing is cool beneath my fingers, a small anchor to hold me steady.
I descend the stairs slowly, and the hush that falls over the crowd is deafening. Dozens of unfamiliar wolves gather in the foyer, the grand space now stifled with heat, tension, and too many bodies. Most are men—broad, lethal-looking, in leather jackets or tailored suits—but I clock a handful of women too. All of them radiate strength. All of them look up at me with the same expression: uncertainty laced with calculation.
