Page 79 of Forced Alpha Bride
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m not that imaginative or cunning. I think you’d make a better alpha than me.”
“Lucky I’m right by your side, then, aren’t you?’ she says, smiling as she looks up at me. She puts her phone down and grabs her coffee cup, taking a big sip.
“It’s done, then?”
“Yes, all taken care of.”
“How are we going to know—”
“I said to trust me,” Winnie says, cutting me off. “Don’t worry. I promise you it’s all going to work out.”
“I don’t like that you’re being so mysterious about this,” I say uneasily. “Shouldn’t I know exactly what’s going to happen?”
“Well, I don’t even know,” Winnie admits. “I’ve set up the pieces—all I can do is see how they fall. A lot of it depends on what the council does as well.”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “That’s true. We should get going, if you’re ready.”
“Completely,” she says, smiling again. “I’ve got your back, Damon.”
I get up from the table and hold out my arms, feeling a wave of joy when Winnie wraps herself around my waist and hugs me back.
No matter what else goes down today, we have each other, and that’s all that matters.
The drive to the manor is silent, and I can feel tension tightening all my muscles, getting worse by the second. I have no idea what the council will throw at me, and when it comes to making the big decisions, I don’t want to act out with violence unless it’s absolutely necessary.
I have to hope Winnie’s plan comes through. It’s all we’ve got.
The circular drive of the manor is filled with cars, as most of the pack have come to attend the funeral. We walk through the gardens to a wide plot in front of the vineyard where the machines worked through the night to dig the graves.
A large group is standing around the plot, and all the elders stand at the top. As I approach, the crowd parts to let me through. Even the elders move aside so Winnie and I can stand full center. I can’t read their faces.
They all look so calm… like everything has already been decided.
Nerves trickle through my guts, but I force the feeling away, looking up to greet the crowd and begin the ceremony.
“The pack meets today to farewell our fallen brothers,” I announce. “Brave warriors who died in their service to the pack. Let us speak their names.”
The crowd in front of me begins to whisper, and I pay attention to each and every face. There are members of my own gang, the personal guards of the elders, and families of the fallen. Every single one of them shares the same sorrow.
I can’t let another day like this happen.
Winnie continues the ritual, stepping forward to address the crowd. All the elders have their own words to say, and as each steps forward, I examine them closely for any falsehood.
They all appear sad but composed. Only Regina seems to wear a mask of barely concealed rage. Whether she is our hidden enemy or not, it’s exactly what I’d expect from her.
The members of the crowd come forward, tossing their flowers into the graves as they say their goodbyes. As the machines come in, the churning anxiety in my guts explodes, making my chest ache with an emotion I can only describe as fear.
I’m not afraid for myself. I’ve never felt such an unbelievable sense of responsibility before. Too many people are counting on me.
“I address the pack,” Regina announces, making the crowd turn to look at her.
Here it comes.
“We cannot live through this day without deciding our next move. The only thing that will heal our hearts is action against those who hurt us—Valentine Creek.”
There are angry faces in the crowd, and I know too many of the pack agree with Regina.
“Our alpha spoke wisely yesterday,” Mitchell speaks up. “But now we must have the strength to act. If our leader can’t take action against our enemies, then we need one who will.”
