Page 20 of Alpha's Secret Baby Girl
Joseph narrowed his eyes. “Your father was not a member of the pack.”
“So? I’m my mother’s daughter, and she was,” Gwen retorted. “Besides, how can you be mad at me for leaving the pack if I’m not even part of the pack?”
Thera frowned at her. “Don’t misrepresent what we’re saying.”
“What are you saying, then?”
“It’s well known that you were never fully integrated,” Thera said slowly. “You were always on the outside.”
Gwen shook her head. “I was pushed to the outside. Either I’m a member of this pack and have full rights to it, or I’m an outsider, in which case I’ll take my daughter and leave again.”
“That is enough,” Rafael said before anyone could reply. “Gwen is my wife. She is not an outsider, and I don’t appreciate you speaking to her like this.”
The Council glanced at each other, and Rafael had the sudden sense that they had been measuring him, not Gwen, from the beginning. He fought back a scowl as he glanced at the Elder Priest, whose wrinkled visage gave nothing away. The frustrations boiled higher, but Rafael bit it down, fighting to maintain his composure.
“We apologize, Alpha,” Thera said, not sounding apologetic at all. “In that case, let us sit down to the facts of the case. We have reviewed the reports of Mrs. Parker’s visions—” Rafael scowled, adding another note to his mental list tomake sure he talked to Gwen about it, regardless of whatever distractions they might face. “—and have reviewed the texts that were left behind by the original witches with whom the treaty was made.”
Gwen let out a shaky breath. “The witches left texts? And you’ve been hoarding them away from the witch-descendants in town?”
Thera smiled at her. “Protecting, dear. Not hoarding. Now, are you done, or shall I wait to continue?”
The condensation set Rafael’s hackles up, but Gwen only nodded. Her arms were still wrapped around her middle, her expression blank. It was almost as though she was trying to convince herself that it didn’t matter what they said, that she didn’t care.
“Good.” Thera turned her gaze from Gwen to Rafael. “We believe this is connected with a certain demon that has attacked the pack before. One that has been seen again in recent years.”
Surprise rippled through him. At first, he thought they must be fucking with him, getting back at him for his defiance. But he saw no indication of amusement in their faces, only a grim certainty. His wolf snarled low as his hands curled into fists.
“There have been demon sightings?” he asked flatly.
Thera nodded once.
“And why wasn’t I informed?”
“We didn’t want to cause public panic, and so felt it was best to keep it a secret from the pack.”
Fresh irritation surged through him. Despite all of his efforts, the Council still saw him as an unworthy successor to his father. He would have advanced the pack a lot further if itweren’t for them holding everyone back, fighting against every inch of progress Rafael made. For them to hold something this big back…
“You weren’t Alpha at the time of the most recent sighting,” Thera responded lightly.
Gwen cleared her throat. “So how ‘recent’ is recent years if it’s from before Rafael became Alpha?”
“More recent than the ancient pact between pack and witches. Less recent than his position as Alpha. Are you going to argue semantics with me? We didn’t think it was necessary to bring it up because it has now been a few years since the last sighting.” Thera said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Rafael ground his teeth together, fighting back expletives. He didn’t want to turn this into a fight about them dismissing his authority.
“What do you know about demons, Mrs. Buchanan?” Joseph asked.
Gwen stared at him, not answering.
Rafael resisted the urge to sigh. “Gwen.”
“Yes?”
“Answer his question.”
She turned that steady, stubborn gaze on him. “Oh, but he was talking to Mrs. Buchanan. There’s nobody here by that name.”
“Gwen!”
