Page 106 of The Reaper's Vow
“Our law is simple. Damien killed the heirless Lockhart alpha, and by right, the territory is his.”
I stare at Hudson, his words echoing in my head like a bell that won't stop ringing. Territory. Damien's territory now, because he killed to protect me.
“I don't want it,” Damien says immediately, his grip on my hand tightening. “I have no interest in ruling Lockhart's pack. I am your heir.”
“What you want is irrelevant. The law is clear. You killed an alpha without an heir in defense of your mate. The territory is yours by right of conquest.”
My stomach drops as the implications crash over me. “This is my fault.”
“No.” Damien turns to me. “This is not your fault. None of this is your fault.”
But it is, isn’t it? If I hadn’t been born Rosewood, if my mother hadn’t run, if I’d never walked into Crimson Howl—none of this would’ve happened. Damien wouldn’t be stuck rulingland he never wanted, all because he had to save me from a monster chasing my bloodline.
“The pack elders will expect you to accept it within the week,” Hudson continues, ignoring our exchange. “If you don't, they'll assume weakness and divide the territory among themselves. That kind of power struggle will destabilize the entire region.”
I feel sick. Actually, physically sick. My head spins as I try to process what this means. “So what you're saying is—Damien has to take over Lockhart's territory?”
“Yes,” Hudson answers.
My head throbs with each heartbeat, making it hard to focus.
“I'm not leaving her. Not now. Not after what just happened.”
Hudson’s expression doesn’t change. “You won’t have to. You’ll both go. The territory needs an alpha. You need protection. The solution is obvious.” Hudson looks between us. “You’ll take command of the territory together.”
Damien and I, ruling a territory? Becoming responsible for an entire pack of wolves who just lost their alpha. Wolves who might hate us for killing him.
“She’s not ready for that,” Damien argues. “She’s only just accepted her wolf. She doesn’t even know our ways, our politics?—”
“Then teach her,” Hudson cuts in. “Lockhart’s pack is only the beginning, son. You’re going to need to bring them to heel to take back the Rosewood territory. Your mother’s pack has been without an alpha for decades. The land has been divided, weakened, and left open to predators like Lockhart. With his death, you have a chance to restore what was stolen from your family.”
“I never asked for any of this.”
“None of us ask for the blood that runs in our veins,” Hudson replies, unmoved by my distress. “But we all must answer for it eventually.”
The room spins around me as I struggle to process what he's saying. Territories. Packs. Power. It's too much, too fast. Just days ago, I was a normal woman with a normal job, living a normal life. Now I'm expected to help rule a territory I've never even seen?
“You're overwhelming her,” Damien growls. “Your five minutes is up.”
Hudson ignores him. “You need to understand what's at stake here, Karina. With Lockhart's territory and eventually the Rosewood lands under your control, you'll command one of the largest territories on the west coast. That kind of power doesn't just protect you—it ensures your safety for generations. Not only yours, but your children’s safety.”
Children.
“I haven't even thought about children.” The concept is so foreign it feels like Hudson is speaking another language.
“The future comes whether you're ready or not,” Hudson replies, his tone softening just slightly. “Your bloodline is too valuable to leave unprotected. Too many will covet what you represent.”
I look up at Damien, searching his face for any sign of what he's thinking.
“We need time,” Damien answer resolutely. “Time to heal, time to decide what we want.”
“Time is a luxury you don't have,” Hudson counters. “Word travels fast in our world. By sunrise, every alpha within five hundred miles will know that Lockhart is dead.”
My head pounds harder, exhaustion and stress blurring the edges of my vision. “And if we refuse? If we just...walk away?”
Hudson's expression hardens. “Then you sign your own death warrant. Both of you. Your mother and father ran, and look what happened to them, and to you. Don’t make their mistakes.”
“That's enough,” Damien growls, rising to his full height. “Get out.”
