Page 58 of Snowbound with the Alpha Wolf
“No. Eventually she would have, had she caught me off guard. She attacked Clyde, the oldest of my fledging pack. Clyde, who I personally promised would be safe and wouldn’t ever come toharm.” Adrian turned and slammed a fist into the doorway, making it shake. “I vowed he’d be safe, Darcy. Made a blood vow. I took them through the snow to the new home you found for us, to the house where Clyde could live out his last days in peace and comfort. I took the pack hunting, except for Clyde and Theo, who were too frail to go outside. And I came home to find Theo shredding Clyde’sskin.”
Darcy closed her eyes and began toshake.
“Look at me,” hecommanded.
Opening her eyes, she locked her troubled gaze to his tormentedone.
“He was screaming in agony. Bleeding everywhere. She had this grin on her face as if she enjoyed every second. She told me she was Lars’s lover from the Dark Kingdom, and even if I destroyed her, others would take her place.“I killed her, but there was nothing I could do to save Clyde.” Adrian took a deep breath. “The other Lupines nearly fled. I could only keep them together by making a second vow, Darcy. I promised my people I would never again bring someone from the Dark Kingdom into thefold.”
Fresh anguish tightened his face. Not the emotions of a Lupine riddled with anger at her but an alpha grievingthe loss of an elder he’d promised to keepsafe.
“Don’t you see? I can’t break my vow to my people. Everything I am as an alpha to my people, all my leadership capabilities, rests in that sacred promise. I love you. But I will not take you back to mypack.”
Darcy saw in him the ruthless alpha she’d known he’d become, but gone was the remote anger. All she heard and saw was resignationand weariness. She ran to him, laying a hand over his heart, the heart that felt so much hiddenpain.
“I didn’t know, Adrian. Why didn’t you tellme?”
Such an austere face, carved like stone. She’d seen him express cold anger and fierce passion. Never this sad bleakness, not even when he was dying in the snow, cruelly abandoned by the pack leader who should have cared forhim.
“I didn’t want you to feel responsible. I know your tender heart, Darcy. The fault was minealone.”
“I do love you,” she admitted, squeezing her fist into his shirt. “What the hell are we todo?”
His voice grew husky. “My only option is to hand over leadership to my beta and abandon my people so we can betogether.”
Not possible. Not with his personality. Adrian wouldnever leave his pack or hand them over to another, unless the situation were dire. “You were meant to rule, Adrian. You’re steel in a velvet glove, but your pack adores you.” They sat on the bed, Adrian’s arm around her waist, her head resting on his shoulder. “I knew it was too good to be true. A place where I could feel at home, with a male Iloved.”
A knock on the door jamb had themboth raising their heads. Darius, Aiden’s beta, stood in thedoorway.
Darius sat on the window seat. “Aiden asked me to meet with you. We came up with an idea for how you can resolve this. Put it to a vote before yourpack.”
Standing and beginning to pace, Adrian frowned. “Let them vote on whether or not I should break myvow?”
“Vote on Darcy as their new alpha female. Waywe see it, she may have been born there, but it’s semantics. Darcy hasn’t lived there since when?” The beta cocked his head ather.
“Since I turned sixteen,” she toldhim.
“Her home is here on earth. She’s proven herself time and again. She proved herself to your people when she killed the Lupine who was the biggest threat. Her own uncle.” Darius gave Adrian a pointed look. “Whyshould she be condemned for herorigins?”
Adrian nodded. “I see. I will present the matter to my pack when we return and let them vote on acceptingDarcy.”
Irritated, she waved her hands. “Hello? Am I invisible? Big, tough males over there deciding my life forme?”
Both males turned toward her, blinking insurprise.
Suddenly Samantha appeared in the doorway, along withNia. And Aiden. Darcy did a face palm. Their personal business was turning into the Mitchell Packbusiness.
“Shouldn’t you be in bed?” she scoldedNia.
“Oh pooh, I’m fine. The baby’s asleep, guarded by half a dozen grandmas who are fighting over the chance to watch over her.” Nia sat on the bed on her right, while Samantha sat on Darcy’s left. Aiden stood by the window nearDarius.
“Sam and I figured you could use some female support. These men can be stubborn, overbearing and overprotective,” Niacontinued.
Samantha patted Darcy’s hand. “But we wouldn’t have it any other way. We’ve learned how to compromise. And so have they. Just as compromise is important to apack.”
“Aiden and I both know this, and we’ve struck a balance.” Nia cast a loving look ather mate. “It’s been a lot of work but worthit.”
“It takes teamwork to run a pack,” Aiden rumbled. “I couldn’t do it without Darius and the others. The alpha rules, but you know how it is, Adrian. You need cooperation from the others and their support as well as their loyalty.” “So what we’re trying to say is that if you want Darcy as your mate and you want to have a formal mating ceremonyhere, we’d be happy to hold it here,” Aiden added. “Or if you wish to put it to a vote before your people first, we’ll still be happy tohelp.”
