Page 60 of Entangled in the Woods
My mind raced with what I’d just seen. I could barely put thoughts into words, so I just screamed. With a bloody hand, Wilder grabbed my forearm and dragged me away from Leo’s body that lay in an increasing puddle of blood. My legs couldn’t hold my weight as I relied on Wilder’s arm to support me.
Unfazed by what he’d just done, Wilder spoke to me in a smug voice. “I tried to play nice. I asked you where the Lifestone was. All you had to do was give it to me, and your friend would have lived.” I gasped, trying to listen to Wilder between the screams that left my throat. “Now someone else wants to talk to you. Maybe you’ll listen to them.”
I dry heaved as I dangled in his grasp. The iron smell of Leo’s blood had reached my nose, and I did all I could to keep the contents of my stomach inside of me. The sound of rustling trees to my right gave way to two giant white paws that were in stark contrast to the brown floor of the forest. Either unaware or uncaring, the white wolf walked through the puddle of blood next to Leo’s body, turning its paws a pink color.
“True Alpha.” Wilder bent down to one knee, bringing me with him. He bent his neck to the side in submission. I struggled against his grip, but he held true.
The True Alpha shifted in front of us. Bent legs elongated, and giant paws contracted into human hands. A human face replaced the animal snout, and it looked nothing but pleased with what it saw. “Finally, Wilder, you obey me.” The True Alpha’s voice was low and grave.
“Of course, Alpha. I’m yours to command,” he said.
I looked at Wilder in surprise. Since when did he answer to the True Alpha? He seemed like more of a loner type.
“She claims to not have the stone, but I don’t believe her. I can smell it on her. I thought better than to search her before you arrived.” Wilder pushed me forward, handing me over to the True Alpha, who grabbed my other forearm and pulled me close to him.
His grip was crushing, and I whimpered at the feeling. “So, you’re the human who stole my son’s heart.” He took a deep sniff of my body, looking me up and down.
I was tired of being smelled. My fight instinct kicked in, and I raised my foot to kick him in the shin. I was too slow as a human, and the True Alpha easily dodged my attempt.
“Tsk, tsk. Is that the way you treat your father-in-law?” I paused at the revelation. “You think I didn’t know you’re my son’s mate? I know my son very well, although he may not admit it. I tried to keep you away from him from the beginning.” He eyed Wilder with a look of disgust.
“I’m sorry, True Alpha. I tried to make it up to you by bringing her here now. Everett is away at Camp, and…”
“He won’t be for long. Not after you scared her by ending her little friend over there.” The True Alpha motioned to Leo’s dead body. “I expect Everett will be here shortly.”
I looked between them. The tension between the two wolves was high.
“I tried to fix my mistake, True Alpha. I brought her here for you,” Wilder groveled.
“If you had kept your dick in your pants like a good boy, I wouldn’t be in this situation having to challenge my son over his mate,” the True Alpha snapped. “You were supposed to bring her straight to me that night. Instead you had some fun with her—so much fun that you forgot your duty all together. She met Everett, and any chance of leaving my son out of this vanished.”
My thoughts ran wild. Wilder had been instructed to bring me to the True Alpha the night we’d met at No Bars? Then Everett had found us the following morning when he’d come to bring Wilder to Camp. He’d ruined the True Alpha’s plans to keep me from ever meeting Everett.
Out of all the things to be mad about, it was that he had tried to keep me from Everett that had my blood boiling. I pulled against the True Alpha’s grip. He didn’t even flinch at the movement.
A loud growl echoed through the woods as branches came crashing down off trees and the surrounding trees vibrated.
“Right on cue.” The True Alpha looked irked as Everett’s large black wolf ran into the clearing.
Quickly shifting, Everett stood before his father. I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was extremely unhappy that his father was holding me so close.
“Elise, are you okay?” he asked, scanning my body up and down, looking for injuries. I was sure I looked like a wreck. Red, bloodshot eyes and snot dripping down my face from crying and screaming.
“I’m fine,” I assured him while pulling on his father’s grip.
Satisfied with my answer, Everett stalked over to where we were standing, imposing his enormous figure over his father’s.“Give me my mate, Father.” His voice was authoritative and demanding. Any wolf in his pack would have handed me over before he had finished speaking.
The True Alpha was in a hierarchy all his own and pulsed in amusement at Everett’s command. “I would gladly hand over your precious mate, my son, but she has something I need. And until she gives it to me, I will hold on to her.” His answer was just as commanding.
“I don’t have your stupid stone!” I yelled directly at the True Alpha, my voice hoarse from screaming earlier.
Everett looked between his father and me, confused.
“Oh, but you do, little wolf. I can smell it on you. Wilder here can too.” The True Alpha motioned to Wilder, who nodded in agreement. Tracker. Jack had said the True Alpha was a tracker.
Everett set his sights on Wilder, seemingly just realizing that he was present. “What the fuck are you doing here, Wilder?”
He shifted his weight between his feet nervously before answering. “Following your father’s commands.”
