Heart of Vengeance (Alice Worth #6) - Lisa Edmonds Page 0,43
pack,” I said, ignoring Matthew’s growl. “The Council has no authority to interfere with internal pack matters just because you disagree with our relationship or that Nan is our new beta.”
“Female shifters cannot be betas,” Matthew stated.
“Where is that written?” I countered. “There are no laws against it. Even if there were, they’d be wrong and needing to be changed. This isn’t the Stone Age. If you don’t want a female beta in your pack, you have the right to make that choice, just as Sean has the right to make his. Every member of our pack stands behind him and Nan. And as you know, Nan’s earned her place as beta. Five fights, five wins.”
“Nan Lowell’s former alpha should have killed her.” His expression was colder than his words. “And you should have died when Caleb Jennings attacked you.”
Sarah seemed taken aback, but Zachary didn’t blink. “Matthew’s right. Things have a certain order for a reason, Alice. Sooner or later, both you and Sean will understand that. I’m just sorry you’re too selfish to spare him and the rest of his pack everything that’s to come.”
“Is that a threat?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Just facts. My daughter would have been an ideal mate for Sean. He couldn’t have done better than Lily.”
Malcolm snorted. “That’s debatable.”
“Alice, I know you think you’ll live happily ever after with Sean, but it’s not going to happen.” Sarah’s patronizing tone set my teeth on edge. “Regardless of whatever dark magic you’re using to influence him and however you’ve tricked him into believing you have a wolf within you that’s anything more than a demonic illusion, the truth will come out. We’ll see to that.”
Instead of telling her what she could do with her taunts, I called into the darkness in my mind. Are you there?
My wolf raised her head.
Would you care to introduce yourself to members of the Were Ruling Council? I asked. Be calm and civil. No biting.
She curled her lip, her eyes glinting.
“In the spirit of truth, allow me to introduce my wolf,” I told the shifters.
My wolf leaped from my body in a surge of shifter magic and landed on the pavement beside me in her all-black form, her eyes glowing bright gold. She shook herself briskly. It hurt less than last time. Maybe we were getting better at this.
Sarah took a step back involuntarily. Matthew and Zachary growled.
“She’s a real wolf,” I told them. “Made of magic, it’s true, but as real as you and me. You want the truth about me and my wolf? You can sense the truth for yourselves.”
“I don’t believe it,” Sarah breathed. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“It’s some kind of illusion,” Matthew snarled.
My wolf showed him all of her teeth.
“No illusion.” I glanced behind them. “Oh, that is excellent timing.”
Sean’s Mercedes pulled into the parking spot beside the SUV belonging to Matthew Anderson. He must have broken every speed limit on the way here from the office. He got out, his eyes golden.
To my surprise, my wolf left my side and met Sean as he approached. She sat beside him, watching the others. I might have been imagining it, but I thought her expression appeared smug.
He put his hand on her head. “I see you’ve met the newest addition to my pack.”
“This is unacceptable,” Matthew exploded. “Completely unacceptable. The Council—”
“The Council will mind their own business,” Sean stated. “I don’t know what you were hoping to accomplish by confronting Alice like this, but I’m glad you’ve had a chance to see for yourselves that she does, in fact, have a very real wolf.”
“Matthew was just telling me that Nan’s former alpha should have killed her, and I should have died when Caleb attacked me,” I interjected. “Oh, and Zachary wanted me to know we’re bringing a lot of trouble to our pack. Sarah’s concerned I’m controlling you with dark magic.” I glanced at the three Council members. “Does that about sum it up?”
“All of which I’ve heard from the Council already.” Sean shook his head. “Don’t threaten us, Matthew.”
To my surprise, Matthew didn’t meet Sean’s golden gaze. Was Sean more dominant than Matthew? “You’re going to destroy your pack, Sean,” he said.
“No, I’m going to have the best and strongest pack I’ve ever had.”
“Not with this mage as your mate, you won’t,” Sarah told him. “Mages are only good at destroying things and killing.”
“Some say that about shifters.” Sean took his hand off my wolf’s head. “Are we done here? Alice and I