Destined for Greatness ✔️

Chapter 20

It was bordering on midnight. Ryleigh was sandwiched between Ellis on her one side and Conall on the other. Her hands were chained behind her back, still with the cuffs that suppressed both her magic and her ability to shift.

They were on the edge of the territory, near a set of large boulders that Corbin had described as the place for their meeting. Corbin and his prisoners weren't there yet. He would probably let Parker poof them there fashionably late. He did always like to make an entrance.

"I can't believe your father took Carry," Conall said, lips pulled up in disgust.

Ryleigh regarded him. "You know, I remember most things about you, which means you're probably a really big jerk. I'm guessing we didn't get along that well, though I have a feeling I secretly liked you. You have this whole wounded-ego-buried-underneath-scepticism thing going on that I find rather attractive."

He blinked. "Right." His eyes raked down her body. "You know, you're not Austin's mate anymore. I'd do you."

Austin, who was standing a little way off, looking around him to see if Corbin had shown up yet, snapped his head towards Conall at overhearing those words. Conall grinned, and Ryleigh had to suppress a smile of her own. Much as she didn't understand why Austin cared who she let into her bed – after all, he had been the one to end things – she did like getting a rise out of him.

"He's late," Ellis said, fishing a pocket-watch from his jacket and squinting at it.

"He does that," Ryleigh said. "Probably wants you to sweat a little. He enjoys watching people squirm. I must say, I was rather surprised Alder agreed to this."

"You had a few compelling arguments."

"Yes, but I figured his pride would weigh more heavily than your family or my potential-though-unlikely change of heart. Ah well. Yay for us, right?"

"Alder is not as bad as you think he is," Ellis said. "Sure, he made some risky decisions that might not have been perfect solutions, but he did what he thought was best. I think you know as much. I think you know that the Shadow Walkers were as much to blame for what happened as Alder was. They killed King Ronan, and they were planning a revolution. Not to speak of the centuries of tension that preceded the battle. You forced his hand, and you know it. You just don't want to blame the dead or yourself. It's easier to put the blame on Alder, because that way you don't need to take responsibility or rebuild your life, or be happy."

He must be looking to get his ass kicked. If her hands weren't chained so tightly, she might have shown him where he could put his unsolicited opinion. "You think I want to be miserable?"

If he noticed her death glare, he wasn't fazed by it. "Yes. I think you are so terrified of being anything else that you will do anything to ensure your life remains in chaos forever. If that weren't true, you wouldn't have pushed Austin as far as you did, and you wouldn't have pushed Jade away, and you wouldn't have tried to kill Alder. You're afraid of change, and afraid of moving on, so you do whatever you can to stay the same."

"Those are some harsh words, Alpha," Ryleigh said. "You're wrong, of course, but I can't get into that now, for it seems my rescue squad has arrived."

Acton appeared from behind one of the boulders. Ryleigh quirked a brow. It wasn't who she was expecting, but it made sense. "You must be Alpha Ellis," he said.

"Yes," Ellis said, clearly as puzzled as Ryleigh. "I was expecting Alpha Corbin. Where are your hostages?"

"Right here." Parker came into view, pushing a cuffed Carry and Julie ahead of him. They looked relatively unharmed, apart from an overall dishevelled appearance. Carry glared at Parker and tried to kick him.