The Pack Girl's Retribution (Sequel to The Pack's Girl)

The Claiming

"I don't know." My gaze fell. "I wasn't thinking."

Why did I do it?

I knew the problems it'd cause. And admitting that was a form of acknowledgement that it had crossed my mind countless times before.

He snorted. "Well, I can certainly understand that."

He pressed a quick kiss to my forehead.

"Come on." Vanquish caught my wrist and pulled me behind him. "Walk close behind so they don't see your dress."

My torn dress.

We entered camp with me on his heels. My head ducked in shame that they might see my torn dress and guess I'd disobeyed my mate.

Him walking decisively before me. His expression pure wrath.

Other wolves skittered from his path. But no one said anything.

Samantha and Jaecar watched with confused expressions. Surprised at how meek I looked just now.

Lyra Lani, the Alpha's mate, was watching us carefully. Her face blanched in annoyance and her gaze flitted to Vanquish accusingly.

She always wants to mother us all.

As her eyes returned to me, I gave her a slight nod that let her know I was okay.

So, she doesn't run to the Alpha on my behalf.

Her expression was thoughtful. And for the first time I noticed that Lyra Lani's abdomen was slightly rounded when she sat. Bulging beneath her dress in a very round way.

Carrying a pup?

The Alpha's pup. My eyes widened and my gaze flew to her face.

She was heedless. Her gaze had returned to inspecting a bit of leather on her lap.

More artwork undoubtedly.

Perhaps a gift for her mate? Like I gifted mine.

I thought of the leather pendants with my picture that I'd given them and told myself that at least in that, I'd been thoughtful. But a tiny voice whispered that even that had been strategy to keep myself at the forefront in their minds. To keep them obeying me.

And I was reassured that I'd not soon be carrying any pack pups because I had been regularly drinking Marta's tea.

Even after she had explained to me what it was.

I told myself it wasn't so bad, that soon I would bare them one, that I wouldn't avoid it forever, but I knew how protective my mates were and if they had an inkling that I would bare them young, they'd not let me leave the camp.

I knew that the tea wouldn't make me lose one if seed took, it only kept the seed from taking root.

I'm not doing any harm.

But I knew I was. I knew how furious the alpha would be. My mates would be...

If they found out.

But even I had to ask. Had anything I'd done not been selfish?

That same voice told me that I had some right to use their bond to me after all I'd endured under the Mating Moon. A part of me that was still angry.

My bitter she-wolf.

***

"Adjust your tunic." I whispered to him as we reached the front door of our hut. I could smell the blood on him from where I marked him. And I didn't want the boys to immediately see it.

They'll want to fight him.

And I'll have hell to pay for marking one and not the others.

They'd all declared their ownership over me. But I'd only claimed one of them in return.

But Vanquish is different to me.

It wasn't something I could ever articulate.

And certainly not something they'd take well. To know they're less to me.

He gave me a black look over his shoulder and adjusted his shirt. Showing his malcontent at doing so.

"Thank you." I whispered to the back of his neck.

The only answer I got was a quick squeeze of my hand.

It was the way of Vanquish to somehow be both furious and reassuring simultaneously.

Nothing about him is ever simple.

***

I heard something that night that woke me. A dull thump from beyond my window. When I walked past the dresser Vanquish had made for me, I peeled open the shutters and saw that one of the Border Guards had fallen over and his head had struck a boulder. Causing him to bleed as he lay limply.

Dead?

But what was even more troubling than that was the calm old woman sitting across from him. Looking aggravated.

Marta?

On the stump between them was two wooden cups.

Marta's tea? Did she kill him?

I looked at the old woman's salt and pepper hair and her wrinkled old face and thought that she could never murder anyone. I was reassured when I saw the man's side move as he drew a deep breath.

Surely, she'd go get Rebekah? It wasn't her fault.

***

But Marta didn't. She stood slowly. Tilting her head and looking at the man with an icy expression. Looking colder than I'd ever seen her. The kindly old woman seemingly banished.

She turned and walked away. Her tattered brown dress and shawl billowing behind her as she walked purposefully in the direction of the wall.

Without any real thought, I found myself scampering down my ladder and out into the night. Rushing to the man's side. Seeing it was Jaecar, I was immediately enraged.

He was the first one to show me kindness. And he'd certainly done no wrong to Marta.

I thought of how furious Samantha would be. As I would.

I didn't like the protective streak in me but when it came to my mates, there was no fighting it. And this was my pack.

Draven had allowed me to come in. To stay.

For the first time it occurred to me how much Marta really had been damaging the pack. Though I sought her out and needed her. I had heard rumors that some of the she-wolves didn't know her tea was sterilizing them. That she was using it to keep the pack from bearing any young.

Why would Marta want the Asara's to die off?

That thought was utterly perplexing. I was thinking all this as I was already jogging to the hut in the back of the camp. I pounded on the door. "Rebekah!"