The Wolves and the Vipers

Chapter 64 - Divided We Fall

Jace turned back to me, his eyebrows raised. Neither of us could have predicted that demand, because these men knew the way things worked around here. Alphas didn't resign — they were overthrown. Bradley had understood that, and he understood it even better now.

"Who do you have in mind, to be Alpha in my place?" Jace asked. There was a note of amusement in his voice, which surprised me.

"I don't care, as long as they do what's right," the voice retorted.

"Well, I'm not stepping aside," Jace told him, remarkably patient. "If you want me gone, you'll have to come out here and kill me."

"I'm too old for that now. And I don't want any of these young lads to die trying, because too many people have died already, Alpha, don't you think? There are too many young men six feet under while their killers walk around free."

"There are killers on both sides of the border, Julian," Jace replied. "It is you, isn't it? You weren't brave enough to have this conversation with me face to face, so I'm left to guess."

It was a name I vaguely recognised — one of the pack elders who sat on the advisory council. He would have the influence to bring so many rebels together and the brains to plan all of this, so it made sense. The question was met with silence from the other side of the door, and it was a silence that stretched long enough to provide an answer.

"There are twenty-six of us in here, Jace, not just me," the man called back eventually, "and I think I've made our demands very clear. If you're not going to talk about concessions, then don't talk at all."

"Fine," Jace said. "Have it your way."

Further down the corridor, Bradley had returned with another dozen men at his back. He was watching Jace steadily, waiting for his orders.

"Bradley," Jace called. He came forwards obediently and stood waiting, his feet planted and his hands behind his back. "Those men in there were whispering with you a few days ago. Where do your loyalties lie?"

"I'll do my duty," Bradley told him without hesitation.

Jace's eyebrows lifted. "That's not what I asked."

Bradley rubbed the back of his neck. "With you, Alpha."

I understood then. It was a message to the rebels. Bradley was close to the door — every man inside would have heard him, and they would know that their former leader was not supporting them anymore. Maybe it would plant a few doubts in their minds.

"Good," Jace said. "Break this door down."

He moved out of the way to watch, his arms folded and his face stony. Bradley was beckoning for a few of the men to come forwards, and they were carrying wood axes. They positioned themselves around the door, ready to break it into tiny pieces.

I watched that flurry of activity and chewed on my lip. Yes, we could break the door down, and yes, we could physically remove them from the canteen, but what then? Lock them up? Punish them? Banish them from the pack? None of them sounded like good outcomes to me.

"Wait," I said.

And they did, because I had said it so loudly and so clearly that it was hard for them to ignore. One of the men paused midway through his axe swing and looked at me with wide eyes.

It was Jace I turned to next, because he had the power to override me with a single word. And although he didn't like to undermine me in public, I knew I was overstepping here. He was pushing at the mate bond with a demand for an explanation, but I didn't bother using the privacy of the mind-link.