She looked up at Wyatt and lunged at him, wrapping her arms tight around his waist. “He’s a bastard. They’re all fucking bastards,” she howled.
Bel tore his eyes away from Wyatt and his sister to look at Winter. His younger brother was leaning against the wall, his arms folded tightly over his chest. His face seemed paler than normal as he watched the two wolves.
As if sensing Bel’s gaze, he met his eyes and nodded. “She’s telling the truth. All of it.”
Bel didn’t want to know how his brother had confirmed that information. He’d felt sick just wondering if she was setting her brother up for betrayal.
“You think she’s lying?” Wyatt snarled.
“No, Wyatt! It’s okay,” Casey said. She pushed out of his arms and roughly wiped her face. “I’d think this was a trick too. We parted on horrible terms, and our family has been torn apart. Why would anyone believe that I was telling the truth?”
Wyatt’s face fell as he stumbled back a step from his sister. “But…”
“It’s the truth, Wyatt. I swear to you.”
“It is,” Winter confirmed.
Wyatt looked from Winter to Casey again, his expression torn. “So, you’re here because you’ve…forgiven me?”
Casey snorted. “Forgiven you? For being born gay? I thought it wasn’t a choice.”
“It’s not a choice,” Ethan growled.
Wyatt sighed. “Forgiven me for not keeping my mouth shut. For not pretending.”
Casey dropped into the office chair and pushed at her hair again. She looked exhausted, putting years on her face. “I’ve spent years being angry, Wyatt. Angry at you. Angry at him,” she said with a wave of her hand at River.
“He has a name. It’s River,” Wyatt bit out.
“Sorry,” she murmured at River before continuing. “I was mad at our parents, our old pack, myself, and even my new pack. I’m so tired of being mad, and I’m tired of losing. I have a new pack, a new husband. He says he’s not going to divorce me even though I can’t have kids. I finally have a chance at a life.”
“But aren’t you risking that by talking to us?” Philippe inquired.
“Maybe, but there is something I want more than a chance at a life. I want Albert dead for what he stole from me. I want him dead for all the people he’s hurt.”
“Ahh…revenge. Finally, something we can understand,” Rafe purred.
“Seriously, brother?” Bel groaned.
Rafe placed a hand to his chest and smiled. “I’m a vampire. I can’t help but be a bit bloodthirsty.”
Bel rolled his eyes, but it felt so damn good to have Rafe back at his side and cracking inappropriate jokes. The world had been too off-kilter without him.
“So, if we get rid of Albert, do you think the pack would be willing to let Wyatt and River live in peace with me?” Bel asked.
Casey nodded. “Yes, I think they would if it meant being free of Albert.”
“But what about the truce? Vampires can’t interfere in werewolf matters,” Ethan chimed in.
“And this is why Marcus sent you,” Rafe grumbled. “To keep us out of trouble.”
“He’s the voice of reason,” Winter interjected. “And he’s right. We have enough problems right now with the remains of the Ministry. We take out the alpha of a shifter pack and we’re pretty much declaring war with all the shifters.”
Wyatt shook his head, and a twisting knot in Bel’s stomach grew. He wanted to jump to his feet and press his fingertips to Wyatt’s lips, stopping the words that were about to spring forth, but it was already too late.
“I have to challenge Albert.”
“No!” Bel shouted. River’s grip on his leg tightened and he pressed his forehead against his thigh, but to his credit, he didn’t say a word.
“It won’t be a fair fight. Albert would never allow it,” Casey argued.
“It doesn’t matter. He has to be confronted for his crimes. It’s the only way to save you, save us, and to save the rest of the pack.”
“Aside from the fact that this sounds like suicide, can you even challenge him? You’re not part of the pack,” Philippe asked.
Casey nodded, but it was Wyatt who spoke. “It’s rare, but anyone can challenge anyone for a position of leadership. It’s our way of making sure that we have the strongest, wisest leader.”
“Except when the system is rigged,” Rafe muttered.
Winter snorted. “As if we don’t have the same problem.” Shoving away from where he’d been leaning against the wall, Winter moved so that he was standing in front of Wyatt. “If it’s a fair fight, do you think you can beat Albert?”
Wyatt’s eyes darted over to Bel and River for a couple of heartbeats before he looked back at Winter. “Yes. Yes, I can.”
Winter shrugged. “Then we have to make sure it’s a fair fight.”
Over the next hour, Wyatt, Winter, and Philippe drilled Casey over the workings of the pack, where people were located, guards, anything that might help them ensure that any fight between Albert and Wyatt could be on an even playing field.
But for Bel, the conversation had become mostly white noise. If Wyatt lost the fight, Albert would undoubtedly kill him. He’d lose Wyatt forever.
Yes, if Wyatt won, he could claim the spot as pack alpha. Wyatt and River would have their own pack. They’d be able to live among their own people and have a normal life. It was the only thing they’d wanted in the first place.
Would they leave him?
He could feel their love for him, but they could never choose a vampire over the life they dreamed about.
If Wyatt won, Bel would still lose.
18
Wyatt shifted carefully in bed, trying to not disturb River, who was plastered to his side. Everyone had stayed at Bel’s until just a few hours before sunrise, trying to come up with a viable plan that would ensure a fair fight between him and Albert.
Neither River nor Bel had spoken much, not that Wyatt could blame them. Other than the brief scuffle he’d had with the wolf on Bel’s land, he hadn’t been in a fight with another wolf in years. He was sorely out of practice. Albert might be older and a step slower, but Wyatt was expecting the man to fight dirty.
But if he didn’t do something, didn’t get rid of Albert, how could he ever hope to have a life with Bel and River? As of now, his sister’s life was forfeit if she was found by Albert and his trusted minions. Winter had taken her to a secret location for safekeeping until the fight was over, but Winter wouldn’t be able to hide her for long, and they still needed to get her husband out of the pack safely.
Turning his head against the pillow, he looked at River. His cheek was pressed to Wyatt’s chest, while one arm was thrown over his waist as if he were trying to make sure Wyatt couldn’t escape him in his sleep. They’d been running and hiding for so damn long. It was time to stop. It was time to declare that they’d move no more. River deserved a chance at a normal, happy life. A place to set down roots. At the very least, if he lost the fight, there was no doubt in his mind that Bel would take care of River. All the Variks would.