She remained silent, terrified of saying the wrong thing.
“Get me Scorch and I’ll let you live. You’ve got a week, and then I’m coming for you. He can’t keep you protected, Victoria. Don’t think for a second he knows what he’s doing because he doesn’t. You’re my bitch, and you’ll learn your fucking place once and for all.”
He let go of the chain, turned and jumped out of the bathroom window. Looking up at the window she saw where he’d come from. There was no getting away from him at all. She wasn’t safe so long as he was alive.
Crying, tears spilled over her cheeks. With Chain alive, no one was safe, not even her.
****
“What are you trying to say, son?” the eldest alpha, Edward, who looked in his late fifties but had to be close to a hundred and fifty asked. Scorch looked at all the alphas wishing he knew what else to say.
“Chain, the leader of The Clan, is planning to separate the bond between wolf and man.” Scorch looked at David, who simply nodded at him. “He’s going to kill me so he is the one in control.”
Another alpha that looked to be a few years younger, leaned in close whispering, “I know, Alfred. This is all disturbing to say the least.” Edward held his hand up. “We know who you’re talking about, and we were planning an intervention of some sort, but we didn’t have any proof.”
“What proof do you have?” Alfred asked.
“My mate. I found her bound to a tree waiting with multiple wounds over her skin. She’d been washed of all scent. I took her in and nursed her back to health with the help of my pack. We’re a destined mated pair, and once this is over I will be taking her as my own. Her family has died at the hands of this monster along with many others.”
“This is not proof,” Alfred said.
“I’m speaking clearly for you all to get the picture of the risk her life is in. She was sent to gain my affection, lead me out to make me vulnerable, so Chain could kill me. If she hadn’t fallen for me, I fear it could have happened. Any male who feels the need to mate is vulnerable. Without knowing about Chain’s true intentions, I would have been defenseless. We all know that an alpha killing a fellow alpha is not what our laws allow. We’re bound by our wolf to be good to our pack. Chain has found a way to hurt his pack without forcing on the change.”
The men started to mutter, and Scorch continued on.
“Providing he doesn’t make skin to skin contact the wolf will not come out. He is free to hurt them, and according to my mate his choice of weapon is a fucking silver chain. I say we’ve got our fucking proof. This man is going to try to kill an alpha, and once that happens he will be more powerful than all of us combined. There will be no stopping him once he achieves his goal.” Scorch stopped, looking at all the alphas in turn. They were finally understanding the gravity of what he was saying. “I’m not here to cause waves with you. This man is dangerous. An entire pack along with all of our kind is at risk. I’m asking, no I’m begging, you all to realize the severity of the situation.”
David reached out, touching his arm. “They know what you’re saying, alpha. Let them all think about what you’ve got to say before you do anything radical.”
Nodding, he took a step back. His heart was racing. He needed to know what they were all thinking and feeling. Turning away, he ran fingers through his hair in order to do something with his hands.
“I hate this,” he said, talking to David.
“I know. You’re doing what you can. Give them a breather. Allow them to make a decision.”
The time passed slowly, painfully slowly. He looked up at the sky wishing there was something more he could be doing. Instead, he stood waiting for their input.
After what felt like an eternity but was only a few minutes, they called him back. Heading inside, David at his side, he faced the other alphas.
“Over a hundred years ago there was a man like you talk about. He, erm, he didn’t like being at the mercy of his wolf, and so he killed a fellow alpha taking the mate of the deceased, control of the pack, and also breaking the bond with his wolf,” Edward said. Scorch saw Edward was troubled by what he was saying.
“Why are you telling me this?” Scorch asked.
“No alpha could kill him. If we take out a fellow alpha then we break our bond with our wolf.” Edward sighed. “The problem was this man went mad. The power inside him was too much for him to handle. No alpha can stop anyone who breaks that bond.”
“We can’t leave Chain like this. He will kill an alpha, and then you’ve got the same problem.” Scorch rubbed his eyes, feeling more tired than he ever had throughout his life. “What other suggestion do you have?” he asked. “How did you defeat this other man?”