Chapter 18 - Fiona
The aftermath of the attack on Silver Meadows has hit the pack incredibly hard. At least five young men were killed, and many others seriously injured. Tobias and his main crew tell everyone they were extremely lucky to get out of it with their lives, painting themselves as heroes who managed to salvage the mission in spite of terrible odds.
The morning after, I go to the hall to make breakfast as usual. Only a few women are there with their children, and the place aches with emptiness and sorrow. I join Maddy at the main table and start kneading the dough for bread.
“Are the others all still out with the wounded?” I ask.
Maddy nods. “A hospital was set up in the old schoolhouse. Most of the boys have recovered, but some of them had serious injuries.”
“This is just a tragedy,” I whisper, shaking my head.
“It is,” Maddy agrees emphatically. “A tragedy our alpha should have prevented!”
I feel a sharp stab of fear in my guts, and all of my instincts scream at me to step carefully. “You think it’s Rider’s fault?”
“Of course it is! He should have been with them. Tobias is only trying to protect us.”
I stare at Maddy, completely forgetting the soft ball of dough in my hands as anxiety floods through me.
“Protect us?” I repeat.
Maddy nods, slamming dough down on the table and pummeling it. “Bailey threatened to come here and slaughter us all—that’s why we were living rough and constantly moving. It was so he couldn’t find us. If we want to set this town up as a permanent residence, Bailey needs to know he can’t just come after us.”
What has Tobias been telling these people?
“Were you close to anyone in the attack?” I ask.
“My brother, Brad,” Maddy says. “He was badly injured and is still critical. The only reason I’m here is because they will need to be fed. Someone has to do something constructive around here, because the alpha sure won’t.”
I knead my dough a little, pushing it back and forth as I let my thoughts swirl around in my head. The familiar action calms me but does nothing to settle my inner conflict.
Suddenly, Maddy looks up at me. Her eyes flash with panic as she pushes aside her dough to focus on me.
“I’m sorry, Luna. I didn’t mean to speak ill of the alpha. I’m sure he will do what is right for the pack.”
I scowl at her, unable to hold in my reaction. “Rider was in the hospital all night. He only returned near dawn so he could get some sleep. He cares deeply for those young boys—and all of you.”
Maddy visibly struggles with herself, clearly wanting to say more but not wanting to anger me.
“By all means, Maddy, share what’s on your mind,” I urge her. “As your luna, I want you to feel safe raising any issues you want me to work on.”
She shakes her head, turning away from me. I think she’s going to walk away when she suddenly turns back and hurries over to me.
“You know more than anyone how dangerous Rider is. I thought things were getting better, but after this, I can’t believe that. The only reason he’s been so soft on Bailey is because…”
Her face twists as she struggles to hold in her emotions. I cross my arms and glare at her.
“Because why, Maddy?”
“Because of you!” she yells. “It’s been about you since the very beginning. That’s why he made the alliance with Bailey and refused to stand up to him. He’d tear the pack apart for you, and now people are dying!”
Maddy wipes tears off her cheeks, her hands trembling. It looks like she wants to say more, but then she bolts from the hall.
I look down at my hands, rubbing them to squash the dough between my fingers. I feel hollow and empty, the pain of missing Caleb a deep, sharp ache in my chest.
I can’t believe this is happening.
“Are you alright?” a soft voice asks.
I turn around and am relieved to see Lilah. I reach out to her, and she wraps her arms around me.
“I know the truth,” she says as we pull apart. “Donny told me all of it. Tobias wants to take over the pack and keep all of us for himself. He wants to eliminate Bailey as a threat, steal his resources, and take their women, too. He doesn’t care about peace or prosperity for us. He wants to go back to the way things were before.”
“How can anyone believe Tobias?” I whisper as I wipe tears from my eyes.
Lilah shakes her head. “They are scared. Over the last five years or so, we had not been in conflict with other packs. Bailey’s threat to tear us apart wasn’t taken lightly, and none of us know him… well, not the way you do.”
“It’s not like I know him personally,” I say with a little laugh. “I’ve barely even spoken to him.”
“Still, Tobias is spreading the word that this attack has a lot to do with you.”
“Silver Meadows was protecting themselves! From Tobias .”
“I know that, but not everyone else does. Tobias has been telling the others since last night that the retribution from Bailey will be terrible because of you. He’s even been saying that the alliance between Bailey and Rider is strictly about you, and that Rider is planning to let most of the pack get slaughtered if Bailey lets him keep you.”
I’m trembling now. I can’t believe anyone could be this evil, but it’s even harder to believe people could be this stupid.
“What do I do?”
“The first thing I’d suggest is to stay away from Tobias,” Lilah says. “Rider has to get rid of him, and soon. The way it looks right now, if he calls for a leadership challenge, half the pack will take Tobias’s side.”
“I’m really sorry,” I say, shaking my head. “I’ve got to go back home to Rider. Can you manage the bread?”
Lilah nods. “Of course. Go and talk to him.”
I hurry back to the cabin, expecting Rider to be asleep. I’m shocked to find him at the kitchen table, his hands loosely wrapped around a cup of coffee that appears to be ice-cold.
“Rider, hey.”
He doesn’t respond, and I go over to him and shake his shoulder. He jumps a little and looks up at me in surprise.
“Fiona? Fuck, I didn’t see you come in. I must have been completely out of it.”
“Do you want a fresh cup of coffee?”
“Sure, yeah.”
“I need to talk to you,” I say as I bring the old kettle over. “Tobias has got half the pack thinking that you’re going to betray them.”
Rider groans, dropping his head into his hands. “I was afraid of this. He said some things last night, but I really didn’t think it would get this bad.”
“You have to take him out. Soon.”
“I know. I just can’t figure out how to do it. I’m worried about Bailey coming after us, too.”
“I'd like to tell you that he won’t, but it’s not true. He told you he’d come after you if the pack attacked him again, and he’s a man of his word.”
“Yeah, I figured.”
We stare at each other for a moment, and I reach out for his hand, giving it a firm squeeze.
“You should get some more rest.”
He shakes his head. “No, I need to get back out there. If I talk to the pack, maybe I can convince them Tobias needs to be questioned over this, and possibly punished.”
“You can’t just kill him?” I ask. “Don’t get me wrong, normally I wouldn’t suggest that… but you wild packs have different rules. What would Jethro have done?”
“If anyone did anything Jethro didn’t agree with, he’d walk calmly up to them and rip their throat right out.”
Rider stands up, turning towards the door. He looks back over his shoulder, fixing me with a hard look from his dark green eyes.
“I’m not Jethro,” he says. He shoves the door open and lets it slam behind him as he strides away.
I sit at the table, letting the tears pour down my cheeks.
I don’t know how all of this got so fucked up—and so fast.
The only thing I can think of right now is that my son needs me. After an attack like this, the whole Silver Meadows Pack would be on alert.
Caleb must be terrified.
Standing up, I head over to the front of the house and look out the window. Rider would be devastated if I run away again, but it sounds like it could be good for the pack if I went back to Silver Meadows.
Then they couldn’t blame me, or Rider, for Bae’s wrath.
I run my fingers gently across the door handle. The town is quiet. Most people are still tending to the wounded or working in the hall.
I could leave, and no one would see me.
Just as I’m about to push the door open, I see something move across the street. My chest tightens with fear as I examine the shadowy tree line, hoping to see nothing more than a wild animal minding its own business.
The leaves shiver again, and the tall build and shaggy blond hair is unmistakable.
Tobias.
An icy fist grabs my heart as I freeze in place, watching him. I’m not sure if he can see me clearly, but he is definitely stalking the house.
I back slowly away from the window, my hands starting to shake as panic rips through me. All my instincts are screaming to run from this place as fast as I can.
“Hello? Fiona?” a familiar female voice calls.
The relief that floods through me is so powerful, I almost collapse. I grab the handle of the door and yank it open.
“Jen!”
“Hi,” she answers, smiling. “I just wanted to check in on you. Are you okay?”
“No. No, I’m not.” I pull her inside. “I need to know, right now, if I can trust you, Jen.”
Her old, pale eyes widen as she looks up at me. “Of course.”
“No, I mean it. I will be your luna, I promise. I won’t abandon you, or the pack. I want to make things better for everyone here. But I have a favor to ask you, and it’s important.”
“Okay,” Jen says kindly. She takes my hands and smiles. “Tell me what you need.”
“Can you get a message to my pack?” I ask, already turning away to burrow through a drawer to find a pen and paper. “If I tell Bailey I’m okay, he might hold off on attacking us.”
“It might also make him ten times more likely to attack,” Jen says.
I shake my head. “Not if I tell him not to. This can all be worked out, I’m sure of it, but we can’t wait. The sooner we expose Tobias and get Bailey on our side, the sooner all of us will be safe.”
And I can finally see my son.
“Okay,” Jen says. “I’ll get the message to him. Nobody pays too much attention to what an old woman does, so I won’t have much trouble getting out. I’m with you, all the way.”
“Good,” I say, scribbling fast on the piece of paper.
Bailey,
It’s Fiona. I am alive and well with the Sawpit Pack. Rider is doing everything he can to honor the alliance. We can work this out peacefully if the violent members are finally dealt with. I am ready and waiting to assist.
For Caleb,
I will return soon, I promise. I miss you so much, and I love you. Wait for me.
“Okay,” I say, folding it up and handing it to Jen. “Get this back to Silver Meadows. They will recognize my handwriting and know it’s from me. In the meantime, I’ll try to help Rider get enough support to attack Tobias.”
Jen nods, giving me a quick hug. “These are dark days, Luna, but I have faith that they will soon end for good.”
I nod in agreement, squeezing her hand. “I have faith, too. Go.”
Jen leaves, hurrying down the street. I don’t want to be alone in the cabin, so I get ready to leave as well, but then I see Rider coming up the front steps.
“Rider!” I cry with relief as he comes through the door. “You’re back!”
“Is everything okay?” he asks, giving me a wary look.
“Better now.” I put my arms around his neck and hug him, comforting myself with the feel of his strong presence. I look over his shoulder, out through the window, and I can’t see anything in the trees.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Rider asks.
I nod, smiling with relief. “I’m just glad you’re back. Come on, sit down. Tell me what’s going on out there, and how I can help.”
Even though his expression is troubled, I feel more encouraged now than I did a few hours ago. Once Bailey gets my note, we’ll have him on our side, and everyone will see that Rider is the alpha they deserve.