9. Nine

nine

S he’s the reason he chose Belinda, I realized. The caster climbed the steps and stood to the left of Finneus. Not only had the traitor brought strays onto Ophiuchus land, he’d also bet the future of our pack and a woman’s life on this caster’s vision.

What the fuck was wrong with him? Either he was desperate or delusional, and both were dangerous qualities in a leader.

“At this time, I invite you all to come forward,” Finneus said, a hard edge to his voice that tamed the wild energy in the room. “To bestow your blessings on a union that will ensure the legacy of the Ophiuchus wolves.”

Elder Marteen and his wife were the first to approach the thrones, and a line formed behind them from there. I thought Penn would steer me along with the herd, but he stood silently by my side when I remained in the same spot.

“It is quite lucky to have one on pack lands,” Paula whispered to another of our classmates while they waited their turn in line.

The other woman, Juniper, nodded sagely. “They’re very powerful.”

“She’s a caster, not a unicorn,” a voice called loud enough for Paula and Juniper to hear.

I turned to find Evera sliding through the crowd. Her neon green gown was hard to miss in the sea of dark fabrics. Her small act of defiance was more impressive than mine, and I fought the desire to laugh. She really was a good friend.

“I sort of want a picture with her,” she admitted as she sidled up beside me. “No one will believe we met a caster without proof.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Everyone we know is in this room.”

She gave me a coy smile. “Says who?”

Penn cleared his throat.

Evera glared across me. “Try to send me away again. I dare you.”

He stared at her with a blank expression before taking a small step to the side. He was close enough to hear our conversation but had the grace to pretend he wasn’t listening.

Evera took my hand and squeezed. “Are you okay?” She studied my face, squinting when her keen gaze settled on my forehead. “What happened there?”

I ran my fingers over the small, smooth scar. In another day, it would vanish, thanks to my shifter healing. I’d thought the makeup covered the injury.

Penn cleared his throat as though warning me to choose my response carefully, which led me to wonder how many people knew about my scuffle with a stray.

“Later,” I muttered to my best friend.

Her grip on my fingers grew painful, fear and anger warring in her expression. Though her loyalty was the only comfort I’d felt in days, I worried that her public allegiance wasn’t smart. Not when so many of our packmates kept looking at me like I was no better than the strays Finneus brought into our territory.

“Are you sure you want to be seen with me?” I murmured.

She made a production of surveying the immediate vicinity. “Are you seriously asking me that question?” Evera cocked a thumb toward herself to drive home the point. “You’re my best friend, Drake. Who else would I rather be seen with?”

I blinked back tears and forced a smile. “I don’t deserve you.”

Evera laughed. “No, you don’t. I’m actually a pretty shit friend. Remember that time I puked all over your bathroom and then passed out without cleaning it up? Or when I fell down the hill wearing your favorite sweater and ruined it?”

“I forgot about,” I admitted. “It was cashmere, from the Himalayas.”

She grinned. “Now we’re even.”

Penn coughed, and Evera rolled her eyes. He pointed toward the back of the line, where Grace was trying to get her daughter’s attention.

“Your mother wants you,” he said.

Evera tugged on my hand. “Come on. We’re your family now.”

Penn opened his mouth to protest but thought better of it. He followed us to where Grace waited alone behind the Pembrooke family. Despite heavy makeup, dark circles were visible beneath her puffy eyes. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days.

Grace looked around nervously, and I worried she might not want Evera standing by my side in public while the rest of the pack chose to shun me. Her weary expression softened when her gaze landed on me.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Grace greeted me as warmly as always, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. “I am so glad to see you. You are well, yes? The beta is treating you,” her eyes raked Penn, “appropriately?”

I had never seen a grown man squirm as much as Penn did under Mrs. Matthews’ scrutiny. Penn clearly had no issue being an asshole, but questioning his morals apparently left him twitchy. I let him sweat a little longer, only ending his misery to put Grace’s mind at ease.

“He takes my safety very seriously,” I assured Evera’s mother. “Even if that means locking me inside a cage.”

Penn’s eyebrows flew up his forehead as he opened his mouth to protest.

“Not literally, of course.”

Grace’s expression darkened. “I heard about the stray.”

This was the first anyone had mentioned the incident, and her phrasing surprised me. She’d left out the part where I’d leapt from my bedroom window to escape the confines of my prison and stretch my legs.

“It won’t happen again,” Penn said. “I took care of the problem.”

Grace’s reply was flat. “I heard.”

Evera stiffened and crossed her arms. “What are you all talking about? Who attacked Drake?”

The people around us didn’t hide their interest in our conversation. Penn glowered at the eavesdroppers until they turned away with muttered apologies.

“Drake is fine,” he told Evera. “As I said, I neutralized the threat.”

She frowned. “You make it sound like you killed him.” When no one responded, her eyes went wide. “Maybe you aren’t totally useless after all.”

The line moved slowly but steadily. I wasn’t in the mood for chitchat, and I couldn’t have a serious conversation with Evera while others listened, so I chose silence. My best friend and her mother seemed to understand and didn’t try to engage me.

Penn remained close, his watchful gaze making constant circuits of the throne room. I found his vigilance a tad over the top, especially since the strays were nowhere in sight.

I caught snippets of the conversations around me. The caster had replaced me as the spectacle of the day, which I didn’t mind. The less attention on me, the better.

Honestly, Malia piqued my curiosity, too. I’d never seen a caster before, not even in passing. My father had always said they couldn’t be trusted. Their magic came from within, as opposed to the fae who pulled their power from the elements. Dad said casters paid for every spell with their souls. I didn’t know if that was true, but Malia’s dark, depthless eyes suggested it might be.

Finally, our group reached the front of the line. Evera stepped forward to address the couple first, but Finneus beckoned to me. I knew what he wanted—for me to sink down and call him alpha along with everyone else.

“Congratulations on your betrothal,” I said instead, addressing Belinda. “May your match be true and prosperous.”

I honestly didn’t know whether I wanted to mean the words or not. A part of me hoped for Belinda’s sake that she was Finneus’ true mate. At least she would stay here with her family around. If Gaia rejected the bond, she’d be cast out on her own. I wondered which scenario she preferred.

“Thank you, Drake,” Belinda said, smiling shyly.

Finneus addressed me as he reached over and ran a fingertip along the gilded snake looping her neck. “It suits her, don’t you agree?”

He might not have forced me to call him alpha or chastised my crimson dress, but Finneus had no intention of letting me walk away with my pride unscathed. My hands balled into fists at my sides as I considered my response very carefully.

“It was always meant for the alpha’s true mate,” I said. “You wear it well, Belinda.”

Finneus smiled, content in what he felt was a victory.

“Daughter of the moon,” Malia said, drawing my attention her way. “You are a great asset to the Ophiuchus.”

Her magic pricked at my skin, and her stare penetrated my soul. My wolf rose to the surface, which Malia seemed to sense. She gave me the same smug smile from earlier.

“Your pride will be your downfall,” she declared. “Only acceptance will save you from yourself.”

Stunned silence settled over the throne room behind me. This was the first the caster had addressed anyone besides Finneus, and her harsh words cut to the bone. She wasn’t wrong. While I tempered the worst of my fury, my insistence on defying Finneus would eventually catch up with me.

Grace hurried forward to stand beside me. She curtsied to Finneus and Belinda.

“My alpha,” she muttered in a tone that was dangerously close to resentful. “On behalf of myself and my daughter, I wish to offer our family’s blessing on your union.”

Penn flanked my other side. He placed a hand on my lower back, guiding me off to the side. “Move before—”

“I haven’t dismissed you, Drake,” Finneus said, ignoring Grace.

Penn’s low growl drifted to my ears.

“You cost me an enforcer yesterday,” Finneus continued.

“Your stray attacked me,” I snapped, biting off each word.

His dark eyes cut to Evera. “How would you like it if I took something of yours?” He didn’t wait for a response. “Consider that next time.”

The rest of the courtship ritual passed in a blur. I stood with Evera, Grace, and Penn, tuning out the crowd and Finneus alike. Malia studied me at length, and she didn’t bother to pretend otherwise.

Once every member of the pack had wished the new couple well, Finneus called forth the Ridgemore family. He appointed Belinda’s father to the empty seat on the advisory council—the one left vacant after Lindie’s death.

When it was all over, Penn ushered me out of the temple before the rest of the pack. Evera and her mother followed. Elton met us outside, but Donnelle stayed behind with his family.

“Any issues?” Penn asked.

Elton shook his head. “Everything has been quiet.”

“Good. Escort Mrs. Matthews and her daughter back to their house and wait until you hear from me.”

“That’s not necessary,” Grace insisted.

Penn remained firm. “I’d prefer to not take any chances, ma’am.”

Evera threw her arms around me and squeezed. “Try to talk Mr. Personality into phone privileges.”

“I’ll do my best,” I promised.

Grace squeezed my shoulder. “If the beta doesn’t behave himself, let me know.”

“I will,” I said.

Penn and I continued up the hill toward my house, while Elton took Grace and Evera down the road toward the village. We didn’t speak, but the silence felt oddly comfortable after the deafening gossip in the throne room.

Once inside the house, he followed me upstairs and into my bedroom.

“What do you want, Penn?” I demanded. “If you have something to say, out with it.”

He hesitated in the doorway. “Are you okay, Drake?”

Laughter burst out before I could stop it. “Seriously? Am I okay?” I stared at him incredulously. “No, Penn. No, I am not fucking okay. Why do you even care?”

He opened and closed his mouth several times before finding the words. “The way people treated you today,” Penn’s gaze hardened, “it’s only going to get worse.”

“I can handle assholes talking behind my back,” I insisted.

“Yeah, I know you can.” His lips twitched like he wanted to say more, but Penn backed out of the room and closed the door.

My shoulders sagged as I deflated. All the thoughts I’d stuffed away during the courtship ritual shot to the surface.

Why had Finneus invited a caster to the Snake Mountains? Where had he found Malia in the first place? Was she the seer who’d told him the missing words of the prophecy? How long did he plan to host a magic user?

I exchanged my dress for pajamas and crawled into bed even though the sun still lit the sky outside. Despite the questions churning in my head, I could barely hold my eyes open. My low caloric intake as of late wasn’t doing me any favors. I tried to convince myself to go downstairs and make a sandwich, but the thought of seeing Penn was enough to stop me from moving.

My eyes drifted closed. It was darker in my room when my bedroom door creaked open. Light flooded in from the hallway as I sat up and groaned.

“What now, Penn?” I grumbled.

Except, it wasn’t my unwanted houseguest who’d barged into my room uninvited. Evera held up a plastic container in one hand and a bottle of vodka in the other.

“Does Penn know you’re here?” I asked.

She frowned. “Didn’t you ask him to call me?”

I shook my head. “I didn’t realize that was an option.”

“He said you were refusing to eat.” Evera jiggled the plastic container. “Mom nearly bit his head off. She sent salmon and rice.” My best friend raised the vodka bottle. “This is from me.”

She joined me on the bed.

“Is this a delivery or can you stay?” I asked.

Evera rolled her eyes and handed me the food container. “I had to agree to leave my smartass comments at the door, but Penn said I could sleep over.” She fished a fork out of her overnight bag. “You also need to eat. If you don’t, he’s going to kick me out.”

I cracked the lid and inhaled the scent of rosemary. My mouth watered and my stomach growled. Grace was my favorite cook.

“Once you finish your dinner,” she wiggled the vodka, “then you get dessert.” Her smile faltered. “And when you’re good and toasted, you can stop pretending the world hasn’t gone to shit.”