100 - Kennedy


    That damn woman—she was somehow involved in Alpha Ryan''s attack? The realization hits me like a lightning bolt, instantly erasing every ounce of fatigue and weariness clinging to my bones. She was the one responsible for putting Ryker''s parents in danger, all just so she could im a pack for herself.


    My heart pounds fiercely in my chest, each beat echoing louder than thest. My breathse fast and shallow, but I force myself to stayposed. She grins at me, that maddening, unhinged smile she wears like a badge of pride. She thinks I''m terrified of her. How wrong she is. Inside, I''m trembling with rage and loathing, every fiber of my being screaming tosh out. But my hands are tied in myp, the only barrier stopping me from strangling her right here and now.


    The one thing that puzzles me is the "we" she kept mentioning. Who was she referring to? It couldn''t have been her mate-there''s no way he would have allowed her to manipte him for ten years straight. What exactly did she mean by "we"?


    I bring my hands up to my face, rubbing them roughly, probably smearing blood across my skin, but I don''t care anymore. I just need to extract whatever information she holds so I can ry it to Ryker when he arrives.


    "How was Ryker''s pack supposed to belong to you if his father died?" I ask sharply, rolling my eyes in disbelief. "He would''ve just taken over, like he did after the


    ident. Your n wasn''t thought through at all. You and whoever you''re working with aren''t exactly masterminds. Clearly, you weren''t born to lead a pack... even if you im to have alpha blood."


    Her expression stiffens, and I can see the irritation sh in her eyes. She revels in hearing herself speak, so I keep pushing to get her riled up. "That alpha blood of yours muste from some distant rtive, right? Is that your im? Or maybe your dad was like the third son in a long line of bigger, better alphas, and this is your pathetic way of proving yourself?"


    She strides over to me with a predatory confidence, grabbing the top of my head and yanking hard enough to pull out a few strands of hair. The sharp sting brings tears to my eyes.


    "Listen here, you worthless human trash," she spits, venom dripping from every word. “I''m an alpha''s daughter. That''s more than you can say for yourself."


    I grit my teeth, my voice strained but defiant. "And yet, I''m mated to the most powerful alpha around, while you''re stuck with a rogue."


    Her handshes out again, this time a harder p that stings across my cheek. I feel the sharp scrape of her nail, and warm blood begins to trickle down my face. "Your father was a terrible alpha and an even worse parent-just look at the mess you turned out to be," I mutter through clenched teeth.


    That''s all she''s managed to do inflict a few ps. Nothing more.


    She has no other ammunition.


    "My father only lost his pack to Ryker by chance," she snarls. “But that doesn''t matter anymore. Ryker belongs to me. You''ll die, and I will be the Luna of the Dark Moon pack."


    Suddenly, a scream slices through the air—a chilling, blood-curdling sound that makes my skin crawl. Apparently, these tent walls aren''t as soundproof as I had hoped. But there''s nothing more to hear after that. Amy bursts out of the tent without sparing me a second nce. I exhale heavily, feeling the weight of her selfishness settle over me like a dark cloud. She''s a terrible leader, always putting her own interests first-her curiosity, her safety-never thinking about anyone else.


    I push myself up slowly and edge toward the tent''s opening. In the distance, more shouting and screaming echo from multiple directions. I strain my ears, hoping to catch any cries of children. The men and women here have their reasons for being involved, but no child would ever choose this life willingly. I refuse to let any innocent get hurt because these people dared to attack my home.


    Peering through a narrow crack in the tent''s p, I check to see if anyone''s watching me. Satisfied that I''m not being observed, I step outside cautiously. With all the noise around, I don''t need to be quiet, but I remind myself that caution is never a bad thing.


    "I was wondering when you''d figure out they didn''t bind your legs," a voice suddenly says behind me, making me jump.


    I whirl around to see Finn standing there, holding a half-melted bag of ice. My eyes shift from the ice in his hand up to his face, where pain is etched deeply into his features.


    "Don''t worry," he says softly, "I have no intention of hurting you."