Chapter 31

We followed Bertha’s tracker to her location. Our convoy of cars sped through the gates, joining the vehicles and people already there. As soon as we parked, I spotted Bertha, looking lost and confused.

I was out of the car in a flash, the sight of her reigniting my anger. I wanted nothing more than to finish what I’d started in the interrogation room—to punch her right in the face. But before I could move, Christopher held me back.

Looking around, we were shocked to see guards from the south emerging from the warehouse. What were they doing here? This was our territory.

Then Joshua stepped out of the warehouse. Our guards immediately aimed their weapons at him, and his guards responded in kind. We were all in a standoff.

“Look who’s here,” Joshua said, trying to sound confident. But I could hear the tremor in his voice. That slight hesitation told me we were on the right track.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Knowing what Joshua was up to was dangerous. There were homes of our wolves nearby, within our territory. His presence here violated countless laws.

I took a step back, feeling the quarry behind me. It gave me a sense of security, knowing they couldn’t attack me from behind. I was wearing a bulletproof vest, but my heart pounded in my chest, my hands shaking uncontrollably.

“How dare you settle within my territory?” Christopher’s voice boomed, louder and more commanding than Joshua’s.

Joshua just tilted his head and laughed, as if he had another trick up his sleeve. That laugh sent a chill down my spine.

I had a sinking feeling there was more to come.

And then she appeared. Brisa stepped out of the shed, and my heart dropped.

I let out an involuntary scream, the pain too much to bear. It felt like my soul was being ripped apart.

Another friend, another betrayal. She hadn’t just betrayed me; she’d betrayed our entire pack.

I heard Christopher groan, adding to my pain.

“Brisa…” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

She looked terrified at the sight before her.

“What can I say, women love diamonds,” Joshua said, laughing in a way that sent another shiver down my spine.

“So, it’s really just about the diamonds?” Christopher asked.

“You used the nonsense of saying that you thought Grandpa’s division was unfair to mask your real reason, which was simply being able to mine diamonds from my pack.”

“Of course, I needed a reason, no matter how mediocre it was, to start a war with you. If the council knew it was for minerals, they would go against my war because of Law fifty-seven, which says that no pack can wish or initiate a war over the other’s riches.

“But the territorial nonsense that I indicated as a reason is covered by Law sixty-nine, which says that any decision by an alpha can be challenged if the injured party finds it unfair. So, I challenged our grandfather’s decision.”

Joshua’s knowledge of the laws was starting to get under my skin.

“But then why didn’t you accept the deal when I offered to give up a piece of my land?” Christopher asked, genuinely confused.

“Because you, my cousin, wanted to give me lands that didn’t have much ore underneath, and I didn’t just want a little; I wanted everything. My plans involved exploring all the ore, taking all the diamonds, and the alliances I made to this require a lot of money to pay everyone,” Joshua explained.

Christopher began to pace, the southern guards’ weapons tracking his every move.

“Like Rufus?” Christopher asked.

Joshua’s eyes widened in surprise—he didn’t know we knew.

“Yeah, like Rufus, and everyone else. Even the two of them here. As angry as they were at your ~bitch~, they charged a lot to tell me everything,” Joshua said.

Christopher bristled at the word “bitch.”

“I warned you not to talk about Scarlett,” Christopher growled, his wolf close to the surface.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot that she is the mother of your child. That’s the only reason you got attached, right? But anyway, paying them all is expensive. I need all the money I can get,” Joshua said.

“And how are you hiding these financial receipts?” Christopher asked.

“My alliance with Rufus involves laundering a little money. Who would suspect the finances of the council’s guard? They get a new training center and are happy, and I launder the diamond money by overpricing the values of things. It’s never been easier.”

Joshua’s casual admission was sickening.

“You must think we’re not leaving this place if you’re telling me all of this,” Christopher said.

Joshua laughed.

“I don’t think so, cousin; I know so,” Joshua said, his sadistic smile sending chills down my spine.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp, burning pain in my side. I turned to see a guard, not one of ours or from the south, but wearing the council’s uniform. He held a dagger, which he’d plunged into my side, bypassing the protection of my bulletproof vest.

I was too shocked to react.

A gray wolf appeared from behind me, knocking the man away.

The wolf turned to me, his brown eyes filled with concern. It was my brother.

He turned back to the man, who was now a large black wolf. My brother was ready to attack, but before he could, Christopher’s wolf lunged at the black wolf.

Christopher’s wolf was much larger, and within seconds, he’d ripped the black wolf’s head off.

In that instant, a stone from the cliffside began to tumble in my direction. It was only then that my knees gave out, sending me crashing to the ground.

I glanced to the side, noticing the crimson liquid trickling down my leg. That’s when it hit me—the blade that had sliced me was silver.

A silver blade had pierced my abdomen, and even if it hadn’t reached my womb, the silver coursing through my veins would be lethal to Anthony within minutes. We were miles away from any hospital, too far to make it in time.

Even if my son was still fighting for life inside me, he wouldn’t stand a chance.

This would be the end of him, the end of my future. And I had a sinking feeling it would be the end of Christopher’s future, too.

I felt myself shattering, my hope and faith crumbling away.

I saw the rock hurtling toward me, and I froze. Perhaps dying right there would be less agonizing than waiting for the silver to slowly poison me from within.

I shut my eyes and braced myself.