Midnight Bride

She doesn’t even look back when she leaves me on the path. I watch as she runs from me and all attempts to find out what is going on die.

Valeria’s standing at the door, speaking to Millie, and I’m at the base of the steps. For a second, I’m certain she’s about to get hit, and a low growl rumbles at the back of my throat in warning.

Valeria doesn’t notice because she bowed her head the moment Millie’s arm raised. But Millie, oh, she notices me and sees the way I’m staring at her.

“Millie, what are you thinking?” I ask, the growl growing louder.

Her hand falls quickly while a forced smile masks her true feelings. “I was thrilled to see her and noticed a stray strand of hair that needed fixing. Come in, set the heavy basket on the table. We can unload it together.”

“Yes, madam,” Valeria says as she passes through the doorway.

I saunter onto the porch and stop when I get even with her. She may think she’s won with her lie, but I let her know real quick that I know the truth. A low growl rumbles in the back of my throat again.

“Don’t even think about it,” I whisper as I finish walking through the doorway.

I stop in the living room when I see Waylen and his father with Jackson. They motion for me to join them and I have no reason to not oblige them without raising suspicion. I walk over to them, ignoring most of their conversation as I watch Valeria through the opening into the kitchen.

She has the basket on the table and is unloading the contents when Millie walks in there. I turn away, trying to be involved in the conversation with Jackson, but I can't. Everything in me is on high alert and I feel as if I should be in there with her.

Then I hear Millie. “So, I hear Kendric is nosey and asking questions. What did he ask you?”

She thinks I can’t hear, but oh, what a stupid woman she is.

“Nothing,” Valeria admits as she sets out one of the vegetables on the table. “When he tried, I shut him down. I told him everything was fine.”

A loud bang on the wooden table catches my attention. I look over my shoulder, only to see Millie scolding her. My body moves involuntarily as I step back, but Barrett grabs my arm and shakes his head while Jackson still has his back turned to us.

“That isn’t what I asked you,” Millie seethes. “Tell me word for word what he asked you.”

“He asked if I was mated and why I wasn’t available. The next question was about the scar that runs right above my collar on the back of my neck. His last question was if I was here against my will or to work on my own,” she says, repeating almost every single word I said to her. “That’s all he asked.”

I watch in horror as Millie’s hands partially shift and she dips her claws into the table, leaving five dips in the wood. “What did you say?”

“I told him I was fine and to leave everything be. He doesn’t need to be asking such questions, especially from me, and if he feels the need to ask, then ask the alpha,” Valeria says, but this time it sounds like something she’s rehearsed. “I don’t think he’ll ask me again.”

Millie calms down, and her claws retract. “You did well. Now finishing putting everything up so you can cook lunch. If you are asked, you volunteer. Do you understand?”

“Yes, madam.”

Valeria turns away, and I do the same, hoping this is the end of it. I listen more, but now Jackson is paying a little too close attention to me and I’m not sure what to do.

Barrett reaches out through the pack link and I feel him brushing against the back of my mind. What is it? Why are you on high alert?

They are abusing her. If they are doing it to her, then what else are they doing? Did you notice the scar on her neck? Do you realize what it takes for us to scar?

I replay the image in my mind, and he gasps when it infiltrates his thoughts.

“No,” he whispers. “Jackson, what type of pack are you running around here?”

Jackson jerks his head in our direction as he hears him. “What are you talking about? I was reviewing how the pack operates.”

“I believe you are abusing pack members. Deny it all you wish, but the facts are clear. Other alphas have noticed when they visited and have been calling the council for months. I came, hoping they were wrong, but now I see the truth. They aren’t taken care of, are they?”

“This is just silly. We did no such thing. You are very mistaken and will not find any abuse going on anywhere in the pack,” he says, his voice betraying him.

“Save your words for the council. I’m sure they would love to hear about Valeria and what you’ve done to her,” I say as claws protrude from my fingertips.

Valeria shifts in the kitchen, her weight landing on a squeaky board. I glance over at her, making sure she’s okay. “Sorry, I can move out of your way.”

“Hold on a minute, young lady. I need to see the back of your neck,” my alpha commands.

Valeria comes toward him, unsure of what else to do. No one stops him, though they look like they are about to lunge for him.

As he passes Millie, she almost faints.

“What mark? Valeria, tell him you don’t have a mark,” she urges, pretending not to know what he’s talking about.

“Will you just shut up? Your lies stink as it is and now, I can smell them even better. You can’t deny what I’ve already seen and have been reported,” Barrett says as he reaches Valeria.

With a visible lump in his throat, Barrett comes to a halt in front of her and asks, “Can I see? Just at the top of your shirt. I need to see the scar.”

Valeria scoops up her long chestnut locks and moves them aside so he can see her throat more clearly. He doesn’t reach out nor does he do anything. Just looks.

His fists clench at his side a moment later.

“What is the meaning of this?” Jackson says, trying to cover up what he has done. “Why are you doing this?”

“So, the rumors are true? You have been abusing your pack. What type of alpha does that? Pack is family and you protect them. This isn’t protecting. One can only imagine the suffering behind this girl’s scar. We don’t scar from just anything,” Barrett whispers.

I glance over at Jackson, waiting for him to act, but he’s seething with rage and red faced.

“I am appalled by the accusation you have made against me. How dare you accuse me of something so vile? It goes without saying that I hold the safety and well-being of every member of my pack in high regard, and I would never cause harm to anyone. Her back has had those marks for years, and they were not caused by me. Answer them, Valeria. Tell them I didn’t leave those scars,” Jackson says, while pointing one long, bony finger in her direction.

Valeria’s mouth opens when I look at her. She’s on the verge of denying it, yet her expression reveals the truth.

“Don’t answer with his words. You can speak the truth and be protected.”

“Jackson didn’t do this to me,” she whispers, her voice barely audible.

“Then who did?” I ask, feeling irritated. “Tell me who did this to you.”

She doesn’t answer, so a low growl escapes my throat.

“I don’t believe it for one second. If he didn’t do it, then his darling little mate did. She raised her hand to hit Valeria earlier when she got home from the market.”

Barrett gets her attention as tears fill her eyes. “Is that true? Did Millie do this to you?”

Everyone falls silent as we wait for her to answer. She doesn’t look like she wants to answer at all and it’s out of fear of what Millie and Jackson will do to her after. But we can smell a lie, so there isn’t a point of doing so.

“Go on, Valeria. You are safe to tell us what happened to you. Did Millie do it?”

Valeria looks up, her eyes locking with mine as tears spill down her cheeks. She then glances at them, but her gaze keeps coming back to me as if begging me to help her.

I close the distance between us until I’m right next to her. “Your hesitation is deafening. Valeria, what have they done to you?”

Sobs burst free from their cage as she cracks.

I pull her into my arms and she collapses into my chest as a strangled cry escapes her throat. I don’t say a word as my wolf takes over. My eyes change, even though I fight it back, and the claws grow longer. It’s taking everything in me not to shift.

Turning, I meet Barrett’s wide-eyed gaze.

“Kill them,” I say, my voice guttural and raw. “Or I’ll do it.”

“This is completely unacceptable. When will my trial begin? Shouldn’t someone be considered innocent until proven guilty?” Alpha Jackson asks, his voice rising to a screech. “This is an absurd accusation, especially since you can’t prove anything. She never confessed.”

My arms tighten around Valeria as I smell lies in the air. “Her sobs are more than enough proof for me.”

“She could do that for show. You don’t understand. She’s a troubled girl, and we took her under our wing–” Millie’s words are cut off as I snarl.

“Enough. Can’t you see she’s shaking like a leaf in my arms? She can’t even stand being near you, and what’s worse is she was ready to lie for you. Honestly, I believe she would defend you until her last breath, despite what you have done to her. Her words aren’t needed because actions speak louder than words.”

A rough palm lands on my shoulder, and I jerk my head in that direction.

Barrett is standing there, looking at me with a concerned look. “They are right, Kendric. There has to be a trial before we can carry out any action. I know what your wolf would like, but we can’t.”

Pull him in before you reveal yourself, Kendric.

I swallow hard, trying to keep my wolf at bay, but it’s hard when I’m this far gone. All I can see was red, and I want to kill all those who have harmed her.

A growl rumbles in my chest as I push the wolf back. “Fine. Take them away before I rip them apart myself. Take that annoying brat of a daughter, too. Waylen doesn’t need her, and she was in on all of this from the start.”

Valeria stays against my chest, still crying, even when their screams fill the air. I run my hands through her hair as delicately as possible with my fingers. My claws haven’t retracted all the way.

“You are safe now. No one will ever harm you again.”

She pulls away a little to look up at me. “Don’t tell me that. You don’t know what is going to happen after this. They will get out of it and then they’ll come for me once you are out of the way. It’s all my fault and I’m the one who will pay for this. You should have just dropped it when I asked.”

A sly smile pulls at the corner of my lips. “There will be no escape for them. This I can promise you. So don’t worry about what happens next and rest for once.”