Chapter 19

“I don’t think Father would be very happy to know you’re here,” I tell my mother as she sits in front of my cell.

She holds the bars and leans closer, handing me a foil wrapper. “He’s not here. He took the warriors to bring the girl back. Tell me about her.” I thank her and then tear into the breakfast burrito.

My mother has always been a hopeless romantic, yet I doubt that Father wants to bring Gypsy back for my benefit. I hope she’s alright. “Her name is Gypsy Rose Campbell, and I’m in love with her. You’ve met her, she’s the servant girl from the dinner at the Pine Ridge pack.” My mother smiles, waiting for me to continue. “That pack treats her like a slave. They even beat her.” My mother gasps. We would never do such a thing in our pack. We all work together and get paid for what we do. “Gypsy came to this side of the canyon after the Beta rejected her and broke her ribs. She wasn’t running away or anything; she just needed a break. I was drunk, and I fell into the river. She pulled me out on the south side of the river. She gave me mouth-to-mouth. Mother, she saved my life. She never crossed the border.”

Mother reaches her hand out to my leg; it’s as far as she can reach since I’m chained to the wall. “I’m glad she was there to save you, Ashton.” She bites her lip as she thinks back. “I remember her. She’s a beauty and very polite. She’s also quite an incredible cook. I felt how powerful she was. I was confused as to why she would be serving. You said the Beta rejected her?” I cock my brow because he’s a fucking moron. “Well, he certainly missed out.” Mother pats my leg. “Everything will work out.”

I wish that were true. “Mother, you know Father plans to kill her, right?”

She sits back with her brows scrunched. “Why would he want to kill her? She’s done nothing wrong, you said so yourself.”

I shake my head. “No, Mother. He refused to believe me. We were in the cave, but she was in the hunters' lodge with me a few times, so her scent is there. Trixie must have told Father. She smelled Gypsy’s scent the day the territory changed. Father will kill Gypsy before he even gets back, unless the other pack refuses to hand her over, then it will be war. I doubt they would go to war over their slave, though.” I hang my head, knowing Father will kill her immediately.

Howls of anguish begin to sound throughout the territory. Mother and I both reflexively look around for the sounds. My heart thumps madly as realization sets in. “Apparently, I was wrong. I guess they refused to hand her over. That would be the mates of the warriors aching for their loved ones.” Gypsy, please be safe.

My mother’s mouth drops open. Breathlessly, she gets to her feet. “I must go, Ashton.” I nod, and she rushes away.

The howls continue to reverberate around in my cell. I get to my feet and stretch on my toes to see out of the tiny, barred window. The sun hasn’t risen yet, but I can see the woods around the dungeon. I see a few wolves in the distance howling into the darkness. I wonder how many will take their own lives to be with their mate. I watch as a nightgown-clad woman languidly walks through the woods wailing and weeping. She falls to her knees then shoves a dagger through her breast. I close my eyes and turn away. I understand her heartache and loss. Damn it, Father. Why couldn’t you listen to me? I hunker back down on the cot and listen as the howls slowly die down as more lives are lost.

Hours have ticked by. The sun is now high, but the woods are silent and somber when the outside gate creaks open. I try to see around the corner as Trixie saunters in with a bag. She reaches through the bars to hand it over. “I thought you would be hungry. Alpha Maddox gave me permission to bring you something. Miss Cora made you lunch.” I cock my brow but accept the bag. Miss Cora is my great aunt on my mother’s side. She’s the best cook, at least in our pack.

“You can go now,” I tell Trixie then turn to sit on the cot.

“Ashton, you’re in a lot of trouble. We lost a lot of warriors and their mates today because of that skank you’ve been hanging around with.” She leans against the bars as I eat, trying to ignore her, suppressing the urge to break her neck.

“If you don’t want me to rip your throat out, I suggest you get the fuck away from me,” I growl out. Trixie drops her hands but stays leaning against the bars. Goddess, I loathe this bitch. “All of those deaths could have been avoided if you would’ve kept your nose out of my fucking business and kept your lying trap shut.” I get to my feet, disgusted by this wench. “Your lies are the reason all of those people are dead. But I doubt you care about that. All you care about is becoming the luna, which will not happen so long as I live.”

Trixie huffs but doesn’t leave. “Like that whore of yours will? Alpha Maddox would never allow it.”

I’m too fast for Trixie to move when I grip her by the throat. My claws pierce her neck, and blood drips down. “My mate is gone, my second chance mate just ripped from me. My pack has suffered great loss all because of you. I’m already in here, Trixie. I have nothing to lose.”

My hand begins to squeeze slowly. I relish in the feel of her life leaving her body. Her eyes get glassy, and her face changes from red to blue. “ASHTON, STOP!” Fuck! My father’s command washes over me. My hand releases Trixie’s throat, and she slumps to the ground, still alive, unfortunately. I glare at her as my father drags her away from my reach. “You have much to answer for. Your life is on the line.”

My head snaps to him. “Are you going to kill me, Father? I’m innocent of any crimes, as is Gypsy.”

He growls at me. “Your attitude will be the death of you. Do you realize how many lives were lost today?”

I nod toward Trixie. “That’s who you should be talking to. Yes, I fell for a beautiful girl from that fucking Pine Ridge Pack, but I never brought her into our territory. She’s as innocent as I am. But the great Alpha Maddox Meyers is too blinded by Trixie’s lies to see past his own pride.”

My father’s eyes go dark as his wolf comes forward. “You were fraternizing with the enemy. Alpha Lawrence knows our territory. How do you think he got that information?”

I shake my head. “Not from Gypsy. She would never tell him. Besides, she didn’t even know.” I watch him as he crosses his arms across his chest. “You don’t believe me. Use your command on me. Ask me, Father. You’ll get the same answer.”

Father growls low in his chest. “You’re staying in this cell until I get her head.” I shake my head at his stubbornness. He steps back and picks Trixie up before turning out of the dungeon.