Chapter 31

Alexandra:

I walk alongside Cassie as she goes through each of our pack members. Some pass with flying colors. They were never on Austin’s side and are glad that Mason won the pack fair and square. We’ve found some who wanted Austin to win but accept that Mason won and must be the better wolf. Not shockingly, most didn’t care who won or lost. They just wanted to know who the Alpha was going to be so they could move on.

None of them are who we're looking for. Cassie so far has found four other traitors amongst us. She hasn’t said anything, but I’m sure that she's seen more than she is telling me. I look back at Austin and see that his eyes are so wide they barely fit on his face. Mason just looks confused. I’m sure neither one can wrap his head around how Cassie is getting this information.

I find it amusing and insulting that the traitors are still waiting in line, thinking that they can fool Cassie in some way. They've been silently watching as we call out and round up all their comrades, and yet they stay here, thinking that they can somehow go undetected.

“Another pass,” Cassie says as she lets go of their hand and walks to the next person.

“Are you okay?” V asks Cassie. I’m sure he’s worried because she became lightheaded after looking into Caleb’s past.

“Fine. This takes zero effort. I can do it all day,” she says with a smirk as she grabs the next person’s hand. I notice instantly that it’s not a good result. Cassie has a tell. When she grabs a hand, she always looks down at it. When she sees something she doesn’t like, she lifts her head slightly and glares.

Because of this, I'm not surprised when she grabs the wolf by the wrist and flings him towards me. “Another traitor.” I quickly grab him and walk him over to where Paul and our warriors are holding the others.

I realize that we probably should have made sure that the warriors were loyal first. Then I remember the hell I put them through; I’m sure they are on our side. I look over at Dante and see that he is nervous as well. He must have had a hand in these plans if he’s that worried.

Cassie just keeps going through everyone. Then she suddenly stops. “Well, it’s clear you’ve adapted well to your new pack.” Everyone from Cassie’s past likes to bring up V and his reputation. They also like to point out how she has changed, like it’s a bad thing.

Cassie doesn’t let it bother her in the least. “I have. It's also clear that Alexandra adapted well when she removed you as the trainer for the warriors. We both know you stopped being in your prime long ago, Thomas.” She smirks as he scowls.

Cassie just holds her hand out in response. He is hesitant to grab it. This causes her to lift her right brow in confusion. “Something to hide?”

“No,” Thomas quickly shoots back before grabbing her hand. His initial hesitation makes me curious as to what she will find. I can’t decipher Cassie’s face. When she releases his hand, she tilts her head to the side. “Well, I would put him in a category of his own.”

“What would that be?” She doesn't think he's a traitor, loyal, or indifferent. So, what is he?

“A coward,” Cassie states in a monotone and with contempt, as if answering my unspoken question.

“How dare you,” Thomas tries to raise his voice at Cassie, but instead, he's met with an angry V standing in front of him.

“No need. Like I said, he’s a coward. Too scared to live with the truth that he let himself be used to keep his secret.”

I want to know more so bad, but I let Cassie make her point. Normally when V and Cassie are involved in something, I tend to take the back seat and let them handle it. However, this is my pack, my responsibility. I must take the lead.

“You don’t understand,” is all he says to Cassie.

“You think I can’t see what you’ve done? But you’re right. I don’t understand how your own Beta and my little half-breed have the courage and you don’t.” Thomas’ head snaps up, and he locks eyes with Blaine. I instantly know what was used against him.

While looking at Blaine, he notices that Blaine and Teddy are standing pressed together, holding hands. Thomas makes a deflated chuckle-like noise before looking at Cassie. “I didn’t know.”

“Change won’t happen if you won’t fight for it. It was different in your time, but we all accept it,” I say to him. He said that Cassie didn’t understand, and she probably doesn’t. Honestly, I don’t either, but I’ve seen enough of Teddy and Caleb to know what feeling like you don’t belong can do to you.

If they used his sexuality against him, that means he had to have refused them when he was first approached. That shows that he wanted to be loyal to us. If he’s willing to tell us everything and tell me who is involved, he will be absolved.

“What did they want you to do, and who are they?” I ask him straight out. He seems to hesitate a little, and I hear a voice I wasn’t expecting.

“If you tell us now, all will be forgiven.” Even without speaking, Mason and I are on the same page.

We both look at him, and he sighs. “I don’t deserve forgiveness, but I will tell you everything you want to know.”

*****

Mason:

I take Thomas aside so he can tell me everything. Alexandra goes back with Cassie to go through the rest of the pack members. There aren’t that many left, so it shouldn’t take long. I head over towards Nick, and he comes over. “Thomas, you’re a tough old guy. How could you get blackmailed like this?”

“Nick,” I say in a chastising voice, but he doesn’t seem to care. Thomas, however, lets out a good laugh.

“I’m glad you two finally get along. It will be better for the packs in the long run.”

Everyone seems to think the same thing when it comes to our relationship. It’s not just the women in our lives who feel that way. “Yes, everyone seems glad. But that’s not why we are here.”

He nods his head as he focuses on going to a more private area. He looks around before he sighs, shaking his head. “I never wanted to hurt the pack or betray you.”

“I know. So tell me.” I do know that. He can be a pain at times, but so can my father and Cassie’s father. It's their way of trying to set us on the path they think is right.

“It’s the reason I wasn’t training our warriors properly. I was supposed to make our defenses weak to an attack. Austin’s plan was never to challenge you. He wanted to weaken the pack from the inside and attack to take it by force.” Hearing what Thomas said makes my blood boil. I want to go back over to Austin and beat him to a pulp.

“What changed that plan?” Nick asks, genuinely curious. Of course, he isn't livid like me since it isn’t his pack.

Thomas just looks between us, confused, and we look at each other. Neither of us seems to understand why he is confused, so we just stare back at him. “You really don’t know?” he asks, and we both nod.

Thomas points, and both of our gazes follow to Alexandra. “Her. Everything she did put Austin’s plans in a tailspin. The training, new warriors, starting a medical facility, all the connections and alliances that she brought with her. She made us a force to be reckoned with overnight.”

Alexandra is definitely amazing, and it sounds like she has saved me in more ways than I even know. I can’t spend too much time in awe over my mate’s amazingness though. Sadly, I need to know who else is behind this coup.

“Who approached you? Also, name anyone else you know was a part of this plan.” Thomas rolls his eyes as if he's annoyed by my question.

“Obviously, Austin approached me, along with that wretched girl next to him. As for who else is involved…Cassie is doing a better job at that than I can. I didn’t know half of them were with Austin.”

That is also true. Cassie and Alexandra are a pair when it comes to friendship and complimenting each other. They are amazing on their own, but together, they are frightening. I’m glad they’re on our side.

“That’s all the pack members except the warriors. Should I check them as well?” Cassie asks, and I see worry cross Alexandra’s face.

She probably can’t fathom that she was teaching a wolf who wanted to take me down. I’m sure she also is worried that they will take this to mean that she doesn’t trust them. She bonded with them these past few months with the pain and hardship they went through.

“Don’t worry, Luna. We aren’t nervous,” Paul states as he steps forward and holds his hand out.

“Wow, Paul, you really grew into that head of yours.” Paul takes a playful swipe at Cassie, which she quickly dodges before clasping her hands around his.

We watch for a few seconds before Cassie lets go and puts Paul in a headlock. Everyone freezes, worried about what Cassie saw. Alexandra, in particular, seems to have lost all the color in her face. “Look at you, growing up to become a warrior leader. Make sure you keep Sandra safe. You hear me?”

Everyone lets go of a breath they didn’t know they were holding, except Alexandra. Worried, I rush to check on her. Before I can ask what is wrong, she erupts, “Cassie! You literally almost gave me a heart attack! Don’t do that to me ever again!”

Both Cassie and Paul share a confused glance before looking to Alexandra. “What do you mean? He’s obviously in the clear.”

I think I see Alexandra’s left eye twitch. Those two don’t seem to notice, however, and keep playing around, talking about how they were back in school. When Alexandra tenses like she's getting ready to pounce, I step in front of her.

“Paul is good. In her defense, she punched the ones that weren’t in the face.” I see her lips try to tug into a smirk as she fights to keep a stern look on her face. “Cassie, enough reminiscing with Paul. Check the rest,” I say to get her back on track.

Cassie rolls her eyes, and she mimicks me under her breath, but she does what she was told. She will forever be five years old. A few more minutes and all the warriors have passed, giving Alexandra the relief that she needs. “See, you are a good judge of character. Don’t forget that.”

“Oh, I won’t again.” She smiles, but it quickly drops as she steps around me. She walks over towards the warriors, and I realize she is ready to punish the traitors. “Smiley, get the girl from the tree.”

Smiley just smiles as he jogs over towards the tree line. How long was she over there? I don’t get to ask before Smiley returns with a girl thrown over his shoulder. He drops her where the others are and smiles as the girl glares up at him.

“Do you all know what the punishment for treason is?” Alexandra asks, looking each wolf in the eye.

They all look around, confused. Honestly, I’m confused as well. I didn’t know there was a punishment for treason. But the smirks playing on the Night Stalker pack member's faces say that it’s something she learned from them. I am surprised when Cassie’s dad steps up.

“You can’t mean—” Alexandra quickly cuts him off.

“I do.” He looks flustered as he scans the faces around him and finds that nobody objects.

“It’s barbaric. It should be left in the old country. Tell me you know this much, Alexandra?” He seems to be pleading with Alexandra to see things his way, but it is easy to tell that Alexandra is not going to budge.

“What I know is that these wolves made conscious decisions on their own to kill my mate and take his pack by force. If Cassie didn't push me to come here, what would have happened?”

He has nothing to say back to her. Alexandra then spins back around and looks at Avery. Avery nods and leaves with two other wolves.

“Are you going to kill us?” the female wolf that Smiley brought over asks.

“No. Death would be too kind,” is all Alexandra says.