Chapter Thirty-Nine

N I C C O L O

I knew the moment Florence showed up that something was wrong, but I still put on a neutral expression and a happy disposition to not alarm her father.

She may not be easy to read, but when she's distressed, I feel it inside me too. It's a strange thing to have because of the mate bond, but it's definitely a perk I wouldn't change for anything.

I wait for her to communicate with me through mind-link and tell me what she's thinking, but as soon as she tells me to come with her, she just hooks her arm in mine and leads me away from the little warehouse.

"What's wrong?" I whisper, but she doesn't say anything.

Instead of leading me back to the cabin, she just leads me off-course and I begin to notice that we're heading toward the forest.

I don't complain, noticing that the tension in her body is heightening to a different level. I take a deep breath and just follow her, and as soon as we get to the forest, she takes me behind a tree and grabs my shoulders.

"We have to get out of here," she whispers, her voice barely audible. "I can't mind-link you. I feel something strange whenever I try to do it. But I found out that people are coming here to talk to you, to hold you in a trial."

I frown. "Over what? Is it because of what happened? Because I don't mind. I can prove to them that I'm innocent—"

"Niccolo, no." Her expression is pained and desperate. "These are Alphas and Lunas, leaders of the different packs in the state. They have never heard of your pack before, and I know they will make you look like some sort of a bad person."

"How did you know all this?" I gently remove her hands from my shoulders and clasp them tightly in my hands. "Who told you all of this?"

Florence shifts her weight from one foot to another, her eyes shining with worry. "Niccolo, I have to—"

"There you are."

The familiar voice of Alpha Isaac shakes me and Florence in our spots. We turn around and find him in his stupid kingly robe, prancing around like a lost prince. He's smiling pleasantly, but there's a strange spark in his eyes that shows an emotion I can't place exactly.

Florence and I exchange a quick glance, then she composes herself and smiles. “What brings you here, Alpha?”

“Well, remember the rain check on the invitation I gave you and Alpha Niccolo for visiting me in my home?” he asks with a cheeky tone. “I am planning to cash that in now. I just saw your father in there and we can all have a get-together.”

Behind him, Alpha Amos shows up and stares at us, but I can sense something different in his gaze. It’s almost like he’s trying to communicate something to us, like a warning. Florence intertwines her fingers with mine, and I know they’re both telling me to decline.

It doesn’t take a genius to know that that get-together is the trial masked. It might be informal in a way, but based on what Florence said, I have people who will be criticizing me, confronting me about things that may or may not be true.

But I’m not going to back down.

If that is what they want, then that is what I will give them.

I turn to Alpha Isaac and return his smile with one that is as pleasant and as fake as his. “I will be glad to join, Alpha.”

* * *

The walk to the pack house was slow and awkward. I can almost hear Florence’s heartbeat from beside her, and I can’t help but feel bad that she’s so nervous about this. I can’t even reassure her without raising some sort of suspicion.

Still, I just hold her hand as we get inside the house, which looks more like a mansion than an ordinary cabin, with its red walls and gold embellishments. The same decoration and theme can be seen in the dining room, grandiose and just a little arrogant.

But this is not what stuns me.

Sitting around the long table are men and women dressed formally, all getting up at once when they see me.

I knew this was coming, but my heart still freezes a little, especially when I see the varying levels of interest and perhaps even hunger in their eyes. Alpha Isaac beckons us to sit, and I do so at the other end of the table, with Alpha Amos on my left and Florence on my right.

“Everyone, this is Alpha Niccolo of the mysterious Ombra Nera Pack,” Alpha Isaac announces, no longer hiding under the pretense of a get-together. “We are happy that you can join us in this... gathering.”

“Wonderful,” an older Alpha says, looking at me condescendingly. “I did not expect the Alpha to look this shabby. Is your pack poor? In need of resources?”

That sends a stab of anger in my chest, but I just smile at him. “I’m afraid I was not informed that this would be a formal event. I was under the impression that this would just be a simple meal shared with the head of this pack. No, my pack is not poor nor in need of resources. We have found a way to sustain ourselves.”

They all start to mutter among each other.

“A self-sustaining pack located in the most dangerous area of the state, which provides natural protection,” one Luna says, glancing at Alpha Isaac. “You also told us that their population is... massive. How do we know they are not dangerous?”

I open my mouth to assure her, but Florence beats me to it. I thought she would address the Luna, but she just looks at Alpha Isaac and says, “You know they are not posing any kind of threat to the packs.”

“Well, did you not have an incident of trespassing just last night?” another Alpha asks with a huff. “That beast attacked your pack and killed a dozen warriors.”

“He did not.” Alpha Amos gets up from his seat to defend me. “He heard the call of his mate, who was in grave danger. Alpha Niccolo is mated to my daughter.”

Silence spreads all over the room. Alpha Isaac looks like he just got smacked in the face. The Alphas and Lunas all look at him for answers, and I know then that he never planned on telling them to make it look like I just got here to ruin things.

“He has all the right to enter the pack,” Alpha Amos continues. “He is the protector of my daughter, and that is what he tried to do the night before. The warriors are not dead, they are merely injured and recovering well.” He looks at Alpha Isaac. “This trial is uncalled for and unfair from the beginning. The Ombra Nera Pack has not posed a single threat before, and I highly doubt that they will now. This witch hunt is useless and ignorant, and I will it to stop. Alpha Isaac, I will forever be thankful for the help you extended to find my daughter, but it is time I take back my pack from you.”