Chapter 212

Chapter 212
Andrei's POV
Amanda shifted back to her wolf before I could even speak to her. Immediately, Margaret rounded on me, eyes flashing with anger.

"You put a muzzle on her?" she demanded, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. "What the hell, Samuel?"

I ran a hand through my hair, shame washing over me. "She clawed me to ribbons and bit my face. I know it was wrong, but I didn't have much choice."

Margaret glared at me, disappointment evident in her expression. I felt like a child being scolded, despite being the Alpha of my own pack. The fact that Margaret could make me feel this way spoke volumes about her power—not just as my sister, but as the Queen of Alphas.

Unlike me, Margaret had influence over all wolves, regardless of pack affiliation. It was a power I still didn't fully understand, but I'd witnessed it firsthand. Amanda, a rogue wolf who would normally ignore any command from me, responded to Margaret's presence with something akin to trust.

At least I had Amanda's name now. That was one thing, I guess.

Margaret knelt beside Amanda's wolf form, gently brushing her fur. The sight made something twist in my chest—jealousy, perhaps, that this woman who was rightfully my mate trusted my sister more than me.

"I should go," Margaret said, rising to her feet.

She approached me and pulled me into a quick hug. I walked her to the door, unlocking it to let her out. I glanced back, half-expecting Amanda to make a run for it, but she just sat on her hind legs, shaking like a leaf. I could smell her fear—not of being in a strange place, but of being left alone with me.

"Can you make her shift back?" I asked Margaret before she could leave. "Maybe command her?"

Behind me, Amanda whimpered, pressing herself against the wall like she could get it to swallow her up.

Margaret shook her head firmly. "You want her to shift back, she has to do it on her own. I won't force her."

"How am I meant to communicate with her when her wolf won't even reply to Max?" I asked, frustration leaking into my voice.

"Figure it out, Samuel," Margaret said, unmoved by my predicament. "I am not forcing her."

"What am I supposed to do, sign to her or something? Come on, Margaret, that's ridiculous."

Margaret's expression softened slightly. "She feels safer in that form. She doesn't know you, and she doesn't trust you yet." She glanced at Amanda, who was watching us with wary blue eyes. "Give her time."

I looked at the open door, concerned that Amanda might bolt. If she ran, I knew Margaret would order me to let her leave. The thought made my stomach twist uncomfortably.

"Look," Margaret said, her voice suddenly echoing in my head as she forced a mind-link.

I growled at the intrusion. It wasn't painful, but it was unexpected and unwelcome.

She stays in wolf form because she knows you can't mate with her in that form, Margaret's voice explained in my mind. If you shifted, she would shift to her human form. She watched her parents and her mate die at the hands of rogues.

The information hit me like a physical blow. Amanda had a mate before? The pain that thought caused surprised me.

She has been on that damn chain before she ever shifted, since she was a kid, Margaret continued, her mental voice tight with anger. Her shifting between forms was her only way to stop them from raping her. Yet even that didn't stop them from beating her into submission.

A growl tore out of me, and my hands clenched at her words. My Alpha aura forced its way out in pure rage. Hearing a yelp, I looked over at Amanda and realized I'd scared her.

"Shh," Margaret soothed, stepping toward Amanda. "He won't hurt you, Amanda. I promise he wasn't mad at you."

Yet she still remained tense, her eyes fixed on me like I might attack at any moment.

Amanda's eyes flicked to Margaret, and I realized they were communicating through the mind-link. Margaret nodded at whatever Amanda said, then turned to glare at me.

"Give me the muzzle," she demanded, holding out her hand.

I groaned but retrieved it from a drawer and handed it to her. "This the only one you have?" she asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Damn it. I sighed and walked to a door that led to the basement, unlocking it. The basement smelled heavily of bleach, not wanting Margaret to see what was down here in my torture chamber. I grabbed the other four muzzles I had stored and brought them back up.

When I returned with the muzzles in hand, Amanda backed away from me, her eyes fixed on the instruments in my grip. Fear radiated from her in waves, making Max whine uncomfortably in my head.

I handed all the muzzles to Margaret. "See?" I said to Amanda. "No more muzzles. But don't bite me."

She whined, looking at Margaret. I could see she wanted to go with her, to escape me and this house she clearly viewed as a prison.

"Have you got any she-wolves that would come stay for a night or two?" I asked, desperate for a solution. I didn't like the idea of another wolf in my territory, especially not near my mate, but if it meant I could get her to shift back, even long enough to speak with her, I'd deal with it.

Margaret turned to Amanda. "Would you feel better if I had someone come over tomorrow to stay here? A woman, maybe?"

Amanda must have replied through their link because Margaret nodded in understanding.

"You have to stay tonight by yourself," Margaret told her. "I will have to organize someone."

Dylan, who had been silent throughout the exchange, finally spoke up. "Maybe one of the older members? A motherly figure?"

Margaret nodded. "I will send someone tomorrow, okay? I promise." She looked at me, and I sighed, knowing what she wanted.

"If she can't find someone, we can go stay with Margaret," I offered, not really wanting to but willing to if I had to. Anything to make Amanda comfortable enough to shift.

"Did she reply?" I asked, looking between Margaret and Amanda. "What did she say?"

Margaret gave me a pitying look. "She'll be okay for tonight."

I groaned internally. This non-communication thing was going to drive me nuts.