Marking the Alpha My Cousin Couldn't Tame Chapter 4

He didn't answer my question.

Instead, he picked up my jacket from the chair and held it out.

"I owe her parents a blood debt, Roxy. They shifted to cover our retreat. Her father took a killing blow meant for me. Her mother went back for his body and never came out."

His voice was flat. Factual. But his knuckles were white around my jacket.

"I can't ignore a suicide note from their daughter. Not even tonight."

*A killing blow meant for him. Both parents dead. Their only daughter left behind.*

*Damn it. Even I couldn't argue with that.*

He held it toward me.

"But I'm not going without you. Wherever I go tonight, you're with me. After it's done, you decide what happens next."

I snatched the jacket from his hand, shoved my arms into it, and pushed past him through the door.

"Then move. I'm not standing around while Little Miss Silverfall turns our bonding night into her one-woman show."

Halfway down the dark trail, his hand found mine. Fingers laced through, grip firm.

I tried to pull free. Couldn't.

"Roxy." His thumb pressed against my pulse point. "Your heart rate's all over the place."

"It's called being pissed off."

"...Sure."

He didn't let go.

The search was already underway by the time we reached the main clearing. Wolves fanning out in every direction, calling Liora's name into the dark. Someone handed Kaelen the note.

*I don't want to be a burden anymore. I'm going to see my parents at the falls.*

Kaelen shifted into command mode. Split teams, assigned sectors, sent runners toward the main Silverfall trail. The man who couldn't string together two sentences about his feelings had no problem barking search coordinates at thirty wolves.

Everyone went for the obvious routes. I didn't.

*If she actually wanted to jump, she wouldn't leave a note telling everyone where to find her. This wasn't grief. This was a stage direction.*

I cut away from the search party and took the narrow ridge path—the one that looped behind Silverfall from the east side. Overgrown. Barely a trail. Nobody else would bother.

I found her on a rock ledge overlooking the falls. Arms crossed. Dry-eyed. Posture perfect.

She spun at the sound of footsteps. Her face lit up—then crashed when she saw me.

"Where's Kaelen?"

"Organizing a search party. Half the pack's out there calling your name in the dark." I leaned against a tree. "Meanwhile, you're sitting here with perfect hair and dry eyes. Not exactly what a suicidal person looks like."

Her mask flickered. "You don't know what I'm going through."

"I know exactly what you're going through. You didn't get what you wanted, so you're punishing everyone around you until they cave."

*It worked on Kaelen for fifty years in my cousin's lifetime. The crying. The guilt trips. Showing up at every important moment to steal the spotlight. *

I crossed my arms. "But here's the thing about that playbook, Liora—it only works on people who feel guilty. And I don't."

She dropped the mask. Her eyes went flat. Cold. The trembling lip, the shaky hands—gone. Like she'd peeled off a costume.

"Kaelen and I grew up together. My family died for him." Her voice was steady now. Hard. "If you hadn't barged in, I'd be his Luna right now."

"If he wanted you, there wouldn't have been room for me to barge in." I met her stare. "Our mating contract was signed before either of us was born. You were never in line."

"You think you're so different? You're a Beta from the East. No rank, no bloodline, no history here." She smiled. It didn't reach her eyes. "You think one mating contract makes you his Luna? You'll never be what I am to him."

"You're right. A contract doesn't make me anything." I pushed off the tree. "But what you are to him is a chore. An obligation he doesn't know how to put down. That's not love, sweetheart. That's a hostage situation."

I turned to leave. She was fine—more than fine. Standing on solid rock with no intention of jumping. Below us, the river roared through the gorge. I had better things to do with my night.

Her fingers closed around my arm from behind. Her voice dropped. No trembling. No sweetness. Just venom.

"You think you know everything. But answer me this—"

She leaned close to my ear.

"If we both went over this edge right now, both screaming, whose name would he call first?"

Before I could answer, her palms slammed into my back.

The ground disappeared. Wind tore past my ears. The roar of the river swallowed everything.

Above me, Liora's voice—shrill, rehearsed, perfect:

"KAELEN! HELP! She dragged me down!"