The Alphas Broken Mate novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: Expired

Caius's POV

I waited until she was asleep, and then I went down to the yard where I had found her.

My shoulder did not hurt.

It had not hurt since she put her hand on it.

I could not stop touching the place where the scar had been.

Thirty days.

Merrick had bent to her ear at the hall door, and when he straightened, she had gone grey.

She would not write me what he said.

I did not need it.

At dawn on the thirtieth day he could take her, and I had sworn not to mark her until she asked.

I could not sleep with that count in my head.

The cage still stood open under the moon.

I had given the order to leave it as it was.

I stood in front of it for a long time.

Three days she had lain on that floor, and I had been on the northern border, holding the pass against raiders.

I had not known.

I had not known, and my wolf would not forgive me for it.

The tribute office stood against the yard wall, a low stone room with one shuttered window.

Every omega sent to Blood Moon was written in the ledger there.

I had never opened it.

I had signed the first tribute law myself, three years ago.

My uncle had said the packs would not send us wives unless we made a rite of it.

I had told him to see that no one was hurt.

He had told me no one would be.

I wanted any paper in that room that could break Merrick's claim.

I broke the lock with my thumb.

The ledger lay on a desk in the dark, a fat book with a leather cover.

Osric's neat hand covered every page.

I lit a candle and opened it.

Nine names.

Nine girls in three years, one every few months.

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