The Cursed Blood novel · Chapter 7 of 32

Chapter 7: Pack Law

Every candidate in the ring stepped back.

Except Hettie, who stepped closer to me and grabbed a fistful of my dress.

The Alpha came across the frost with his men fanned out behind him.

Twelve of them. Big. The beta's broad back at his right shoulder, gray-bearded and silent.

Margaux's father.

Margaux saw him and stood up straighter.

He didn't look at her once.

The Alpha stopped six feet from me.

Close enough that I could smell him. Cedar oil and old blood and the cellar.

"You've had your tantrum," he said. "You've played in the dirt. Now you come home and say the words."

"No."

"I didn't ask."

"I noticed."

His eyes narrowed.

He'd never looked at me before the feast. Not once in twenty-two years. I was the girl who brought the gravy.

Now he was looking at me.

"Pack law," he said, loud, for everyone. "A wolf born in the Mardell valley answers to the Mardell Alpha. You were born in my valley. You'll answer to me."

"I quit."

"You can't quit blood."

"Funny," I said. "That's what your grandfather said about wardens."

The ring went dead silent.

The beta's head turned toward me, slowly.

The Alpha's lip came up off his teeth.

"Your mother," he said, "was a kitchen omega who knew her place until the day she died. You'd do well to learn from her."

Heat went through me so fast my vision went white at the edges.

I wanted to go for his throat.

I wanted to drop to four feet and tear his gold chain off with my teeth.

My wolf was right there under my skin, snarling.

A hand closed on my shoulder.

Not hard. Just there.

Conall had come up beside me without a sound. He wasn't looking at me. He was looking at the Alpha.

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