Chapter 21: Stripped

"The pack follows me," Brock said again, louder.

He walked down the center aisle with Kendra at his elbow and his twelve wolves at his back.

Nobody stopped him.

He climbed onto the stage under the banner and spread his arms.

"Silver Creek, look at what's been done to us," he said.

"A King walks in. A girl who ran away for three years takes our money. A Court comes in and calls your Alpha a liar."

His grin was back, easy and wide.

"I've fed you. I've fought for you. Who stands with me?"

A few of the wolves along the walls shifted their feet.

Nobody answered.

"Say it!" he shouted.

"I stood with you," the old elder said from the back. "Until I saw your mate cry at the microphone, and you laughed."

"She wasn't my mate."

The room went dead quiet.

He had said it before he could think.

I stood up.

"Say that again," I said.

"I..."

"You said it. You said I wasn't your mate." I walked up the aisle slowly. "You've always known."

"That's not what I meant."

"Then say what you meant, in front of the pack. Did you know the bond was forged?"

His eyes slid to the envoy, then to Kendra.

Kendra stared at the floor.

"Answer," the envoy said.

"I knew," Brock said, in a small voice.

A ripple went around the hall like wind in a field.

"I knew, and I took it," he said, his voice rising.

"Do you know what the Ardmore land is worth? Do you know what it costs to run this pack?"

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