I Will Never Be Yours novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: The Page

Sorcha's POV

I threw the scrap at his chest.

It fluttered down onto the boards between us.

"Your handwriting," I said. "Thirty wolves in black and silver sent to my father's hall on my wedding night."

"Sorcha."

"I read the original in your desk."

He didn't look at the paper.

He looked at me, and his chest was heaving from the stairs.

"Sorcha," he said.

My name in his mouth went through me.

"Don't say it."

"It's you."

"There's a girl in your east cell," I said. "Her name is Autumn."

"What?"

"Your Beta put her there four hours ago. He told me she'd pay if I didn't leave by midnight."

His face changed.

He turned to the doorway and shouted for his captain.

When the man came running he said, "East cell. A girl named Autumn. Bring her to me unharmed."

The captain went.

The King turned back to me.

"Alder did that," he said.

"He locked me in your wife's room."

"He had no right."

"He had every right," I said. "He's your Beta. He holds your keys and your secrets, and you let him."

"What did he tell you?"

"That you sent your wolves to kill my father."

"I didn't."

"The order is on the floor."

He bent and picked it up.

He read it by the window with his jaw tight.

"I wrote this," he said. "I wrote it three days before the rite."

"To kill them."

"To guard them. I sent thirty guards to stand at your father's doors, because Ironcrest had enemies and I wanted you safe."

"So you say."

"Thirty," he said. "Do you know how many came home?"

I didn't answer.

"Four. Twenty-six of my own wolves burned in that hall with your father's people."

His voice didn't rise.

"I went to every one of their mothers. I have their names written down. I'll show you any night you like."

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