The Alphas Broken Mate novel · Chapter 21 of 24

Chapter 21: The Rope

I did not say the word.

I closed my mouth on it and swallowed it down.

Osric stared up at me, bleeding from both ears, and I saw him understand that I had chosen.

"A fall is too quick," I said. "You would not have to look at anyone."

Behind me, the Council had come.

Six Alphas stood on the south road in a line, with the eldest at the center.

They had ridden in at dawn behind our riders to see how the vote would end.

None of them had spoken.

Three hundred waxless men knelt on the ridge with their foreheads on the rock, and they could hear every word.

"Osric Dunraven," I said, and I let a little of the Call into it. "Stand up."

He stood.

His legs shook.

"Tell them," I said. "Not what you gave up in the hall. What you kept back."

His mouth worked, and he fought me for one breath.

I felt him lose.

"I sent Blood Moon's patrols east the week before," Osric said, loud enough for the whole ridge. "I left the Ellery valley bare."

"Merrick asked me which night it would be empty. I gave him the night."

"I told the Council the red cloaks were Blood Moon's. I told them my brother had sent them."

He swallowed.

"My brother had sent nothing. I wanted his chair."

"He wished to give the Callers a seat at the Council table. I could not bear it."

A noise went through the line of Alphas.

"Go on," I said.

"I kept the tribute cage for three years. I wrote the word beside each name."

"Merrick sent me nine girls, and I wrote Expired."

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