Forced To Bear The Alpha's Son novel · Chapter 4 of 24

Chapter 4: My Poor Lamb

Madam Odile Crane came through the gate at dawn in a white carriage with a rose on the door.

She stepped down with two maids holding her elbows and smiled at the whole courtyard.

She was fifty-eight and she looked like somebody's favorite aunt.

Her silver hair was coiled neatly under a lace cap, and her hands were soft, and she wore the House Lark ring on the first finger of her right hand.

That ring had left a mark on my cheek once, when I was nine.

I stood at Matvei's side with my hands folded and my knee throbbing and did not look away from her.

"Alpha Dragunov," the Madam said. "What an honor, and what a cold morning."

"Madam Crane."

"I won't keep you." Her eyes found me. "Oh, my poor lamb."

Every muscle in my body tightened.

"Look how thin you are. Did they feed you at all?" She clicked her tongue. "Nine days in the woods, and nobody in this house to tell you that you had only to ask."

"I asked for nothing," I said.

"Hush, child. The Alpha has been very generous, I'm sure."

She said it sweetly, and my teeth ached.

"Madam," Matvei said, in a voice that carried across the stones, "state your business."

"Business." She took a folded paper from her sleeve. "A girl of my House, fully branded, has crossed your border. The Accord is clear. She is my property and I want her returned."

"She is under my claim."

"Is she?" The Madam raised her silver eyebrows. "How very quick."

A murmur ran through the wolves along the wall.

The elder from the long table stood near the front steps with his arms crossed, and I could see him enjoying it.

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