The Alpha King's Bride novel · Chapter 21 of 24

Chapter 21: The Old Wolves Smell It

The wolves closed the ring around us, and Aldric pulled me behind him.

"I wondered if you'd come," said the man in the skull helm.

He lifted the helm off, and the face under it was heavy and gray-bearded, with small pale eyes.

The Northern Lord.

He wore my husband's circlet on his head.

"You were to come alone, Ashdown."

"I did."

"And yet here is your wife, on time and not a hair out of place."

"A hair or two," I said.

He looked at me for the first time.

"You've saved me the cost of a wagon," he said. "Thank you, girl. I'd have preferred you in the Frostmark, but the ford will do."

Perrin drew his sword, and thirty northern wolves growled at once.

"Put it down," said Aldric quietly.

"Majesty..."

"Put it down."

Perrin lowered it an inch.

The Northern Lord smiled.

"The Crown is mine by the King's own signature, before sixty witnesses," he said. "A deposed king has no wife, no guard and no standing. If he does not kneel to me tonight, he dies at this ford by lawful challenge. As for the girl, she is a Rooke ward and carries a Rooke child."

"I am nobody's ward," I said.

I stepped out from behind Aldric.

He grabbed for my wrist, and I let him hold it for a moment before I eased it free.

"Finola," he said.

"Trust me."

I walked three paces into the open grass, between the circlet and the man I loved.

My heart was going hard.

"Your envoy stood in my throne room and called me a girl with no mark," I said. "You say I'm nobody's mate. Let the old wolves decide that."

Along the bank, five figures in gray cloaks stood apart from the soldiers.

I had not noticed them until then.

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