Page 75 of Alpha Chained
Tarkin rises to his feet, his auburn hair glinting under the lights. “I’m in. It’s time we put an end to this bunch of fuckers.” Callum nods his agreement, his weathered face set in determination.
Kieran remains seated, his fingers drumming on the polished tabletop. I can see the emotions warring in his sharp features. Finally, he sighs and leans back in his chair. “I don’t like it,” he says, “but I can see there’s no other choice. If they’re coming for us, we need to strike first.”
Gratitude washes over me as, one by one, the others voice their assent. Tyson grunts his approval, crossing his brawny arms over his chest. Greyson simply nods, his eyes distant, as if already strategizing.
Jagger turns to me, a grim smile on his lips. “Well, Raura, it looks like we’re going to battle.”
I nod, my heart pounding. “Thank you. All of you. I know this isn’t an easy decision.”
“Before we get too excited,” Tarkin interrupts. “How can we be certain he’s going back there?”
“Good point,” Jagger looks at me. “Are you sure Riot is going to go back to the Enclave?” he asks, his dark eyes searching mine.
I hesitate, my throat tightening.
Am I sure?
Can I really predict what Riot will do? But even as the doubts creep in, I feel a tug deep inside me, an unbreakable thread pulling me toward him. “I’m positive,” I say, my voice steady. I can feel the bond strengthening. “I can feel him, Jagger. Here.” I put a fist over my chest where a strange pressure has been building since the moment I’d learned he’d gone.
Jagger nods, accepting my words. But a new fear grips me, and I feel a knot forming in the pit of my stomach as the council discusses the next course of action. Relief and dread war within me – I’m grateful they’ve seen reason but terrified of what’s to come.
“What worries me,” I say, my voice tight as I voice the new certainty that’s building within me, “is that Riot is going to trade his freedom for his sister’s.” The words seem to hang in the air, their weight pressing down on me.
I close my eyes, letting the bond I share with Riot wash over me. The dark, gnawing ache in my chest swells, threatening to overwhelm me. “I can feel it,” I whisper, struggling against the tide of emotions battering me from within. The pain…the desperation. They’re his feelings, I know it. But it’s like it’s becoming part of me, too.
Opening my eyes, I meet Jagger’s concerned gaze. “He’s going to go back to the Enclave. He’s going to offer himself up to Parker in exchange for Willow’s safety.” My throat constricts as I voice the fear that’s been clawing at me. “We have to move fast before he does something reckless. Before he sacrifices himself.”
The silence that falls is deafening. I can see the weight of my words sinking in, their implications sending a tremor through the gathered council members. Riot may be a stranger to them, but the concept of trading one’s freedom for family is deeply ingrained in our pack values.
Jagger is the first to react, his expression hardening. “Then we don’t have any time to waste.” He rises from his seat, sweeping a glance over the others. “Get your gear ready. We move out in ten.”
Chapter 28
Riot
“Riley…” Willow is looking at me with something like wonder in her eyes. Which is incredible, considering the circumstances. “I can’t believe it’s you. After all this time.” She reaches a hand out, about to touch me through the bars, but I shake my head to stop her.
“Silver,” I tell her. “It’ll burn you.” I’m not sure why Parker put her in the cell next to mine; maybe it’s to torment me. I don’t care. I can see her.
“Screw that!” She sets her jaw. “You’re my big brother…back from the dead. I can handle a little sting.”
Allowing myself to smile for a moment, I step closer, reaching my own hand through the bars and stroking her cheek. She cups her hand over mine, holding my palm to her face.
“I can’t believe it,” she whispers, her eyes moving over my features.
“I’ve missed you so much, Wills,” I murmur, my voice cracking with emotion. “Every single day.”
“I’ve missed you too, Riley.” Willow’s eyes shimmer with unshed tears. “I never stopped hoping you were alive out there somewhere.”
I nod, swallowing hard. “Parker…he let me have some small details about your life over the years. Your mate, your son. I’m so happy for you, sis.”
“He did? I can’t believe his cruelty…using my life like that to torment you.” She shakes her head in disgust. “But I shouldn’t be surprised, not after what he did to our pack.”
Pain spears my chest at the mention of our decimated pack. I grip the cold metal bars tightly, the silver burning my palms, but I welcome the sting. It keeps me grounded in the present.
“Mom, Dad, all of the others…” My voice trails off, thick with grief.
Willow reaches forward and touches my hand. “I know,” she murmurs. “But Riley, there’s something you should know. Not everyone was killed that night.”