96

ALEXANDER

When we got back to the pack, I didn’t waste a second. My boots carried me straight to Claude’s office, rage burning through every step.

He was going to explain what the fuck had been running through his head when he decided, without asking me, to send Alina off to school in a town an entire hour away.

I was livid. At him, not at her. If I were in her position, naïve and sheltered, I would have grabbed at the offer too.

Claude should have known better. He knew better. He played on her innocence, dangled “freedom” in front of her, then shoved her into the real world without giving her the faintest idea of how dangerous it was.

“You look like you just caught your wife in bed with your gardener.” Claude quipped without looking up. His attention was pinned to his screen, eyes glued to whatever had him so entertained.

“Why the fuck did you do it?” I barked, skipping any pleasantries.

My patience had worn thin during the trip, and the last thing I wanted was another storm waiting at home. And Alina at a school outside my reach? Surrounded by strangers? That was a fucking nightmare I hadn’t signed off on.

He finally tore his eyes from the monitor, his expression a mix of annoyance and nonchalance. “Relax. She’s at school, not in some underground fighting pit. She’s safe. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

I glared, and the weight of it finally pushed him to power the screen down and swivel toward me. He sighed.

“What do you want me to say? Because I’m not apologizing for giving her something to do before she went stir crazy. She begged me, Alexander. Begged. You left her here with nothing, either you should have taken her with you or given her some purpose. Don’t dump your mess on me and expect me to babysit with no fallout.”

I let him rant, jaw ticking, and when he finished, I asked flatly, “Are you done?”

“Yes.” He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.

“Good. First off, I didn’t dump her on you. I left her in the safety of the pack, where she would have been fine if you hadn’t interfered.” My voice grew louder. “And don’t insult me by pretending it wasn’t your idea. I can smell your manipulation a mile away.” I raised a hand before he could argue. “You’re my brother, Claude, so I’ll let it go this time. But don’t you ever pull that shit again.”

He huffed but said nothing.

“Now,” I continued, “you’re going to fix this. Tell her today is her last day at that school. If she wants something to do, she’ll work around the pack.”

I turned sharply on my heel, but his voice chased me down the hall.

“Alexander!” Footsteps followed. Against my better judgment, I stopped.

“What?” I ground out.

“Why the hell do I have to be the one to tell her?” He looked genuinely offended, which only amused me.

I faced him with a shrug. “Because you’re the one who opened your big mouth in the first place. You gave her permission without consulting me, now you can be the one to take it back.”

His head shook violently, curls bouncing. “So that’s it? You’re too much of a coward to face her anger, so you want me to do the dirty work?”

I didn’t confirm nor deny. My silence was answer enough.

Claude, of course, pounced on it like a dog with a bone. “You don’t believe me when I say nothing’s going on, do you?”

I scoffed. “Don’t turn this on me.” My voice dropped to a low growl.

“Paranoia, Alexander. That’s what this is. You’re so twisted up you can’t even handle the idea of her breathing air you don’t control. What, you think she’s going to look at someone else and realize you’re not the fucking sun?”

Heat surged in my chest, but I forced myself to keep my tone steady. “Claude, I’m not having this conversation. Just do what I asked. It’s not that complicated.”

He threw his hands up and scoffed. “Then do it yourself!” His voice echoed down the hall as he stormed off, leaving me standing there with the bitter taste of restraint in my mouth.

I let out a long breath, watching him disappear before turning toward my office.

By the time I sat down, I was drained, staring at the darkened computer screen without really seeing it. A car pulling into the driveway finally snapped me out of it. I pulled up the surveillance feed. The black SUV. The one that took Alina to school.

She stepped out, thanking the driver with that soft little smile. And something in her demeanor had shifted. She looked steadier, more confident than she had this morning.

Claude’s words slithered back into my head. What if she sees better?

I shoved them away. Ridiculous.

Still, when I heard her laughter ring through the foyer, light and airy, the urge to extend surveillance into the house nearly consumed me. I wanted cameras in every hallway, every corner. Wanted her movements mapped and logged. The thought made me grit my teeth. Even I knew how sick that was.

Her laughter faded, along with Lisa’s, as they moved upstairs. And the silence that followed was deafening. Just me, my office, and the slow tick of the clock on the wall.

I considered giving up on the day, closing it all down, but then an alert popped on my screen. My blood ran cold.

An attack.

One of the camps where we kept the soldiers-in-training had been hit. Casualties unconfirmed, which always meant bad news.

I snatched up the phone. “How the fuck did they get in and out without triggering a single alarm?” I roared.

“Sir, we’re still determining—”

I cut him off, slamming the receiver down. Grabbing my jacket from the stand by the door, I shrugged it on, telling myself it was pointless as blood or dirt would ruin it.

On my way out, I barked the order: “No one lets Alina leave this house without my permission. Ever.”

Then I sent for Claude. Whether I liked it or not, I needed him on this one.