Chapter 4

Kieran’s POV

“The others were trying to hurt her. I had to sav-”

The woman's unfinished sentence somehow kept replaying in my mind.

Liar. Someone in her position had no place to talk about saving others!

She had the brand of a criminal on her waist. Only someone who had committed terrible mistakes of judgement had brands like that.

Only the worst of the worst.

I was the Alpha of the largest pack in the region. I wielded massive power, both physically and politically, and yet my daughter had been exposed to criminals and slaves right under my nose.

I wish we had never come to this filthy place at all.

Normally I would have stayed far away from this pack, but a few days ago, Nora had drawn a picture for me. She had insistently pointed at her stick figures that were clearly meant to represent she and I, attending a wedding.

She wanted to attend so badly, and I didn’t have the heart to deny her. No doubt she had some fanciful image of a fairytale wedding in her head. She liked stuff like that.

I had thought this would be a simple wedding. We would show up, watch the ceremony, and head home. However, I had been caught up in conversations with other Alphas.

When I had looked up, Nora had been gone.

Worry crashed over me. I had strode around the pack buildings trying to find where a small six-year-old might have disappeared to. Usually when she disappeared at home, it was because some cat had kittens and Nora had found their nest.

Instead, I found her standing in front of that disgusting slave who dared to touch her, covered in bruises and dirt.

The minute I had rescued her from those smoky, dark kitchens and their filthy inhabitants, I had inspected my daughter in the light, checking for injuries. She had a few scrapes, but mostly seemed in one piece.

“Did that nasty woman hurt you? Is that how you got so dirty?” I asked, gently combing my fingers through her tangled hair.

Like usual, Nora didn’t say a word. Her large, soulful eyes stared into mine, as though she could communicate through her gaze alone.

My daughter’s wolf had awakened at a very young age. Something terrible had happened, and she had never spoken since.

I loved her deeply, and watching my once-vivacious daughter become timid and withdrawn had been extremely distressing.

At first I had thought that something had harmed her physically during her ordeal, but many trips to doctors revealed nothing wrong with her. Then I had consulted with wise women and hedgewitches, trying to find any other reason why my daughter refused to speak.

“She has been through a traumatic event,” was all they could tell me, “Provide her with the security of a family, surround her with love, and perhaps she might yet heal.”

I had taken their advice to heart.

The last few years I had brought home many women I had hoped might create that homey, domestic environment Nora needed. Women who could mother her.

I offered generous terms, and I have never had an issue drawing she-wolves.

Many prospective brides answered my call, hoping to be the recipient of my bride-contract.

None were suitable.

If any had managed to pass Nora’s approval, then they could have stayed. I might even have learned to like them.

But no one was good enough for my daughter.

If anything, she had withdrawn further at the parade of strangers I brought to our home. I felt like I was going backwards in helping her. All my power and influence was meaningless when it came to the person I loved most.

I would give it all up, if it meant Nora would be happy again.

Now she leaned back against my chest and tucked her small face against my shoulder.

“Daddy,” my daughter whispered, stopping me in my tracks.

The sound of the words I hadn’t heard in ages made my heart stop.

She spoke again, “She… saved me.”

I was stunned. I hadn’t heard Nora speak since the kidnapping!

I didn’t want to frighten her with an overreaction, so I kept my face calm and turned to look down at her where she cuddled against me.

“The… slave? She helped you?” I asked, unable to keep the incredulity totally out of my tone.

Nora nodded solemnly, “Nice… I like her…”

I hugged my daughter tightly. I didn’t understand what was happening, but just hearing my daughter’s voice once more was worth just about anything that had gone wrong today.

Perhaps that woman had found out about my bride hunt and had sought to secure an interview by getting Nora to put in a good word for her? Somehow…?

I frowned. I hated that she had used my daughter as a pawn, but the filthy criminal had managed to get my attention.

I would see if she wanted to make a deal.

Charlotte’s POV

“So you saved my daughter.”

The voice boomed from somewhere above the pair of boots that had stopped at the edge of my field of vision where I was crouched over a wash bucket, scrubbing soiled linens.

I brushed my hair off my sweaty forehead with my arm and looked up.

Glowering down at me was the same Alpha from earlier. The one who had taken the child from the kitchens.

Ah, here came my punishment.

I should have known it would be sooner rather than later.

“Aye, I did,” I grumbled, “and I would do it again too. For her, or anyone who had the misfortune to end up in her position.”

“So, do you want money?” the Alpha asked harshly, “or something else?”

I froze at the question. Is that why he thought I had done it? So I could blackmail him with requests for favors?

“I don’t want anything from you,” I spat, indignantly, glaring at him, “I’m not that sort of person. I just helped someone who needed helping, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that someone like you can’t understand that!”

The Alpha looked displeased at my response. He crossed his arms and stared at me.

No doubt he was going to continue to insult me by offering me money or somesuch. I didn’t want to hear it.

Why did I always seem to meet this sort of Alpha male? I grumbled in my own head, glancing around the courtyard for a reason to escape.

“Listen, my daughter likes you, so I can offer whatever you want to be my...” the infuriating Alpha kept saying.

“I don’t want anything from you!” I hissed, pushing past the newcomer with my laundry basket.

In my haste, I misjudged the distance between him and the wall. My basket ricocheted off the stone, bouncing me backwards into the strange Alpha.

My shoulder and arm brushed along his arm, and it felt like I had brushed against a live wire.

Energy sparked between us, numbing my hand so suddenly that I yelped and lost my grip on my basket.

The basket fell, spilling the clean linens on the ground.

“Hey-,” the looming Alpha jumped back as mud splattered on his boots.

“You need to leave!” I growled at him urgently, dropping to my knees to pick up the now-filthy laundry, “We have nothing to say to each other!”

"I always get what I need. If you don't name your price this time, I will get it my way."

Then the stuck-up Alpha stalked off in a huff.

I surveyed the mess at my feet, grabbing for the damp, stained towels and sheets. I would need to re-wash it all…

A rough hand grabbed my elbow and hauled me around. It was Jason, and his grip was tight enough to bruise my arm as he pulled me closer to him.

“Why were you talking to Alpha Kieran?” Jason scowled. His breath smelled of sour wine, “What on earth were you saying to him?”

Alpha Kieran? That was the man I had talked back to?

Fuck.

“Nothing…” I muttered, stunned.

Jason saw my expression and gripped my chin, hard. “Stop dreaming - a man like Kieran would never fall for someone as lowly as you.”