Chapter 3

Grace had followed me into the council hall just in time to hear me ask who would warm my feet.

She'd held back her anger for so long that she finally snapped. She charged toward me, pointed a finger at my face, and screamed.

"Claire, do you even have a heart?

"Daniel is still unconscious, Ethan and Caleb are being tortured in silver cages, and Leo even gave up the escape tunnel for you. And all you can think about is dresses and warm feet."

The elders around us looked furious too. They obviously all thought I was as selfish as they come.

Grace grew more and more worked up. "You're nothing but dead weight dragging Leo down. How can you be so selfish!"

Leo pushed himself up from the table and stepped in front of me.

A powerful wave of pressure spread out from him, forcing Grace back two steps.

"Mom, I'm only going to say this once more. Do not insult Claire."

Leo's wound was still bleeding, but he didn't back down. "Nobody. Not even you."

Grace glared at her son and slapped him across the face.

"You'd turn your back on your own mother for her?"

Leo didn't move from where he stood. "It's because you're my mother that I've put up with this for so long."

Grace's eyes reddened. She stormed out and slammed the door.

After everyone left, Leo had a guard take me back to our room to pack, while he stayed in the council hall to arrange the evacuation.

The closet was full of lace dresses he'd bought me. Every time he went out to fight, he brought one back, saying that seeing a pretty dress made him think of me.

I'd just put some clothes into my suitcase when Grace stepped out of the shadows in the hallway, carrying a heavy backpack.

She shoved it into my arms. Through the open zipper, I could see bundles of cash and a few gold bars.

"Take this money and get lost. It's enough for you to live comfortably in a human city for the rest of your life."

I looked at her. "Don't you hate me?

"If you hate me, why are you giving me this?"

Grace turned her face away, but her shoulders shook. "As long as you stay here, Leo is going to get himself killed protecting you."

She gripped the strap of the backpack tightly, and her voice dropped. "I'm begging you. Just go."

The woman who'd called me worthless from the first day we met was swallowing her pride for her son.

Watching her walk away, I touched the dresses in the closet. Something I'd kept sealed away for ten years stirred inside me.

I'd never bothered to get involved when ordinary packs fought over territory.

But if Leo died, I'd never find another Alpha as handsome or as obedient as he was, or one willing to turn into a giant fluffball and cuddle me until I fell asleep.

I'd just set the backpack down when I heard a crash in the courtyard, followed by the screams of the guards.

More than a dozen scarred werewolves charged into the castle through the side gate by the hill behind the castle. The two guards at the gate were already lying in pools of blood.

Jenna stood among the enemy, still holding the key she'd used to shut off the alarm.

When she spotted me on the steps, she pointed at me, her face twisted with vicious glee.

"That's the human woman!

"As long as we hand her over to Marcus, the war will end, and Leo will see I'm the only one good enough to be his mate!"

The werewolves burst into lewd laughter and lunged at me.

One of them tore the lace at my shoulder and reached for my neckline with his filthy hand. "Such soft skin. Once the boss is done with her, the rest of us can have some fun too!"

My hand had already closed around his wrist, and I was about to crush his bones when a huge black shadow leaped down from the second-floor balcony.

Leo had shifted into a massive, ferocious black wolf. He bit through the big man's neck in one snap, then landed and lunged at another enemy, his huge body radiating menace.

But as more enemies poured in, Leo's unhealed wounds sapped his strength. His steps faltered, yet he still forced himself to stand between them and me.

Then one of the wolves grabbed a silver dagger and drove it hard into Leo's thigh. Blood gushed out at once. Leo lost all his strength and shifted back into human form.

Unable to stand, Leo still lifted his head and roared at me.

"Claire, run!"

Two of his men rushed out at once and dragged me toward the tunnel entrance behind the castle.

Explosions came from the front courtyard, and Leo's stifled cries of pain mixed with the sounds of fighting.

I stared blankly at the sky in the distance, red with fire and blood. The look in Leo's eyes as he begged me to run was still burning in my mind.

The last trace of my disguise faded from my eyes. I pulled free of the guards and spun around, heading straight for the castle's great hall.

"I'm not leaving.

"I'll skin anyone alive who dares to touch my Alpha today."