Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Fear scraped through Emily, sharp and cold. She glanced toward the doorway where Caidrik and Miliki stood, both Enforcers rigid with tension. Their eyes met hers, grim and unflinching.
Miliki shook his head. “I can challenge him, but I don’t have Alpha blood. I might win, but then what?” His gaze dropped to her, assessing. “You just passed out. What’s wrong with you?”
She sighed and shook her head. “I’ve been ill for a while with genetic problems.”
“Ill? With the same sickness that killed your mother?” Miliki’s eyes softened. “Oh, Em, I’m sorry to hear that.” The Enforcer looked stricken. He’d been in her life since she was a baby and felt like a grandfather to her.
“I might be okay,” she said, her knees still weak. “I mated Jackson last night.”
Philip tried to surge from the sofa and then fell back weakly. “You did what?”
“It’ll save her,” Jackson said shortly. “Something about chromosomes and mutated and recessive genes. I don’t know. You could call my doctors if you’d like a better explanation. Just know that my blood and mating me is the only thing that will save her. You want her alive, don’t you?”
Philip reached a gnarled hand out and brushed Emily’s hair away from her face. “Of course, I want her alive,” he said softly. “More than anything else.”
Nadia finally stopped pacing and strode over to them, grabbing a monstrous book with slate-colored binding. The pack’s grimoire looked dusty. “Caidrik and I’ve been going through this.”
“You have?” Emily asked, cutting her a look. She had tried to go through the pack’s ancient book of laws as a teenager and had fallen asleep within minutes. In fact, she’d forgotten the book even existed since they didn’t really use it any longer.
“Yeah, we’re looking at some old English in here,” Nadia grumbled. “He actually likes reading it more than I do.”
Caidrik shrugged one massive shoulder. “I like puzzles.”
Nadia nodded. “We’ve been searching for anything that can help.”
Emily held her breath. “Any luck?”
“No. I haven’t found anything yet. Victor, as an Alpha of the pack, has every right to challenge our current Alpha.” She looked at Philip. “I am sorry, Philip. I’ll keep looking.”
Philip pushed himself up to more of a seated position, keeping the blanket on his legs. “Would you please call me Dad?” he asked, his eyes lighting as if the request surprised him.
Nadia shifted on her feet. “Okay.” She looked at Emily. “I don’t suppose you could be the Alpha of this pack while Jackson remains the Alpha of his?”
Emily sucked in air, her temples aching. “It might’ve been possible had I not just passed out in front of everybody. I’m not strong yet, Nadia. I have no idea when I will be, and Victor is ready to go through the trials right now.” Whatever the hell those were.
“What the fuck are the trials?” Jackson asked shortly.
Philip looked at him, then at Emily, and his shoulders sagged. “We still follow the old laws. There are three trials a new Alpha has to endure and survive to become the Alpha of this pack, and that’s after any possible challenges.”
“What are they?” Jackson looked at Emily this time.
She shrugged. “I have no clue.”
Philip’s jaw tightened, his lips pressing together. “The trials are none of your business, Jackson. I’m sorry, but you’re the Alpha of another pack. You don’t get to know this information unless and until you decide to become the Alpha of our pack.” His gaze moved to his daughter. “Emily, since you declared her your intention, I could tell you, but Victor is just going to challenge you first. You can’t beat him right now.”
No kidding. She couldn’t feel her feet right now.
Nadia pushed her hair away from her face. “What about me?”
Philip’s gaze softened even more. “You’re not a fighter, Nadia.”
“Who says a fighter has to survive the trials?” She shook her head. “I haven’t even gotten to what they are yet. They must be explained in the grimoire.”
“I know what they are. I survived them,” Philip murmured. “You need to be a fighter. Trust me.” His chin lowered. “I’m healing, but not quickly. It could take weeks.”
Emily’s temples pounded. “Victor won’t wait weeks.”
“No,” Philip said, his voice rough with fatigue. “I don’t see much of an option. I can try to hold Victor off, but I don’t know how long it’ll take for me to regain my strength. They used silver in the attack.”
Emily gasped, leaning back. “Nobody told me that.”
Nadia’s eyes widened, so much like hers that it was like looking in a mirror. “He didn’t tell me either, or I would’ve shared.”
“I didn’t tell anybody,” Philip admitted. “They stabbed me in the thigh, so I can’t shift to heal myself.”
“I wondered about that,” Nadia said. “I thought you might be too weak, but I didn’t want to say anything.”