Wolfsfoot (Kingdom of Wolves #1)

We step into the town council house, and walk into themeeting room. Brod and his father are sitting at the long table, and give me asmile as I enter. The four council members are on the opposite side of thetable, looking stern.

Fragina is sitting at one end of the table, and I don’t evenlook at her. Taking a seat next to Brod, I look at the council members as Lykosand Akela sit on the other side of me.

I look at two men who are now guarding both doors to theroom. Stopping us from getting out, I presume, but as I’ve done nothing wrong,I will not worry about it. Unlike Fragina, who is looking decidedly panicked,but still giving me nasty looks. I curl my lip slightly at her, which surprisesme, but I know it’s Ebony taking over a little.

“Okay, we all know why we are here.” Councilman Webberstates, gaining my attention. “Today we have to make a decision regardingFragina Stonewalker. I don’t know why you’ve felt so much resentment towardTatiana Winterstorm. She came to us when she ran from an abusive pack. Insteadof welcoming her to the town as we welcome all rogue wolves who try to find abetter life, you instantly took a dislike. Do you want to explain to us why youhave felt this way?”

Fragina leans forward in her seat, but she has thisdisgusting snarl on her face, which has the council members side-eye eachother. Noticeable to us, but unfortunately not to Fragina, as she seems sowrapped up in ‘nasty’ that she’s lost herself to it.

“She came here, high and mighty. Better than everyone withher Alpha female bullshit. Who the hell cares if she’s Alpha or not? We arerogues and the town is for rogues, not for blue-blooded bitches like her.

“We need to throw her out and back to her pack. TheBlackshadow Pack wants her, so why are we having her here? She’s going to causea war, and a war none of us want.” Taking a breath, she sneers at me, but Imaintain my calm pose and keep my eyes forward on the council members. “Seewhat I mean? She’s that up herself she can’t even look at me.”

“Could I say something now?” I ask as I maintain my focus onthe front.

Agnes smiles. “You may respond, Tatiana.”

Turning, I look Fragina in the eye, allowing Ebony to cometo the front. My eyes glow with the fire that Ebony is throwing out with heranger and I see Fragina fighting to maintain eye contact, but eventually, shehas to drop her eyes and looks to the right, where the male on the door gives ashake of the head and quietly chuckles.

“I don’t know why you think I came here for anything otherthan safety. I was treated badly by my pack and when I heard the Alpha’s sonsay they were going to cut my wolf’s hamstrings to stop me from leaving on mybirthday, before I got my wolf, I ran.

“The agenda was to stop me from running, and mate me withthe Alpha’s son, even though he’s not my mate, but that wasn’t a problem to theAlpha. He wanted me to have a pup, hand it over to Connell, and sign over aninheritance I will come into. Then they would have killed me, although he saidhe would send me to the lodge on the edge of the territory.

“So I ran, as any female wolf would, I’m sure. But then you,for some reason, took a dislike to me. Well, I dislike you too, and I dislikeyou because you are a spiteful, nasty, female. If you ever find your mate, Ifeel sorry for him, because having to live with you and your vileness is enoughto make a lifetime feel like an eternity.”

I turn back to the front before Fragina can respond, butwhat none of us expected was for her to shift into her wolf and jump across thetable to attack me.

One guard shifts instantly and jumps onto the table, ramminginto her wolf Una, sending her flying off the table and crashing into a cabinetstanding against the wall. Una growls and lunges at the guard, but he quicklyhas her pinned underneath him, and his jaws clamped around her throat. His eyesflick to the council members and we all wait for their decision because if theysay she has to die, the guard will rip her throat out where she lies.

The council members quickly speak through their mind-link,and Mayor Stringbold, who is the head councilman, stands. “We the councildecree that Fragina Stonewalker be banned to no-man’s-land, never to return. Ifyou are seen in our territory, you will be killed on sight. Guard, take her toher home, collect the minimum she will need, and take her to the border. If shesteps back onto our side of the border you will kill her on sight. Do youunderstand Fragina Stonewalker?”

The guard releases her throat and steps back but remains inhis wolf form. Fragina shifts back to her human form and gives me a spitefullook before nodding at the council. But as she leaves with one guard in humanform and one in wolf form, she looks back at me. “I’ll see you dead for this.”

Brod claps his hands and looks at me. “Woman’s bat shitcrazy.” My eyes shoot to Brod’s father and he nods in agreement, which takes meby surprise.

Lykos throws his arm over my shoulder. “Don’t worry abouther anymore. If you ever meet her again, you’ll be far stronger than she’llever be and you’ll have the right to kill her.”

Arriving back at the farmhouse, I sigh in relief, but whenDrake enters the kitchen looking angry, we all three wait impatiently for whathe has to say.

“Next week the Shifter council is coming to visit. Flint hasbeen in touch. Alpha Torrance has made waves about Tati being here. The councilwanted her to go to them, but Flint stopped that happening. The town councildoesn’t know about it yet, but I don’t think they’ll be able to stop theshifter council from coming. We need to be alert from today onwards because Idon’t know what they have planned, but a female Alpha is someone they’ll wantto get their hands on, and as you are officially a rogue now, they’ll thinkthey can bully you.” Drake is looking directly at me when he says the last.

“I’ll not be bullied anymore, Drake. I got out of a badplace and I’ll never go back. If I need, I’ll join one of the other neighboringpacks. Blood Pearl or Eclipse would have me, I’m sure.” I turn to Lykos andhe’s growling under his breath, but I place my hand on his forearm, which calmshim and his wolf.

“I wanted to tell you as soon as I found out. It gives youthe most time you can have to be ready for them coming, be prepared, and haveevery answer ready for any question they throw at you.” Drake looks so angrythat I walk over and wrap my arms around his waist, giving him a hug, whichtotally takes him unaware, but he hugs me back while looking over my head at Lykosand Akela.

Taking a seat around the table, Akela brings over a pitcherof lemonade and we all try to guess what questions they’ll ask and the bestanswers I can give.

But underneath all the careful planning we are making, I canfeel the anger rolling through them. I can’t help but feel sad that now it’srevealed I’m an Alpha female the shifter council is interested in my welfare.When I was being mistreated in the Blackshadow Pack, they had no interest atall. I’ll make sure I ask them that question.

Chapter 13

TATIANA

Sunday morning and I’m looking forward to having a quieter day. It hasbeen such a busy week, and the shock of Fragina being thrown out of town hasaffected me. Although, at the town meeting, I was quite happy to see her leave.It wasn’t until later that I realized what a tremendously frightening thing ithad to have been for her to be thrown out of the rogue territory, and intono-man’s-land.

I head outside and feed the pigs, and look up when I hear myname called. The smile on my face has to be large when I see Brod runningtoward me with an enormous grin on his face.

“What are you doing here on a Sunday morning?”