Whispers of the Wolf

Their Beta

"You're going to kill me?" I frowned at the Beta. "Even though I'm the mate of the young Alpha?"

The younger guy gasped, shock written clearly over his face, his dark eyes wide, his mouth open. The older man looked bored, yet his cold grey blue eyes were boring into mine, warning me that I should stop talking.

Take that, fucker.

"Being mated to Alaric changes nothing," he muttered, his voice dangerously low. "You're still a hunter and you were found on pack lands by Enzo." He motioned with his head to the younger man standing next to him. "You will answer these questions and you will be honest. We will know when you lie."

Yeah, Dad had told me that before. Call it a sixth sense, but werewolves seemed to sense a lie when they heard one.

Holding my breath, I nodded. Whether I liked it or not, I was going to have to do what this asshole said if I wanted to stay alive today.

"What were you doing on pack lands the night before last?"

Straight into it, then.

"I was visiting a pack member." Not a lie. I had been to see Radley that night.

"Which pack member?"

Radley was mated to Alaric, too, right? So, that meant that he was protected by his future Alpha ... and I could mention his name now. Right?

I hoped this was the case. "Radley." I looked at the Beta, took in the widening of his eyes at hearing Radley's name. "We're friends." Same line I used last night on Alaric.

The two Betas exchanged a glance, before the older man schooled his face once more to look bored, his arms still folded.

"Have you killed any member of this pack?"

"No." Not me.

"Have you harmed any member of this pack?"

"No." Never.

"Do you intend to harm any member of this pack?"

"No." Not any more.

The Beta pushed himself off the wall and took a step forward, his hands falling to his sides. "Then what were you doing on our territory?"

"I told you. I was visiting Radley." Hadn't I just said that? Just a minute ago?

"But you're a hunter."

This Beta was observant, I would give him that. Rolling my eyes, I sighed.

"Well, I was a hunter. But I'm not one any more." I had been ordered by Alaric to give it up last night. And I didn't want to go against his command. There was something so ... sexy ... about a man telling me what to do ... something about Alaric telling me what to do ...

"You had silver knives hidden in your clothes." It was Enzo's turn to speak and he leaned forward a little, anger radiating from his dark eyes.

Okay, he had me there.

"Yes, I did have silver weapons on me," I told him, keeping my voice level, my heart beat regular. Everything about my body would be watched by these wolves. I had to make them believe my words using body language. "It's a habit to carry around weapons. Especially when coming on to pack territory. I also didn't want to get ambushed by anyone in wolf form."

"If you were on our lands so innocently, visiting someone as you claim you did, then why did you sneak about? Why not come in and out using the main gate?" the older Beta asked.

"Because of the curfew," I explained. "This pack was on lockdown after what had happened to one of your pack members."

A sudden sob escaped from Enzo and he clamped a hand over his mouth, his eyes tearing up as he took a step backwards.

"Enzo," the older man growled and motioned with his head to his son. Enzo moved away, walking behind me, sniffing and wiping at his eyes.

What's up with him?

The older man coughed and my eyes were brought back to his face.

He cocked a brow. "So you've heard about that? About us losing a valuable member of our pack?" His eyes seemed glassy and he cleared his throat, his stern face softening a little.

Memories of how upset Radley had been when we'd met in his back garden shortly after the news had spread flashed across my mind. Clearly, the young wolf that had been murdered was loved deeply by her pack members.

Dad was right. It really was as though these wolves had lost a member of their family - they were that close.

"Yes, I've heard about her." I answered his question. "The news has been all over this pack. Radley was quite upset about it."

The Beta blew out a breath and nodded, his gaze flickering to the floor for a moment.

"I think we need to ask Radley about him." Enzo's voice came from behind me and I twisted in my seat to see him standing a foot away from the back of my chair, his lips pursed. "See if he's telling the truth." He sliced his eyes to me and narrowed them.

"We can't do that, Enzo." The Beta ran his hand down his face. "Radley's at the mansion with Alaric."

My heart rate spiked at that news ... at hearing Radley's name. Spinning my head back around to face the older man, I asked, "Is Radley okay?" Why would he be at the mansion?

"He will be."

What was that supposed to mean?

"Can I see him?"

The Beta cocked his head to the side. "Why?"

"I want to make sure he's okay. I should have visited him last night, but I couldn't because ... well ..." Cocking a brow, I motioned with my head to the chair I was sitting on since my hands were still tied behind my back.

"Don't worry. We'll let him know you're okay." He dismissed me with a wave of his hand.

What?

"Can't you at least bring him here? So that I can see him?" I missed him. I hadn't realised just how much until I woke up, lying on the flat mattress in the cell, my body aching to hold his warm slender one.

The Beta squinted his eyes, chewing on his bottom lip.

"Dad." Enzo walked around my chair to stand next to the older Beta. "You can't be seriously considering bringing Radley out here? To see him?" He pointed at me and I cocked a brow. "Not after Radley ..." His voice trailed off as he glared at me.

"What?" I glanced between the two men standing in front of me. "Not after Radley did what? What's happened? What's going on?"

"I think that's enough questions for today." The older Beta motioned with his head to the guards and they all began walking forwards, closing in on me.

"Wait!" I shouted, staring hard at the older man. "What's happening with Radley? Is he okay?"

The Beta just stared back at me, a bored look on his face.

And that was the last thing I saw before the hood was shoved over my head once more.

Oh fuck.