Wolf's Bane (Shifted) Read Free

council would take action.”
    ‘Action ?”
    “ He didn’t specify, but I got the impression that Bane knew exactly what he meant. I would imagine action could mean only two possible scenarios, disillusion of the pack, or a war with council. I assumed that Warren would want to avoid both.  Warren acquiesced and told John and my sister Hannah that he was rescinding his order.”
    “How magnanimous of him,” Bryce growled. He didn’t understand how the council could allow this to go on.
    “So what of the attack?” Lars asked. “Was it retribution for making the Alpha look foolish?” Lars assumed a pack leader, that led his pack like it was the Middle Ages, wouldn’t take the council’s decree well.
    “Warren wasn’t happy. Hannah and John had already asked that I take Ashley in until things died down.  I didn’t think it would be a problem letting her say goodbye to some of her friends. Royal was still in town and I knew Warren wasn’t stupid enough to do anything with the watchful eye of the council there.”
    “You were wrong?” Bryce saw where this was going. They already knew Ashley had been attacked.
    “ Actually, Warren did nothing. It was Richard. I had underestimated his involvement. I had assumed that he was a pawn like Ashley, just following his Alpha father’s orders. I hadn’t considered what he might do. I intended to take Ashley the next day and bring her here. That night, she went out to say goodbye to her friends. Richard and two of his friends apparently found out where she would be.”
    “ They attacked her,” Bryce muttered.
    “I still don’t know the specifics. Ashley has shut down. She’s not talking. She wouldn’t let the doctors touch her when her friends brought her home. I do know that they ambushed her. Richard had intended to make an example of her. What he didn’t know was what Ashley was capable of. Even three against one, Ashley held her own.”
    “She managed to get away?”
    “Bryce , she killed Richard.”
    “ The Alpha's son?”
    “Yes . Her friends told us that she managed to get hold of a rock and bashed Richard in the temple. When he released her, she didn’t stop hitting him. She didn’t stop until he was dead.”
    “Her friends were watching?”
    “ There were witnesses, but they were afraid to talk to anyone except the council members. The council has ruled that it was self-defense.”
    “ Of course it was. He was attacking her,” Bryce growled. God, what this girl had been through.
    “ What you have to understand is, according to Bane, she should have submitted. He blames her for his son’s death, despite the council ruling.”
    “Shit . But you got her out. She’s here?”
    “ Yes. That’s why I needed to speak to the two of you. Hannah and John have gone to the West coast in the hopes that Warren will think they have their daughter with them. His official ruling was that they be banished. He couldn’t sentence her to death when the council had ruled in her favor.”
    “ But you think he’ll come after her?”
    “ I know he will.  Bringing her here was the only way to keep her safe. I know this puts the pack in the middle. I just couldn’t leave her there. She needs protection.” Drew seemed to be apologizing for his actions. As Alpha of the Reiner pack, he had a pack to worry about. Bringing his niece there had made the pack a target.
    “The Bane pack is no match for us, Drew. You did the right thing. We can assure her safety.” Lars tried to comfort his friend. Given the circumstances, he would have done the same thing.
    “ Thank you both for understanding. Bryce, that is why I would like you to continue. No one knows I’m back, and I’d like to keep it that way for a bit longer.  Julie and I need to concentrate on Ashley at the moment.”
    “Y ou’ll be staying here though, right?” Bryce didn’t think taking the girl to some remote area would provide the amount of protection necessary. He knew his Alpha well. Drew might