Chapter 7
Misti forced herself to turn around leisurely to face the newcomer, trying her best to stay calm and composed while not appearing startled or alarmed. This wasn’t going well at all.
“War is such an ugly word,” she said slowly.
“War is ugly,” the newcomer said bluntly. He was an older man, with salt and pepper hair and hard lines on his face, but she could still see that years erased, he would have been handsome.
“Wouldn’t you care for revenge? To be able to live back?—”
The newcomer glowered at Anders, his bushy eyebrows sinking over his eyes. “Revenge isn’t good motivation for anything. Yes, I’ll grant you the land was bountiful, and the ability to live so close to where one could turn and be free and not have to worry about revealing one’s true nature to humans is one we lack here, but we have known peace.”
“Peace is wonderful,” Misti whispered. She had never known peace.
“Peace is for fools,” Anders countered. “You may think you’re safe here?—”
“We don’t think that. We know.”
“Watch how you talk to Dunn Kastner,” Golden piped up behind them. “He is our alpha, and I have seen him firsthand rip out the throat of men who had given him more respect than you have.”
To his credit, Anders inclined his head. “I apologize if I offended you, but peace is fleeting.”
“I’m sure you feel that way, given that you were exiled for nearly a decade,” the alpha said coolly.
Goosebumps appeared on Misti’s arms. Kastner was not a man to be trifled with. How much does he know about us?
“Your father never was happy with you, was he, Misti?” Kastner unhurriedly walked a circle around her. “Or so my men have told me.”
Your spies, you mean.
The idea that he had kept tabs on both packs unsettled her, although it did give credence to Anders’s assurance that peace was for fools. Kastner was no fool. Whether he had started the military-like practice of the pack or was continuing on what the previous alpha had instituted, he was ready for war, regardless of whether or not he actually reentered the fray.
“Happy and my father are not words I would ever put in the same sentence,” she said stiffly. For some reason, she wanted to clasp her hands behind her back and stand at attention. She didn’t, of course.
“Are you not capable of leading a pack?”
She scowled, and beside her, Anders bristled. That the former Shadowed Star felt so strongly against someone who was merely questioning her had a rush of emotion flooding through her. She didn’t dare examine that emotion too closely, though. There were far more important matters to attend to than matters of the heart.
Of the heart. That was preposterous. Where had that idea come from?
“I am more than capable. I can lead, I can defend, and I can kill if need be.”
“And have you?”
“Killed? Yes.”
“So have I,” Anders cut in. “Her father sent werewolves to kill us both. In kind, we slew them all.”
“Jon, you will excuse us.” With a curt nod, Kastner left the room and headed for a staircase. At the end of the long hallway, bypassing several doors, he opened large wooden doors. This office was larger than Golden’s, with a thick rug covering the floor. Dark curtain pushed aside allowed plenty of natural light to flood the room.
Silence reigned, heavy and thick, like an oppressive cloud. Misti had always hated the fog. It obscured vision and made it difficult to hunt and track. It was always better to banish it away.
Taking a cue from Anders and being rash for once, she said, “We appreciate that you haven’t killed us yet.”
“Don’t be too appreciative. I haven’t decided yet if I should see if your fathers would ransom either of you.”
Anders snorted. “Not a chance.”
“Then maybe they will offer a reward for your heads instead.”
“Allowing us to have our heads intact might prove more beneficial to you,” Anders said smoothly.
“How so?” Kastner tapped a finger against his cheek in a clearly artificial move to demonstrate attentiveness.
“We know details of how our packs work. The guards, their shifts, about each werewolf?—”
“You have been gone for ten years.” Kastner turned away from him as if Anders didn’t exist. “But you, yes, you, Misti, that’s another story. You could prove useful.”
“I will do anything to ensure both my and Anders’s safety,” she said cautiously. The hairs on the back of her neck rose. She didn’t like how Kastner was eyeing her, as if she were for sale and he wanted to haggle down the price.
“That you care so much for a rival pack member gives me hope.” Kastner lifted his phone and pressed a button. “Jon, send me up Talon.”
“Talon?” Anders muttered into her ear. “What kind of a name is that?”
“The name of a werewolf who was born with his claws.” Kastner could not look more smug, Misti was sure, although to be fair, that was impressive. Normally, a child didn’t shift until they were at least one year old.
The door opened, and a handsome man who looked identical to how Misti imagined a younger Kastner would look stood there. He bowed to the alpha. “You summoned me, Father?”
“Yes.” Kastner shifted his gaze from his son to Misti. “I would like to introduce you to your fiancée.”
Misti swallowed hard. She could hardly refuse. “Hello, Talon. I’m Misti.”
Talon took her hand in his. He had a firm grip, not too tight, and his palm was warm. “Hello, Misti. I would be honored to be your husband.”