Chapter 37
Valarie
Morgan’s group operated like a well-oiled machine. They woke early every day—which luckily wasn’t hard for me to get on board with—and they trained constantly.
There was endless energy, the undertone of anticipation building with each day. Morgan trained right alongside everyone else, and I grudgingly could admit that there was a reason she had so many people backing her up.
We were hunkered down in a rambling house outside the Kingdom that wasn’t in great shape but was good enough for a week or so until the wedding ceremony.
Morgan had a few omegas coming to visit every day with updates.
It sounded like things were moving along pretty smoothly—Sophia and Gabe had been spotted out in the city a few more times, and Sophia was spending more time with her future mother-in-law.
The latter information was being relayed to Morgan right now in the area of the backyard we’d begun to use for sparring.
I was up against Caiden, a lean young man who made me feel like a towering monster when we sparred.
But he was starting to pant, which made me think I was finally getting the upper hand.
Morgan was close enough that I could hear bits and pieces of the conversation.
She was cold when she spoke to her pack mates but that only seemed to make them respect her more.
There was a disturbing amount of groveling that went on in the Blue Pack.
Even the pack in the Kingdom didn’t act this way around Gabriel or his mother.
And Sophia’s mom would’ve been appalled to see so much fear in her subjects.
But Morgan seemed to thrive off it. Her eyes blazed coldly as the omega stuttered out a report of this morning’s meeting between the queen and princess.
“It’s said they have bypassed pleasantries and now spend their time talking amicably about plans for the future of the Kingdom and the packs, or otherwise, wedding plans.”
Just the mention of the wedding hardened my insides. I tried to focus on Caiden circling, his feet light and working in a pattern meant to confuse my eyes. He took a forward swipe, and I blocked it easily, shuffling to the right.
“Do we know anything yet about where it will be taking place?” Morgan asked.
The omega wrung his hands, glancing quickly at the group of us. It was clear he was at least a little afraid of Morgan’s group of rebels.
“We know it won’t be in the palace.”
Morgan frowned. “Why? What makes you so sure?”
“There has been word that the King and the princess want something more traditional. Which would mean the ceremony is to take place outdoors.”
I glanced at them in surprise and missed another grab from Caiden, who hooked his arm under my leg and flipped me onto my back. Rolling quickly, I barely managed to dodge his elbow as it dropped to where my throat had been only moments before.
Something traditional? That didn’t really seem like Sophia—she respected tradition because it was such an integral part of our pack, but she wouldn’t suggest it on her own.
I knew from hours and hours of daydreaming and chatting as kids that, like many girls, she dreamed of something big and showy—a white gown, a large hall, beautiful music.
And becoming Gabriel’s mate was a way to make that happen.
So why would she agree for a traditional, understated ceremony instead?
“Valarie.”
Morgan’s voice cut through the group of us like a knife, and several pack members froze.
I straightened up, dusting the dirt off my pants, and walked toward her and the omega, who she dismissed immediately.
The omega hurried away, hunched forward. Is this what Morgan had in mind for the Kingdom? Ruling in fear? Fear didn’t make a strong pack.
“You spent a good amount of time with the King,” she said smoothly. “Tell me, where do you think he has in mind for this ceremony? Is there anywhere that holds a special meaning to our Alpha?”
She said the last bit with a sarcasm I tried to ignore.
Morgan made a point to remind me almost daily of the time spent with Gabriel. And the fact that he was now set to marry my Alpha, my close friend.
“I’m not sure,” I said blandly, trying to keep my eyes blank.
But over the last few days, Morgan had grown suspicious of me. It was obvious. She had some of the betas keeping an eye on me. A few of them were subtle about it. But some had the Blue Pack trait of being straightforward and cruel, taking digs at me, calling me the King’s whore or plaything.
I could see the distrust in her eyes now as they narrowed. I had to give her something to work with or she might cut me out of the loop entirely.
“There’s a... lake. The lake where you ran the course.”
She considered my words carefully, a hand coming up to graze her chin, which she did whenever she was thinking.
“The lake? You think he might hold it there? The area is certainly large enough.”
I practically held my breath until she nodded and glanced to a nearby group of four.
“Tara, Michael, Wren. Come here.”
They did as they were told, the fourth—an omega—slinking off to join another sparring group.
My gaze dropped as the four omegas came to stand before us. Wren was one of the cruelest pack members, going so far as to growl at me sometimes if I got too close. She looked at me with obvious hatred.
The other two didn’t trust me, but their eyes were cool when they glanced at me.
“I want you to go through the woods. Find the place where the triathlon event took place, and scope it out. Look for access, areas where we could ambush, signs of preparation for the ceremony. You know what to do.”
They nodded without questioning her further and jogged off toward the house to gather their things.
Morgan tipped her chin up, appraising me.
“You’ve been helpful,” she chirped. “A surprise, since most consider the Autumn Pack useless.”
I fought down the bristling indignation, knowing instinctually that it’s what she was looking for. A reaction.
Instead, I kept my head down and waited. For instruction, more ridicule. Whatever she decided to say to me, I had to do what I could to stay with the rebels. I had to find out exactly what they planned on doing and how it could possibly be stopped.
Morgan dismissed me with a word, and I went back to my sparring area, where Caiden was waiting, his eyes hot with jealousy.
I tried not to roll my eyes as we began circling again.
He’d let his emotions get the better of him and he lunged out early, messily, a mistake that I easily caught.
I grabbed his forearm and shifted my weight, catapulting his lean body over mine. He rolled over my shoulder and landed with a thud on his back, groaning.
Morgan smirked at her fallen pack mate and met my eyes.
“Have you ever thought of switching packs?” she asked.