I wondered if the young man was going to explode with anger or start shouting likeHarrisMurdochhad.However, he simply nodded his head.
“Very well,” he said.“Iaccept the ruling of theCouncil.I’llstay here and get to know everyone and in two weeks,I’llenter theAlphaChallengeand prove by strength as well as blood, thatIam the rightful heir and the newPackLeader.”
“Good luck finding any place to stay,”Harrissneered.Heraised his voice.“Iwant to put everyone on notice right now—whoever offers this upstart pup a place to lay his head will officially be on my shit list onceI’mthePackLeader!”
A murmur ran through the crowd and people began backing away.Noone, it seemed, dared to makeHarrisMurdochangry.
No one but me.
I looked at the young man—looked at his broad shoulders and golden skin…his strong back and muscular arms—and thought that maybe he might have a chance.Maybehe could beatHarris—if he was lucky.
If we werebothlucky, because if he didn’t beat the otherAlpha,Iwould be paying the price.Harrishad already said he intended to marry me, take my property and money, and breed me every night, whetherIwanted him to or not.Thatsounded likeHellonEarthto me.
I had to take a chance.
“He can stay with me,”Isaid, and thoughIdidn’t speak very loudly, everyone in the funeral parlor fell silent and every eye was on me at once.
“Whatdid you say?”HarrisMurdochdemanded, glaring at me.
“I said thatKorwyncan stay atWolvertonManor,”Isaid, raising my voice.“Irefuse to let the kin of my late husband sleep in the cold,”Iadded, lifting my chin.“Thelaws ofPackhospitality forbid it.”
Which was true enough—at leastIhadPackLawto fall back on for my decision.
“Well, thank you.”Korwynnodded at me graciously.“I’llbe pleased to accept your offer…?”
“Vivienne,”Isaid, giving him my name, thoughIstill hadn’t raised my veil.“Myname isVivienneJamison—Iwas the wife of your late uncle.Welcomehome,Korwyn.”
There was another murmured gasp as thePacklistened to me acknowledge the family connection betweenCarterandKorwyn.Imight not have much power in this town, but as the wife of the latePackLeader,Ididstill have considerable status.Andby using my status to giveKorwyn’sclaims legitimacy,Iwas officially lending him my support—which meant a great deal.
“Thank you,Vivienne.”Korwyncame forward to take my hand in his.Hebent and kissed the back of my fingers, andIfelt a strange shiver go through me.Mynipples were suddenly tight, andIfelt a throbbing between my thighs.Whatwas going on?
BeforeIcould figure it out,HarrisMurdochwas shoving between us, breaking the connection.
“The pupcan’tstay with her!”he snarled.“He’llhave his cock in her before the night is through!”
But this time he seemed to have gone too far.Imight have failed my husband in producing any heirs for him, but my chastity had never been questioned.Indeed,Igot the impression that most of the townsfolk thoughtIwas something of a cold fish—“IceQueen”Ihad heard myself called, more than once—and there had been whispers of my nearly non-existentHeatCycles.Itwas as though they thought my supposed sexual frigidity was what kept me barren.
With a reputation like that, no one was very willing to supposeIwas invitingKorwyninto my home to seduce him.Therewere murmurs of disapproval andFatherMacKaityactually shook his finger atHarrisMurdoch.
“Harris, please!”he exclaimed.“Youcan’t say such things!Thisyoung man is the nephew ofLadyVivienne’slate husband!”
“That doesn’t matter,”Harrismuttered angrily.
“Of course it does!”FatherMacKaityexclaimed.“Weall know thatLadyVivienneis aMoonWidow—she is too old to be remarried and will spend the rest of her days grieving her husband’s death.Shewould never engage in carnal activities with a younger man in that way—that would be breaking one of theUnbreakableLawsof ourPack!”
“Just because she’s an old bitch, doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to fuck,”Harrissnarled.“Whatif she comes into aHeatCyclewhile he’s up there with her?”
“I haven’t had aCyclein the past fourteen months—not that it’s any of your business,”Isaid, glaring at him through my veil.“I’msimply offeringCarter’sheir a place to stay until he can beat you at theChallenge.”
Harris’s face turned almost puce with rage andIknewIhad gone too far.ButIdidn’t care anymore—Ihad already chosen a side andIwasn’t backing down now.
“Stand at my side,Korwyn,”Isaid, nodding at him with dignity.Imight not have much in this town, butIhad my status.Icouldn’t leave the funeral early—butIcouldend it early—ifIdid it the right way.
I lifted my head regally and straightened my shoulders asIaddressed the room.
“I want to thank you all for coming toCarter’sfuneral—Iknow it would have meant a great deal to him,”Isaid.“However,Ithink it’s time we all went home.Therain will be making the roads slippery, andIknowCarterwouldn’t have wanted anyone to get hurt staying late to honor him.”
Actually, this wasn’t true at all.Carterwouldn’t have given a damn if someone got hurt and probably would have wanted everyone to stay until midnight saying what a greatPackLeaderhe had been.ButIdidn’t care about that.Mylate husband was dead, andIwas finished honoring the man who had stolen my life.