Chapter Twenty-five
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Phil asked her the following night.
Brynley was in the kitchen at Nate’s house, enjoying a bowl of ice cream with her brother before the night’s big event.
She swallowed her last bite. “I’ve always run away. To college, to the rodeo, to the academy. I can’t do it anymore. My inner wolf is rebelling and insists I stand up for myself. I’ll never be completely free until I get over my fear of our father.”
Phil nodded. “I’m proud of you. But be careful. Stick close to me or Phineas.” He put their empty bowls in the sink. “All right. Let’s hitch a ride to the ranch.”
She accompanied her brother into the foyer, where Angus and his men were arming themselves with swords and pistols.
“Are you sure you don’t want a weapon?” Phineas asked.
Phil shook his head. “It would just be confiscated. The guards won’t let us near our father if we’re armed.”
Phineas gave Brynley a worried look. “You’re sure?”
“Yes. I want to stand up to him, not kill him.”
Phineas pulled her close. “I hate to let you out of my sight.”
“I’ll be fine. Remember how strong I am?” She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Nate had assigned her a bedroom upstairs, and she’d managed to pin Phineas down on the mattress a few times. Their wrestling match had gone on until the rising sun had forced him to go to the basement with the other Vamps for their death-sleep.
After a long day’s sleep, she was ready to face the dragon tonight. Caddoc Jones. Angus and his employees were hoping to capture Corky and Dimitri. And if Rhett Bleddyn died in battle, no one was going to mourn his passing.
Jack teleported first to position himself in the woods behind the house. Then he called, and Lara put him on the speakerphone. She waved and wished everyone good luck as they vanished.
As soon as they materialized, Angus led the small group to the edge of the backyard. The guard, who’d been relaxing in a patio chair, jumped to his feet and pounded on the back door, shouting.
Within seconds, more guards appeared. Then a group of young male werewolves. Brynley spotted her brother Howell. Then Caddoc Jones strode to the edge of the patio and regarded them with a haughty glare.
“A motley group of bloodsuckers and shifters,” he muttered, then raised his voice. “Is there a reason for this invasion of my property? Or shall I consider this a declaration of war?”
Angus stepped forward. “You can consider us a peacekeeping force.”
Caddoc snorted. “Do you see a war around here?”
“Give it some time,” Angus answered dryly. “Your son and daughter have come to speak to you.”
Caddoc’s mouth thinned. “I have but one son, and he’s here.” He motioned to Howell, and whispered something to him.
Howell nodded, then stepped off the patio and walked toward them with two guards.
“Can you do your talk here in the yard?” Phineas asked. “Where I can keep an eye on you?”
Brynley shook her head. “If our father talks to us, it will have to be in private. He can’t be seen in public talking to Phil. He banished him, so he can’t acknowledge his existence.”
Phil snorted. “That’s why he sent our brother out to talk to us.” He took hold of her elbow. “Ready?”
“Be careful,” Phineas whispered.
“I will.” She squeezed his hand, then walked with Phil across the yard. They stopped halfway to the patio.
Howell halted about ten feet away, the guards behind him. He ignored Phil and focused on Brynley. “I see you’ve returned in time for the wedding.”
“No—”
“Call Rhett and tell him his bride is here!” Howell yelled back at the guards on the patio.
Brynley gritted her teeth. “I am not marrying him.”
“You will.” Howell glared at her. “The Supreme Pack Master commands it.”
“Bullshit,” Phil said calmly.
Howell glanced at him. “Do I know you?”
“Cut the crap. I’m here to talk to our father.”
Howell snorted. “The prodigal son returns. Don’t think you can weasel your way back into the inheritance. It’s mine now.”
“Congratulations, Howie. Does that mean you’ve gone Alpha?” Phil flicked some dust off his shoulder, and his hand flashed into a wolf’s paw, then back to human.
Murmurs of amazement rushed over the crowd standing on the patio. Phil had performed a difficult partial shift with incredible ease. Only an extremely powerful Alpha could manage such a feat.
Howell stepped back, his eyes wide.
“I will speak to my daughter,” Caddoc Jones announced. “She may bring her escort.” He turned on his heel and walked back into the house.
Phil gave Brynley an amused look. “That got his attention.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, “but you still don’t have a name.”
Howell jutted his chin forward, his mouth thin with anger. “This way.” He strode back to the patio with the guards.
“Thanks,” Phil said dryly. “I’d forgotten where the back door is.”
“Behave,” Brynley warned him as they walked. “We’re going into the lion’s den.”
“Or wolf’s den,” he murmured back. “I hear they sometimes eat their young.”
She gave him an annoyed look. “That’s not boosting my confidence.”
Howell led them into the house and straight into her father’s office.
Caddoc Jones was waiting for them, leaning against his desk. He waved a dismissive hand. “You may go, Howell.”
Howell’s jaw dropped. “But—” He stopped when his father glared at him.
“Better learn to submit,” Phil whispered to him. “It’s the price of the inheritance.”
Howell’s eyes flashed with anger, then he strode from the room and slammed the door behind him.
Caddoc glanced at Brynley, expressionless, then focused on Phil. “Then it’s true. You achieved Alpha status on your own without instruction from the Council of Elders.”
“Of course I was on my own. You banished me.”
Caddoc snorted. “You fool. You were supposed to come back.”
“With my tail between my legs?”
“I would have taken you back. You’re worth ten of your brother.”
Phil shrugged. “Your loss then.”
Caddoc lunged forward, his hand fisted. “If you weren’t so damned impressive, I would kill you.”
Brynley winced. So much for the welcome home. She glanced at her brother. He was standing stiffly, his chin lifted, his face calm, but she knew he had to be hurting inside.
“What is it with you two?” Caddoc paced across the floor. “No creature on this earth is more gloriously alive than a werewolf. But you insist on betraying your own kind to hang out with a bunch of bloodsuckers. They’re fucking dead half the time. It’s an abomination to consort with them!”
“You.” He pointed at Phil. “You married one. And you”—he sneered at Brynley —“you’re screwing one of them. Oh, don’t look surprised. I know everything you do. I just hope you got it out of your system. We’ll do your wedding as soon as Rhett arrives. He’s staying in one of the guesthouses down the road.”
She swallowed hard. This was it. Time to stand up for herself. Her inner wolf bristled. “I refuse to marry Rhett.”
Caddoc scoffed.
“You have to call the wedding off,” Phil said.
“And you’ve come back here to give me orders?” Caddoc asked dryly.
“Rhett intends to kill Brynley and the entire family as soon as the wedding is over,” Phil explained. “He wants all your land, wealth, and pack members.”
Caddoc gave him a bland look, then shook his head. “You have never truly appreciated me. It’s so annoying.” He walked over to the desk and perched on the corner.
Brynley exchanged a questioning look with her brother.
Phil’s eyes narrowed. “He knows.”
Caddoc shrugged. “Of course I know. But two can play at this game. Once the wedding is over, we kill Rhett. He has no heirs, so all his land and wolf packs in Alaska go to his new bride. Well, me, actually, since only an Alpha can be the master of a pack.”
A queasy feeling stirred in Brynley’s stomach. “You were using me. I’ve never been more than a pawn to you.”
“Don’t try that indignant crap on me,” her father snarled. “You would come out ahead. You’d have a dozen houses in Alaska and more money than you could ever spend.”
“And I would only have to kill someone to get it. Gee, thanks.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I wouldn’t expect you to do the killing.”
She scoffed. “Oh, I feel so much better now.”
“Are you smart-mouthing me?” Her father stepped toward her, his fists clenched.
She lifted her chin. Phil moved closer.
A knock sounded on the door.
Caddoc took a deep breath and flexed his hands. “What is it?” he shouted.
Howell cracked the door and gave them a nervous look. “Rhett has arrived for the wedding. He’s waiting in the backyard.”
“Good.” Caddoc grabbed Brynley’s arm and dragged her forward.
“I’m not marrying him.” She pulled her arm away.
“I don’t think you have any choice,” Howell said. “He’s brought fifty men with him. And they’re all armed.”
Phil whistled. “Looks like Angus was right about that war.”