Untamed - Book 1
Chapter 23

“What did you say to him?” her expression is serious and filled with anger and sorrow that I can tell is barely being suppressed.

“I told him that I will help to free their families. I will make sure that Laurent pays for what he has done. I’m sorry, but I cannot help you. I will not bind you to the daughter of that monster.” She releases her hold on my arm and begins to walk back toward the cabin, but I quickly catch up, feeling the need to be near her and keep her safe.

“I want you to come stay at the pack house. Lady Laurent will be detained for her part in this. This all explains why she has been behaving so strangely. I want you where we can keep you safe.” She stops and turns to face me, her dazzling green eyes nearly glowing as the moonlight illuminates them from above.

“We cannot provide me safety if it means having your people feel unsafe.” She turns and continues walking.

“It is time my people know the truth and I want you there when I tell them.” She stops dead in her tracks ahead of me.

“This will cause conflict among your people. Telling someone that everything they have believed in and fought for s a lie, that is a hard pill to swallow for even the most open minded people.” I can see the faint glow of the lights in the windows of the cabin ahead and quickly pick up my pace.

“Cora, they deserve to know. They need to know that your actions tonight may have saved the lives of some of our men and definitely saved the lives of more innocent people that got caught up in the web of lies. They deserve to know what we are fighting for and even more than that, they need to know that the fight is worth the cost.” She pushes through the door to the cabin and grabs her bag. I watch as she snaps her fingers and all of the candles go out instantly.

“Well, if we are leading the rebellion against the council, we best get moving before they realize what is happening.” We walk back to the pack house, our pace just short of a run. I link everyone on our way, ordering the men and women of my pack to meet in the grand hall while the children remain safely locked away in their rooms. When we enter the pack house, the voices of my pack carry through the foyer as they all speculate about the cause for such an impromptu, late night meeting. I replace my father sitting in his seat at the head of the grand hall and I take Cora by the hand, leading her to the front of the crowd to stand beside my father.

“Silence! I have asked you all to meet because we need to discuss some things. We are facing a very real threat and we have unknowingly welcomed to our doorstep. This threat has been trickling down from the war over a century ago, a war that created a web of lies that we all have so blindly believed. Over one hundred years ago, my grandfather found out that his mate was a witch.

He imprisoned her, tortured her and allowed her to suffer. When the coven attacked our pack, they had come here to recuse their fellow witch. They did not come with the intent of causing us harm. We forced their hand when we attacked them. We brought the war upon ourselves.” The room erupts with voices of my pack shouting their disagreement and insisting on the truth in the lies we were told. Cora steps forward and the room falls silent, perhaps out of fear, or maybe it’s curiosity.

“Your alpha speaks the truth. The coven who raided your prison was the coven my mother had joined. She was there to complete a job on behalf of the witch’s council when Allora was taken. They came to your land, armed with only defensive spells. They tried to free their sister, but your alpha called it an attack. He murdered my mother and told you his actions were justified. All of the lives lost, all the blood and destruction, simply because he could not accept that his mate was a witch. Now, you face a new monster. This monster seeks to run you down and leave a path of death and suffering in his wake. This threat has been considered a friend, an ally to your people. He is taking the mates and children of rogue packs to force them to do his bidding.” My father, in an action that both shocks and amazes me, stands up and places a hand on Cora’s shoulder, silently offering his support and showing our people the truth in what she has shared.

“Jacob Laurent. He has been sending rogues over our borders to test for weakness. He has already killed the mate of one rogue and one of his children. I, obviously will not be proceeding with mating with his daughter. She will be arrested and detained for taking part in the attacks on our people. We have all believed the lies for far too long. It is time we remove the blindfold from our eyes and see the world for what it is. It is time we end the cycle of hatred and bloodshed.” The entire pack watches my father as he steps in front of Cora and kneels down before her.

“Coralie Velsire, I ask for your forgiveness for the crimes that were committed against you and your family by my people.” A collective gasp sounds out through the hall. Cora kneels down before him, placing a hand gently on his cheek. When she speaks, her voice is soft, but clear.

“We all carry the sins of those who came before us. All is forgiven. Rise, an alpha bows to no one.” She smiles softly and they both stand together, my father looking humbled and as though an immense weight has been lifted from his shoulders.