Fated to the scarred Alpha

Will people believe her

*Mary*

I know they are who they say they were: the Heirs of Snow Moon.

Miss Hermione's eyes sparkle. "Handsome devils. Well, except for the Alpha, of course. What do you suppose happened there?"

I shake my head. "I really…"

"Hermione!" her father calls out. "Come along."

Miss Hermione gives my arm a quick squeeze. "We shall have tea tomorrow. We simply must talk. The remainder of the Season has the potential to be most interesting."

Before I can respond, she dashes up the stairs. We have never had tea together before. Based on the way other ladies scowl at me, I wonder if I'm suddenly seen as notorious, and I ponder what they are speculating. I refrain from explaining that we have been neighbors, that I had helped them escape.

"He locked them in the tower!" I want to shout.

Instead, I simply endure the pointed glances and nod politely as two more invitations to tea are surreptitiously given to me. Suddenly, thank the Goddess, my cousin grabs my arm and propels me up the stairs, with my aunt and Fitz following.

"We have so much to talk about," Miss Alicia says.

"I know no more than you at this point," I reply as we reach the top of the stairs.

With the crush of bodies, we don't get another chance to speak until we are all safely housed within Fitz's carriage.

"Well, I daresay," my Aunt Sophie begins, "that was a rather interesting turn of events. Although I'm not certain I approve of the handling of the matter. Such a public display of family feuding is ill-mannered. The situation warranted discretion and much more decorum."

"Come on, Mama," Alicia says. "You can't deny that it was fascinating to watch and quite dramatic. The Snow Moon heirs have such presence. They will be the talk of the town tomorrow."

"They are the talk of it tonight," Aunt Sophie mutters.

"They had a purpose in their method, Miss Sophie," Fitz says. "To humiliate Beta Danix… "

"He deserved humiliation, Fitz," I blurt out before I can stop myself. "And I suspect they handled the matter as they did so they would have many witnesses to their claim. I daresay he is fortunate that they didn't involve the pack police."

"He is ruined," my aunt laments. "As is his poor wife. After only three months of marriage."

"Yes, I do feel for her," I say. "How horrible it must be to discover the man you married is not the man you thought he was."

"And in his disgrace, he has disgraced her. Not certain I would forgive him for that," my aunt continues.

"He shouldn't be forgiven at all by anyone," I assure her.

My aunt gasps. "I've never known you to be so unkind."

"He sought to have them killed." I point out.

"Truly?" Miss Alicia says with unwarranted excitement in her voice, as though she has simply arrived at an unexpected twist in a novel.

"How would you know that?" Fitz asks.

I let out a soft sigh. "I overheard him give the order."

"To whom did he give it?" Fitz asks.

I shake my head. "I didn't see. I was passing the room and overheard the words. I was all of twelve and frightened out of my wits. I dared not tarry. I immediately went in search of Stephan."

"Oh my word!" Alicia cries. "You never told me about that. I can't believe you have withheld such a delicious secret from me."

"I promised Stephan I wouldn't tell anyone." I had broken the promise once. It had cost me dearly.

"You were a child," Fitz says. "You must have misunderstood."

I shake my head again. "No, I'm certain I didn't."

"Mary, darling, it's preposterous to think that Beta Danix would resort to murder in order to claim a title. He would have had to kill three lads."

I try not to be hurt by his words. He is the man I'm going to marry. Surely he, of all people, should believe me. "Richard Wolfheart killed two."

"No one has proof of that. Besides, that was four centuries ago. I would like to think we are a bit more civilized now. And he wanted a kingdom, not a pack and Alpha title."

"It is one of the most powerful packs in the country." I point out.

Fitz doesn’t look convinced. "It was. But since the seventh Alpha passed away, it's lost a good deal of its influence. It can only be as powerful as the man at the helm, and there's been no one there."

"That will change now. With Stephan back." I say with determination.

"I wouldn't be so sure. He seemed rather barbaric to me." Fitz huffs.

I can't deny the words, so I simply gaze out the window. All grows unbearably quiet as though everyone needs to absorb the events of the evening.

I welcome the silence in order to embrace the joy that spirals through me. They are back. At long last.