Chapter 5

Jordan’s POV I had made a deal with the devil. Desperation had led me to trap her in this alliance. I refused to let her go until she agreed to my terms, even though I knew how reckless it was. And now, the pack was waiting for me to make sense of it all. Someone cleared their throat. Kael had returned, slipping back into his seat with his usual quiet grace, though the loose strands escaping his bun showed his exhaustion. “I thought you should know,” I said, cutting into my steak without looking up. “The sacrifice stays. She’ll be treated with respect. This is not up for debate.” Tate scoffed. “You’re keeping her?” “Yes,” I answered sharply, meeting his gaze. “She caught my interest.” He leaned back in his chair, smirking. “A pet, huh? Not a bad move.” “She’s not a pet,” I snapped, the words harsh. “Maybe a distraction.” The lie tasted bitter, but it was the easiest explanation. Tate paused, his smirk fading into something more sinister. “A distraction? So, what, she’s a firecracker in bed?” My grip on the knife tightened, anger bubbling up inside me. Before I could say anything, Darcy, Tate’s mate, spoke up. “How long are we supposed to put up with her?” Darcy stirred her soup, her voice calm and distant. “For as long as it takes for me to lose interest,” I said, my patience wearing thin. “So, everyone be on their best behavior,” I added, my voice cold as steel. I scanned the room, daring anyone to argue. “No one is to speak to her in any way that she—or I—might find offensive. She’ll be treated with respect. Understand?” The silence that followed was thick, their reluctance hanging in the air. I didn’t flinch, keeping my eyes locked on them. “You’re acting strange this time,” Celeste, Darcy’s aunt, said, her tone sharper than I expected. “It’s okay not to like the ceremonies,” Darcy added softly, her voice steady. “You just have to accept what they do for us,” Celeste finished, her words flowing together as if rehearsed. My grip on the fork tightened, the metal threatening to bend. “I’m not sure I like where this conversation is going,” I said, my voice slicing through the tension. “Especially considering this is her first night here.” A bitter laugh bubbled up in my chest. Less than a day, and I had already kissed her twice. And then there was the memory of her knee to my groin—a humbling equalizer, but also strangely satisfying. “Yes, everyone,” Kael added, grinning. “Let’s give the poor Alpha a moment to figure this one out. It’s only his second sacrifice, after all. We all remember how well the first one went.” The mention of the first sacrifice hit me like a punch to the gut. My teeth clenched, grinding together as anger flared. The first sacrifice had been a disaster. She had panicked, breaking the sacred circle and setting off chaos. The pack’s instincts had taken over, and I had to drag her back, my hands tight with anger and guilt. She had died fulfilling her purpose, her expression frozen with silent accusation. It still haunted me. “This one will serve her purpose,” I said, my tone cold and final. “Just like all the others. End of discussion.” The room fell silent, the tension growing thicker. My stomach twisted as I scanned the faces of the pack members I led. Somewhere among them, someone was lying. Who among them had been sneaking into Lilithar and taking what didn’t belong to them? Tate broke the silence with a dry laugh. “You’d rather focus on a woman than the real problems we’re facing,” he said sarcastically. “There are bigger issues going on—” I cut him off with a sharp look. “—like with the local coven,” he continued, unfazed. “And instead of dealing with that, you’re keeping that woman upstairs as your personal plaything.” The tension snapped tight in the room. I leaned forward, my voice calm but carrying a clear warning. “I wasn’t aware you were part of a contract made two hundred years ago.” That shut him up, though his narrowed eyes told me he wasn’t done. The others avoided my gaze, the unease thick in the air. They weren’t challenging my decision to leave Zairith alone, but I could feel their disapproval. They wanted her power for the pack, and they thought I was keeping her for my own reasons. But this wasn’t just about Zairith. It never had been. My father had ruled with an iron fist, crushing any rebellion before it could grow. But dissent always found a way back. And now, it was right here in front of me. I didn’t trust anyone at this table. Not fully. Because one of them wanted me gone. And I was running out of time to figure out who.