Stolen and Forgiven (Branded Packs #1)(35)

That didn’t mean her words didn’t ring true, however.

“Yes, I risked our Pack. I will always know that. I was ready to take that blame, fall on the sword if the humans found her. But I didn’t bring the SAU to our f*cking door!”

Claire winced as he yelled. No doubt the rest of the den could hear him shouting, but he couldn’t stop. He honestly had no idea what the f*ck they were going to do right then. They didn’t have a plan for this, not for this kind of betrayal.

Ariel came to his side and put her hand on top of his fist. He immediately opened his hand to thread his fingers with hers.

“I know you hate me because of what I could have done to Holden, what I could still do,” Ariel said softly, much calmer than him. “But I don’t understand how you can hate your people? How could you risk them?”

“I didn’t think,” Claire whispered. “I just wanted the threat away so we could go back to how we were. I…I am so sorry. I didn’t think.”

Holden blinked. “Seriously? That’s your excuse? That you didn’t think?” There might not be a war this very second, but everything had changed. He hoped to God she understood that, because she clearly hadn’t when she’d told that guard. It didn’t matter that no one was there to take them from their homes right away. They would come. There was no other way.

Claire looked up at both of them, her face pale, her eyes lacking anything but remorse. “It’s all I have to give.”

Holden shook his head in disgust. “We need to rally the den for the guards,” he said to Soren. “As for you, Claire? If we survive what is coming, then I will leave your fate to Ariel. I can’t even look at you right now.”

Ariel tugged on his hand, her face pale. “Me?”

Holden held back a growl and pulled her away from the others. “You. She’s the one who risked your life. So yes, you get to decide if she dies by our hands or if she lives by your mercy. You’re the Alpha’s mate. It’s a decision for you.”

Ariel thinned her lips and shook her head. “We’re going to have to talk about this later. I get where you’re coming from, but you can’t just hand off someone’s fate to me. You say I’m your mate, yet you keep dictating to me. We’re going to have to find a balance Holden, because right now? It’s not working.”

He felt as if he’d been punched in the chest for the second time that morning, but he couldn’t say anything about it. Instead, he gave her a tight nod. “We need get ready for the guards.”

Ariel searched his face. “Of course. The Pack is more important.” She didn’t reach for him, and he ached for her touch. “I get that. They took me in, Holden. They’re mine now. I’m not going to let them get hurt because of me.”

He froze. “You’re not giving yourself up to them, Ariel. Not only will I track you down and find you, but even if you give yourself to them, it won’t stop them from finding a way to use this new knowledge to hurt shifters as a whole.”

“If I can help our Pack, I will.”

Despite the fact that the humans could be there any moment with their guns and their laws, it wasn’t lost on him that she’d said our Pack. She’d finally become one of them, finally given in and found her place at his side.

And it could all be lost.

“Holden, we’ve got company at the gates,” Soren called out. “There’s a group of humans including a doctor out there. They aren’t coming inside, but apparently, they demanded to see the Alpha and Test Subject A.”

Ariel flinched and Holden let out a growl. “We aren’t letting them take her, Soren.”

Soren look offended that Holden would even say that. “Of course not. She’s my Alpha. She’s one of us. Even if we gave her up, it’s not going to stop them from trying to find a way to use us to make shifters of their own that they can control for their own ends.”

“We’re f*cked,” Theo said from Claire’s side.

Claire let out another whimper, but Holden ignored it. “Fuck. Okay, Theo and Ana, bring Claire. We’re going to the gates as a unit in case it turns into a fight. We have strength and our wolves, which will have to be enough.” Holden took a deep breath and faced the men and woman of his inner circle. Ariel put her hand in his and his wolf centered. “We can’t let them take us,” Holden began. “We’ve rolled over for so long because we’ve been protecting those weaker than us, but at some point, we need to remind the humans that we are strong, that we are wolves. I won’t ask you to fight if you feel you need to stay behind and protect the submissives, but if you stand by me today at the gate, then I ask for your strength, your loyalty.”

Soren bowed his head. “You have always had it, Alpha.”

The others followed, bowing their heads in submission. Holden’s wolf howled, the strength of their Pack bonds far greater than anything the humans could hope to come up with.

They made their way as a unit toward the gates, tension rising with each step. Others joined them, and he knew even more would be protecting them in hiding, as well as caring for those who could not care for themselves. Holden had no idea what they would face, but he knew they would do it as a Pack. He might not be able to free his people from the walls, but he could protect them from further prosecution.