-Morgan! Wake up!
With a low moan, Philip opened his eyes and blinked against the light. The head throbbed. He looked at Jackie's irritated countenance with a resigned wail, before facing a very serious Richard.
-What happened? Say at least once that I have no problems as a good brother. - He pleaded in a terrible and frustrated lament. - You are a good brother, aren't you?
He frowned, remembering the night before.
Usually, he was not in the habit of overdoing himself with drinks. Only he had exaggerated a lot and with the wine.
The memories came back in a flash.
Mayra's complaints. -Oh, my good God! The gypsy had complained for hours when she learned of her marriage. Jackie's sermons. - Have mercy on him. Rays. Cassie was no longer a child. Hadn't Jackie noticed the damn detail? Rick's recriminations when choosing a sorceress as his mate. - Hell your hypocrisy, my brother. Don't you think I noticed your way with Faith? Guess. She's not just half a witch.
In a sullen growl, he turned to the side. The bed was empty. The cold sheets where your wife should be sleeping.
-Cassie? - He grunted stunned.
-Let me tell you the news. Nobody saw her. Jackie said dryly. - And you know the best? The village is in chaos. It seems that a certain staff has also disappeared.
-Curse! - Morgan exploded wide awake. If that fool had decided to do something foolish, he would kill her. He sat on the bed, pulling the covers off.
Oh, good, God! He was totally naked.
He was drunk.
He couldn't remember the details after Jackie decided to complain about his behavior. The amazing eyes fell on the sheet, leaving him astonished.
It was blood.
In fact, a lot of blood. Jackie's curse on repairing the detail woke him from sudden dizziness. Mercy. The unfortunate drinking ... He couldn't believe it! The legendary fame of an experienced lover left him for sure.
He had first thought that Cassie was an experienced woman. With all the recent bad luck at the very least, he had hurt his wife in the wild passion. What had he done, sir? The girl would have run away after he behaved like an animal.
-It's not just the damn witch! - Richard burst out furiously. No one had seen Faith either since daybreak. It was past lunchtime.
- Faith!
-No one saw or knew about her too.
Jackie grunted in disgust.
-No one ?! - he asked wryly. - Or you? Maybe she finally made up her mind and decided that ...
Richard looked at Jackie with evident contempt.
- Or you decided to show your sister that I ...
Morgan swore at the edge of patience.
-Shut up! By God, Rick. - The appeal was full of hurt and resentment. - Faith is a witch! I don't remember seeing so much dislike for the detail about her. Morgan stood up, looking for his clothes at the height of his irritation.
His head still throbbed with the excellent good wine of the gypsies. A sweet, inviting taste in his throat made him feel his insides churn. It couldn't have been that irresponsible. The girl was a new wolf. should have listened to Vladimir's warnings. A new wolf needed to meet basic needs.
Cassie, like any new wolf, had not been friendly with the change of feeding. Making it worse, he reproachfully tasted his wife's blood. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. How much had he drunk her blood so that the dry Vein Disease would afflict the girl?
"God!"
Richard shook his head in spite.
- The girl is of a mixed-race. She is still a damn witch, Morgan. You are the alpha of the pack. Do you really expect wolves to accept a natural enemy as their female? For years wolves and sorcerers were and are natural enemies.
Morgan shook his head in amazement.
-Faith is a witch. It grew among us.
The sneer laughed in the tension-filled air.
-Faith is Will's natural daughter. She does not have the gift of magic in her blood. Don't compare the situation. She's very different from this ... this ... Cassie doesn't even have the blood of our people. Richard was impatient to have to explain it, ignoring Jackie's hostile looks. - In short, she is ...
-A mixed-race! - Morgan cried already totally without patience.
If the wife had fled the village, he was wasting valuable time there discussing beliefs and traditions.
- Our people that you cherish so much... We don't even have females in our pack anymore. Our women are devoid of the gift of creation. The last child born alive was Adam.
- It doesn't justify you ...
-But of course, it justifies. Morgan cried out with double anger. - I'm the alpha. For mestizo generations, they were destined as companions of the pack leaders. I won't settle for a human if I have a female wolf and ...
-And you come to tell me about traditions? Richard gaped, gaping helplessly in the air with his hands. - The girl just can't be trusted. See you, my brother. It's witchcraft. You are obsessed with that girl. We don't know anything about her. From came? Who are her parents?
Morgan shook his head furiously as he raised his eyebrow, glaring at his brother.
-Cassie was welcomed by our clan. - The answer came quickly and sharply. - It should have been created between us and not on a damn Navy ship. Worse than that. It should have been handed over to my guard until her blood came down and she was old enough for a union. William made a tremendous mistake in letting the damn Council decide that a mestizo should be raised in the care of an omega. Just an omega! It should have been kept between us. It was delivered to the omega when she belonged to me.
Jackie sighed uncomfortably. They were arguing and nobody knew about the girls. If she knew Cassie well, Faith had decided to accompany her to delay her new escape. He did not like to imagine the little sister adored as the wife of the partying friend.
- Thank the courtesy of your precious Council, great alpha. - He managed to reply with contempt. - She doesn't belong to you.
Morgan's hard look was from his brother-in-law to his brother.
- You didn't do anything, Jackie. Morgan managed to reply sarcastically. - You didn't look for me or Richard. You grew up among us and yet preferred to abandon his people following piracy.
-And will you explain to me that wolves never abandon yours? - Jackie returned the sarcasm. - My sister is simply ...
-Curse! Cassie is no longer a child. - Morgan was beyond any common sense in that matter. - Your sister is a woman. Irresponsible and without the slightest sense of self-protection like most I know. Or maybe worse. It is a mixed race. She should have eaten like any of us. It is missing again somewhere on that island. -Morgan sighed with dismay and concern.
- Disappeared because of your people. - Jackie accused taking a deep breath. - Because of you ... Frankly, mon Amie. What did you expect after the Mayra scene here?
Morgan held back his irritation by smoothing the hair, adjusting the sword across his body.
-As I remember, I owe you courtesy. - replied implacably. - I would have explained the situation to her.
-I do not believe this! - Richard declared. - You really will keep this wife ...
-You bet I will. Morgan cut fast like lightning. Grumbling, he fetched the water from the jar and washed his face with strained expressions.
That she was fine.
- You can choose to take the lead of the wolves. I'll look for my wife!
Richard looked at him incredulously. Abandon position as alpha?
Morgan could only go crazy. There was already the dissatisfaction of the wolves with the punishment applied to the omega. Perhaps with luck, the girl would give up on maintaining the marriage after Mayra's insults and all the humiliation. If destiny's providence turned out to be promising, they might not find either. There was a war. Deaths happened.
-I'll help you look for the girl. - Richard grudgingly agreed. - But listen to what I say. This conversation is not over yet.
Morgan raised his inquiring eyebrows.
-As far as I'm concerned, this conversation ends here!- He declared rudely, picking up the heavy pair of pistols, and shrugged. - You can take on the wolves. You'll find that I'm not as malleable as Michael.
For a moment all two face each other with hostility.
Morgan shook with rage. Stubborn girl. Why did he have the impression that she was trying to destroy that Staff alone?
- Michael really was wrong about Christina. It took too long to bring it to us. This is not the same mistake that I intend to make.