Chapter 4 - The Alpha’s Enemy Wore His Family Name
The attack came three nights later.
Nathaniel woke to the sound of breaking glass.
He was out of bed before the alarm finished ringing.
Emma heard footsteps in the hallway.
“Stay inside.”
“No.”
“Emma.”
She opened the door.
“I am not hiding.”
Nathaniel almost argued.
Then he saw her eyes.
Determined.
He nodded.
“Stay behind me.”
They moved through the house.
Three attackers had entered through the rear windows.
Their scent was unfamiliar.
But their insignias were not.
Blackridge.
Nathaniel's jaw tightened.
“Why would Blackridge attack you?”
Emma whispered.
“Because of the gate.”
Nathaniel nodded.
The first attacker lunged.
Nathaniel shifted.
His wolf exploded through bone and muscle in a flash of dark fur.
Emma had never seen anything like it.
He was enormous even as a wolf.
Black.
Scarred.
Eyes silver.
He moved with terrifying speed.
The attacker barely escaped.
Another came from behind.
Emma noticed first.
“Nathaniel!”
He turned.
Too late.
The blade struck his shoulder.
He roared.
Emma's wolf surged.
Something happened.
The air changed.
Silver light burst from her body.
The attacker flew backward.
Everyone froze.
Nathaniel shifted back, blood running down his shoulder.
He stared at Emma.
She stared back.
“I didn't do that.”
“I know.”
Her hands shook.
The silver light faded.
One attacker escaped.
Two were captured.
During questioning, they gave the same answer.
“We were told the Alpha must die before the guardian chooses.”
“Who told you?”
They refused to speak.
Nathaniel already knew.
His uncle.
Later, Emma helped bandage his shoulder.
“You could have died.”
“I didn't.”
“That isn't the point.”
He smiled faintly.
“You're worried.”
“Yes.”
He looked at her.
“Good.”
She threw the bandage at him.
“Don't flirt.”
“Was I?”
“Yes.”
“I'll try harder.”
Emma rolled her eyes.
The moment felt strangely normal.
Then Nathaniel received a call.
His face changed.
“What happened?”
“Someone found the old Blackridge vault.”
“Where?”
“Under the council hall.”
Emma looked up.
“What is inside?”
“Records.”
“About my mother?”
“Yes.”
They drove through the night.
The council hall was guarded.
Nathaniel walked inside with Emma.
The elders were waiting.
Grant Holloway stood among them.
Emma recognized the fear in his face.
“You knew,” she said.
Grant lowered his head.
“Yes.”
“About my mother?”
“Yes.”
“About the gate?”
“Yes.”
“About Daniel?”
“Yes.”
Emma felt betrayed.
“Why?”
Grant looked at Nathaniel.
“We believed controlling the guardian was necessary to preserve peace.”
Nathaniel's voice turned cold.
“You murdered Clara for peace?”
“No.”
“Then what did you do?”
Grant said nothing.
A woman stepped forward.
Elder Margaret.
“The guardians were never supposed to choose Alphas.”
Emma frowned.
“Then why does the gate say choose?”
Margaret looked afraid.
“Because the old laws changed.”
“Who changed them?”
Margaret looked toward the shadows.
A voice answered.
“I did.”
A man stepped out.
Emma had never seen him before.
Nathaniel had.
Every muscle in his body tightened.
“Uncle Adrian.”
Adrian Mercer smiled.
He was older than Nathaniel.
Gray-haired.
Elegant.
Calm.
And alive.
Emma understood.
The dead uncle was not dead.
Adrian looked at her.
“You look like Evelyn.”
Nathaniel moved in front of Emma.
“Don't look at her.”
Adrian laughed.
“You always did mistake protection for strength.”
Nathaniel growled.
“What happened to Clara?”
Adrian's smile disappeared.
“She discovered what I was building.”
“A criminal network?”
“A kingdom.”
“You killed her.”
“She chose to interfere.”
Nathaniel lunged.
Emma grabbed his arm.
“Wait.”
Adrian looked amused.
“Good.”
“What do you want?” Emma asked.
“You.”
“Why?”
“Because the Silver Gate gives legitimacy to whoever possesses the guardian.”
Emma understood.
Adrian wanted to control her.
“You don't get to own me.”
“No,” Adrian said.
“I get to convince you.”
He snapped his fingers.
Doors opened.
Armed wolves entered.
Nathaniel pulled Emma behind him.
Adrian continued:
“Your mother tried to stop me.”
“What happened to her?”
“She hid you.”
Emma's voice shook.
“Did you kill her?”
Adrian looked at her.
“No.”
“Then who?”
“Your father.”
Silence.
Emma stopped breathing.
“My father?”
Adrian smiled.
“He believed sacrificing your mother was the only way to keep you hidden.”
Emma's world cracked.
Nathaniel turned toward her.
“Don't listen to him.”
“How do you know he's lying?”
“Because your mother left records.”
Adrian laughed.
“Records can be forged.”
Emma felt trapped.
Between stories.
Between men.
Between versions of a family she had never known.
Then she remembered the recipe card her mother used to keep.
Never give cruel people proof they reached the bone.
Emma straightened.
“I don't know which of you is telling the truth.”
Adrian smiled.
“But?”
“But you both want me to choose you.”
She looked at Nathaniel.
“I'm not choosing anyone.”
Adrian frowned.
Emma turned toward the Silver Gate symbol engraved on the wall.
“Maybe that's what this is about.”
The room went silent.
“What if the guardian isn't supposed to choose an Alpha?”
Margaret whispered:
“The old text.”
Emma looked at her.
“What text?”
“The guardian chooses balance.”
Emma understood.
“The gate doesn't belong to any Alpha.”
She looked at Adrian.
“And neither do I.”
Silver light flashed across the hall.
The wolves around them stepped back.
The gate responded.
Adrian's expression finally changed.
Fear.
Nathaniel took Emma's hand.
This time she held it willingly.
The bond surged.
Every wolf in the hall felt it.
Nathaniel looked at her.
“You chose.”
Emma smiled.
“I chose myself first.”
The silver light filled the chamber.
Then an ancient seal appeared.
Three words.
Guardian chooses truth.
Adrian's face went white.
Margaret fell to her knees.
“The old law.”
Nathaniel squeezed Emma's hand.
May you like
And for the first time, the elders understood that neither Adrian nor Nathaniel controlled the future.
Emma did.
