Catch, Curse, Release (Immortal Warriors #1) ✅ Completed

Chapter Thirty-Two: A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing

A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing

Eric sat inside his throne room looking down upon the huddled figure before him. The young she-wolf had taken a large risk in travelling to his kingdom but if he were to believe her warning, her father was preparing for a strike against Wolfgard before the cold of winter. She’d described the amount of men, where they were camping, and who they’d sought as allies should Wolfgard indeed fall. That gave Eric and his men less than four cycles of the moon to ready both the people and his territory for a war against a united Were assault.

Meghan, Lord Oren’s daughter, trembled as she stared at him. “M-my lord, I canna’ go back. My father would…” she swallowed the rest of the words, unable to get them out of her throat.

Eric smiled assuredly at the lass. “You may call Wolfgard your home if you so choose, my lady.”

“I-I would like nothing better, my lord.” She bowed deeply in gratitude.

Eric turned to Bertie, who stood by the entrance of the throne room. “Bertie, please prepare a guestroom for Lady Meghan,” he turned to Aiden next, “Captain, please see Lady Meghan is given a guard at all times.” He did not have to say the girl would be a target for both kingdoms if she was left to fend for herself.

“Aye, my lord,” Bertie and Aiden said at the same time.

Aiden met Eric’s eye.

What are you going to tell Lori?

About what?

About your new guest, cousin.

The truth of course.

You doona think the lass will have a problem with Meghan staying here, then?

Nay, it matters little. Lori is my mate, not Meghan. Eric had watched Lori leave the guardroom with a mixture of pride, fury and disappointment. He’d wanted her to fight, to stand before his men, to show what sort of woman and queen he knew her to be. But she’d left – she’d refused to fight, to demand the law be changed because she was worthy. She’d spoken with eloquence and emotion, and he was proud of her spirit and her refusal to be cowed by his men, but she’d used her power of persuasion to tell them she didn’t want to be their queen. He could fight for the change in the law without her, but his men would never truly follow a woman who refused to lead.

None of his people would.  

Eric’s fury had not abated through the night, which was one of the reasons he’d yet to return to his chambers to face her. Even as he’d felt Lori’s distress as she slept and his instincts had been to go to her, he could not do so. He was still fighting for the right to keep her at Wolfgard as his mate and queen. He would not back down until he saw the law changed and Lori accepted.  It was only the urgent messenger sent by the guard on watch that had caused a pause in the council meeting.

He’d donned another tunic to cover the mating band, as he could not reveal the bond until he’d resolved the issue with his council first, before meeting with Lord Oren’s daughter. His elite guard stood below his throne, a show of unity and strength before an enemy. But Meghan had not come as an enemy but as an ally – she’d candidly described her father’s war preparations. When he’d questioned her motives, she’d tearfully describe how her father had been planning for an alliance with Wolfgard since she was a child. When Eric had refused to consider a marriage with her, her father’s tenuous grasp on his sanity had ended and he’d gone directly to the Skoll. He would take Wolfgard by force if he could not have it as an ally. Meghan had fled to warn his people but had been forced to hide when she’d come across Captain Randor and his men.