Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“I’m not sure you know what you’re––”
“And honestly, neither does your mate.”
“Oh, well,” she rushed out. “I think you’re mis––”
“I’m not missing anything. You know Abel doesn’t have that…whatever you want to call it, that demeanor of an alpha, the feel of a pack leader, the gravitas. There is no instant recognition down deep of power.”
Narah’s eyes searched my face.
“He’s trying,” I told her, trying to offer reassurance. “Just in the few moments I’ve observed him, I can see he’s striving to hold himself as an alpha does. And he grew up with two, his father and older brother, so he knows what being an alpha is supposed to look like. He’s learned to mimic it really well, but by birth, as well as nature, he’s a beta.”
She nodded.
“Justin is the son of a beta, so for him as well, all the innate power is absent. I can’t sense any in either of them.”
“But you’re not a wolf, you said.”
“That’s true, but I still know the difference between an alpha and one who is not.”
“You can sense that? The lack of power?”
“Meaning you can as well?”
After a moment, she confirmed with a nod. “Many of our wolves can’t tell.”
“There are reasons for that, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Your pack was spread out before, but they’re not anymore. When other alphas start visiting here, they’ll notice the difference immediately. Eventually, wolves all drift toward the strongest. That’s instinctive for survival. You may have people leave.”
“I—”
“Or worse.”
“Worse?”
“A strong alpha comes here, what’s to keep him from challenging Abel for leadership when he sees how lacking both he and his son are?” I asked her honestly.
“No. We’ve been to hunts with other packs, and no one has ever said anything about Abel or Justin not seeming like an alpha.”
“And they probably wouldn’t to Abel as long as he’s giving them what they want. But in Justin’s case, have you received any mating offers from other packs for your son?”
“No. But there are other inducements to be offered.”
I nodded. “You mean money.”
“When the time is right, yes. But as of now, Justin has never seen anyone he wanted, but you should see the men and women throwing themselves at him.”
“Yeah, that’s what Reggie and Fletcher told me, but are there sons and daughters of other alphas interested in him, or simply women and men who find him attractive?”
“What are you implying?”
“I’m implying that the offspring of a powerful alpha wouldn’t want Justin. They wouldn’t even notice him. He needs to exude power to draw power, and at the moment, he doesn’t.”
“I don’t think you know what you’re—”
“Was your alpha strong when you were growing up?”
She pushed her plate away, then folded her arms on the table. “Yes. Very powerful. He was my father, and I grew up seeing that, confident in that. My brother is just like him. When your leader is powerful, you don’t worry about anything. That’s the way of it.”
“Exactly. Your mate is trying, and moving everyone out here was smart, but Justin… If anyone decides to challenge him, maybe someone closer to home, maybe even Cole, you’ve got a problem.”
“You’re very perceptive, Merritt, but you shouldn’t meddle in the affairs of—”
“Wait.” I held up a hand, hearing people outside. “Are you expecting more wolves?”
“What?”
“Were there more coming to feast with you?”
“No. Why would you ask that?”
“Because I think you’re about to have visitors.”
THREE
Ihonestly wasn’t surprised when the front doors, the double ones I’d walked through earlier with Narah, were busted open. The one on the left nearly cracked in half with the force, and there stood… I wasn’t sure what.
There were eleven men, and they didn’t look like they were from anywhere close to Coille. Not a single pair of jeans, a baseball cap, or any cotton on the bunch. They were all in black suits with silk shirts, wearing huge diamond-encrusted watches, all sporting various styles of facial hair—beards, goatees, mustaches. They were all big and muscular, a couple so bulked up that there were no necks I could see, and all of them except the one in front, standing alone, had gold eyes. Easy to see that they were wolves ready to tussle, but I had no idea why.
Standing up slowly, I moved forward, walking toward the intruders but also shielding Narah. I wasn’t sure what I would need to do.
“What are you doing here, Tuss?” Abel asked, stalking across the room, passing me by with Justin and Cole flanking him, sounding both angry and surprised.
The guy in front, who was smiling all cocky, crossed his arms. “We’ve come for our tribute, just as we do every month.”
Tribute?
Abel shook his head. “No. We left New York and settled here. We owe no more tribute to the Haviland Pack, as we don’t reside in your territory.”
“When did my father tell you that?” Tuss asked, shaking his head like Abel was nuts. “You’re still indebted to us whether you live in our territory or not. We gave you protection for years without payment, and my father is still owed.”