It’s a relief to know she has no trouble speaking her mind. She always has, but I’m glad my status as alpha hasn’t changed it, even if she can be a big pain in my ass.
Remembering I agreed to let Sam in on my thoughts, I lean back in my chair and release a slow breath. “I’ve been holding off because I want to know what she really wants. No contact in ten years, and then she shows up with her entire pack. As much as I want to believe her motivations are innocent, the numbers aren’t adding up.”
Sam nods with a thoughtful expression and then takes a seat in one of the upholstered chairs next to her. She crosses her legs as her hands slide down the armrests. “If the old bastard was still alive and she won the challenge, she would have been our next alpha.” Her eyes widen. “She planned to combine the two packs.”
I dip my chin, acknowledging that she voiced my suspicions.
“But then she found you,” she continues, her expression grim with her lips pressed into a hard line.
Again, I dip my chin, resting my hands on my stomach as my gaze drifts to the door. “To finish her plan, either I would need to relinquish control of our pack to her, or shewould relinquish hers to me. Two packs can’t exist on the same land. They can’t function together when they answer to different alphas.”
I leave out the possible third option to unite the packs. The call is far more potent than any alpha. Callie could easily rip away all natural borns from my mother’s pack, which would make her appear too weak to lead. It’s not the route I wish to go. In myreina’smore protective state, she’d do it in an instant, but I know she’d struggle with the ramifications.
“Just based on what I know about Martina, I doubt she’s interested in giving up the power and protection of being an alpha… even to her own son,” Sam states bluntly, pulling me out of my wandering thoughts. “You can’t keep waiting. It’s time to confront her. Our pack’s generosity wears thin, and it’s making you look weak. If your mother isn’t gunning for your position, you know Bayne is looking for any way to tear you down.”
Thinking about either of my half-brothers tends to make my head hurt, and I rub my temples as I make a grunt of agreement.
Sam smacks the desk. “Now. Go now.”
Knowing she’s right, I stand up and head for the door. My body feels heavy, and my stomach twists as I think about what I must do. My wolf has chafed under my skin for months, fighting to break free and chase off the alpha who threatens our home by existing on our land. It’s been exhausting keeping him contained.
Sam stands up and follows me toward the door with the clear intent to come with me. She expects a fight, and she takes her duty to protect me very seriously. However, she also has a short fuse for bullshit, and she’s just as likely to cause violence as she is to protect me from it.
With my hand resting on the doorknob, I turn to face her, gesturing toward the desk with my free hand. “Stay here and review the rest of the reports. Make sure everything is correct for me to sign. I trust you will point out if there’s anything I should be worried about.” Her mouth opens to object, but I stop her with a stern look. “I’m going alone. I’ll let you know how it goes.”
Her teeth clack together as she shuts her mouth. After dipping her head in deference, she lifts her chin to expose her neck. It’s a reminder that her life, just like any member of the pack, rests in my hands. “Yes, Alpha.”
It’s a performance to get under my skin—traditional, authoritative, and distancing. She knows I hate it, so she only does it when she thinks I’m being stubborn and using my alpha status to end arguments.
Ignoring her goading, I adjust my posture and expression to mask how tired I am before heading out. Gossip runs rampant through the pack, and the last thing I need are whispers of how their alpha is worn out and vulnerable. I also need my mother to understand she isn’t facing her son, but another alpha whose land she’s taken advantage of. The abandoned child in me wants to believe she’s stayed so long because she loves me. Unfortunately, I can’t deny the compelling signs that her motives aren’t so innocent.
As I make my way out of the alpha house built within the trees, I have to wave off several betas who inquire if I’d like them to “keep me company.” Those are subtle offers of security, since Sam has made it abundantly clear I shouldn’t be without backup while there are shifters on our land who don’t answer to me. It would cause an all-out war if I were attacked outside of the challenge circle, but wolf shifters can be very stupid if provoked enough.
It doesn’t take long to sniff out my mother’s trail, and I follow it to one of our larger greenhouses. Outside the door, her mate guards the entrance, his posture and expression meant to scare off any who would dare to attempt to go inside. My hackles rise when I notice our head agriculturist standing uncertainly to the side, obviously being blocked from entering.
Standing at my full height with my shoulders back, I ease the leash on my wolf, allowing him to rise so close to the surface that my eyes couldn’t be mistaken for human. I stalk over, and without warning, I grab him by the throat and slam him against the door. He struggles to breathe as my nails elongate to claws that prick his skin.
“You have no authority here,” I growl into his face, my voice rough with the strain to hold back my shift. Now that my wolf’s been allowed to come out, he’s ready to rip and tear apart all who threaten us.
His wolf rises to the surface, clawing and scratching at my hand to try and break free, but I’m stronger in every way. Red faced, he chokes out, “My mate is inside. My right to protect.”
I squeeze tighter. “Not here. Your pack lives because I allow it.Youlive because I allow it. This is my land. My pack walks freely on it.” I release him, and he drops to the ground, gasping for air. “Stand in the way of one of mine from performing their duties, and I’ll tear out your throat.”
It’s not surprising when the necklace myreinagave me for my birthday hums with magic against my skin. Forrest is not only my mother’s mate, he is also her second. In less than a minute, I’ve proven that his protection is worthless against me, and a demonstration this severe doesn’t really inspire generous thoughts about me. He’s lucky I asked Callie to tone down theoriginal purpose of the necklace. I doubt there’d be much left of him to threaten.
As he shakily gets to his feet, I bark, “Leave. Now.”
He hesitates. His wolf demands he stay to protect his mate, but his human side knows defying me would lead to far worse consequences for him and her. The fact that I’ve flexed a hint of my true power against him is an obvious sign I’m not in a generous mood.
Considering murdering my mother’s mate would make the conversation I need to have with her far more difficult, I roll my expression back to my more neutral mask. “She is my mother. As long as she doesn’t harm my pack, she is safe in my presence.” The silent “for now” hangs in the air as my voice turns cold. “You, on the other hand, I have no attachment to. Your connection to my mother only protects you so far.”
Good sense prevails, and he wisely leaves with a simple request to please inform my mother he’ll be waiting for her in their room.
When I shift my attention to our head agriculturist, she is wide-eyed and silent. She immediately lifts her chin to expose her neck. The scent of her fear breaks any lingering aggression, and my wolf subsides back into me.
“You okay?” I ask as gently as possible.
“Yes, Alpha,” she answers, her voice shaking as she stands rigidly in place.
