“Declan Black is calling for a meeting tomorrow night.”
I knew it was going to happen. It was only a matter of Declan making the decision. I can’t stand having to sit here and wait for someone else to dictate my actions, but it’s been a surprising couple of days. I’ve done a lot of things I never would have imagined.
“And,” he adds, sounding strained, “he wants proof of life before today is over.”
Another non-surprise. I would make the same demand. “All right. I’ll take it from here.”
“What are you going to do?”
Not many people could get away with asking that question, but this is my beta. It’s only fair I clue him in. “You’ll know as soon as I do.” I have until tomorrow night to come up with a plan that won’t destroy my clan’s existence. No pressure. A disbelieving chuckle dies in my throat as I end the call.
She doesn’t keep me waiting with her questions, speaking up from where she’s still lying beside where I’m sitting. “My brother wants to meet.” It’s not a question, I notice.
“He does,” I grunt.
“And he wants proof that I’m still alive and well.”
“Also true.”
“Are you going to give it to him?”
“Are you going to quit pestering me?” Like I need this on top of everything else.
“You should. That’s all I’m saying. You should let me talk to him.”
“I should do a lot of things,” I snap, slowly turning my head until I find her giving me a death stare. Let her. It’s better that way.
“I’m just saying.” She shrugs as if it actually doesn’t matter, which we both know isn’t true. “You’re the alpha, right? It’s ultimately your decision.”
“I am not in the mood for psychological games, Tara.”
“I’m not trying to play them, Kyran. But let’s look at the facts. I know my brother much better than you ever could. I know how he thinks. And even if I didn’t,” she continues over my grunt of distaste, “it only makes sense. If you want to go into this meetingin good faith, you have to show good faith by showing him I’m still alive and well. What’s the point otherwise, right?”
“I hear you, all right? You don’t need to beat a dead horse.” God, I can’t think with her chirping in my ear. Isn’t it bad enough I have my bear bugging the shit out of me? Like I need her to voice everything already going on in my head. “I will handle this.”
“But how? I know you don’t want to hear it,” she adds, defensive. “I get it, okay? I really do. You’re worried about your clan. I’m worried about what this is doing to my family. I told you, we’re close, maybe closer than a lot of families because of what we went through together. They need me, and I need them, and I’m sorry if I can’t just forget that because it’s an inconvenience to you.”
The problem is, I respect her for it. She’s unselfish. She wants what’s best for the people she loves, and the idea of putting them through pain makes her feel pain. “Fine.” Turning around to face her, I fold my hands and lift my brow expectantly. “Since you’re the expert, what should I do? How do I avoid blowing this up any further?”
“You’re actually asking me?”
“I swear, Tara, if you push me any further, I’m?—”
“Fine, fine.” She blows out a sigh before sitting up. “I guess the only thing that makes sense is me giving them a call, letting them hear my voice.”
“I was thinking more like sending a photo.”
“Sure, but you can fake anything in a photo. He’ll want to hear my voice.” There’s a tremble in hers, full of emotion. “And maybe I want to hear his voice. I definitely do. I miss him. I miss all of them.”
As I watch, she ducks her head, running the back of her hand across her eyes. Something about it touches me, and not much has the ability to do that. I’m jaded. I’ve seen too much, sufferedtoo much for emotion to make much of a dent. She has changed that. “Would it make you feel better to talk to him?”
Sniffling, she nods. “Yeah, because I know it would make him feel better, too.”
What choice do I have? None, the way it’s been from the beginning. “All right. But,” I add, raising a finger when her head snaps up. “Speakerphone only, and I am next to you the entire time. You say anything that could be even remotely construed as a signal or code of some sort, and the conversation ends. All bets are off at that point. Do you understand?”
“Yes, yes.” She doesn’t seem to care, so long as she can talk to her brother. I haven’t seen her this hopeful since those first moments we met in the woods. Like something has ignited in her and now burns bright. Hope can do that. It can also crush a person if they’re not careful.
“All right, then.” I know there’s no choice, which is probably why I resent the hell out of having to do it. Alphas don’t take well to being told what to do, especially when it’s not by a member of their own clan. This little wolf holds too much of my future in the palm of her tiny hand, and I hate her for it, but not as much as I hate the way I still want her. It’s like having an endless thirst that nothing can quench. There will never be enough for my greedy bear to be satisfied.
