Page 166 of The Ashpaw: Part One

Darion was angry, but he was still trying to understand all that he’d heard and seen in these recent weeks. Dissecting every word she’d ever said to him, especially about Fern.

Did he really know the she-wolf standing before him?

“You were mistaken, the healer explained everything. She and the clan suffered greatly because I listened to you and did not seek other counsel before sentencing her to such cruelty.”

He had not meant to be so harsh with her, but there were cracks in her porcelain skin he was now seeing, and it was getting harder to ignore them.

Kyntha’s lips began to tremble, and she let out a small whimper.

Even that sounded wrong.

“I… I’m sorry, I only know what I was told and what I read and… and how she tries so hard to pull you away from me…”

“She is an omega. It is in her nature to seek comfort from her alpha.”

“And what of my comfort?” Kyntha countered, a hand on her chest, her voice turning shrill. “I am to be your mate, and she is just a Naravekh. She should not even cross your mind unless I am unavailable or unable to breed, and yet—”

“You’re right.”

Kyntha stopped and closed her mouth. She stared at him for a second, then sniffed. Smiled. “I am?”

Darion nodded.

“So… so you will finally release her?”

“No.”

Her smile dropped.

“I will make Fern my mate, too.”

Kyntha took a step back, as though he had struck her. “You… you can’t mean that. A… pack? With her?”

“Aye. It is the right thing to do. She deserves better than her current status, and she means more to me than a simple Naravekh should. You will both be my mates, you will both share my bed, you will both stand by my side, and whoever gives me the strongest alpha will be the mother to my heir. You will accept this.”

Kyntha dropped to her knees, clasping her hands together, the tears flowing freely now.

“Please, you can’t! I am the daughter of Alpha Dane, head of the Ironcoat Clan! I cannot share a mate with some… some… Solvekh bitch!”

Darion’s body shook with rage to hear Fern disparaged so. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

He would be meeting Kyntha in front of both clans within the hour. This needed to be resolved, and she needed to be at peace with it.

“She is an omega, which means she has Lurvekh blood. And if even Lurei can overlook her humble origins to bless Fern with this designation, then who are we to malign them?”

Kyntha stopped whatever reply had surely been building on her tongue, and looked down.

“I am sorry, Kyntha, to have broken my promise to you. That Fern’s heat, uninduced, came at such a poor time during our courtship. But there is no point in regret. We must look forward, together, and see how things can be made better tomorrow. Do you understand?”

She was silent, and then finally said in a quiet voice, “I understand, Alpha.”

He grunted. “Good. I will see you again soon.”

She stayed on her knees and would not look at him as he exited, giving a terse nod to her mother and the she-wolves waiting outside.

Despite his command for privacy, the look on Katreena’s face and the fires raging in her eyes told him she’d heard every word.

It was just as well, he supposed.