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"That's it?" Arrow asked, sounding disappointed.
Castor shot him a look before turning back to Leonidas. "Are you suggesting a truce? What happened to not wanting to allow an omega to be owned by hunters?"
"I'm not owned," I grumbled.
They both ignored me.
"I stand by what I said," Leonidas replied. "But another alpha, and a hybrid at that, is another matter. That, and it would seem we have a common enemy of sorts."
"The Order?" Castor asked, raising an eyebrow. "They’re the ones who told you about Eddie."
"And I have no doubt that the moment I cease to be convenient to them, they will turn on me as well," said Leonidas. "Genocidal zealots that they are."
Castor snorted. "Well, you're right about that. Nonetheless, there's still a score I have to settle with you and your pack."
"Oh?" Leonidas asked.
My heart pounded as I realized what Castor was talking about, and it wasn't like I could just tell him to let it go, considering that wasn't my place. Not when it came to the revenge that had motivated him long before I came around.
"Many years ago, a hunting party from your pack killed most of my family," Castor said. ”Your brother was among them.”
"Ahh," Leonidas said knowingly. "And you wish to avenge them."
"That, and I want to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else," he replied.
"I won't pretend we've abandoned the tradition of the hunt," said Leonidas. "There are hundreds of wolves all living in close proximity to each other, and we require an outlet for the aggression that naturally accompanies it. But unlike my father, I have no tolerance for preying on the weak. It's dishonorable and pathetic."
"So, what, you only prey on criminals and monsters?" Castor asked in a disbelieving tone.
"Are there not enough of those to go around among both our species?" Leonidas challenged, flashing a toothy grin. "Although, you are one of us now, aren't you?”
I could feel the frustration coming off Castor in waves, but it wasn't the blind rage of before. Was he actually considering the other alpha’s proposition?
"As for your family, you may search what's left of the pack for their killers, unlikely as it is that any of them are left," Leonidas continued. "But if you wish to fight me in their stead, that is a challenge I can accept."
Fresh dread washed over me as I studied Castor, realizing I had no idea what he was going to choose. I could see the war going on behind his eyes. I wasn't sure if he knew what his decision would be, either.
"You talk a big game about being different from your father," he finally said. "Let's see if you're right."
Leonidas nodded to him with something akin to respect. "In that case, I see no reason we can't part on civil terms."
"For now," said Castor. "But the hunt persists. If any of your pack steps out of line and ends up on my radar, I won't hesitate to do what needs to be done."
"Nor will I," Leonidas countered.
For a moment, the two alphas continued to stare at one another, to the point where I was afraid another fight was coming. Castor finally turned to me, unexpected tenderness in his gaze.
"Come on," he said, pulling me into a hug. "Let's go home."
My heart leapt in my chest. He still had that effect on me, it seemed. Those words were capable of eliciting it more than any others. "Yeah," I said, smiling.
To my relief, we were both given a change of clothes as a parting gift from Leonidas before we were promptly escorted off the premises. A truce was one thing. An alliance was another.
We had no sooner reached the outer doors of the mansion than Castor turned to me and pushed me up against the stone wall. "Are you out of your fucking mind?" he snarled. "Do you have any idea what you put me through? What could have happened to you?"
I stared at him, realizing his calm veneer was just that. As usual, there was more beneath the surface. "Castor, I—"
"No," he growled, gripping my shoulders tighter. "You had your say in that fucking letter, and now you're going to listen. You had no fucking right to leave. None whatsoever, and I don't care why you did it. You're my mate, and the things you do don't just affect you anymore. You're mine, and I'm never letting you out of my sight again. Do I make myself clear?"
