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"No," he said, shaking his head. "That won't work. Dustin isn't an idiot."
"Then we need to make a plan," Lev said. "But in the end, what do you want?"
He wanted to live the life he wanted. He wanted to be free from Dustin. But was that too much to ask for? Was that even possible?
"I want this done," he finally said. "So, what's the plan?"
He worked on his coffee, listening as Lev spoke more about what he knew. The rogue made it sound like his pack was extremely unhappy, and that would work in their favor.
Lev expressed how he didn't want to do anything that Noah wasn't comfortable with, but he explained he had to do whatever was necessary. Becca’s life likely weighed on his decision.
"What if you and Becca went away for a while? Maybe treat it like a long vacation." Lev asked as Noah poured a second cup of coffee. The sun was starting to rise in the distance.
He felt they were going in circles. He knew why. Neither wanted to bring up what could possibly happen.
"No," he said, shaking his head. "That won't work."
They had already gone on vacation, and Dustin set a rogue on them. He didn't want to know the lengths that he would go to if he and Becca left.
"I have to stay. I can't run. That's not an option."
It was an option but not a safe one, and he wasn't going to risk it. He didn't need Becca being hurt.
"Then it sounds like we need to face this head-on. We have the upper hand. He doesn't know we are onto him yet. If we plan this carefully, we could trap him into doing what we want."
He liked the idea, and he could see that working, but his gut told him it wasn't going to be easy. If Dustin held onto anger this long, who knows what the man was capable of at this point?
"We can dig up dirt and make it where he needs to leave. Maybe he will go quietly if we find enough information against him."
"That’s not who Dustin is," he said, shaking his head. "But we can dig for information. I don’t know what good it would do, though."
He remembered the rage in Dustin’s eyes when his son died. And it only fueled him to move forward. He ran a hand over his head, set his mug down, and walked back down the hallway. He pushed the bedroom door open and took in Becca's sleeping form.
She was still clutching the pillow, her face pressed against it firmly. Her chest rose and fell with each breath, and his heart skipped a beat.
"I have to ask, Noah. If it comes down to it, are you sure that you can step up? If all goes south, he will likely challenge you. Is that something you're willing to accept?"
He knew that was a possibility and a high one. One he wouldn't get to just sit and stew on, either. Something he needed to decide right now. He stared at Becca, knowing he would do anything to keep her safe. If that meant being challenged and fighting Dustin, then so be it.
He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He saw a bright future, and he wasn't going to spend it hiding.
"If I have to, yes," he said, nodding his head. "If it comes down to that, yes. But let's hope not."
Lev remained quiet for a second before he spoke in a serious tone. "If you challenge him, there are two outcomes. He wins, and you die. Or you win, and you become the alpha of a rogue bear clan."
He knew that, and he expected to feel some weight bear down on him when he said it, but none did. He was more than willing to take that role if it kept Becca safe. He would do anything for her.
He shut the door and returned to the living room. "I'll do whatever it takes."
After they finished their conversation, he sat out on the porch. He needed the fresh air as he started to plan everything. He needed to ensure that nothing could go wrong. And if it did, Becca was still safe in the end.
He looked out over the view and exhaled. He could handle whatever was coming, and he was going to do it with his head held high.
FOURTEEN
BECCA
The sun's rays illuminated Becca's face with laser precision. She groaned, placing one hand over her eyes to shield herself from the intrusion.
