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Jered’s jaw tightened. “He cannot have a human mate. He must take a she-wolf. Even the king will understand. He has a companion. The vampires would never have accepted a human wife. I’m willing to negotiate. The king should understand this. He has his proper companion and his lover.”
Evan groaned. “And I’ve told you it wasn’t a political thing. My parents love each other. All three of them. My dad and mom did not marry to cover up his relationship with my papa. So tossing some rando she-wolf in for political expediency isn’t going to work. And before you plead with me to do the right thing and push Fen aside for the sake of all of wolf kind, you should understand I tried that. He didn’t go away.”
“She is my mate, and I will accept no crown that doesn’t include her. She is not some dirty secret to be kept hidden. She will be at my side always. No matter where I am,” Fenrir said quietly.
“Fenrir, would you be willing to accept the crown and your place among the wolves if they conceded that Evan is your true mate?” I wanted to see how far he was willing to go.
“Yes,” he said grimly. “I do understand that I’m needed, but I’m unwilling to sacrifice her.”
“Then you are not a true king,” Jered replied.
“Excellent. Then you don’t need to bother me anymore,” Fen said with venom. “I am fine with that outcome, too.”
“You have to see the position you are putting us all in.” Jered’s gaze moved between Evan and Fenrir.
“And you don’t see the position you’re putting me in at all.” Fen slid off the bench, holding his hand out to help Evan do the same. “You insist that I’m a king, that I give up my life to serve a bunch of wolves who would never have accepted me when I was a child. You can lie all you like, but I remember my father having to kill wolves who wanted to execute me for being an abomination. I agree to do this service to my species with one request—that I have what all wolves want. My mate.”
“She is not…” Jered began.
Fenrir’s fist came down on the table, cracking it in two. “Do not tell me my mate is not proper. She is mine. I don’t care that you do not understand, that you see her and think my soul can’t possibly be mated to hers. You don’t walk in my body. You haven’t heard my call to her. I will no more give up my mate than you would yours.”
“Mine is a wolf.”
I stood. “Then the wolf world hasn’t changed in the time I’ve been gone. You are still rigid and unaccepting of any who don’t meet your strict criteria. My son is unique in all the world. You call him a king and then you won’t negotiate with him. What you want is his strength, his power, and for him to win this war for you, and then I suspect you won’t need a wolf king anymore. You tell me that my husband ruined him. I’m going to tell you the truth. My husband saved you. Not him. When Fenrir came into our lives, I was told by the dark prophet that I could raise him in love or cast him out. One way led to peace and strength. The other to utter destruction.”
Jered nodded. “Yes, and we’re on the path to destruction.”
“Oh, no. If I had left Fenrir to be raised by wolves, he would be an entirely different kind of king. Have you pondered why he hasn’t killed you? He could take his throne by rite of strength. All he has to do is kill every alpha and the wolf world would fall in line.”
“I seriously doubt...” Jered sighed as though giving up the argument. “And then we would lose a generation of strength and leadership.”
“And that is what his father taught him.” I was glad I could make my point. “Trent taught him how to be a real king. You are the one being stubborn. My son has pointed out what it will take to get him to accept the crown. Give it to him or leave them alone. He’ll still be fighting for all of us in the war to come.”
“Even if we win, we have problems. We are fractured,” Jered said, his deep voice tortured.
“I’ve found it’s easier to bend than break.” I felt for the guy, but the wolves had made their bed. It was up to them whether they lay in it or wake the fuck up. I wasn’t putting that on my twenty-one-year-old son. I didn’t care that his DNA pointed to a particular fate. I was here and I would fight for him. “You’re in this position because you cling to old prejudices. If someone like Evan isn’t worthy for the simple fact that she isn’t a wolf, then go and join Lupus Solum because you’re not any better than they are. You believe the same. You just want to pretend you have a place in the modern world. You enjoy its conveniences but not its obligations. You want to keep all the power in the hands of the same wolves who’ve had it for millennia, and that’s where you’ll go wrong with Fenrir. My son won’t allow a kingdom he rules to stay that way. He’ll change things, and in the end you won’t like him for it. You want a weapon you can put a crown on. So go away. That’s not happening to my son.”
“Then maybe we’ll tell the King of all Vampire we’ll stay out of this war. Or perhaps we should look for new leadership,” Jered warned.
“Then be prepared to die or live as demonic pets. You don’t have any leverage in this, Alpha. You can fight beside the king or let the demons in.”
“I’ve heard that rumor. It’s ridiculous,” Jered scoffed.
“Are you willing to bet your existence on it?” It was time to move along. “Stay away from my son and from Evan. If you want to talk, you talk to me or his dad or the king. And let everyone know that if they come after Evangeline again, I will be the one who hunts them down and ends them. Do I make myself clear?”
Jered stood, squaring off with me. “As crystal, Ms. Owens.” He nodded to someone behind me. “Evening, Wilcox.”
I turned, and sure enough Trent was there, and I wondered how long he’d used those exquisite senses of his to listen in. He didn’t move to join me, merely stood there letting me know he had my back. He nodded the alpha’s way and put a hand on Fen’s shoulder when he got close. Evan and Fen joined Trent, showing everyone they were together. They were a family.
The son in my womb would get that no matter what happened with Gray. He would have Trent to guide him through life, and it wouldn’t matter that they didn’t share any DNA. “You have the chance to change things. You can let our world remain broken or you can offer to bend. It’s your choice.”
“That’s naïve of you, Owens,” Jered said with a frown. “I didn’t expect that from you.”
“You’ll find I can be very surprising from time to time. Do you know who’s naïve? Those kids over there. They think they should be able to love each other without reservation, without some old dude who has no idea what their lives are like interfering. You’re clinging to the old world. He’s the new, and yes, he’s naïve enough to think the world should be fair, should be without hate and prejudice.”
“It’s not prejudice to want our traditions upheld,” Jered insisted.
“Then close off your society and don’t bother us anymore,” I explained. “Those are your options. Good luck with what’s to come. I hope you make it.”
I turned and walked back to my family and left the wolf behind.
