Chapter 358
Chapter 358
I hadn’t expected to find myself sharing a vulnerable moment with the most intimidating Alpha around, yet here I was, settling into a chair halfway down the long, oval table from him. The room was quiet except for the faint hum of distant voices outside. I exhaled slowly, trying to steady my scattered thoughts. I deliberately kept some distance between us-I wasn’t sure how he’d react to what I was about to reveal. “I do love her,” I began, my voice steady but low. “I’ve always loved her. She was my first in so many ways. I probably always will love her, in some form or another. But I’m not in love with her. There’s a huge difference between those feelings. Besides, I have my own mate to contend with-one who’s not interested in being my mate.” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table, rubbing my face as if trying to scrub away the chaos that my life had become.
He let out a chuckle, the kind that grated on my nerves. “It’s the female Alpha, isn’t it?” he said, amusement clear in his voice. Of course, this bastard was laughing at me now. “Figures you’d need someone more complicated than Kennedy p>
“That she is,” I admitted, a bitter edge in my tone. “But I can’t blame her. Her elders, even her father’s team, don’t stand behind her. I think their Gamma is actually working against her p>
He raised an eyebrow. “Why haven’t you knocked him out yet p>
I shook my head. “I don’t have concrete proof. But the way he acts around her? It’s shady as hell. And if he ever threatened her, she wouldn’t need me to handle it— she’d take care of him herself p>
“Does anyone else know about this?” he asked.
“Kind of. It’s obvious there’s tension, but neither of us has acknowledged it openly. Our friends all suspect something and tease us relentlessly. Honestly, when I found out Rayna was pregnant with twins, I was more relieved to escape the spotlight than thrilled about Jer becoming a dad p>
He nodded thoughtfully. “I think things will work out. And if you need anything to support your mate or her pack, don’t hesitate to ask.” I gave a small nod in return. “Also, I haven’t told Jeremiah or my sister about what Kennedy and I have been facing. They need to come to terms with it on their own. But I can guarantee you, even pregnant, my sister would try to kill me if she found out. If Kennedy decides to share, I’ll accept the consequences, but until then, keep this between us.” He pushed back his chair, rose, and headed toward the door. “Now, let’s get through this ceremony.” I followed him without hesitation.
“Are you not scared for her? What will you do if something goes wrong?” I asked quietly as we walked.
“Doc Bradshaw is on standby,” he replied, his voice calm. “But after yesterday, I don’t think we’ll need him p>
Curiosity got the better of me. “Tell me about that. She used a mindlink and a Luna Aura… on you p>
“Yeah,” he said, a hint of awe in his voice. “She stopped two completely different packs dead in their tracks with a single command and stopped me from killing Finn. I’ve never heard of an initiated Luna doing that. Kennedy’s an unmarked Luna- she’s special. She was always meant to lead a pack, based on how she was raised. At least, that’s what I hope the Goddess intended. After her reaction at Jeremiah and Rayna’s ceremony, I owe it to her to try. No one else has.” He paused, then looked at me. “What will you do when your mate is ready? That will make you an Alpha. How does her Beta feel about a second male showing up and doing his job?” Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on
I shook my head with a faint smile. “First, I’m no Alpha-she is. And she doesn’t have a Beta. Her father’s team is a mess. His Beta sticks close to him and will do the job, but not for her. He has no children, so there’s no lineage. The Delta’s son is only a year old, so he won’t be taking the title anytime soon. And the Gamma? He’s an asshole I’d replace in a heartbeat p>
He chuckled again. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of an Alpha and Beta both being mated and holding those titles in the same pack. This is going to be interesting p>