Page 45 of The Alpha's Chosen Outcast

“Right, your lack of Alpha status.”

“Don’t remind me again. I don’t want to hope for my father’s death. If he would stop being so fucking stubborn and relinquish his power, I wouldn’t have to, and then I could take you as my own.”

“If that’s what I want, you mean.”

“Why wouldn’t you want it?”

“Look, I’m just saying that who I marry should be my choice alone.”

“Am I standing in your way? Have you decided that one of the suitors I’ve proposed is good enough for you then?”

“No, but you know what I mean.”

“Do I?”

“Stop it, both of you.” Violet enters the conversation.

We hang our heads in unison, cowed by the stern voice of the woman we’ve both come to see as a sister. I hate that this is happening in the lead-up to her wedding and that she’s involvedat all. That’s her choice, too. She sits down and pours some iced tea.

“I seriously wish the two of you could just get married. This is ridiculous. Whoever Heather does end up marrying is going to see the mating bond between you and the looks you give each other that you think no one is noticing. Trust me, you’re not that discreet.”

We’re idiots. I didn’t think about that part. Other wolves will be able to smell our bond, even if we don’t tell them about it, especially an Alpha. Fuck.

“We keep asking ourselves why we can’t, and we keep coming up with reasons. Are they actually that valid?” I ask.

Trey speaks up. “Yes, they are. The biggest one is that we’ll both be killed, possibly Violet, too, and the Hanover line will be over. So will the Cauley bloodline. We can’t risk that. I don’t want to do that to our pack or Heather’s parents.”

Violet turns to Trey. “Then you’re gonna have to suck it up too. I know you don’t want to see Heather with anyone else, but isn’t that better than seeing her dead, exiled, or in some horribly abusive marriage?”

“That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to prevent!” Trey stands up quickly, and a snarl escapes him.

“You’re not preventing it,” I say, “because you’re not giving me any viable candidates. Do you want to help me get married or not?”

The snarl rolls out of him in a low tone.

“I have been doing my part, Heather. I’m reaching out to the Alphas of other packs, asking about business deals to mask the real reason, trying to find ways to learn more about who they are.”

“Why can’t you tell them you need to find a husband for someone in your pack?”

“They’ll have questions about you. They’ll want to know more about who you are and why the Alpha’s son is helping you find an Alpha husband.”

“Alright, and the ones you’ve sent me are the only ones available?”

Trey shrugs his shoulders and looks away from me. I can tell he’s not saying something.

“Tell me.” I brook no room for recourse in my voice.

“Tell her,” Violet joins in, using the same tone.

“There are others, but they’re not good enough.”

“I knew it!”

“Heather, you can’t marry any of them. It would basically sentence you as a broodmare with no control over your own life.”

I round on him, standing and ignoring the clatter of my chair falling behind me.

“At least I’d have a life! The person we choose could die on some full moon hunt, could be manipulated over time, or could even be hiding a different personality behind what you’ve learned with your little chats.”

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