Page 92 of Taming of a Wolf

I nod. “Aye. But the village prospers more than I have ever thought possible. I deeply believed that the presence of a human would bring about our downfall, like before.”

The breath leaves me in a shudder that makes my chest rattle. “I was wrong. So very wrong. About everything. I believed the worst about Kieran and refused to see how happy he has made you, brother. How much he has helped you heal the damage done to you by our father’s killers and by me. I saw how happy you were, Aunt Helga, to sit down to a meal with our family without any fear of fighting. How relaxed you were, Gunnar, and how relieved you were, Lyall, not to have to choose between me and Wulfric. And I realized it was because I wasn’t there. I wasn’t there to divide us, to pit brother against brother and tear open old wounds or to mock and insult you, Wulfric.”

In my shame, I get on my knees and bow my head. “I’m so sorry. For everything. All of it. To all of you. But most of all, I’m sorry to you, Kieran, for hurting you.”

Kieran’s mouth slips open. “O-oh,” he says softly.

Swallowing hard, I add, “And I’m sorry to you, Wulfric.” My throat tries to close as remorse thickens it, but I keep on going. I look my brother in his wide, shining gray eyes and say, “An Alpha is more than a status symbol. More than some lofty title that gives a person unfair advantage over others. An Alpha is someone who puts the needs of others before themselves. Someone who teaches, guides, and nurtures. It’s who youare.Who you’ve always been. And I hated you for that for so long. Unfairly. Because even as a lad, I knew the goodness of your heart, how deserving you were of the title, and despised you for it.”

My eyes sting, clouding over as I look my brother in the face and see him, finally see him. This strong, incredible man who had such responsibility thrust upon him so young, who led us out of the darkest time in our pack’s history and built something beautiful out of all that darkness.

“You are my brother, Wulfric.” I smile even as my voice breaks. “And I’m sorry I was never the brother you deserved. I… I know this fixes nothing between us. I don’t expect it to, nor do I deserve forgiveness. I needed you all to know how I felt. Nothing more.”

Wulfric blinks fast, eyes glistening. He breaks my stare and clears his throat, thumbing the corner of his eye. Kieran leans his chin on his shoulder and whispers something to him. Lyall’s expression is somber, and Gunnar rubs Helga’s trembling shoulders, his own head bowed.

“Get up,” Wulfric says gruffly, so sharply I jump.

I scramble to my feet. My heart cracks in my chest. I tried, I did. I meant every word. Even though I told myself not to expect their forgiveness because I didn’t deserve it, I wasn’t prepared for the pain of my pack’s rejection.

Jaw tightly clenched, Wulfric comes toward me, boots crunching over the snow. I don’t know when it started snowing. Thick clumps fall from the sky in flurries, and the bitter wind blows between us as he comes to a halt only inches from me.

I can’t read his expression or get a sense of what he’s feeling. The bond between us has been dormant for so long. So when he reaches out, I brace myself for the impact of a punch or a shove. I’d deserve it.

Wulfric grips the back of my neck, squeezing tight. His hand trembles. “I think,” he says, voice low and rough with emotion, “we’ve hurt each other enough, brother.”

The breath escapes me in a shaky gasp, and try as I might, I can’t help the tear that falls down my cheek. Brother.Brother.With a single word, I am reborn. Not Anders the exile or Anders the villain. I am Anders, brother of Wulfric.

“Now,” Gunnar says.

Now what?

Next thing I know, Lyall has thrown himself at me and enveloped me in a backbreaking hug. Wulfric and I end up mashed together. Laughing, my aunt joins the embrace, crushing us even tighter together. Then Gunnar’s got his big arms around as many of us as he can fit in. Wulfric’s body shakes as he laughs, and I join in.

The bonds burst open in my chest, and I drown in tender feelings ofpack,family,andlove.I can feel them. All of them, for the first time in so long. Lyall’s mirth. Helga’s relief. Gunnar’s amusement. Wulfric’s cautious hope in this new beginning we’re embarking on together.

They’ve let me in, I am pack again, and I will never let them regret giving me their love and their trust.

Then Gunnar bends over, scoops up snow, and mashes it into my face. The hug dissolves into a wrestling match as I untanglemyself and grab as much snow as I can hold. “Take this!” I throw the snow at Wulfric, then another clump at Lyall.

“Not the face, Anders, you ass!” Lyall exclaims, sputtering and wiping snow out of his eyes.

“Boys, that’s enough!” Helga squawks, laughing as she rubs snow out of her silver hair.

“Aww, you guys,” Kieran says, wiping his eyes. “I knew Jamie wouldn’t settle for a jerkhole like Anders without a good reason!”

The bonds in my chest burn as if I’ve been stabbed with a hot branding iron, and I grip my chest. The berserker within roars. The bonds between my brothers and me are not enough. The berserker’s fury consumes them, further severing my connection to my humanity.

“Anders, what is it?” Lyall’s voice is high and panicked as he kneels beside me, touching my back.

“My m-mate rejected me. I hadn’t had time to claim him.” Harsh pants and snarls punctuate my words until I sound more wolf than man. “No time. Lock me up. Quickly! Before I hurt anyone!”

Lyall whimpers, clutching my arm. “We’ve only just got you back! Wulfric, do something!”

“There’s nothing to be done.” Pain floods Wulfric’s voice. “He is too far gone.”

“The witch,” I snarl, clawing at the ground. “Get the witch! Left him at the western road. Hurry!”

There’s confused murmuring, but Wulfric snaps, “Do as he says! Gunnar, go!”

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