Page 67 of To Hunt A Wolf
“Hedge your bets?”
She shrugs. “I mean, you never know which way these things will go. But now that Crigger’s gone, and Jadick’s almost ready to make a move, I think they have a real shot.”
I huffed. “Unbelievable. And does Levi know you were just playing the field until you felt his team had a real shot? Or does he actually think you’re loyal?”
“Does it matter?”
“Of course it matters.”
She shakes her head. “Oh, to be young again and have such conviction.”
Her wistful smile only pisses me off further. “Oh to be old and not give a shit about anyone but yourself.”
Her smile falls. It’s not anger that flashes back at me but something more like resolve. “All right. You want to talk about giving a shit, let’s start with Levi. He built this place from the ground up. Mostly as a haven against Thiago, who wouldn’t stop hunting him when he uncovered Levi’s plan to accept you as his mate.”
“Wait, what?”
Thiago knew about our plans?
“Oh, you didn’t know that part? Well, let me go on. Thiago’s been screwing with anyone he deems a threat for as long as he could walk and talk. And honestly, the womb was probably no picnic either, but Delores isn’t around to verify—which should speak volumes. Anyway, the point is that the entire family has one goal, and that’s to survive one another.” She pauses, finally noticing my stricken expression. “Are you listening?”
“Levi really intended to accept me?”
She rolls her eyes. “Why am I not surprised you’re stuck on that?”
“Does Thiago have something to do with why Levi rejected me?”
“You’ll have to ask him.”
Tripp’s words from the hotel come back to me. He did it to protect you.My thoughts race with the possibilities of what that might mean, but my mother steps closer, crowding me enough that she has my full attention.
“I need you to hear me on this, Mac. You can run off to your mate once I’m done, but this is important.”
“What is it?”
“Hear me when I say that family has the same one-track mind.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
She speaks so low I can barely hear her. “Jadick is the same as his brother. He wants to be alpha by any means necessary. That puts him on our side right now, but don’t think for a second it can’t swing in the other direction. The wind always changes, darling. Don’t forget that.”
“You don’t trust him?”
“Not with my daughter.”
“We finally agree on something,” I say in a low voice.
Instead of irritation at my tone, I get a, “Good girl.”
She heads for the door.
“Mom.”
She pauses, her hand on the knob as she looks back at me.
“Thank you,” I tell her almost begrudgingly.
“I didn’t spare Thiago for you,” she reminds me.
