Page 57 of To Keep A Wolf
I scowl at him. “You sound like an idiot.”
His brows go up at my outburst. I’m aware I sound like the worrying girlfriend, but I don’t care.
“You’ve already been held prisoner, tortured, and effectively cut out of your own pack.” He winces, but I’m willing to say anything to keep him from putting himself in danger this way. “Besides, we all know Jadick’s not going to fight fair. He didn’t with Kari, and he won’t with you. All that matters to him is winning.”
“I know, but that’s my point—”
“He’s going to cheat and fight dirty, and he won’t stop until he’s gotten what he wants,” I say.
“Right, but he’s already overplayed his hand—”
“Jadick only cares about himself, and his ego is bigger than anyone I’ve ever met.”
“Which is what I plan to use against him.”
Levi’s words are drowned out as I continue to argue. “He’s sure of himself, and even worse, he has already beaten us at every turn—”
“Mac.”
He nearly shouts my name, and I fall abruptly silent, still glaring at him.
“It has to be me, and you know it,” he says.
“I don’t know anything of the sort,” I say.
He looks at my mother. “Did Jadick hold a bonding ceremony to link him to the Jades? Did he claim them as alpha?”
My mother blinks. “No.” She frowns. “He asked for sworn loyalty, but that was it. I guess he didn’t think it was necessary.”
“Because the asshole thinks he already won,” Tripp puts in, but there’s excitement in his eyes as he sets his water aside and comes forward.
“He probably thinks Levi isn’t a threat anymore,” my mother adds.
Tripp slides into the empty seat, looking between them. Even from here, I can see it in his eyes: He finally thinks we have a shot. And I know exactly why. It’s the same reason my stomach is dropping because it means I can’t argue with Levi’s idea anymore. And maybe I shouldn’t. It’s what I always wanted for him anyway. He’d make a great alpha.
“If he never did the bonding ceremony,” Levi says, “then the Jades are still mine.”
Tripp pounds a fist on the table in victory. “You’re still the alpha, my dude. And that means you still have a pack to fight for you.”
Levi looks over at him. Then me. “Fight for us,” he corrects.
Everyone turns to look at me, and I realize they’re waiting for me to agree with this insane plan. “We don’t even know where they are,” I say.
“We don’t need to,” Levi says. “My alpha call will reach them, and they’ll come.”
“And if they don’t?” I ask.
“They will.” He sounds so sure.
I sigh. “Fine. You’ll challenge Jadick.”
“The Jades will back us,” Tripp adds.
Levi nods. “And when he’s gone, we can break the curse once and for all.” More certainty. So much that his dark, bottomless eyes seem to wrap around me, assuring me of our victory. Our future.
I don’t know how to tell him nothing will ever feel sure for me until Jadick’s dead. Maybe even then.
But a noise outside shatters the moment.
