Page 48 of Wolf's Reckoning
“I don’t need you to see me,” I whispered. “I don’t want you looking at me at all.”
His eyes danced with amusement and something else, something dangerous. “You need to learn to lie better, princess.”
He held my gaze a second longer, then turned and walked away, leaving me breathless, furious…and more undone than I’d ever admit.
This was getting me nowhere. Ever since I’d left this pack for the damn Pack Council meeting, I hadn’t been right. Not felt right in my own body. I had wanted to lead my people, control what happened, and ever since I spoke to that shaman, I hadn’t felt in control.
This was not who I was.
Honestly, I didn’t recognize myself right now. Whowas this person sniffling in the corner, all “woe is me.”Notme. I was stronger than this. I closed my eyes for a moment, centering myself. I could do this. So the pack would have a new leader, asanctionedleader, picked by my father himself.
A new leader for my pack.
I let out a low breath as my brain finally caught up with what I’d missed.
What the hell did I need a husband for now? Wolfe would be the pack leader, this pack would be his, and I would…what? Marry a male I had no interest in whatsoever, who wouldn’t even be an advisor to the new leader?
I started to smile.Wolfewould be the pack leader.Ididn’t have to marry anyone. I was free.
I felt the weight leave my shoulders at the realization and tipped my head back to the sky. I could stop the pretense, I could be myself again and, hoping Luna didn’t judge me, maybe even be who I wanted to be.
Wolfe had a pack. He would need to leave the other pack. Or maybe…maybe he wanted to spend time between the two? Which meant…I needed to be nicer to Wolfe. Ugh, the idea was repulsive. But if I wanted him to trust that I knew what was best for my pack, then I needed to show him that I could lead. I needed to show him that he could be away from Blueridge Hollow and it would be left in good hands.
Myhands.
And my first course of action was to send my two suitors home.
I found Dex and Tyler near the practice ring, half-dressed and smug, like their performances meant something.Like I hadn’t already seen what they were made of—which was barely much of anything.
Tyler spotted me first. His smirk sharpened like I was already his. “Back from playing politics with your…allies?”
Dex said nothing. Just watched me. Too still. Too smart. The echo of what Wolfe had said about him still lingered in my ears, and I’d been watching him closely.
I didn’t smile. I didn’t bother softening the steel in my voice. “I asked for two days to decide which of you would be best suited here. Then I realized I didn’t need two days.”
“To decide?” Tyler asked, circling me, measuring me up. “Or to pretend like it’s not already decided?”
“I don’t pretend,” I said, turning to face him full-on. “And you should stop assuming.”
He stepped closer. Just a hair. “You forget who I am, Rowen?”
“No,” I said coolly. “I remember exactly who you are. That’s the problem.”
He blinked.
Dex chuckled softly. “Damn.”
“Still interested in leading my pack?” I asked Dex.
His gaze met mine. Steady. Unflinching. “Interested in serving it. The leading part comes later.”
Better answer. Still not enough. Neither of them was right for this pack. I knew it before and I was certain of it now. Now that I knew there was no desperate need to fulfill a place that could never be filled.
I took a step back and folded my arms. “You both think this is about strength. About bloodlines. About conquest. But it’s not.”
“It’s about legacy,” Tyler snapped.
“No,” I said. “It’s aboutmypeople.Myland. My father’s bones and my mother’s silence and every wolf in this Hollow who deserves to know their next leader sees them as more than leverage.”
