Page 52 of The Alpha Option
Which was wonderful and meant he could deal with some other things first.
“Is Colt okay?” Damn, his voice sounded like shit.
Cassidy pressed a hand to his cheek. “Don’t talk. Last I saw he was fine.”
“He’s more than fine,” Blue said.
Jace twisted his head and worked to focus on his cousin, who had appeared out of the trees to join them.
Blue shook his head but reached down and held out a hand. “All the kids and Stacy are safe. You’re the biggest mess. Let’s get you back to the gathering. You’ve got some shit to finish.”
“He’s not fighting anymore.” Cassidy’s anger burned so white-hot, Jace felt it down to his toes.
He rocked for a moment, then straightened his spine and stood firmly, despite the aches. It wasn’t good to show weakness in front of his mate when she was this riled up.
He agreed, though. “No. I’m not fighting. But Blue is right. There’s something that needs to be finished.”
No way was he walking through the trees on bare human feet. He shifted, nudged Cassidy ahead of him, then followed behind her as Blue led them back to the challenge grounds.
Stacy was there, her three boys clutched at her side. Colt was still in his wolf form, and Jace went forward to touch his nose to the kid’s.
Colt shifted to human form, his eyes wide. He stayed low, one hand rising tentatively to stroke Jace’s shoulder. “I was scared,” he whispered. “But I did what you said.”
Silently, Jace bumped him with his head, offering approval. There’d be time for words later, but for now, Colt smiled and let out a shaky sigh.
Seconds later, Jace returned to the center of the clearing where Del waited, already in human form.
Jace shifted back. He met his cousin’s gaze squarely. “There’s another way to do this,” he offered. “It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.”
Incredibly, Del’s attention was not on Jace but glued to Stacy and the boys at the side of the clearing. “You saved him. I couldn’t, but you saved him.”
“Wesaved them. We did what needed to be done, and that’s what a leadership team does.” Jace widened his stance and folded his arms over his chest. “You did something very difficult to start your time as Alpha, and you’ve led as best you could. But you were made for something different, Del.”
That was enough to get his cousin’s attention. He raised a brow.
Jace shrugged softly. “Your profession gives it away. You’re a fighter. You fight for justice, and you do a good job of it. Which makes me think you’d do a really good job of being Enforcer for the pack.”
Del’s eyes widened. “Enforcer?”
“Well, Blue’s got the Omega position all sewn up since neither you nor I can pull off the magical gobbledygook he does. And my wolf is pretty determined to be Alpha. But you need to be part of the team.”
His cousin’s gaze drifted once again to where the women waited, listening intently.
Del twisted back. “I agree that Blue is our Omega. And I like the idea of Enforcer. But I think you need to admit you’re not the only Alpha around these parts.”
Jace’s mate frowned, obviously misinterpreting. Just the look of determination on Cassidy’s face made it easy to do the next thing.
Jace looked Del straight in the eyes. “You’re right. Cassidy? Would you come here, babe?”
Surprise flashed across her face.
At her side, Stephanie listened intently as Blue leaned in close and whispered in her ear. Her lips turned up in a curl, and she put her arms around Cassidy’s shoulders, then pushed her toward the middle. “Go on. You know you want to talk some sense into the two of them.”
Cassidy might’ve been shocked to be put on the spot, but it was no more than two steps toward them when her shoulders went back and her chin lifted. She walked all the way up and deliberately turned so she stood by his side and a half inch in front of him. As if daring Del to make a move.
Del grinned. His gaze flashed to Jace’s then back to Cassidy. “Forgive me if I get formal. It’s always good to dot the i’s and cross the t’s.”
Cassidy waited warily.
