Page 160 of Unforgivable

"I should have run to big brother for help?" Devel teases him.

"Yes," Teague shoots back quickly.

"You are here now." Devel points to me, "scent her, brother. Understand who rejected this female."

Confusion flashes in Teague's eyes. He probably couldn't smell me earlier over my males' scents… or the baby powder on his skin.

He strides over to me and bends to shove his face in my neck. I suppress the scream of fear that rushes through me. He inhales deeply, and that's when my males lose their minds.

Obviously.

All three bowl into Teague on paws. No hesitation, no, 'hey, that's not cool.' No thinking about the fact that he has two mates and five pups and is not interested in me... and even if he is, he's busy.

It tells me just how close to the precipice my males are. Daan is due back any day, and my wolves are furious. The paws in each of them is heightened, survival instinct at it's finest.

And I'm almost hitting the peak of my Heat.

Teague doesn't even shift to paws. He just slaps my males around, not letting any of them get a good purchase on his skin. They aren't trying to bite him, anyway. I think they just wanted to move him away from me.

Ezra snarls, and I amend my earlier thought. He wants a piece of this male. Luckily for Ezra, Rhet shifts back to feet quickly and examines Teague with diamond-hard eyes.

I smile at Blue-eyes when he meets my gaze. "He has five pups!" I remind him.

"Eight. My wolf also claims Mattie, Cassie, and Leilani," the monster says with pride.

"She is not your sister or your pup," Carmichael growls. We all ignore him. I think that's a moot point, anyway. Who, other than Carm, is brave enough to tell this male he can't claim family?

"Your family is well, brother?" Devel asks.

"They are," Teague confirms.

Thjis is holding Ezra in a bear hug, the smaller male still growling lowly at Teague.

"You have immense control," Rhet reluctantly compliments the monster and reprimands Ezra all at once. My Sunshine has his own green-eyed monster, and it has nothing to do with our alpha-Beta visitor.

"Unlike your Alpha," Teague sneers. "I have only pieces of this fucked-up story, but you," he points at me, "scent of power. Your mate is who, again?"

I take a deep breath. Rhet rubs my back, and Thjis pets Ezra. "He is the alphason of this pack. He has a Choice mate, Cloe," I see Devel wince a bit. "They have been together since their puphoods. I was rejected, but I chose," I inhale, "to seduce him. To try to win him from her. We were caught, and I was declared nullavenia and Shamed."

Bright green eyes narrow on me. "You were what?" he asks softly. "That happens in this fucked-up pack?" Rage simmers in his eyes. Again, my she-wolf crouches down, ears laid flat, eyes watchful.

I can't speak anymore. The fear is rising, crippling me. Rhet turns my face into his chest, letting me hide my tears from the other males.

"Daan declared Cloe as his mate after his first shift. No one in the pack knows that Lyri is the true luna," Rhet supplies quietly.

"They must be suspicious," Teague says.

"Even if they are, alphas are above suspicion," Carmichael says sourly. Interesting observation, for an alphason himself.

I nod. All of the wolves who have figured it out are either autonomous wolves, like Rhet and Thjis, or elders. The main body of the pack is blinded by the ingrained loyalty to the alpha that all wolves have. It can be a wonderful thing to bind us together and keep us strong... or it can lead to dangerous, appalling blindness.

"War?" Teague asks.

"No," I rasp out. All eyes turn to me. "No, I don't want a War. Inuit's pack needs to be strong for him."

Now all the eyes turn to Inuit. He stands, proud and strong. I see respect and amusement flash over Teague's face. "You look familiar," he says.

Inuit's eyes narrow on Teague.

"You're an alphason," the monster mumbles. "Well, damn."

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