Page 184 of Unforgivable

"You... I don't think..." he stumbles over his words.

I don't have time for this male. "Do you agree, Alpha? Your mate will not be the Luna. I am the Luna, Inuit is the alphason. You will be alpha until it is time for Inuit to step up into his place."

Ashen, he nods, "agreed. Goddess, I hope you know what you are doing."

My eyes narrow on him. "I don't like you, Alpha. I need you, Inuit needs you, but I don't like you."

He just nods, "I know." Slowly, as if he's aged a century, he walks back down the dirt road to town.

I turn around and assess the males staring at me. Ezra is glaring at the floor, arms crossed over his chest. He told me it was my decision, but I know his alpha family's betrayal hurts him more deeply than Rhet and Thjis.

Rhet was the one who told me to let Alpha Jax live on as alpha. He was so upset, my Blue-Eyes, but confessed that he knows he can't be alpha. He would die in the Challenges that will come to us from other, desperate alphas.

I can't let my male die if I can prevent it so easily. Rhet looks at me steadily, with worry and a little guilt. I offer him a smile. It's not his fault. He is alpha-blood, but not an alpha. I love him just as he is.

Thjis wants to kill Alpha Jax. I believe the idea was to string him up by the balls until the weight of his body ripped them off. This was offered to me as a solution with perfect, utter seriousness.

He's scowling at me.

"I will be the one to rip him apart if he betrays us, baby. Promise me," he grumbles in a low growl.

"I promise," I say quickly. Alpha Jax won't betray us. He knows what's at stake.

"And I want to be in charge of all outgoing and incoming communications from other packs."

"OK," I agree simply.

"I'm still Gamma," Ezra mutters, tossing Thjis a glare.

"I can offer training," Teague chimes in. He's packed his bags. Alice is in the containment vehicle. He said he would stay through Daan's punishment, then leave to go home. I can see the wolf in him, pacing, eager to return to his mates and family.

Devel is going with him. Poor Devel. I wish that male luck.

Carmichael said he would stay, too, for now. He'll leave after the next Blue Moon in two weeks. He's still finishing school. Actually, he confessed that Cassidy is a freshman at their university and he could graduate, but won't leave until, and I quote, his "Mark is on her neck, and she knows who she belongs to." Right, Carm.

"We would welcome that," Rhet replies to Teague.

"Hey, Punk, you want to see the horse do some tricks?" Teague asks Carmichael.

Carmichael's jaw ticks. "Sure, Jefe. That sounds like a swell time. Did you see the balls on the new baby bull? Did it make you jealous?"

They're bickering as they leave, Devel following them with a wink.

Thjis picks me up and slings me over his shoulder as soon as the door closes. "How much time do we have?"

"Tabitha said three hours and not a minute more."

"Perfect." My Bear smacks my ass as he walks back to Rhet's... is it 'our' now?... bedroom.

"I just want to cuddle," I whisper.

"Whatever you want, my Luna... we will always do what you want."

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Alpha Jax

"Dad?" the soft croak comes from deep in the shadows of the cell. Daan asked that the lights be turned off so that he could see the moon more clearly.

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