Chapter 20
Byron was as ready as he would ever be. His entire future depended on this discussion with Jude.
For a second, he wished he could turn back time to stop himself from ever challenging Jude to a fight because he’d chosen Danielle over Eve.
After all, Eve had never been interested in mating with Jude; all she’d wanted was to remain in a powerful position within the pack.
Love had never entered into it. And even though he’d known that, he hadn’t been able to rein himself in.
It had made his and Jude’s relationship even more adversarial than it had to be.
But what was done was done. He didn’t get a do-over, no second chances.
On the drive back to the estate, he’d tried to calm himself as much as he could.
If he charged into Jude’s office half-cocked, it would only play into the alpha’s hand, confirming that he was impulsive and unpredictable.
For the sake of his love for Charlotte, he vowed to restrain himself even if Jude provoked him.
That he was prepared to suck up to a man he couldn’t stand showed him that what he felt for Charlotte was even deeper than he’d thought at first. It was the wolf in him that demanded he do everything in his power to make sure that Jude and Austin wouldn’t put obstacles in his way to claiming Charlotte as his.
It was late afternoon, and judging by the number of cars parked along the driveway and the voices and footfalls inside the house, it appeared that most of the family members and Jude’s team were back from their daily pursuits.
He headed for the alpha’s office and knocked.
Upon hearing the invitation to enter, he turned the doorknob and opened the door.
Jude stood in front of the large window, looking out.
Byron stepped into the room and pulled the door shut behind him.
Jude pivoted and showed no surprise at who his visitor was.
“Byron.”
Byron took a breath, reminding himself once more to remain calm and collected.
“Jude.”
For a few seconds, it felt like a stalemate with the person who started the conversation at a disadvantage.
This wasn’t the usual meeting in which the alpha wanted information about the business Byron was in charge of.
While he’d hated those meetings because Jude had never once acknowledged his suggestions to make changes to improve the business, he realized now that he didn’t care enough about those businesses to actually be hurt by Jude’s lack of approval of his work.
This meeting was different. This meeting mattered.
“I’d like to know what your plan is in regard to my sister,” Jude finally began. “Why did you seduce her? Was it so you could get back at me?”
Despite Jude’s somewhat calm and matter-of-fact voice, Byron recognized the wolf’s growl that threatened to burst into the open at any moment.
“This has nothing to do with you or what’s happened between you and me. That’s water under the bridge.”
Jude let out a bitter chuckle. “And you expect me to believe that? I’m not a fool!”
“I’m not saying you are,” Byron replied.
“Charlotte and I falling in love wasn’t planned.
It just happened. Would it have happened if I’d known who she was when I first met her?
” He shrugged. “I don’t know. But the point is: when we met, neither of us knew who the other was, and we could simply be ourselves. ”
“You can’t possibly be in love with her. You don’t even know her. You don’t know what kind of man she needs!”
“I do. She needs me, and I need her!”
Jude shook his head, growling now, too. “Let me put it in words even boneheaded you can understand: I don’t want you as my brother-in-law!”
Byron scoffed. “Let me remind you that I already am your brother-in-law, or have you forgotten that Danielle is my half-sister?”
That seemed to shut him up for a hot second, but it didn’t last.
“Be that as it may. But Charlotte doesn’t know you! She has no idea who she’s dealing with!”
That riled him up. “Oh yeah? Are you saying I’m not good enough for her?” He growled low and dark, the wolf inside him ready to take over. It took all his self-control to push him back.
Jude pointed his index finger at him. “Look at you. You want Charlotte to see that particular side of you? That volatile, violent side you can’t even control now?”
Fuck! This conversation was going downhill fast.
“How dare you! There is nothing volatile or violent about me. If you refer to the little fight we had, then you know it was my right to challenge you because you turned down Eve. It had nothing to do with violence or volatility. It was my right to defend my family. You know that as well as I do! Even the Werewolf Alliance has to acknowledge that right.”
“I’m not talking about that!” Jude pressed out from a clenched jaw.
“Do you think Charlotte deserves a man who can’t control his urges and takes down a deer to eat its heart and then leaves it to rot in the forest?
You can’t control your lust for blood! I would be a bad example of a brother if I didn’t protect my sister from that! ”
“Hold it! Hold it!” Byron lifted his hand. “What are you talking about? When did I kill a deer?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about!
” Jude now said even louder. “You hunted down that deer and ripped its heart out because you couldn’t handle the fact that I took over the pack.
You haven’t exactly made a secret out of the fact that you can’t stand my men or me.
So you let your frustration out on an animal. We all know it was you. Just admit it!”
Furious, Byron braced his hands at his hips. “I won’t admit anything! I didn’t kill that deer!”
He was louder now, too. He had to defend himself against Jude’s false allegation.
“You think I would kill a deer because you and your men pissed me off? What would I gain by that? Exactly nothing! I didn’t do it. There are plenty of others here who have a better motive and less restraint than I.”
He glared at Jude. “But you had me on your shitlist from day one! So you just assume that whenever something bad happens, it must be me. All I’ve tried to do is get along with you and your men.
But you do everything in your power to make my life hell here!
You make me feel like a guest in my own home.
And now that I’ve unexpectedly fallen in love with your sister, and I’m prepared to bury the hatchet for her sake, you wanna take her away from me? Yeah, not gonna happen!”
He turned toward the door and ripped it open.
“This isn’t over!” Jude grunted.
Byron looked over his shoulder. “You’re right.
It isn’t. I won’t give up Charlotte. She’s mine, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
She loves me, and I love her. And if that means that I have to leave my family so I can be with her, then that’s what I’ll do.
And neither you nor the Werewolf Alliance will get between us. ”
He stormed into the hallway and nearly collided with his sister, who stared at him in disbelief. Before he could hurry away to find Charlotte, Eve gripped his arm and stopped him.