Chapter Twenty-Four #2
“Yes, we have. All I will say on this matter is that we follow the way my forefathers paved for us. Wolves, not just males, when they shift have too much going on to control every urge. Sex is a way to curb the aggression.” I just looked at him and he raised his hands.
“Yes, I know your father’s pack pivoted to training, but not every pack does. ”
I finally nodded, but Derek furrowed his brows in confusion. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I sighed. “Lynn came from a pack much like this one. Where men used the shift as an excuse to fuck anything that would allow them to. She saw the pain and hurt it caused the females, her sisters. And if she hadn’t seen another way, a different way, you might have been right.
It might have worked. But unfortunately for you, she was transferred to my father’s pack. ”
Derek looked at Vince, who gave him a look I couldn’t figure out. “What does that mean? What was so good about your father’s pack?”
“My father’s pack had a code they followed. Every wolf, male or female honored the mate bond. They stay celibate until they find their mates. They use the aggression, the surge of hormones to train. My father had the best warriors.”
Derek scoffed. “Didn’t seem to help them, did it?” I snarled, but it was Brandon that reached over and punched Derek in the face. It was all an act. He held back most of his force, but it was interesting to watch.
“I will ignore that comment and give you a choice.” I stood, brushing off my pants. Brandon stood with me and I felt his arm settle against my back.
“What do you mean, you will give me a choice?”
I looked at Vince. “I hope you will lift the command.” I lifted my brow, and he nodded.
“I will keep my word.” He nodded and then turned around and sat at his desk. Then he gestured to the chairs. “No need to stay standing. As long as you’re not going to kill the man.” Now it was his turn to lift his brow.
I just sat in a chair and Brandon stood behind me. His hands rubbed in circles on my shoulders. Then I turned to look at Derek. “What I mean is, I will give you a choice. This is going to be the most important choice you will ever have, so I need you to really consider your options.”
He stood and sat in his chair. “What’s the choice?”
I leaned back against Brandon, watching Vince’s reaction out of the corner of my eye.
I kept my eyes trained on Derek’s face and stayed silent.
He started to twitch as I stared. “Vince already said he will remove the command for Lynn’s silence.
But you.” I leaned in. “You will accept her rejection.”
He jumped to his feet. “No!” He screamed. His face instantly turning red. “I won’t do it, and you can’t make me.” He sneered down at me and I smiled.
“You either accept her rejection or I kill you.” I leveled him with a stare. I allowed all of my emotion to drain out of my face. “You either release her, or I will, but mark my words. By the end of today, Lynn will be free.” I stood, rubbing my hands together.
“You can’t make that decision.” Derek cried. “Alpha Vince, are you seriously going to allow her to do this?” I cracked my neck and stretched. “Alpha Vince?” Derek turned to face Vince, but he was watching me.
“If he complies?” Vince hedged.
“Then I allow him to live, but Lynn will be moved. She needs to heal, away from him.”
Vince’s eyes narrowed. “Where?”
“Toya will take her until I can rebuild.” I bent down at my waist, reaching for my toes. Then I popped back up. “Make your decision.”
“Vince won’t release her. And you won’t kill me.” Derek smiled.
“You are so sure of yourself?” He nodded, and I moved.
One second I was next to Brandon and the next I had Derek in my grip, slammed against the far wall.
“So sure, yet so fucking wrong.” I allowed my fangs to descend again, my claws digging into his skin.
“I need you to really consider your choices here, Derek.” I tilted my head and smiled wide.
“They won’t save you. They won’t even fucking move. Do you want to know why?”
He choked out. “Why?”
“Because you’re nothing to them. A Beta, while useful, is nothing compared to an Alpha.”
His gaze moved to face Vince, but he looked away. Then he gazed at Brandon, who was behind me. I don’t know what he saw there, but I watched the fight drain out of him. “Make your choice.”
Vince stood and walked over to my side. “Does it have to be decided right this second?”
I slowly turned my face to look at Vince.
“Yes. I know you have seen her. Her condition is nothing new to you. She is wasting away. You both will come now to release her, or I will kill him. Then I will only need you to come to release her. But either way, it will be done right now.” I let my eyes flash.
“Not later. Not tomorrow. We will all be leaving this office to head to my house, or the three of us will leave to head to my house, and the omegas will have a body to clean up.”
I left no room for negotiations. No chance for confusion.
Brandon pressed against my back. “He is my Beta.”
I looked at him over my shoulder. “There are other Beta’s in the fucking world.” I snapped back. “You might be friends with him, but everyone is replaceable.” I turned back to Vince. “Something your father knows well.”
“What does that mean?” Brandon furrowed his brow.
“Exactly what I said. Morgan wasn’t always the Beta here. People died. People transfer out.” I deflected. There was no reason to go any deeper. I didn’t want to push Vince any further than I already had and exposing him to his son about his old Beta was too far.
I turned back to Derek. “Make your choice. Now.”
Derek stared at me. His eyes were filled with an emotion I couldn’t place.
His eyes danced across my face, and then behind me.
I assume, looking to Brandon for some support.
He sighed. “Look man. You are my best friend and Beta. But if Amy says this Lynn woman is in terrible shape, you should let her go.”
Derek snarled. “You don’t understand.”
Brandon sighed. “I do. I was rejected my first year at school.”
Derek deflated again. “You’re just lying.”
But Brandon came closer. I could feel the heat of his skin through my clothes. “I’m not. I remember the day because I had come with my father to deal with some girls who were bugging Amy here. I stood in front of the cafeteria, and I felt the bond snap.”
“Why did you accept it?” He lifted his lip.
“Why would I hold on to a woman who wouldn’t even give me a chance to explain myself?”
“Why wouldn’t you do what I did?” Derek furrowed his brow like he was genuinely confused.
“I didn’t know who my mate even was.” He shrugged. “And honestly, what would be the point? Watching a random woman rot away because I was twisting the knife doesn’t seem like a fun way to spend time to me.”
“It’s not, but it proves a point.” Derek looked at the wall.
“And what point is that?” I leaned in. “That you could?”
“No.” Derek snarled. “That she should have given me a fucking chance. That she could have had it all, but now she has nothing. Not even peace.”
“Well, now you have a chance. A chance to have a life, or not.” I leveled him with a look.
“I’m done speaking about this. Make your choice.
” I dropped him onto the ground and walked to the office door.
“I will leave here in two minutes.” I leaned against the door and looked at my watch.
“You have until them to make your decision.” I pulled my phone out and scrolled to Toya.
I shot her a message to have Lynn ready for one of two outcomes.
Either I was going to kill her mate and then I would bring Alpha Vince there to release her from his command, or I would bring Derek with me to accept her rejection, and Vince would then release her.
But either way, today she would be free and heading home with her.
Toya sent a thumbs up, knowing we monitored our phones.
Vince, Brandon and Derek, we mind linking each other. And even though I couldn’t hear them, their body language was telling. Derek was fighting to keep Lynn. Brandon was worried about losing my ‘affection’ and Vince didn’t like being pushed around by me.
I knew this was going to throw a wrench into winning Vince over, but Lynn was more important than winning Vince over. Would it make my job easier? Yes. Would I still be able to do what I need to? Probably.
Toya sent me another text. I told her. That was it. Obviously she couldn’t say anything, but I hoped she perked up.
I checked the time on my phone before I slid it back into my pocket. “Times up.” I leveled a stare at Derek. “Life or death, boy?”