Mason
| waited for the Alpha explosion | was expecting.
Hank hovered, half-standing, prepared to dive between us if things got ugly.
Xander’s gaze locked on mine, his eyes shing with his wolf.
But he didn’t move.
“What did you think would happen if you attacked me?” he demanded in a cold, harsh voice. “If your n was to take over as
Alpha with a bunch of rogue mercenaries then you would''ve ended up killing half my
pack.”
| swallowed hard but kept my face stony.
Xander wasn’t wrong, but he’d probably lose his s hit if | admitted that.
“You don’t make friends and influence people by killing their loved ones,” Zane said darkly. “The pack would never ept you as
Alpha.”
Xander and Zane shared a smug look like they knew they had me cornered.
“Did you think that through, Mason?” Hank asked.
He was only trying to keep things civil, but right now, he was pi ss i ng me off.
Their eyes were all boring into me, waiting for me to reveal my grand viin n and prove that | was the evil b astard child they
already assumed | was.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.
| would never give them the satisfaction.
“Maybe | didn’t f ucking think it through!” | growled. “I''d just found out that the woman | loved had died in your care.”
Asnarl ripped from Xander’s chest, and Zane shot up out of his seat.
“Don''t you dare act like we had anything to do with Alice’s death,” Xander barked. “You were the one f u cking her behind our
backs.”
I stood up, too, but much more calmly.
He had no f ucking right to act like they owned Alice, | was in love with her long before they forced her to be their mate.
“If she''d been satisfied with you, then she’d never havee to me,” | spat.
Xanderunched himself toward me, but Hank was faster.
He threw himself between us, one hand on each of our chests.
“Hey!” Hank cried. “I said no needling. Drop it.”
| threw my hands up. “Happy to,” | said.
I
“Fine,” Xander said. “But | know you were talking to the rogue guards before Alice died. So don’t pretend that it was just some
grief-fueled rage or whatever. It was calcted.”
I shook my head.
“| didn’t have some grand n in ce when | was talking to those rogues at the gathering. I’m not the evil mastermind you think
lam.”
“Why should we believe that?” Zane asked as he walked over to where we were all standing now.
“| knew you''d both learn the truth about me one day. And about Alice. And when you did, | worried you’de for me. I’m af u
cking rogue, and you''re an Alpha and Beta. | needed to surround myself with people who
could protect me.”
It wasn’t the whole truth, but if Xander and Zane bought it, that was all that mattered.
To be honest, | knew exactly what | was doing.
Xander was known for being a benevolent Alpha, for giving people second chances. If some of those rogue guards could get
back in his good graces, then maybe he’d invite them back into the pack, and eventually allow them to join his High Guard.
Once they were a part of his inner circle, they''d turn on him one by one, taking him down from the inside, giving me space to
move in and take over as Alpha.
There would be no innocent bloodshed, just good old-fashioned betrayal.
And now | had Katie, the perfect Luna to stand beside me.
If Xander believed my lie, my n could still work.
It would take a while, but it would be worth it.
Xander looked at Zane, who gave him an almost imperceptible
heads
shake.
They looked back at me, their eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“I call bul Is hit,” Xander said.
Da mmit.
“And | didn’t take anything from you,” Xander argued didn’t even know you f ucking existed. If you’re mad about that, then take it
up with my father.”
“Our father,” | growled. “I would be happy to if that coward would show his face. | haven’t even seen him since the night he
brought Alice to say goodbye.”
He’d barely even looked at me that night.
Why the f uck would he tell Xander and Zane toe find me when it seemed like he couldn''t wait to never see me again?
2/3
| don’t know what f ucking answer you want from me | said throwing my hands up Yes, have wanted to get my revenge | have
wanted to watch you suffer likeyou made me suffer. | wanted to take from you everything you took from me But now that you''re
actually here.”
| sighed, loud and long like | didn’t want to admit what | was about to say next
“I''m not angry like | was. Not at you, anyway” | said “Orion, though that’s a different story”
Xander’s eyes locked on mine
“Thene with me to confront him?
“| don’t know what f ucking answer you want from me, said, throwing my hand up. Yes,
to get my revenge. | have wanted to watch you suffer like you made me suffer. | wanted to take from you everything you took
from me. But now that you''re actually here...”
| sighed, loud and long, like | didn’t want to admit what | was about fo
say next.
“I''m not angry like | was. Not at you, anyway,” | said. “Orion, though...that’s a different story.”
Xander’s eyes locked on mine.
“Thene with me to confront him.”