off each word.
Instantly, the hand fell away. Despite his claims
otherwise, Carson wasn’t Alpha material and never would be. Like every wolf in
the place he was compelled to follow the hierarchy and bow under the Alpha’s
will. Jakob rarely flexed that portion mainly because
he hated taking someone’s choices away from them. No one deserved that
treatment from another person.
“Apologies, Alpha.” The words were nearly strangled
in Carson’s attempt to cut them off. But his wolf knew its place, and had to
offer them up. Digging in a pocket, Carson came out with an envelope he held up
and out to Jakob . “For the parents. Whether they read
it or not is their choice. It’s the only reason I came here. The rest of you
fuckers don’t deserve an apology. I only did what was instinctual and what no
one else had the balls to do. I failed. Now I’m facing the music.”
Knowing it for the last request that it was, Jakob took the envelope and pocketed it. He was looking at
it not like he was granting a soon-to-be dead man’s wish, but helping his pack
mates close a door left wedged open by uncertainty for too long. He could have
said something else but refrained. Instead, he made his way through the pack to
his mate, stopping only long enough to have a word with a watcher.
“He may have been planning a coup here, but that
isn’t enough to earn a death sentence. What am I missing?” he asked, keeping
his voice low enough only the watcher could hear him.
A glance around to the others, and the man rolled
his shoulders in agitation. “He tried it again with a pack who adopted him in.
Only he didn’t stop at the planning stages. During the coup he injured the
Alpha’s only child. She’ll heal from her wounds but won’t ever be the same. The
Alpha went to the council, and given Carson’s prior history, plus some things
he did between here and there, ruled he would receive a life sentence. Carson
petitioned for death instead. Shocked everyone given his driving need to
survive. The council argued against it but eventually conceded to his request.”
Not sure what to say to that Jakob shook the man’s hand, and then moved to his mate to slip his hand into hers and
help her off the stool.
In the truck Jakob worked
at calming himself down while attempting to process everything he’d learned.
Having Holland by his side, her scent filling the cab helped greatly. The hand
she put on his thigh after she slid onto the hump pushed more tension out.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“What do you want to know, sweet cheeks?”
“He said something that upset you. Not at the
beginning, but partway through before you got up. I didn’t see your wolf react,
but everyone in there tensed up like they were ready to dive in to separate you
both.”
“Not hearing a question,” he commented. When her
fingers tightened on his leg he blew out a long breath. “He made a snide remark
about you. I had to fight to keep from ripping his heart out through his
chest.”
“I’m glad you didn’t. I know your world is
different from anything I’ve known before, but I’d be quite upset if you did something
with full knowledge and ended up with watchers yourself. Especially when I
finally decided to move in with you.”
Positive he’d heard wrong it took him a second to
fully grasp what she’d said. Pulling off the road, he threw on the four ways
after dropping it into park. “You’re serious?” he asked turning to face her.
“I was planning to wait to tell you until we were
opening gifts, but realized you needed to have something happier to think
about. You know, rather than continuing to contemplate why you let that asshole
live.”
Cupping her face, Jakob kissed her. He was beyond words. “You’re sure?”
“You keep asking questions like that. Makes me
wonder if you’re ready for me to move in with you or not.”
“I am,” he assured her. Another kiss and then he hugged
her tight. “Best Christmas gift
Instantly, the hand fell away. Despite his claims
otherwise, Carson wasn’t Alpha material and never would be. Like every wolf in
the place he was compelled to follow the hierarchy and bow under the Alpha’s
will. Jakob rarely flexed that portion mainly because
he hated taking someone’s choices away from them. No one deserved that
treatment from another person.
“Apologies, Alpha.” The words were nearly strangled
in Carson’s attempt to cut them off. But his wolf knew its place, and had to
offer them up. Digging in a pocket, Carson came out with an envelope he held up
and out to Jakob . “For the parents. Whether they read
it or not is their choice. It’s the only reason I came here. The rest of you
fuckers don’t deserve an apology. I only did what was instinctual and what no
one else had the balls to do. I failed. Now I’m facing the music.”
Knowing it for the last request that it was, Jakob took the envelope and pocketed it. He was looking at
it not like he was granting a soon-to-be dead man’s wish, but helping his pack
mates close a door left wedged open by uncertainty for too long. He could have
said something else but refrained. Instead, he made his way through the pack to
his mate, stopping only long enough to have a word with a watcher.
“He may have been planning a coup here, but that
isn’t enough to earn a death sentence. What am I missing?” he asked, keeping
his voice low enough only the watcher could hear him.
A glance around to the others, and the man rolled
his shoulders in agitation. “He tried it again with a pack who adopted him in.
Only he didn’t stop at the planning stages. During the coup he injured the
Alpha’s only child. She’ll heal from her wounds but won’t ever be the same. The
Alpha went to the council, and given Carson’s prior history, plus some things
he did between here and there, ruled he would receive a life sentence. Carson
petitioned for death instead. Shocked everyone given his driving need to
survive. The council argued against it but eventually conceded to his request.”
Not sure what to say to that Jakob shook the man’s hand, and then moved to his mate to slip his hand into hers and
help her off the stool.
In the truck Jakob worked
at calming himself down while attempting to process everything he’d learned.
Having Holland by his side, her scent filling the cab helped greatly. The hand
she put on his thigh after she slid onto the hump pushed more tension out.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“What do you want to know, sweet cheeks?”
“He said something that upset you. Not at the
beginning, but partway through before you got up. I didn’t see your wolf react,
but everyone in there tensed up like they were ready to dive in to separate you
both.”
“Not hearing a question,” he commented. When her
fingers tightened on his leg he blew out a long breath. “He made a snide remark
about you. I had to fight to keep from ripping his heart out through his
chest.”
“I’m glad you didn’t. I know your world is
different from anything I’ve known before, but I’d be quite upset if you did something
with full knowledge and ended up with watchers yourself. Especially when I
finally decided to move in with you.”
Positive he’d heard wrong it took him a second to
fully grasp what she’d said. Pulling off the road, he threw on the four ways
after dropping it into park. “You’re serious?” he asked turning to face her.
“I was planning to wait to tell you until we were
opening gifts, but realized you needed to have something happier to think
about. You know, rather than continuing to contemplate why you let that asshole
live.”
Cupping her face, Jakob kissed her. He was beyond words. “You’re sure?”
“You keep asking questions like that. Makes me
wonder if you’re ready for me to move in with you or not.”
“I am,” he assured her. Another kiss and then he hugged
her tight. “Best Christmas gift
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