leader, not a beta wolf with a warped imagination.”
“We grew up together, it was always going to be you and me. How can you turn your back on us now?”
In a flash, Zane understood what was going on. “You always thought you were going to be Alpha Mate, didn’t you? That’s why you told Dax to just let me die. If I died, then there was no way Dax could be recovered enough to find and claim a decent mate in the three months he’d been given. You were just willing and waiting to step into the breach, all in the guise of helping out your bestie .”
“Surely not. You were like a brother to me.” Dax seemed shocked but Cole’s face told the whole story.
“You knew you couldn’t be Alpha, but you could be the next best thing. Dax had claimed me months ago, so when I died his wolf was going to be severely depressed. Dax wouldn’t have been in a position to run the pack, he’d be lucky if he made it through the claiming. And of course you knew all that too. You knew that once Dax had claimed you then you would be set for life. A bonded wolf shifter never divorces even if they’re hellishly unfaithful to each other. I bet the best news you ever heard was when you knew Dax had claimed me, especially when he hadn’t been claimed in return. This whole situation just fell into your lap like a gift from the Fates.”
“And it was my fucking gift,” Cole snarled. “I’m the one who’s been by his side for years, I’m the one who should have been in his bed all this time. Not a fucking bloodsucker like you. I don’t know what magic you used to convince Dax to claim you, but I will fucking find you out, and then you’d better watch out.”
This time it was Zane who laughed. “There’s no trickery involved here, you stupid puppy. I didn’t want Dax to claim me, because unlike you I put the needs of my mate and your fucking pack first. Dax will be a good Alpha – good for his pack, good for this town. But you? You just wanted to be Alpha Mate so you could score an endless supply of hot ass and fucking favors. I watched Dax for a long time before he approached me. You think I didn’t notice how he always paid for everything, how you always used to boss around the staff like you were the one in charge? You haven’t got a decent selfless bone in your body, and I hope that Nathanial does kill you tomorrow, because it is the only way my mate would ever be truly safe. The only threat he ever had in the pack was from you – your gossip, the rumors you started. The only thing I don’t understand is why you decided to challenge Nathanial yourself when you thought Dax was leaving town with me. You never had a shit show in hell of winning or ever ruling the pack like you wanted.”
“Yes, Cole, I…” Dax never got a chance to finish his sentence because Cole charged. Not at Dax of course, even he wouldn’t be that stupid. But Cole didn’t seem to have gotten the memo that pointed out vampires were typically a lot stronger than wolves, because he had no hesitation in leaping on Zane and taking him to the ground.
As Zane fought to save his throat, which Cole was clawing at with his human hands, he could hear Dax yelling above him. The door burst open, but Zane wasn’t concerned about that. He’d already exacted a promise from Broz that if anything happened then Dax was to be protected at all costs. Dax didn’t sound very happy about it, given the yelling that was going on, but Zane trusted his friends a damn sight more than Dax should have trusted his.
Twisting to one side, Zane wrenched Cole’s hands away from his throat. He knew his eyes had gone red and his fangs were well past his lips. Holding firmly onto Cole’s wrists so the man couldn’t go anywhere, Zane struggled to his feet, looking for the advantage. Cole kicked and screamed and growled a hell of a lot, but with his wrists caught tight, Zane knew he couldn’t shift. This wasn’t the first time he’d tangled with a wolf shifter. Still
“We grew up together, it was always going to be you and me. How can you turn your back on us now?”
In a flash, Zane understood what was going on. “You always thought you were going to be Alpha Mate, didn’t you? That’s why you told Dax to just let me die. If I died, then there was no way Dax could be recovered enough to find and claim a decent mate in the three months he’d been given. You were just willing and waiting to step into the breach, all in the guise of helping out your bestie .”
“Surely not. You were like a brother to me.” Dax seemed shocked but Cole’s face told the whole story.
“You knew you couldn’t be Alpha, but you could be the next best thing. Dax had claimed me months ago, so when I died his wolf was going to be severely depressed. Dax wouldn’t have been in a position to run the pack, he’d be lucky if he made it through the claiming. And of course you knew all that too. You knew that once Dax had claimed you then you would be set for life. A bonded wolf shifter never divorces even if they’re hellishly unfaithful to each other. I bet the best news you ever heard was when you knew Dax had claimed me, especially when he hadn’t been claimed in return. This whole situation just fell into your lap like a gift from the Fates.”
“And it was my fucking gift,” Cole snarled. “I’m the one who’s been by his side for years, I’m the one who should have been in his bed all this time. Not a fucking bloodsucker like you. I don’t know what magic you used to convince Dax to claim you, but I will fucking find you out, and then you’d better watch out.”
This time it was Zane who laughed. “There’s no trickery involved here, you stupid puppy. I didn’t want Dax to claim me, because unlike you I put the needs of my mate and your fucking pack first. Dax will be a good Alpha – good for his pack, good for this town. But you? You just wanted to be Alpha Mate so you could score an endless supply of hot ass and fucking favors. I watched Dax for a long time before he approached me. You think I didn’t notice how he always paid for everything, how you always used to boss around the staff like you were the one in charge? You haven’t got a decent selfless bone in your body, and I hope that Nathanial does kill you tomorrow, because it is the only way my mate would ever be truly safe. The only threat he ever had in the pack was from you – your gossip, the rumors you started. The only thing I don’t understand is why you decided to challenge Nathanial yourself when you thought Dax was leaving town with me. You never had a shit show in hell of winning or ever ruling the pack like you wanted.”
“Yes, Cole, I…” Dax never got a chance to finish his sentence because Cole charged. Not at Dax of course, even he wouldn’t be that stupid. But Cole didn’t seem to have gotten the memo that pointed out vampires were typically a lot stronger than wolves, because he had no hesitation in leaping on Zane and taking him to the ground.
As Zane fought to save his throat, which Cole was clawing at with his human hands, he could hear Dax yelling above him. The door burst open, but Zane wasn’t concerned about that. He’d already exacted a promise from Broz that if anything happened then Dax was to be protected at all costs. Dax didn’t sound very happy about it, given the yelling that was going on, but Zane trusted his friends a damn sight more than Dax should have trusted his.
Twisting to one side, Zane wrenched Cole’s hands away from his throat. He knew his eyes had gone red and his fangs were well past his lips. Holding firmly onto Cole’s wrists so the man couldn’t go anywhere, Zane struggled to his feet, looking for the advantage. Cole kicked and screamed and growled a hell of a lot, but with his wrists caught tight, Zane knew he couldn’t shift. This wasn’t the first time he’d tangled with a wolf shifter. Still
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