Chapter 38-2
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By the time I realized how withdrawn Parker had become, it was too late to reverse the damage. Dean was a good wolf. He wasn’t all that strong or powerful. He would have made a good educator or even a good healer, had Parker or I allowed him the training, but Parker wanted him to be a guard.
They fought over it. Parker realized he was pushing his son away and decided the best course of action was to push him right out the door. He kicked him out when he was sixteen.”
“Is that unusual?” A sixteen-year-old male would have already been considered an adult among the
rogues.
“We tend to coddle juveniles in packs,” Troy admitted. “And I think Dean needed it. I found him housing and gave him the options that would have suited him, but he was set to leave.
He didn’t want to be near his father, so on his eighteenth birthday, I released him from the pack. Parker was furious, although he never said anything. He nearly drank himself to death until you came along.”
Something still didn’t fit, but I filed the information away as we neared the house. “Claudine was detained in guest quarters,” Troy said in a low voice. “She’ll be pissed that she wasn’t immediately shown to her room, so be prepared.”
“Was it not ready?”
“No, it was, but I don’t allow other alphas into my home when I’m not there.” Troy flashed his teeth. “And they know it.”
Always playing games. The politics were too damn hard to untangle. I wasn’t sure I would ever understand.
And maybe I wouldn’t get the chance. The realization didn’t do anything to settle me.
As we walked up, one of the SUVS pulled into the drive. One of the guards stationed at the house stepped forward and opened the door. A slender woman and an older woman exited first. She seemed almost too dainty to be an alpha. Salt and pepper hair curled at the top of her head, and she was dressed in a red pantsuit that fit her smartly.
Damn. Was it too late for me to say that I wished I could be like her when I got older? She was sophisticated elegance, but there was no mistaking the power that simmered below the skin.
Violence neatly contained in a glamorous package.
This was the woman who’d threatened to murder a child.
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Chapter 38-2
And then was unable to go through with it.
“Troy,” she said coldly. “You kept me waiting.”
Clair
“You arrived unscheduled and without warning. We don’t just wait around for you, Claudine,” Troy said calmly. “This is Kiana, my mate.”
Her gaze turned to me, and her gaze looked me up and down, unreadable. “Kiana Thane. The daughter of a serial killer.”
“That’s me.” I nodded my head in respect, but only once. She was a superior, but she was not mine. As Troy’s mate, I shared his status, but I wasn’t stupid enough to try and abuse it. It was for show, and everyone knew it.
“My, this will be an interesting trip. May I present Cam Lee, my pack witch.”
A young woman with her black hair, creamy skin, and eyes as dark as night looked around nervously. “Alpha Troy,” she whispered. “Alpha Troy’s mate.”
Troy had told me that her father had recently been murdered. My heart went out to her, but before
I could say anything, Claudine cleared her throat. “Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, you will take me to my room, and I demand to see Finn.”
“I will see you to your room, but your request to see Finn will have to be put on hold. That’s his decision to make.”
Claudine sighed. “I had such high hopes for you when you took power,” she sighed. “But perhaps you don’t have the control I think you do.”
“You won’t be able to manipulate me, Claudine, but I do love to see you work.”
“Excuse me,” Cam said in a low voice. “I am anxious to see Irene. Is that possible?”
The witches were why we were all here. I looked at Troy who nodded. “We can make that happen.”
Cam flashed a smile, and I felt ice prickling up my neck. Maybe I was just being paranoid but that
smile looked positively hostile.
Then, before I could even take a breath, I felt her magic lash out around me and squeeze.
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