Ragnar’s expression is priceless. I know a lot of little off–puttingcrets because of the Romanos Secrets that can rauly become weapons now that we’ve parted with the amount of animosity we share. The right thing would be to just let all od thus go, but there’s nothing to lose by getting even.
The Lycan King might be a little blood thirsty, but he has a point I sit back, letting his advice sink in. Maybe he’s right, and the best thing to do now is take this step with my grandmother. want to be here. I want to erase the past few years, but I’m going to have to settle for the next best thing.
“You’re serious?” he asks after a while. I had already started eating my lunch.
“Yes, did you think that the wolf offerings were random? Everyck has a training facility like the one I went to. They have public ones and private ones for high–ranking wolves. They start our basic training as soon as school starts. Hunting games physical endurance, and those like me who show combat skills high pain tolerance, I whisper the last part,
“What was that last part?”
“A high pain tolerance, I repeat.
“How do they go about doing that?”
“We do what every other pup does. We fight. It keeps crime low hd raises competitiveness.”
“It also conditions you to accept violence, he sneers.
“I don’t know if you know this, but we’re animals, Ragnar. We’re pable of many things, and violence is one of them.” I roll my eyes. The alternative is what happened at the stadium. Sixtythree of those casualties were kids.
The kids I led to safety were just standing there, not knowing what to do. That nightmare changed things for everyone. Even if the methods used now are a little barbaric. It’s a small price to pay.”
He stares at me for a moment and then clears his throat.
“You seem innocent at first. There are layers,” he says, toying with the spoon next to his plate.
“I often find that people only see what they want to. It’s easy being invisible when everyone wants to be the brightest.”
“You were being conditioned to be the Luna. You should have been the brightest in the room”
“I was when it was required. The most important thing a pack is thught is to protect the Luna. Her life is just as important as the Alpha’s. Her wolf has sway over his, which means if something happens to her, he can’t be the alpha required to keep the pack going.
“Keeping a low profile is the biggest challenge for a Lama. Especially if you come from a family like mine. It’s why I dressed the way I did. One look at me against the others, and I’m divanised. My size, my features, and the socialite attire mean I’m dependent on someone else for protection”
“Is that Luna Romano’s strategy?”
“It’s the Queen Lama’s strategy. You’ve seen her on TV, rigla? Wh like me would have nowhere to go in. But she’s never been cang
“Lots of people think she’s always wrapped up in her work as a Having lunch with only one visible guard. They look like two
“Why are you telling me this?” he smirks.
she’s at the King’s side, she’s dressed in things someone out in public
storian, but I’ve seen her in Artune more than once. friends catching up over food and shopping”
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17:13 Tue, Jan 20
Chapter 50
Tuna Roman and the Alpha King used to fuck. It’s in the f
files. There are accounts that trace their encounters. It was before they were mated, but Lama Romano didn’t want it to get out, so far pair my mom to erase anything she could find. My mom digitally scanted everything into the old computer disks ir kept a printout of what I used to think were her favorite
What do you think they are now?”
“Leverage,” I admit.
“What does the Alpha King fucking Bethany Romano have to do with anything?”
“To clarify, the former King, not the new one, and a lot. The Romanos are going to get away with this without the public. knowing, because the former Alpha King, Julian, isn’t going to allow anyone to slander his precious teenage dream. He’s going to be a problem. I think it would be enough to bring him at of retirement.”
Were you surprised by her files?” he asks suddenly.
“My mother’s files? No. She loved her work. Even what she read on her off time was romance novels about attorneys falling in love with their clients, I laugh.
“Gross,” he huts. “No, I meant the Luna’s.
“Oh” I smile. “Yes, very surprised. I didn’t think she had it in her As I was saying, people see what they want to see.”
“What did you see?” he asks gently
“A mother,” I answer honestly. “Someone I trusted and looked up to. I followed all of her orders without question. 1 loved some of the stories she told me, and the advice that followed. I fought she was a very headstrong leader and believed she only ever had my best interest at heart.”
I feel the knot in my belly tighten. My throat swells as I fight the urge to cry. I lose my appetite and sit back. It’s going to be a long time before I let anyone in again. This betrayal wasn’t just his. They took their turn with the knives, piercing my soul.
They didn’t deserve your loyalty,” he says, tapping the table with his index finger.
“I have no reason to lie to you. If you’re serious about getting even, there’s a lot you need to know about the packlands. This pack in particular. It’s brought the Alpha King a whole lot of money and has been home to many of his personal guards. But I want something in exchange.”
“Is that right?” he grins. “And what might that be?”
oice of Ivar
“I would like the opportunity to serve as one of your betas,” I request. “In place of
“You” he pauses, staring at me as I’ve grown a second head. “Why would you do that for him?”
Thaven’t had a brother in a very long time. Having him around ave me something I thought I’d never get back. And to go out on fieldwork once I get my doctorate. I need your approval.’s a win for both of us
“He still has to go through basic training. Once he’s given the alman the basic requirements, I can make the changes tor the acting beta prince. My father can’t know about this until the three of us are really to fully take the throne when he retires. This ‘t a fair trade.”
“How is it not?”
“If I favor you to be my next beta and you can’t cut it, I’m out of second
“You mean because I’m an omega?“
on my council. Preferably transitioned and under
1 mean, because you would need to be mated to a Lycan in onl to be on my c
17:13 Tue, Jan 20 GDD
Chapter
the Lycan Oath
북 42%
Well, it’s a good thing I’m going to be exposed to Lycans while here. If it’s meant to be, it will be. My performance, however will never falter
hope so.” he sighs. “Does this mean you’ll give me access to the rest of the file”
“I need this on paper. Signed and sealed. The agreement becoms permanent when all three of us meet all the requirements. We should let tvar in on this.”
“We should. I am going to have someone watch some of our woles, and if the information turns out to be valid. I’ll have the document drawn up. I might have to add some conditions of my own. You’re not asking for something material here. That would have been a lot easier to fulfill. Why can’t you ask for some thing a little more in your range? A villa perhaps?”
“One thing you should know about me is that I can’t be bought, my King, I assure you, my parents left me more money than I can ever spend in my lifetime, and it’s not something I’m interested in
“What are you interested in?“
“Making my family proud and leaving behind the kind of impac my parents did, and my brothers were deprived of.”
“I guess it’s lucky we’re friends,” he smiles.
“Can I ask you something
“If it’s within my power to answer, sure.”
“Why doesn’t your Dad promote my grandmother to General?”
“Generals are given a region to maintain. If we had packs the way wolves do, our generals would be the alphas of them. Like your alphas, they’re required to stay within that region. If my father promoted her, she wouldn’t be able to go anywhere with us,” there’s a tone in the way he said that.
“Does it bother you?” I ask.
“What?”
“That my grandma and your Dad are so close?”
“Zaraphine would have made the perfect replacement mate for ny father. Your grandmother would have made a great queen. It’s clear that he wants something, and I don’t understand why he can’t own up to it.”
“Do you not like Lady Axel?”
“Of course, I do. She’s been amazing to all of us.”
“Bun?”
“No
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
