Page 90 of Wolf's Endgame

“But?”

“But my father is a psycho, and no one knows if they can trust my twin.” She sniffled loudly. “And my mom is dead. He let my mom die.”

I wasn’t sure she meant Bale or her twin and chose not to ask. “You’ve had a lot to deal with, it’s true.”

Cass sent me an exasperated look, and I fought the smile. There was the attitude they told me she had. “And Kez has been beaten, and my dad was going to have sex with her?—”

“Rape.” I met her watery stare with a hard one of my own. “Have sex implies she had a choice.”

With the heel of her hands, Cass wiped away her tears. “What if…” She swallowed hard, shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts. “Never mind.” Walking quickly forward, she grabbed the tumbler and ran the faucet, filling it up. Taking greedy gulps, she dipped her head as she passed me. “Sorry for intruding, Alpha.”

I watched her walk away from me, and I could almost feel Kezia’s stare boring into me, even though I knew my mate lay spent in our bed, demanding me to reach out to her best friend. Fuck, Kezia, I grumbled, blaming her when she was, for once, blameless.

“What if your child is like your father?” I should have worded it better, but subtlety wasn’t my strongest trait. “Is that what you were going to say?”

Cass stopped, looking at me over her shoulder, and she looked so much like her twin I had the irrational urge to punch her.

“Yes.” She turned back to me, glancing at the stairs to ensure we were alone before she spoke again. “Or my brother. What do I do?”

“You doubt your brother’s part in this?” I knew I sure as hell did. No one was that good an actor.

Cass rubbed her nose, reminding me very much of the big red-eyed rabbit taking up half of my study. Another guest in my home I would rather not be here.

“Landon is complicated.”

“Is he?” I scoffed.

Cass glowered at me, and I had zero fucks to give if I upset her. “He wants my father’s approval above all,” she told me quietly. “Kez…she has never been his.” Cass sipped her water. “I mean, you know that, what I mean is that he was never interested in her like that at all.” Cass took a few steps back towards me, her voice lowering. “You have to understand, our dad, he wasn’t this person he is now. He never even hinted at being this…horror.”

Horror. An apt description.

“I hate to break it to you, it seems he was.”

Cold, Cannon. So cold.

Cass was nodding, staring at the floor. “Yup, seems so.” Tiredly, she lifted her head and met my guarded look. “Tell me, Alpha, what the fuck do I do now?”

“You tell your mate your fears, your concerns, your hopes. You figure your shit out.” I shrugged. “Be better parents, learn from the mistakes.”

“Mistakes?”

“I’m going to be honest with you, Cassandra, okay?”

“Are you ever anything but honest?”

Her dry tone almost made me smile. Almost. “You and your brother are spoiled little shits that got away with far too much because you were raised in a pack ruled by a tyrant and a bully.” Her eyes widened and her skin turned whiter than Kezia’s hair. “Your brother is a prick. He’s been a prick long before we knew your father was a murdering asshole. Every pack knows that Landon of the Anterrio Pack gets away with far too much because he is Pack Leader Bale’s son. He’s fucked his way through many a pack and not given a shit about his actions or the consequences. He’s a dick and an entitled little shit that needs a good beating.” I didn’t stop even though I saw her flinch at my harsh words. “Why do you think your mate dislikes him? It has nothing to do with his supposed interest in Kezia. It’s because he knew that Kezia would be nothing more to Landon than a notch on the bedpost.”

“He’s not that bad.”

“He isn’t that bad, he’s worse.” My hands gripped the counter behind me as I spoke to her. “It’s hard to hear home truths. Your father is a terrible pack leader. He extorts his pack for his own gain. Your people, who get nothing from him, have to pay him to live. The bakery and the stores in your town have to pay Bale a portion of their income. He leaves your pack almost penniless because they have nowhere else to go and no provision to do so. He makes me sick.” Cass looked away as I continued. “There isn’t a pack in these mountains or beyond that wants to join your pack. It’s rotten and corrupted, and the pack that stay there and accept that rule are no better.”

“Are you finished?”

“No.” Pushing off the counter, I stepped closer to her. “And then there’s you. The little princess who does absolutely nothing. You don’t help with pack chores. You don’t contribute. In a pack where technology is forbidden, you walk around with a cell phone and tablet, flaunting your superiority like it’s a medal of honor. Only you have none. You do nothing and get everything. You are spoiled, entitled, self-centered, and selfish. You want to know how to ensure your child doesn’t turn out like you or your brother, do better. Be better.”

“I…”

“You know it’s true. There are perks in being an alpha,” I told her. “The decent alphas don’t exploit them. They don’t take from their pack for their gain. Everything I am is for my pack. I serve my pack, they don’t serve me. They never will. A pack is strong because of its loyalty to one another. Not one ruled by fear.” Looking down at her, I shook my head. “You have a lot of growing up to do, little girl, a child to raise and protect. Be grateful the Goddess gifted you a mate as true and fair as Kris. She’s given you a second chance. Use it.”

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