Page 62 of Wolf's Endgame

“Yourself?”

“I should have killed Tev when I came back. I let him stay, knowing he hated me. I never expected the hatred to run that deep. That’s my error.”

We stood slightly apart, both frowning at what had happened. “We both made mistakes,” I reasoned softly. “But it’s mistakes we can learn from, right?” Pulling back, I looked up at him. “The question is, how do we stop this?”

Cannon’s glare was emerald fire. “Easy. We kill them all.”

CHAPTER 16

Cannon

Royce was waiting for us at the edge of town. His look of anticipation turned sour as we approached. “Seriously? Again with the misery and the sad faces? Didn’t you just complete the bond?”

“Royce—”

“You don’t have to Royce me,” he snapped with frustration. “The whole pack felt it.” Kezia spluttered as she choked on fresh air, which made Royce laugh out loud, easing the tension in his shoulders. “Your privacy is intact, Kezia. We didn’t get any sordid details, but we all felt our alpha get stronger. It was…a good feeling.” He beamed at us both, the smile turning into a scowl as he ran his gaze over me. “For fuck’s sake, don’t tell me you’ve screwed it up already?”

I gaped at him. “Why are you only asking me if I’ve screwed up? Do you remember who I’m mated to?”

“Nuh-uh, I’m innocent!” Kezia protested loudly.

“Really?” I jerked my thumb over my shoulder. “After what we just did?” I teased her. My laughter at her bright blush was cut short when she punched me in the gut.

“That’s better.” Royce looked at us both with delight. “This is what you present to the pack, not the faces of doom you just met me with.”

Sobering, I met Kezia’s worried frown. “It’s a serious time.”

“I know,” Royce agreed, sobering with me. “But if there’s no moments of joy, what are we fighting for?”

“Bale tried to rape my mate.”

“He tried to kill my mate,” Kezia added angrily, glaring at me for Luna knows what this time. “And my brother.”

Royce let out a long sigh as he rubbed his forehead tiredly. “Right. Moments of happiness can wait. Let’s get to work.”

Kezia and I exchanged a look, and although we both shared the same feeling of urgency, when we met pack members on our way through town, we accepted the well wishes, blessings, and congratulations. We took our time to get to the house, ensuring that the pack saw their alphas.

“I don’t think we fooled anyone,” I muttered to Kezia once I realized there were too many of my pack who weren’t in the least surprised Kezia was who I was mated to.

“Maybe the thing Royce spoke about told them?”

“Both still living in denial?” Royce asked over his shoulder. “Let me be blunt: you’re both shit at being subtle. This pack knew who your mate truly was months ago.”

I caught Kezia’s flushed cheeks, and with a laugh, I pulled her closer to me. Bending, I kissed her openly in the middle of the street. It felt good not to hide the fact who she belonged to anymore.

When I pulled back, we walked hand in hand to my house. In the study, Nikan, Kris and Doc waited for us. Kezia gave her brother a sheepish wave, but his answering eye roll had her grinning, and I loved seeing her look so at ease.

“How do we know she can be trusted?” And just like that, Nikan sucked the atmosphere out of the room.

“She’s my mate.”

“She was your mate the night she left you too.”

“She is my bonded mate.”

Nikan snorted and Kezia stepped in front of me, no doubt thinking I was going to punch him.

“You have every right to be mad at me,” she told Nikan, her voice low but steady. “I shouldn’t have left. But he threatened my brother.” She held Nikan’s angry gaze calmly. “Glare at me all you want, Nikan. I know, if it was Cannon whose life had been threatened, you would have done the same as me.”

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