Page 59 of Unforgivable Fate

“He’s my brother.” He winced. “Half-brother. But still my brother.”

“You don’t think you’ll be able to do it?”

“No. It’s not that.” He sighed, “Tyrell is the last living member of the Clary family besides myself. I have no idea if he has sons to take over the pack. If I kill him, they may want me to return to lead the pack in his place.”

“Oh…” Nova blinked as if she hadn’t considered that result. “Because he’s the Pack Alpha. You’re right. You might be the next in line to lead your old pack.”

“Only I don’t want to lead my old pack.” Griffin shook his head, “They were never my pack to begin with. My place isn’t with them. It’s here. With you. I’m a Crescent wolf now and I don’t want that to change.”

“We’ll figure out a way around it.” Nova nodded firmly. “We will. We’ll talk to my brothers. We’ll make a plan. You aren’t going to leave me though. Whatever happens, you’re mine.”

“I’m yours.” Griffin nodded.

“Say it again.” Nova’s face was softer and her words didn’t come out as an order so much as a fervent prayer.

“I’m yours, Nova DeLuca. I’m yours and I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

“Good.” She leaned up and brushed their lips together, “Now prove it.”

Griffin smiled against her kiss until she bit at his bottom lip and he groaned. Her tongue licked out to taste him and he slid his hands to her ass. He lifted and she wrapped herself around him. He moved them back to the bed, laying her down and covering her body with his.

They made love, soft and slow, with murmured endearments and loving praises. They touched and stroked one another, crying out until their climaxes wrung every bit of pleasure out of them. And after, when they lay with their naked bodies wrapped around one another, he stroked her skin and hoped with everything inside of him that he was making the right choice by staying and fighting for more of this.

More of them.

Later they would talk to Leo and Darius. They would come up with a plan. They would figure out the best way to handle Tyrell and the threat he posed. But for now, he was content simply to hold his mate, to love her and to bask in the knowledge that she loved him in return.

CHAPTER TWENTY

It was Nova that came up with the plan to take Tyrell out before he could hurt anyone she loved. She’d never been much of a fighter herself. Leo was the Pack Alpha and Luna was a Queen so both had grown up learning to protect themselves. Maya was the one that trained to become an Enforcer and all the while they’d kept Nova safely protected behind them, the little sister and the Seer who was meant to be sheltered. But she was sick and tired of people threatening her family and she wasn’t about to let another Clary try and rip that apart.

She had nearly sent Griffin away because the need to protect her family was so strong. That would have been a mistake, she knew now. But getting rid of Tyrell Clary wasn’t just the right decision. It was the only one. So, after she’d made love to Griffin she’d lay beside him in bed last night and come up with a plan.

This morning, she’d told Griffin about it and then they’d taken it to Leo and Darius. They’d all agreed it was as good a plan as any they could’ve come up with themselves. Plus it had the added benefit of, hopefully, keeping Tyrell’s blood off their hands.

The plan had started with Griffin sending a note to the hotel outside of town. It was the only place Tyrell and his Enforcers could possibly have been staying. The messenger delivered it and came back with the news that Tyrell had agreed to meet Griffin alone in the clearing by the creek an hour before sunset.

The meeting spot had been essential. Nova had known that if they suggested meeting on Crescent land that Tyrell would balk. He wouldn’t want to be on their land, in their jurisdiction, where Leo could have the full force of his pack at the ready. Instead, the clearing where Maddox and Sasha had plotted to destroy the DeLuca’s was the place Nova had decided Griffin should make his stand. It was neutral territory, but even so, the Crescent wolves knew the pros and cons of the area better than Tyrell ever could, especially since they didn’t give him time to scope it out in advance.

Griffin had gone to the clearing far earlier than he needed to. He’d been certain Tyrell would try to beat him there and set up some kind of ambush. But Nova had a plan for that too.

She wasn’t letting her mate walk into this fight alone.

Instead, she was hidden in the treeline, out of sight, waiting, and she wasn’t the only one. Leo was positioned a few yards to her right. Darius a few yards beyond him and on the other side of the creek, the Moirae side, Michael, Zander and even Rafe helped them form a loose circle around the perimeter.

Luna and Maya had wanted to come as well but the men had steadfastly refused and Nova had agreed with them. Her sisters were pregnant and didn’t need to be in the middle of this if a fight broke out. Zoey had agreed with her too and offered to stay back with them and make sure both of them stayed safely at home.

Even without her sisters, the outpouring of love and support from her family when she’d told them about her plan had nearly brought Nova to tears. They had accepted Griffin, accepted him completely, even before she had and now they were ready to defend him as one of their own.

Even Bear had offered to come, ready to take down whatever threat there was to his new friend and packmate, but Leo had asked him to stay behind. Somebody had to be there to help the pack in case things went sideways. He hadn’t been happy about it but he’d done as his Pack Alpha asked. He’d also told Griffin that he better whip some ass and then hugged him and told Nova to bring him home safe.

Nova had tried to pull a vision of Griffin’s future to use as proof that she was doing the right thing but as usual fate had remained stubbornly silent. Nova couldn’t see Griffin’s future because it was tied too tightly to her own. She had to hope that meant they were going to live a long and happy life together because she couldn’t let herself think of how she would manage if he didn’t survive this.

She’d spent so long convincing herself she could walk away from her mate but she’d been wrong. She couldn’t breathe without him now. He was as much a part of her as her own soul and it made her sick to think that their future was hanging in the balance, at the whim of yet another violent psychopath who wanted something he couldn’t have.

Footsteps sounded against the rocks of the riverbed and Nova smiled to herself.

With her plan, they’d taken a chance using the surrounding forest on both sides to hide them. But it had been one she was certain would pay off. She’d been sure that Tyrell wouldn’t follow the maps or directions to this spot and would instead choose to follow the creek up from the road rather than step foot into either pack territory, and she’d been right.

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