Page 44 of Hidden Pain

Ebony and Christian remained alone and abandoned on the other side.

“What the fuck?” Ebony stomped her wolf feet. “Have you all gone insane? He’s going to destroy the pack. He’s sleeping with a man. It goes against everything we’ve been taught. It’s disgusting.”

Now fully restored to his imposing wolf form, Hunter stepped closer to her.

“No! Sleeping with my beta and lying to the pack about being pregnant with my child is disgusting. I’m within my rights to have you both killed for what you’ve done, but I’ll give you clemency. I think living will be a worse punishment for you, anyway. You’ll both leave here now with nothing. If you are discovered back in Kansas at any point, I won’t be so lenient,” Hunter ordered. Ebony was still pacing, but Christian looked defeated.

“You can’t do this. I’m pregnant,” Ebony implored.

“I believe Christian has alliances with another pack who’ll take you in. Go join Nuka.”

“The polar bear? In the snow?” Ebony continued to protest.

“Go.” Hunter’s order was more forceful this time and accompanied by bared fangs.

Ebony scurried away with her tail between her legs, but Christian lingered.

“I’m sorry,” his ex-beta offered by way of an apology. “I genuinely wanted what was best for the pack.”

“If that was true, you wouldn’t have listened to Nuka Lincoln.” Hunter turned away from Christian and had started to head over to Lily and Kingsley when the other wolf leaped for him.

“Watch out,” Kingsley shouted at the same time as Lily sprang into action, using her full weight to knock Christian away from Hunter. The alpha wolf turned around and bore down on Christian. Lily held the defeated wolf on the ground as Hunter clenched his teeth around Christian’s ear and bit it off, leaving him with the mark of a traitor.

“Leave,” Lily ordered as she jumped off Christian, and he left as quickly as he could with his tail between his legs, finally realizing what was best for him.

Hunter spat the tip of the ear out. He then shifted back to a human, and Lily did the same.

“Meeting dismissed. We’ll vote on a new beta tomorrow, but effective immediately Lily and Kingsley are elected to the meetings and have a say. They’re pack members now. Agreed?” It wasn’t really a request to his pack, it was more of a command.

They all nodded in unison and dispersed.

Jessica, who’d been watching on the sidelines, came over to them.

“You think Nuka will actually accept them into his pack?”

Hunter shook his head.

“Christian will be lucky to get away with his life for failing the polar bear.”

“I’ll keep an eye on them,” Jessica offered.

“They won’t bother us again…it’s a wolf code thing,” Hunter assured her.

Lily now standing naked in human form wrapped herself around Hunter as a chill developed in the air, causing her to shiver.

“Would you mind helping us get home quickly, Jessica?”

“Of course.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

After saying goodbye to Jessica and thanking her for her help, Hunter collapsed on the bed. He was exhausted. Lily and Kingsley joined him, one on either side. Lily hadn’t bothered to get dressed again, and Kingsley had divested himself of his clothes. The warmth of their bodies together comforted him along with the knowledge they were all safe, at least for now.

“How are you feeling, Hunter?” Kingsley asked.

“Relieved. Still shocked at everything that just happened. I still can’t believe all I needed to do to get them to vote for me was to claim you both. I always thought it would be a mistake to admit that I’d found love outside the pack.” Hunter leaned over and kissed Kingsley before turning to Lily.

“Did you mean it about helping shifters who’ve suffered like you have?” Hunter questioned the bear who was snuggling down into his chest.

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