Page 81 of Can't Be Love

“She’s a Larken. What more is there to explain?” Shelby insisted.

“The Larkens were once part of Collier Pack. Her uncle, Jedidiah Larken, had a falling-out with Dad when we were just little pups. He pulled his allegiance and left. A few other families followed him. They still live in the area, just on the other side of the railroad tracks in a rundown trailer park. They’re bad news, Lily,” Lizzy added.

“Oh,” she said sounding surprised, then her whole face lit up. “She’s not actually a Collier wolf then?” The girls shook their heads. “Great! Well, that’s certainly an improvement then. Thanks!”

Lily turned to leave, looking much too happy.

“Why are you okay with this? Why aren’t you freaking out, Lily?” I asked, trying not to freak out myself. “This is a challenge to the death. I need you to take this seriously. She’s lethal and won’t back down.”

Lily turned to me and there was fire in her eyes. “Thomas, you need to have a little faith in me right now. I’ve prepared my entire life for this. I’ve been training since I was a pup, and my wolf and I are in perfect synch. You may think her lethal, but that’s only because you’ve never seen me fight. I need you to just support me right now. I am capable of taking care of myself, you know? And quite frankly, I did not just confess way too much to the entire pack to just give up and die. I’m slowly gaining respect, but I still have a lot to prove to them, and apparently to you as well. I need some time alone to go over these notes and to train. Is there a place I can do that?” she asked.

I gulped. She seemed cold and disconnected, and I really didn’t like it, but I nodded.

“I can show you a place,” Lizzy offered. “I use it when I need to just get away. No one will bother you there.”

I was probably the only other person on the planet who knew where she was talking, but I didn’t say it. Lily would be safe there at least, and I knew Lizzy would keep a close eye on her.

“You have nothing to prove to me or the Pack, Lily. They’ll come around,” I told her.

She smiled, but there was still a cold feeling behind it that made me shiver. “They will, but you’re wrong. I have everything to prove.”

Lily and Lizzy left and I was once again alone with Dad. He chuckled and shook his head. “I understand you want to protect her, son, but she’s a Westin. I guarantee Jason and Mary have personally seen to her training. She’ll be ready. She needs your support more than your protection right now.”

“I get that, Dad, but that’s a lot easier to say than do. My job is to protect her. I hate this challenge bullshit. What is even the point? It’s such an archaic system.”

“I don’t entirely disagree with you, but we fall under Grand Council law. It can only be changed by them.”

My mind was already going a million miles an hour, thinking through scenarios and petitions that would be necessary to get the challenges dismissed. The previous night while Lily lay sleeping in my arms, I had scoured through the full text from the Grand Council regarding mating challenges, searching for any loophole possible to get her out of this. I knew it was too late for us, but I never wanted our children to have to face this, and I would do everything in my power to rally enough support to ensure they’d never have to.

“Look, Thomas, I know it’s not ideal, but it is tradition and part of our heritage. I really need you to just hold it together for a few more days. Jedidiah is bringing Wanda over to meet you in little while. I’m expecting them anytime now.”

“And you just thought to warn me about this? Should Lily be here, too?”

“She wants to meet with you, not Lily. Besides, your mate asked for time alone. We should give her that. The less stress on her or her wolf, the better shape she’ll be in to fight. I do not need Wanda agitating her and making things worse, and mark my word, that’s exactly what these Larkens will pull.”

I had been so young when Dad and Jedidiah had their falling out that I still didn’t know all the details, or even why it had happened. All I really knew was that Jedidiah had sworn revenge on the Collier Pack, and if this was how he planned to enact it, he was in for a major disappointment.

A knock on the door of Dad’s office alerted us to their arrival. He answered it personally.

“Hello Jed.”

“Zach,” the man said just as curtly. You could feel the tension thickening in the room as the two Alphas watched each other closely. “My niece, Wanda,” Jed finally said.

“Hello, Wanda.” My father nodded toward her then looked to me.

“Yes, hello. Welcome. I’m Thomas Collier,” I said, following Dad’s lead and not bothering to extend a hand to either of them.

“Wow, you’re a lot sexier than I imagined. This isn’t going to be such a bad gig after all,” the woman said. She was tall, much taller than Lily, with luscious curves that once might have tempted me, but all I felt was disgust towards her.

“Come again?” I asked, not sure what she was getting at.

She stalked over to me and placed her forefinger at the top of my chest and proceeded to move it down. I growled and took a step back.

“Thomas,” my father warned.

“No,” I insisted. “Meeting her is one thing. She has no business touching me. My wolf will not stand for it.”

Wanda laughed. “When I kill your mate in the challenges, you’ll reconsider that. After all, I am going to be your new mate and Pack Mother of Collier Pack.”

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