Page 80 of Can't Be Love

“Your speech was just what we needed to hear,” Edna assured me. “Change is hard, and we won’t go easy on you, but if you survive the challenges, we’ll come around.”

“Thanks, I think,” I said with a chuckle.

Several women came up and introduced themselves. A few even wished me well. The aggression towards me was already subsiding, and I believed everything was going to be okay.

I saw Lizzy and Shelby make their way through the crowd.

“Wow, what’s going on here?” Lizzy asked.

“I think Lily has decided to just campaign for Pack Mother in order to win over the old biddies,” Sydney teased.

I covered my face with my hands and shook my head, knowing my cheeks were burning.

“That’s not necessary, you know,” Lizzy said.

“Unfortunately, I think it might be,” I confessed.

“Um,” she started, uncomfortably bouncing from one foot to the next. My face dropped. I knew something was wrong. “Can you come back to the house? Dad wants to talk to you.”

“You’ve got another challenge,” Shelby blurted out, and the whole room quieted again.

Thomas

Chapter 28

I was pacing back and forth across Dad’s office since the call had come in. Wanda Larken had challenged Lily. My instincts to protect my mate were high, and my wolf was agitated. Dad had sent two of my sisters to get her, but it should have been me.

“You need to stay here and calm down. I know this is tough on you both, but every mating couple goes through this, and as future Alpha, son, you knew the probability was high she’d be challenged.”

Lily walked into the room with Lizzy and Shelby, who was looking rather guilty, and I knew she’d spilled it and already told Lily of the challenge. I stared at Shelby and watched her squirm in guilt. They were supposed to just say she was needed back at the house so I could be the one to break the news to her.

Lily threw her hands up when I started to embrace her. “Just tell me it’s a real challenge this time and not another pup paying tribute for Sydney.”

I pulled her against my chest and wrapped my arms around her, letting her soothe my wolf’s nerves. “It’s a legit challenge, babe. I’m so sorry.”

Lily pulled back and looked up at me like I was crazy. “What are you sorry about? It’s not like I didn’t know it was coming. Future Pack Mother is the highest position a she-wolf can obtain in the Pack. Of course I’ve got a target on my back. I’m ready,” she insisted. “Who is it, sir?” she asked my father.

He threw a file down on his desk. “Wanda Larken. Everything you need to know about her is in that file.”

Lily picked it up and thanked him. “When?” she asked, a little too calmly.

“Standard three days.”

“Got it,” she said. “I’m going to go study up on this information, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course,” Dad said.

“Wait,” I ordered. “You can’t seriously be this calm about the situation.” She was being challenged by a Larken, the most ruthless I’d ever met of our kind, and she was acting like Dad had just told her to go bake cookies. Where was the fire and the passion in my girl? She was freaking me out.

Lily stared at me like I had two heads. “It’s fine, Thomas. Don’t worry.” She grinned, and I saw just a hint of mischief in her eyes. “I’ve got this.”

“Don’t you even want to know about her?” Shelby asked, sounding as shocked as I felt by how well Lily was excepting this challenge.

“Sure,” she said. “What can you tell me about Wanda Larken?”

“First,” Shelby started, “she’s a Larken. That alone should concern you.”

“Explain,” Lily said.

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