Page 93 of War Games

“I could perhaps explain that further,” Teagan spoke up softly. He was the oldest wolf, having been in Corissa’s pack at some point. Everyone looked at him, including me, hoping for him to do just that. Explain.

“It’s rather obvious,” Teagan began. “They came from a time when someone like Corissa would have been seen as reaching beyond her place. Pretend to be the good wife, pretend to let the husband be in charge. He loves her for everything she’s ever been, so he let the charade happen to protect her from anyone who would consider killing her and putting a puppet female in place instead. He defended his spot on the Tribunal to defend her on the Tribunal. He was an Alpha in his own right, so he couldn’t actually be her second, but he acted in that way for her, all to stop any potential werewolves who come from different times from trying to get rid of a woman that would offend their delicate sensibilities about a woman’s place.”

“And it would be more of an issue among werewolves than it would be for werecats, where I have never been challenged inmy place because we’re too isolated and distant. Even if some werecats may have the problem, we’re isolated and out of each other’s ways often enough. We don’t rely on a rank structure or anything. Versus a werewolf who would have to take orders from a woman they hate.” Subira hummed, nodding. “And how does that mean letting Heath take the position by Callahan stepping down?”

Landon cleared his throat.

“I can put together the rest of their plan. Pa and I will get it out of them, but I bet I’m right. If Callahan had stepped down, Pa wouldn’t have pushed Corissa to bow her head. MY father doesn’t have the inclination to challenge a woman like that, which is what Callahan must have wanted to stop all these years. Or, obviously, killing her and finding a weaker female Alpha to put there to be forced to listen. Avoid the fight, avoid losing a mate, and avoid losing Corissa’s position for all werewolves as the most dominant Alpha. Also, unity over division.” Landon shrugged. “This was a series of war games, shoring up the power in the right places, making sure their positions were correct and stable. Just like a pack before a hunt, anyone having issues might bicker and fight for the right spot in the run, and once everyone feels right, we can run together without problems.”

Heath was Changing now, clearly healed enough by Olivia to feel comfortable going through it. I was just listening to everyone on the outside. I had gone through my own battles and had my own thoughts and experiences over the last few days. Ones that made me keep looking at Subira and Hasan together, looking at ease among the werewolves. Such a radical change from Hasan only a few months ago.

With Heath Changing, we were silent, waiting on him. When he was finished, we let him get dressed.

“I’ll get to all of that later,” he said, buttoning up his blazer. “First…”

My heart skipped a beat as he walked to me, grabbed me, and kissed me in front of everyone. I wrapped my arms around him, letting him spin me.

I was home.

“You want to marry me, huh?” he whispered as he put me down.

“I was thinking late spring or early summer,” I said, smiling.

“I like that,” he agreed, kissing me again.

“I’m going to pay for this wedding,” Hasan whispered. I looked around Heath for a second to see he was whispering to Subira.

“I’m glad you know your place,” Subira replied, smiling. “Even if you don’t want to.”

“Iwantto pay for this wedding,” Hasan said, his eyes on his mate.

“Really?” I asked.

Hasan looked at me, straightening up.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because…” Hasan trailed off. “Because he makes you happy,” Hasan finished, looking as if he wanted to say more, but that was the only thing he had.

I couldn’t smell a lie.

“We’ll need to talk about this,” I said, not sure I trusted it yet, this Hasan who accepted Heath.

“We can, certainly, but the man I saw this week, today in the Tribunal… I can’t deny that he loves my daughter, and it’s foolish to keep trying to stop this.” Hasan wrapped an arm around Subira.

“You know, I bet Callahan and Corissa considered that, too,” Subira said, leaning into Hasan. “Allow Heath to step into a Tribunal spot, married to our daughter… Suddenly, the rulers of each of the moon cursed tangled into a single family, andit’s accepted by both sides. We’ll rule both together, in whatever balance we find.”

“Well, we already were bound by a marriage in one way,” I pointed out, looking at Landon, who was now with Dirk.

“I’ll talk to Callahan and Corissa about it once he’s recovered enough to speak. I’m going to need them for a lot in the coming days. She’s the Alpha of the Tribunal pack, and I need to meet all of those werewolves. Beyond that, I only challenged Callahan for the Tribunal position. I need to see if he’ll be willing to keep the LA pack and a figurehead position on the NAWC.”

“Pa, you won all of them,” Landon said. “Taking all three only makes you more powerful.”

“And leave me with less time. I also got something better. By showing mercy to Corissa, I took her position as the most dominant werewolf. I can leave her and Callahan with projects, like his pack being the public face. It will stop the frustrating balance of the Tribunal members being too known to the public. That’s not a dance I want to do if I don’t have to.”

“The world can think you are the quiet, semi-retired Alpha you are right now,” I said, realizing the genius of that but quickly backing away from it. “But can you trust him? Either of them?”

---