Page 63 of Moon Cursed

His trust.

“But, please, Daze. Explain to me why this means our war can’t stop with killing the shadow?”

I tipped my head. “Killing the shadow might be enough to stop the demigods and what they’re planning. I mean, if their plan hinges on plausible deniability, ripping that away might be enough to send those roaches scurrying back to their holes to die.

“And after that happens, we’ll be left with the alpha council.” My lips twisted. “The same fucking alpha council that loved the shadow’s plan so much, they plotted to kidnap and imprison us the night of the mating ceremony. The same alpha councilman who sanctioned the murder of his own son so that their plan couldn’t be discovered and stopped. The same alpha council who’ll institute the forced breeding programs and sacrifice innocent omega babies along with ours.

“Tell me, Edric, do you really believe those sick-in-the-head bastards will just pack up and quit on the Golden Age just because one fucking shadow gets their throat ripped out? No,” I said, shaking my head. “Because it’s not what I’d do if I was one of those sick-in-the-head bastards. If it’s me and I couldn’t have the power for myself, I’d do the next best thing, and wrap it up in chains.”

“You mean... enslavement.”

“It’s not that farfetched, Edric. Just look at how the omegas are treated now. They’re raped, and no one gives a shit. They’re thrown out of their homes onto the streets and no one gives a shit. They’re allowed only the worst-paying jobs and half an education, and again, no one gives a shit. Is it really a big leap to think if the alpha council is willing to breed and kill them? They’d also be willing to force them to use their powers only at their command?”

“No. It’s not a leap.”

A mirthless smile stretched my lips. “But again, you could say all of that is a guess. Again, you could say we don’t have to mute all the alphas, or slaughter everyone who doesn’t accept Wolf Nation will be ruled my way and my way alone. And you could say we don’t have to kick off a violent, bloody war that’ll forever change Wolf Nation as we know it—”

“I do still think that, Daze. Okay, yes, the fight won’t end with killing the shadow, but that doesn’t mean—”

“—and then I’d have to tell you,” I finished, “that Hope’s an omega.”

Deep, profound silence fell on the other side of the bond.

“I’d have to tell you, Edric, that all the horrible experiences you’ve heard from omegas over the last couple weeks will be in her future, but for Hope, it’ll be a thousand times worse, because she’ll have something the alphas will want more than money, sex, or service.

“So you tell me, Edric? Do you think we should hang Hope’s future on the innate goodness of the people who’ve been oppressing wolves like Hope since Wolf Nation began?”

“We go with your plan,” he cut in before I finished my sentence. “No changes. No substitutions. You just tell me what you need me to do.”

I dropped my head, relief filling me even as it tinged with sadness. “Thank you.”

“No one’s gonna fuck with our daughter.” I didn’t need to hear him growling to know he was. “Not unless they want to find out what it’s like to breathe with no throat.”

“Oh no, my sweet mate. We won’t be half that easy on them.” I raised my head. “Ahh!”

I scrambled half across the bed, heart thumping through my rib cage. Badr, the bastard, just reclined against the dresser where he’d been standing there watching me for Luame knows how long.

“Will you stop fucking creeping around!”

He cocked a brow, looking like the effortlessly handsome douchebag he was. His blond hair turned dark with the damp, and messily hung around his sapphire eyes. Edric’s clothes were too big for him, so he skipped the shirt entirely and chose sweatpants that barely held to his thighs.

Slow and lethargic as she was, my wolf still revved her engine, getting ready to pounce.

“I wasn’t creeping anywhere,” Badr returned. “It’s not my fault you didn’t hear me come out. Did you know you get this horribly unattractive constipated look on your face when you’re overworking that one brain cell too hard?”

“Did you know those pants are doing nothing to hide that teeny-weeny-beany pencil dick? Yikes, I thought you were a walking, talking Ken doll for a second there.”

Badr smirked, far from insulted. “At least that’s an upgrade from a walking, talking piece of shit.”

“It would be if you weren’t both.”

I turned away from him and went to the desk, checking to see if Lucia was ready. Anything to stop me looking at Badr.

Fact was, the thin sweatpants he borrowed from Edric did give way to his package, and that beast was far from teeny-weeny. It wasn’t right that he didn’t have a stack of dimes in his pants to match his small-dick energy.

Lucia flashed onto the screen—her face coldly beautiful, and pissed. “Do you have any idea what time it is? Why are you calling me this late?”

“Drop the fake outrage. You don’t sleep.”

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