Page 70 of Unforgivable

I just bare my teeth at her in some semblance of a smile. I know Franco likes Lyri, but I don't know anything about this female. Not even her name.

"Jane," Franco warns quietly.

"I'm not satisfied because some alcoholic MateLess told you she's fine!" Jane hisses.

"My female is 'fine,'" I reply for Franco.

Both wolves look at me. Owen wanders over, leaving another beer for me at the table. "And my brother is not a drunk," I tell her mildly. Inside, my wolf is seething at the insult to my brother. He's had a rough time, and this is his birth pack, essentially calling him worthless.

"He told us she's doing better," Franco intercedes just when it seems like Jane is about to come out of her skin. "Is it true?"

I take a swallow of beer before I reply, "she's worried about the pack barbeque this weekend."

"Why?" Franco asks. Both wolves look at me, confused.

"We've been asked," I stress "to show up." I take another drink, watching their eyes for any signs of knowledge about this. I want to know what sort of bullshit Jax has planned for my female.

"She's nullavenia," Jane breathes, "the pack will shun her."

"Would you?" I ask.

Jane clenches her bottom jaw. "I would have to, wouldn't I? I have a family just like everyone else does. What happens if I don't shun her, and it's me on the chopping block?"

Franco spins his bottle between the palms of his hands, glaring at the glass as if it personally offended him. "I don't have anyone that could be hurt. I would talk to her, at least, but it was made clear to me that if I offered to train her again, I would lose my position in the pack."

"Who made that clear?" I ask.

His fingers tighten. The Watering Hole really shouldn't serve beer in glasses to wolves. Most bars and restaurants use stainless steel or plastic.

"Franco?"

"I was told by Alex Pierson, with Luna Jessi standing next to him."

I frown at Franco, more than surprised to hear the name of the unranked father of the pack's future luna. "He's taking his daughter's mate cheating on her fucking seriously, huh?"

"I guess I can't blame him for that. But, fuck," Franco exhales, voice dropping low, "does no one in this pack blame the alphason for cheating?"

"Yes, we do," Jane snaps, but in a soft voice that can't carry to other tables. "But Lyri always made Cloe look weak, and Luna Jessi..."

"What?" I ask. Every inch of my body is vibrating with the need to lash out at someone.

"She told me once, about a year ago, to delay Lyri's progression through the ranks," Jane whispers.

"You never told me that," Franco looks shocked.

She nods grimly. "It was weird. It wasn't anything direct, but it was still pretty damn clear. I was supposed to just delay Lyri's promotions, hold her back. I just thought it was because she was going so fast that no one believed she was that good." Jane takes a breath, "but then Luna came by with Alex Pierson, asking that Cloe be ranked higher. I told them that I couldn't push up Cloe's rank without also pushing Lyri up. They flat out told me that I couldn't score another female so far ahead of Cloe, especially a female who's two years younger."

"Motherfucker," Franco breathed out.

Jane nods grimly, "that's why I transferred Lyri to you," she tells Franco. "I figured they would hesitate to try and intimidate you."

"Tell me," I say, leaning forward, "who likes my female?"

I drain the bottle as they speak.

---

I leave before the table of my "friends" do. Hands in my pockets to show the wolves in the bar that I'm no threat, I saunter out into the crisp night.

I wait across the street. I can be a patient bastard when I want to be. I just concentrate on blending in with the shadows until I'm indistinguishable. When the four targets leave the bar, I follow. Drunk, sloppy, they aren't being cautious of anyone who may be following them.

I note where they live. Yule and Krista live together in one of the smaller cottages near the center of town. Brian lives with his parents, and Darci lives with hers.

I run back home. I may never have Lyri in my arms the way I want her to be, but I sure as hell can do this for her.

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