Page 100 of Haze

Revecca sighs. “No promises. I won’t force her to let me fix it.”

“All I ask.” I cross my arms in front of my chest and watch Revecca descend the stairs.

God help me that they don’t kill each other.

Patrick comes out of the house to look down at them with me. “You’ll want to go back inside.” He chooses his words carefully. “I won’t let them kill each other, and I won’t hurt yours. She’s funnier. The effin’ and blindin’ Revecca gave out about her yesterday.” He laughs. “God help you.”

I step back inside the house into eerie silence. Revecca’s other three guards stand against the walls, their hands clasped in front of themselves, instinctively guarding their loins.

Alora and Elliot Alloway stand on one side of the kitchen facing each other, while the younger generation sits at the bar, all eating quietly.

Deacon comes strolling down the stairs as I make it to the kitchen.

He turns around, spinning in his socks on the wood floor, and goes straight back up the stairs. The tension in the room is thick, and I don’t blame him for wanting to escape.

“So, I guess you’re it then.” Elliot looks at me with a wave of his hand.

“Guess so,” I answer without knowing what’s happening.

Alora shakes her head. “He’s all wrong for her. Nothing good can come from this. The cerulean-sky color doesn’t go with her dark fern tones at all.”

I run my tongue across my teeth. That’s enough out of them.

“Cade, are we still good, running with that preemptive apology?” I look at him before training my eyes back on them.

“Go for it,” Cade growls.

“I don’t know what it is that you and your gift can see. But I’m the one in your offspring’s life. I’m the one who will choose her every day for the rest of my life. It was supposed to be you to protect her, to guide her, and to let her know that the submissive wolf inside her is a gift from God. And yet you failed.” I shake my head at them and clench my fist. “Now, you have the gall to stand here all Holy Joe and tell me that I’m not good enough for her? You’re not good enough for her. You’re not good enough for any of them.” I gesture at the near strangers who are my new family. “So, I’m going to ask nicely once, and then there won’t be any more pleasantries.”

Elliot tries to square up to me. The older wolf doesn’t have a chance in hell. Slouched and full of rage, I’m a head taller. When he squares, I stand tall. Wisely he takes a step back.

“Please leave. And do it before she comes back inside,” I growl to make my point. “And if I find out that you’ve reached out to her before she’s reached out to you, I’ll come and challenge the precious Alpha male you’ve left sitting on your throne.”

“Finn,” Cade cautions.

“He may be an Ardelean wolf, but I’m of the O’Brien line, and I can tell you now, with my experience, it’s a fifty-fifty split if he or I walk away,” I growl, finishing my thought anyway.

He’s weak. Old. We’ll kill him in two minutes with our eyes closed. My wolf paces, ready for bloodshed.

Alora shakes her head at me. She turns to Cade. “You’re really goin—”

“Aunt Alora, you’ve overstayed your welcome. I think it’s best you leave.” Cade backs me up.

She huffs, “I’ve never.”

“And maybe you should have before.” Ezra laughs. “So pretentious. Some things never change.”

Whatever she’s thinking must be damning as she and her mate retreat down the hallway to the guest suites.

Silence blankets the room, and I make a plate of food for Lena.

“She likes sriracha with her eggs,” Deacon’s voice comes from behind and startles me.

“Also, can we talk about the fact that I’m not sure who’s got a sharper tongue? Finn or Lena?” Ezra quips.

Chapter 33

Lena

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