Page 36 of The Scarred Heart

They joined Adam, Dani, and their mom in the family room and began to help with what was left of the packing. It wasn’t much; the house was almost completely packed up. It didn’t take long for the five of them to finish, load the truck and car with boxes, and make plans to have dinner at Luna’s, a pack-owned restaurant in town. But first they had to stop at the alphas’ home, which Row wasn’t looking forward to.

* * *

Acksel Moore leaned back on the couch and listened to his mate talk to Kammie about leaving the pack. The she-wolf had alerted them she was coming back to town after nearly two weeks away with her mate, and that she’d brought her mother-in-law with her. He could see that Brynn was upset, but he knew it was because she liked Kammie and didn’t want her to go.

When the call ended, Brynn turned into his shoulder and he hugged her close, kissing the top of her head. “It’ll be okay, sweetheart,” he said.

“I’m going to miss her.”

“Of course, but she’s got a mate who doesn’t fit in with us.”

“He would if you’d change the laws.”

Acksel stifled a sigh. She had no idea how hard it was to be the alpha male. He’d made many changes to pack law since he mated her, but doing so meant messing with the traditions of their people. He was all for progress, but he couldn’t just scrap everything because his mate had a tender heart.

“The laws are there for a reason. I know you’re worried about the future and our pups, and I am also to an extent, but I can only make so many changes at once or I risk losing pack members.”

“We’ve lost some anyway, since you mated me.” She tipped her head back and looked at him. He was struck momentarily mute by her beauty. That she was his, and willing to let him see her naked, made him thank his lucky stars every night.

“Because I changed the laws to do it. I know you don’t like the hierarchy system, sweetheart, but it’s in place for a reason. The strongest protect the weakest. And before you protest, I know that my predecessor failed to keep Kammie safe and she’s paid the price for that all these years. I can’t change how people think. The females see her as weak, partly because of the scars, but partly because the former alpha didn’t care enough to stop what was happening to her.”

“The laws say that injured males and females are the lowest of the ranks, and never allows them to change their status unless they mate someone of higher rank. I know you wouldn’t allow someone to beat a child the way that Kammie’s uncle hurt her, but it’s just monstrously unfair that she’s been held down all these years by other females because of something out of her control.”

He stared into his mate’s beautiful eyes. “What is it you really want here?”

“I want everyone to pull their own weight equally. Did you know that there are females who never lift a finger? If we say that all omegas work for the pack, then why don’tallof them actually work?”

“You’d have the work divvied up more fairly.”

She nodded. “I think someone should be in charge of the omegas who understands each one’s particular skills and needs. Some of the omegas need help, but that’s what the stewards are for. We’ve got females and males in their twenties who aren’t lifting a finger for anyone but themselves. I just found out that Kammie used to clean some females’ homes for them. Just because she has some scars on her body doesn’t mean she’s a maid, for goodness sake.”

He kissed Brynn and she made a soft sound in her throat. “You’re so caring, sweetheart,” he murmured against her lips.

“I care most about you,” she said. “But I also care about the pack members, and I wish there was a more equal distribution of the workload. Dade is handling the stewards, and I love that, especially with Adam and Dani joining Jeremiah and Honey, but I wish there was someone like a steward who watched over the omegas. If Kammie and Row were staying, we could’ve put them in charge.”

Acksel didn’t think that would’ve worked. Although Row was fierce, Kammie would have trouble getting some of the omegas to accept her in a position of power. Wolves could be weird about who bossed who around. It was easier with males, who could simply fight it out. Omegas didn’t fight for rank.

“I want to have a going-away party for Kammie tonight. I talked to Dani and Adam about it, and they’re going to stop here first so Kammie can say goodbye to us, but we’ll really be sending her off with a nice party.”

“If that’s what you want.”

“I think it’s a good idea. I want to show her that she’s important to me and to the pack. She might not have been treated well, but there are people who will miss her dearly, including me. It wasn’t just because she cooked for us, but because she always had a smile on her face and was willing to do anything to help. She has a really giving heart and I think that should be celebrated. I want her to have a good last memory of the pack and to wish her well in the future.”

“We can do that, just tell me what you need and I’ll arrange it.”

“I want the ranked males to help out, not the omegas.”

He blinked in surprise. “What?”

“I know I can’t change everything now, but I’d like to do this. Just for tonight, let the ranked males help out and get a taste of how hard the omegas work.”

Acksel didn’t think it would go over well with the ranked males to do something previously done by omegas, but he could see Brynn’s point. And he’d even help himself. Mentally making a list of males who would do the work without being assholes about it, he leaned in to kiss his mate, but she drew back slightly.

She gripped his wrist and narrowed her eyes. “I don’t want you to mark Kammie.”

“What?” Acksel blinked, wondering what the hell she was talking about.

“For her to leave the pack. I won’t let you put another scar on her. I let you slide about a lot of things, Acksel, but I’m putting my foot down. She leaves the pack without a single scar from you or I’m going to become very difficult.” Her eyes blazed brightly.

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