Page 107 of Dark Moon Secrets

How could I have bonded with her?

I didn’t bond with any woman. Only had some sexy fun and left. Apparently, not this time.

“You have one more chance. One. More. You fuck it up, and you’re out of the pack.”

I held my breath. There had to be more.

Rafe stepped away and went to Tyr. He placed his hand on Tyr’s shoulder, then turned to the pack.

“Everyone, I’ve made my choice. We need a strong front as we face off against the witches.”

My pulse was erratic.

No, he can’t do this. Tyr is the one who betrayed us.

But I had failed my pack, too, because I had no evidence to prove it.

“Tyr is the new beta.”

The pack cheered. I couldn’t do it. This was all bittersweet. I hadn’t been kicked out, but I had been overlooked, and Rafe had sent a clear message to the pack about what he thought of me, his son—he didn’t trust me, and I was at the bottom of the pack.

I guess there’s only one way to go now, and that is up. But it was going to take all my wits and smarts. I couldn’t make a single mistake. I had to up my game.

Not just for me.

But for Tanjie.

Whatever was going to happen, I was going to be the one to protect her.

CHAPTER 32

Tanjie

Voices whispering drew me from my sleep. Once the pain in my arms washed over me, I readjusted and focused on the words.

“The ceremony might not matter, anyway.”

I recognized the voice. It was Luna, and she was agitated.

“We have to do it. We have to find out her skill.”

That was Willow speaking. They were just down the stairs. No doubt, she was waiting for me to wake.

I lay still, eyes closed, listening.

“No, we don’t, Willow. She is as strong as she will be… no ceremony will change that.”

“She might be stronger if she hadn’t slept with a wolf.”

“What is done is done. Let it go. There are bigger problems. We might all be dead by the next dark moon. We have to train her. If anything, we should’ve dragged her here after her parents’ deaths and started before she was eighteen.”

“I agree on that point.”

“Agree on all my points. We are in this together, and we can’t let our differences divide us.”

“So what if we don’t know her skill? We can progress without knowing.”

“I hope so because that looks very much like what we will have to do.”