Page 52 of Dark Moon Secrets

“Hey, you two get back to work,” called out Rafe as he strode toward us.

“I won’t let you ruin my chances of having something I had always dreamed of.”

“Everyone dreams of leading the pack. It’s just not going to happen. Think smart, Al.”

I wasn’t going to win this argument with my mate. I don’t know how I could get him to see reason. He’d lost his head with the false promise of beta.

“Tyr, don’t disappoint me,” growled Rafe.

Tyr turned away quickly, head down, and returned to work, making more concrete.

I stared at Rafe. “I know what you’re doing.”

“If you did, you would be here, working and not off prowling at night.”

I won’t be making that mistake again. As much as I wanted to see Tanjie, I would have to put my desire on ice if I could manage it.

“I wasn’t. I was clearing my head by running.”

“The problem is that even if it were true, your reputation says otherwise, and I would not believe you.”

I clenched my jaw tight, refusing to look away from Rafe. He had me, and he knew it. I was trapped in my own misadventures.

“You promised you would be by my side,” said Rafe quietly, an edge to his voice that sent shivers down my spine.

“I am.”

“Then make sure you are. We’re plotting all the time, the pack members are all contributing, and you can’t have any leadership role if you’re not around. The others need to trust you as much as they trust me. Look how easy it was for me to turn Tyr against you.”

I hated him for what he was doing. My nails dug into my palm, stopping me from taking a swing at him. He was taunting me, but I wouldn’t react.

“You’ve wanted us to go up against the witches for so long… now is your chance, boy, to show me how much you want this.”

Fuck, he was good at twisting things around. He was right, and just like that, he had me cornered.

“Got it.” It wasn’t a question.

Rafe pointed his finger into my shoulder as he spoke. I didn’t flinch, standing my ground. I wouldn’t fight him, but I wouldn’t back down either.

“I got it all right.”

“Get back to work. I expect you to be at the pub tonight, talking with the pack members and getting to know what their strengths and weaknesses are. Otherwise, you’ll be on the back bench when the time comes to attack.”

Rafe knew I didn’t want that. I wanted to be where the action was.

“So, what is the plan? I know you have one, even if you ask the others for their input.” I risked a lot by stepping in closer to him. It was important what we were saying stayed with us.

“Course I do. But I’m not actioning anything until the ancestral spirits have been consulted. First, we need to plan the bonfire properly. If we want to defeat the witches, we must be prepared.”

We’d never successfully overturned the witches’ control. What would I do first when that happened? My mind turned to Tanjie, and conflicting emotions stirred deep. I had to keep how I felt about her to myself.

“You would wait to consult the ancestors before giving the position to your own son?” I asked.

“Most definitely. It’s a position to be earned. You haven’t earned it.”

It had been too much to expect him to trust me. I hadn’t proven myself, but I would. I would learn more about the witches, ensuring we would overthrow them and then be the ones with all the control.

“Make sure you don’t go out tonight… leave the prowling for the celebration when we win,” warned Rafe.

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