“Right,” we echo.
“A Santeetlah Wolf can’t be a true mate for a Carnage Wolf, darling,” Tieran murmurs. “Once we explain that to the Elders, you’ll be free. As will I, because I didn’t reject or kill Bryson’s daughter. And I can prove it.” He shrugs. “I’ll send them a lengthy letter when I’m done killing him. I’m sure they’ll be riveted by the details and so tied up in red tape, they won’t be able to see straight for months.”
“Such a shame,” I drawl.
Volt grins. “I still think I should bomb their headquarters.”
Tieran shakes his head. “You can focus on Bryson’s head for now.” He looks at Alpha Pan and Alpha Lance “You’ll both go to Richmond, pretend to be us. I’ll get you clothes.” His focus goes to Alpha Ebony. “I need you to take Clove back to the island and keep her safe. And—”
“What?” Clove interjects. “No. I’m coming with you.”
Volt and I share a look.
“No, you’re not,” Tieran says, the authority sharp in his tone. “We won’t be able to focus with you there. You need to be somewhere safe, and right now, that’s with Alpha Ebony and Alpha Duncan.”
“He’s my former Alpha,” she says, her back straightening as she stares Tieran done. “I’m coming.”
“No, Clove. My wolf will go absolutely insane if you’re anywhere near the danger. I can’t focus on you and my task at the same time. I need you to go back to the island. That’s what you can do for my sanity and focus. Fuck, not even just mine. Volt’s and Caius’s, too.”
I nod. “He’s right, beauty. I won’t be able to focus at all if you’re there. I’ll be too busy wanting to protect you, not myself.”
Volt seems a little more conflicted, but he eventually agrees with a subtle tilt of his head. “This isn’t about your abilities or your strength. It’s not an insult, sweetling. It’s about keeping our heads. You’re still unclaimed. That does things to our wolves.”
“Then cla…” she starts to snap back, only to trail off as she realizes what she was about to demand. Her jaw snaps closed, but her eyes breathe fire. She’s pissed.
Because deep down, she knows we’re right.
And she can’t demand our claim. Not yet. Not like this.
“I’ll bring his head back for you,” Volt offers softly. “His balls, too, if you’d like.”
She grimaces.
“I’ll add your father to the pile,” Volt continues. “Give me names, I’ll find them and kill them. All of them. Just tell me who.” His earnest promises seem to be thawing her a little.
“It’s not about sexism or saying you can’t hold your own,” Alpha Ebony speaks up. “They’re right. I can feel how agitated their wolves are even here. They can’t fight in this condition. It’ll get them killed.”
Clove deflates. She knows she’s defeated, but she clearly doesn’t like it. And I hate it, too. If she were our mate, we could absolutely take her with us. We would be stronger as a full clan. Our mental hive mind would be in place. Our shared immunity. Everything.
But in this current state, she has to go back to the island.
“All right,” she says, her tone indicating she’s not happy about this, but won’t fight it. “I’ll go back to Carnage Island with Alpha Ebony.”
Tieran swallows, his expression uncharacteristically soft for him. “I’m sorry, Clove. But I promise we’ll make this up to you.”
“By bringing back Bryson’s body for you to burn,” Volt offers hopefully.
Tieran ignores him.
But Clove smiles a little. She knows Volt’s trying. “Looks like we’re having a barbecue, V,” I tell him.
He grins. “Yeah?”
Tieran doesn’t respond, his concentration still on Clove. It’s like he wants to say something, but doesn’t know how. Which is again uncharacteristic of him.
“I would like to watch him burn,” Clove says, her gaze on Tieran, not on Volt.
Which means she misses his ridiculous smile. Probably a good thing because he looks a bit psychotic. Even Alpha Lance takes a step away from him.
“We’ll make it up to you,” Tieran repeats, his palm finding her cheek again. “I promise, Clove.”
“I believe you,” she whispers back to him.
He presses his forehead to hers, a moment of intense emotion seeming to pass from him to her. It’s enough to wipe that look off Volt’s face and sober his expression. He steps forward, taking over her opposite side while I remain on the other.
Then the three of us hug her, our clan embracing our Omega.
It’s a charged moment without words.
Just a passing of knowledge.
A vow of the future.
A destiny engraving itself in all our hearts.
Ours, I think, kissing her temple. Tieran takes her mouth, his own declaration passing to her with his tongue. And Volt nibbles her neck.
When this is done, we’ll be taking her back to Black Mountain Pack as our Omega.
I can feel it in my soul.
She’s the one that will push us through this final challenge.
The reason Tieran will finally ascend.
We’re going home, I think. We’re finally going home.
28
TIERAN
“Clove’s safe with Alpha Duncan in his den,” I say, reading the message from Alpha Ebony.
It’s accompanied by a photo of Clove sitting on a couch, staring at security screens. Alpha Edwin is beside her, pointing at one of the monitors, probably explaining the technical jargon to her.
He’s one of the other lone wolves on the island, similar to Alpha Mackin. They’re brothers, actually. So it must be a family trait.
I run a palm over my face. My wolf isn’t pleased. He didn’t want to let Clove leave. Fuck, I didn’t want to let her leave. But this is the right way to do this.
Except I hate it.
So it feels wrong.
Because we’re not connected. If I bit her and completed the link, I would be able to talk to her right now. Find out what Alpha Edwin is really saying. Make sure she’s okay. Happy. Healthy. Safe.