Despite Zeke’s hurt, Ally couldn’t muster any sympathy for him. They had been in a relationship for almost eighteen months. If there was one person in this pack who knew Ally well, it was Zeke. If there was one person who should have seen through all the lies, it was him. Yet even he had jumped on the “Ally can’t be trusted” bandwagon.
It was hard to believe this male had once spoken of imprinting with her. Wolves who weren’t true mates could still come together and mate through imprinting. It wasn’t uncommon, since shifters knew it wasn’t certain that they would find their true mates. But the process of imprinting hadn’t happened for Ally and Zeke, and she knew why. Although she had cared for him, she’d never loved him.
Just the same, her wolf had been comfortable and content with Zeke, but she hadn’t wanted him the way a wolf wanted its mate. Their inner wolves “felt” on a level that humans could never surpass: fiercely, wildly, ragingly, and ferociously. Her wolf’s feelings for Zeke had never been that intense and all-consuming.
“What’s my execution date?” Not that Ally honestly thought Matt would order that. He didn’t have enough evidence to justify it, no matter how much he might wish differently.
“No one is going to execute you.” Zeke sounded so tired that she almost felt bad for him. Almost.
“Well then, if you’re going to banish me from the pack, get it over with.” She could have left at any time, but she hadn’t been prepared to let anyone drive her out of her own pack, particularly not some vindictive, unhinged skank. And she’d figured that everyone would see through Rachelle’s act eventually, that because she was innocent the matter would soon fix itself.
“You’re not going to be banished.”
Well, that was a surprise. “Does this mean you doubt what your mate claimed I did?”
Zeke seemed to struggle for words. “I know that it doesn’t sound like you, but you haven’t been yourself lately. I believe you didn’t set out to kill Rachelle, but the fact is that you did assault her. I’ve given you a lot of leeway, Ally. I’ve overlooked a lot of things, but I can’t overlook this. I can’t.”
“So are Rachelle and I going to have a one-on-one instead?” How grand.
“No.”
Of course not. Rachelle might be Beta female, but her level of dominance didn’t exceed Ally’s. Rachelle wouldn’t want to chance being defeated by someone of lower rank. “I’ve apparently harassed and attacked her. Her wolf should be going crazy for vengeance. That alone should have caused her to challenge me.”
He scrubbed a hand down his face. “A part of her feels sorry for you. She said she can understand why you’re jealous. She admits that she’d feel just as devastated and bitter in your position. She even argued to keep you in the pack when Matt was ready to banish you.”
Ally double-blinked, shocked. “She did what?”
“She doesn’t want you to be out there all alone. She told Matt and me that if you apologize and vow to end your jealous behavior, she’ll even be happy for you to escape punishment.”
And that was when Ally finally comprehended just what Rachelle had been trying to accomplish all along. Not drive Ally out of the pack. Not have her banished or executed—or at least not yet, anyway. No, Rachelle had been trying to isolate Ally. Trying to take away everything that was important to her. She wanted Ally to be miserable and alone, and she wanted a front-row seat to the show.
“All you have to do is apologize,” Zeke repeated.
Laughing humorlessly, Ally leaned forward. “Apologize to her? I’d rather exfoliate my skin with barbed wire and then dive into a pool of chlorine.” Something that Rachelle would know perfectly well. “Besides, I’m not in the habit of saying sorry for stuff I haven’t done.”
Zeke cursed under his breath. “Ally, she’s trying to help you here.”
Ally shook her head sadly. “I never thought you’d be so easily fooled.” If his mating bond with Rachelle had fully developed, he would have sensed that she was lying. But still, he should have known that Ally was innocent. Should have known that even if Ally had attacked Rachelle in a moment of rage, she wouldn’t have lied about it. Ally owned her shit. “So if you’re not going to cast me out, and she’s not going to challenge me, what’s the punishment for my fictional crime?”
“If you don’t apologize to Rachelle, we’ll be forced to relieve you of your status.”
The words were like a blow to the head. Status was everything to wolf shifters; it gave their wolves a clear purpose and stability. As such, to strip a wolf of their status was a very serious thing, designed to cut deep, to hurt both the wolf and the human side. And it did. “I see.” Her tone was flat, empty of any emotion, and gave away none of her wolf’s righteous anger.
“Ally, look at me.” Whatever Zeke saw in her expression made him stiffen, as if bracing himself for impact. “I didn’t want things to be like this. Dammit, they don’t have to be like this.”