My fingers trembled in his grip. “Then why are you claiming his achievement?”
Before he could answer, Sarah glided over, her face a mask of practiced vulnerability.
“Ryan,” she said softly, “you promised to acknowledge Jamie as yours. You gave your word.”
Ryan’s grip on my hand tightened. “Celeste is my mate. She deserves the truth!”
Sarah’s vulnerable mask cracked, revealing a cold smile.
+15 BONUS
“Then let’s tell her everything, shall we?” Her voice dripped with satisfaction. “Tell her Marcus needs to take Jamie’s place in Silver Prison for five years and Jamie will replace Marcus as the pack’s hero. ”
Marcus looked up at me, fear clouding his young eyes. “Mom, what’s she talking about?”
“What is she talking about?” 1 demanded, my voice shaking. “Why would Marcus need to go to prison?”
Ryan’s shoulders slumped. His golden eyes dimmed with guilt.
“Jamie… he accidentally killed a five–month–old wolf pup last week,” Ryan said quietly. “He didn’t mean to, but pack law is clear.
Sarah and Jamie would be exiled.”
My blood ran cold. “And?”
“Sarah has no mate to protect them. They wouldn’t survive as rogues.” Ryan reached for my hand. I yanked it away. “Marcus is strong. He’s already saved so many with his wolfsbane cure. The Alpha Council would only give him five years in Silver Prison.”
Marcus started sobbing. “Dad, I didn’t do anything wrong!”
Jamie sneered at Marcus, his young face twisted with cruel satisfaction. “You should be honored to take my punishment. After all, your father only ever loved my mother.”
Ryan’s face paled. He clapped his hand over Jamie’s mouth, panic flashing in his eyes.
“No! Celeste, that’s not true!” He grabbed my shoulders desperately. “You’re my only mate. Once this mess with Jamie is settled,
I’ll hold our marking ceremony. When Marcus returns from prison, he’ll inherit my Beta position. These five years… they’ll just
be training for him.”
A bitter laugh escaped my throat.
Ten years.
Ten years since Ryan discovered I was his mate and supposedly ended things with Sarah.
Ten years together.
Our son was eight years old now.
Yet in all that time, Ryan had never held our marking ceremony. Never publicly declared me as his mate.
“Mom?” Marcus’s voice quivered. “I don’t want to go to prison.”
Sarah’s smile grew wider. “Better get used to it, pup. Silver Prison isn’t known for its comfort.”
“Shut up, Sarah!” Ryan growled, but his voice lacked real authority.
Elder William’s footsteps echoed through the hall. “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing, Elder,” Ryan said smoothly. “Just a family misunderstanding. I’ll handle it.”
+15 BONUS
He gripped my arm, steering me and Marcus toward the pack garage. Sarah and Jamie followed.
The moment I slid into the back seat, I noticed the packages of wolfberry snacks scattered across the dashboard, Marcus hated wolfberries they made his tongue itch.
“Ryan always keeps Jamie’s favorite snacks in the car,” Sarah said sweetly. “For our family drives together.”
“Sarah, enough!” Ryan growled, but there was no real anger in his voice.
“Don’t yell!” Sarah whimpered. “You’ll frighten Jamie!”
On cue, Jamie started crying. Ryan immediately reached back to pat his head.
The car filled with tense silence as we drove. Marcus pressed against me, trembling.
“Celeste, try to understand,” Ryan finally said. “Sarah’s an Omega. Without pack protection, she and Jamie wouldn’t survive exile. The rogues would tear them apart.”
“Then let them die,” I said coldly. “My son won’t rot in prison for their crimes.”
Jamie’s wails grew louder. Sarah burst into tears.
“How dare you!” Ryan snapped, his eyes flashing in the rearview mirror. “Show some compassion!”
I laughed bitterly. “Compassion?
“1
“You are really unreasonable! I gave up Sarah for you ten years ago!” he snarled. “I let her mated to that drunk Richard who beat
her for years! I owe her this
much!”
