“I-I…” Heather sputtered, her eyes going wide.
“On your knees!” I yelled, stalking across the room. As I drew close, her mom reached back and pulled her off the couch. My wolf was close to the surface, demanding I annihilate the girl who’d caused trouble for our mate. “The day you were born, I vowed to protect you as a member of our pack. When I became alpha, I promised to defend all of the shifters who accepted me as their leader, including you. But neither of those oaths supersede the one I made to my fated mate today. Anyone who cannot accept her has no place in my pack.”
“No, you can’t mean it,” Heather gasped, shaking her head as tears started to stream down her cheeks.
“It’s no excuse, but she always had a bit of a schoolgirl crush on Aaron,” her mom explained. “After he saved her from drowning in the river when she was ten, she thought he hung the moon. She was devastated when he left the pack to roam on his own.”
“That’s no excuse for causing trouble for my mate. Larissa has done nothing to deserve this bullshit,” I bit out.
“You’re right,” Heather’s dad agreed. “Regardless of the reason, my daughter fucked up. Her actions have cast a shadow on a day that should’ve been filled with nothing but happiness for you and your mate. I’m sorry.”
Larissa came up behind me, and the press of her hand against my back soothed my inner beast in a way nothing else could. “You’re not the one who owes the apology, and it’s not me who it should be directed at.”
When he turned to his daughter, the disappointment was clear in her daddy’s eyes as he said, “Our alpha is right again.”
“But Daddy, I was only—”
He held his hand up to stem the flow of words. “I don’t want to hear it. You’ll apologize to the alpha’s mate and accept whatever punishment he deems fair. No matter how bad it is.”
“Even if he kicks me out of the pack?” Heather whispered, dropping her head to stare at her hands as they twisted together.
Her mom sniffled and patted her back. “If that’s what the alpha wants, then yes. But your dad and I will go with you.”
“What about Luke?” she wailed. “Would I never see him again if he stays?”
“Your brother is a man now. He’s worked for his place in this pack. We can’t ask him to give that up because of your mistake,” her dad answered.
Larissa moved to my side and tugged on my sleeve. When my gaze met hers, she offered me a gentle smile. “I’m not familiar with how pack life works yet, but surely there’s a fair punishment that wouldn’t tear their family apart?”
I considered her question for a moment before nodding. Not pleased that I wasn’t going to allow him to rip someone’s throat out, my wolf slunked off to brood inside my head as I announced, “Since my mate is willing to be gracious even though Heather has done nothing to deserve it, her punishment is to take a short-term transfer to another pack where she’ll do community service directed by the alpha until he feels she’s matured enough to come back to us without causing any more trouble. If Heather behaves and gets serious about growing up, she won’t have to be gone long. But if she fucks around and wastes this opportunity, it’s going to be a hell of a long time before she can come back to Timber Ridge.”
Her father’s shoulders straightened as he lifted his head to look me in the eyes as he said, “Thank you so much, alpha.” His gaze slid to where Larissa stood at my side, and he added, “And for your mercy. I’ll never forget what you’ve done for my daughter.”
My beautiful mate’s cheeks blushed pink. “I didn’t really do anything.”
“You did more than you realize.” He jerked his chin at me. “No matter how much I love my daughter, I know how hard his wolf must’ve been riding him to avenge his mate.”
Larissa’s forehead wrinkled. “But she didn’t actually do anything except cause a little trouble by talking trash.”
“It doesn’t matter how small the infraction was, you don’t mess with an alpha’s mate without risking death,” he explained before dragging his daughter away with his mate following behind, Luke’s arm wrapped around her waist.
The rest of the pack came up to offer their congratulations before leaving. After everyone filed out of the building, Zeke clapped me on the back. “At least you won’t be so damn grouchy anymore.”
“I wasn’t grouchy,” I disagreed with a scowl. “I was fucking pissed, and rightfully so.”
“Not about that, man.” He wrapped his arm around Allegra and grinned. “The girls moved into the dorm in August, so it had to have been the faintest trace of Larissa that was making your wolf edgy these past couple of months.”
“Damn, I wish I’d realized what was going on with him sooner,” I muttered.
“Instead of waiting for her to show up across the street at my house after I found my mate all on my own?” Zeke teased.
“Only because I sent you to Stewart,” I reminded him.
“Okay, boys. That’s enough.” Larissa tugged on my arm. “We should get back to your place. Now that I’ve gained acceptance from your pack, it’s time for you to try to do the same with my dad.”
9
Larissa
My big, bad alpha wolf looked uncharacteristically nervous about meeting my dad. “You do realize my dad’s bite is way less scary than yours since he can’t shift into anything, right? All human teeth, nothing for you to worry about,”
