My father turned to Tobias. “My son’s temper aside, he don’t got a voice here.” He smirked at me. “Gotta be a member of the pack, boy.”
“And I told you all before, if this is the kind of violence the pack condones, I don’t want it.”
Everyone went silent.
All eyes swung to Tobias.
My pulse roared in my ears. Vaguely, I was aware of how close I’d just come to insulting the alpha while his beta stood by and watched. Even Angus hissed at me to shut up.
But I was done anyway.
All I wanted was to finish this. One way or another, my father would never hurt my mother again.
“Bertram’s right,” Tobias said to me. “The law isn’t going to intervene unless your mother stands her ground.”
I shook my head. “This is so fucked up.”
“No one disagrees with you on how wrong this is,” Tobias said. “You know, if you were a member of the pack, this would be easier.”
“No thanks. Like I said, I have a different code.”
Angus tensed, but Tobias didn’t even blink.
“I have a feeling our code is one and the same, East.” His voice was calm, but I could feel the ripple of his alpha energy.
My boiling temper made it impossible to care.
He studied me. “I can sense that you don’t belong to another alpha.”
“I don’t belong to anyone,” I said.
That was a lie. After tonight, I belonged to Cat—bite or no bite. But if Tobias could sense my wolf had chosen its mate, he didn’t let on.
“You belong to the beast inside you as we all do.”
“My beast doesn’t want conditions.”
“No one’s giving any.”
“If I joined your pack, I’d have to ask permission to leave town.”
“Ah.” He nodded in understanding. “You want to be free to go.”
“Like I said, I don’t belong to anyone.”
“And your wolf?” Tobias asked. “What does it want?”
I didn’t answer.
“Without the law to provide justice, I banish your father to the mountain for a term of fourteen days,” Tobias said.
My father growled.
“That’s it?” I demanded.
“As a member of our pack, your voice would carry the weight necessary to make sure he couldn’t hurt another person ever again.”
My eyes narrowed. “I plan to do just that.”
Tobias sighed. “Yes, I had a feeling you’d say that. Look, for better or worse, your father’s one of us. Any violence against him by an outsider will have to be addressed.”
My fists tightened.
He wasn’t saying anything I didn’t already know. Hadn’t I held off so long on confronting my old man for exactly this reason? It’s not like I had a death wish.
This town’s werewolf politics were really starting to piss me off.
“This is bullshit,” I muttered.
“Is that your official statement?” Tobias asked.
“My official statement,” I repeated then bit back a string of curses that I was tempted to offer, “is that my old man is a drunk and a wife-beater. Always has been, always will be. If none of you see anything wrong with that, then this isn’t a pack I want to be part of. Either you see him for the monster he is, or you don’t. But I won’t be forced into anything.”
“Fair enough.” Tobias motioned to the sheriff. “Why don’t you escort Bertram off pack land? I’d like to talk to East.”
“Sure. I’ll call you later,” the sheriff said, my father ranting on deaf ears as they went.
I forced deep breaths into my lungs, fighting the urge to go after my dad and rip him apart. Tobias stepped in front of me, distracting me from my murderous thoughts.
“For what it’s worth, I think you’d be happy here,” he said.
“For what it’s worth, you’re probably right,” I told him, thinking of Cat.
I saw the surprise register before he covered it up. Good, keep him guessing. “If your father wasn’t a factor?”
“I’d probably never have left in the first place.”
He nodded knowingly then brought his hand down on my shoulder.
“I’ll make sure she’s safe,” he said quietly, his gaze pinning me until I was sure he was looking right inside my head. “Your mother won’t be harmed again. When you leave, we’ll look after her.”
It was more than I’d expected, and I wasn’t entirely sure I could believe him. But Tobias didn’t blow smoke. He’d keep his word.
I blew out a breath. At least now, I had the option of going . . . if that’s what Cat wanted. The way she’d spoken earlier, I couldn’t be sure if she’d want me even if I stayed. Mating was something my wolf wanted to do with her, but that didn’t mean she’d choose me back. Humans didn’t work the same as wolves.
“I appreciate it.”
Tobias cocked his head. “Something else troubling you?”
“I was curious about another member of the pack. Travis Burns.”
“He’s a newer addition. Just moved to town in the last three years or so. What about him?”
“Any issues with him losing control of his wolf?”
“None reported.” The lie was half-ass at best. My gut tightened.
“Never known you to lie outright, Tobias.”
Angus tensed beside me, but Tobias nodded, expression sober. “The case was sealed. I’ve already said more than I can. He giving you trouble?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
“East, if one of mine steps out of line, I have no problem rounding him up.”
Yeah, right. Like he’d rounded up my old man all those years ago. It only took him ten years and my mother nearly dying for him to act.
“Tell you what. If I do run into trouble with him, I’ll call you.” But only after I had proof enough to get Travis run out of town.
“Deal.”
He shook my hand one last time, nodded to Angus, and we parted ways. By the time we left the clearing, I’d already shifted and was running for town.
15
Cat
In the darkness, a figure moved across my
