Total pages in book: 220
Estimated words: 205637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1028(@200wpm)___ 823(@250wpm)___ 685(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 205637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1028(@200wpm)___ 823(@250wpm)___ 685(@300wpm)
I wasn’t even embarrassed. He was better off knowing.
“No, Finley, I wasn’t issuing a challenge. I’m not suicidal.” Weston wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “The alpha is more than aware of his people’s craving for a pack. I was simply helping him assess the situation.”
“Ah.” I pressed my lips together.
“There are too many people,” he went on, wiping his left eye again, a smile playing across his lips, “and they are too spread out for me to be effective. I had to let many of them flounder in the last battle so I could focus on the most important action. Thankfully, the demons didn’t seem overly concerned with the villages. It was a stroke of luck. However, for safety and practical reasons, the pack should be broken down into a functioning hierarchy so I can maneuver the few, who can in turn help me control the whole.” He paused. “Are you following me?”
He was looking at Nyfain, but the change in his tone suggested he was talking to me.
“Yep,” I confirmed.
He nodded slightly. “Since the last battle, however, I have received a large number of requests from shifters to be rejected from the pack. That means these people wish for me to sever their connection. To free them. Your… I’ll just say his name, because honestly, his entire situation in this court confuses me. One of those requests came from Hadriel.”
“Did you grant it?” I knew my voice relayed what I was feeling, equal parts anxiety and hope, but I couldn’t help it. His call mattered to me, and I couldn’t pretend otherwise. I wanted Hadriel to be happy, and regardless of what he’d said, I knew a pack could do that for him. I saw the confidence the connection gave him, the strength. He needed Weston, more than I needed him. I couldn’t let my selfishness stand in his way. Still…I wanted to.
“I wanted to speak with the alpha before granting any of their requests.”
“Just…” I held up my finger. “For clarity, what would happen if they wanted out and an alpha wouldn’t allow it? Would they be forced to stay in against their will?”
“Most alphas aren’t capable of holding a wolf to the pack so tightly they can’t escape with enough distance and willpower,” he said. “I am rare in this instance.”
“So, then…an alpha like you. What happens if you don’t let go?”
“That alpha would need to be challenged and defeated—”
“In this case, killed,” Nyfain murmured.
“If that wasn’t possible, the pack could work together to defeat the alpha. If that didn’t work, they would need to escape the pack on two legs and try to find someone who could win the challenge. It’s a very real concern with an alpha of my power level and magical ability. Being alpha is a great honor but also a great responsibility. Someone like me would be a real problem if corrupted by power.”
“Yikes.” I grimaced. “Well, in that case, I’ll say it again. Please don’t make me kill you.”
Weston’s smile stretched, and his slate-gray eyes glittered. “I’ll try my best. In seriousness, we all know what happens when power corrupts. I am very conscious of my role and very receptive to feedback from my pack. Should a time come when I am not, I hope I am taken down brutally.”
His gaze bored into Nyfain, and I could feel Nyfain nod slightly. A promise asked, and a promise made. It was basically like Nyfain asking me to kill him if he stepped out of line. These guys were at the top of the power scale, and they worried what would happen if they morally lost their way. They were such good men they were seeking the protection of their people, pack or mate, against themselves.
I leaned my head back against Nyfain for a moment, rubbing his thigh to express my sudden gush of feeling. He gave me a little squeeze, warmth coming through the bond.
“Some of those requests,” Weston said, not at all bothered by our display of affection, “were from the pack mates I brought here.”
Surprise flitted though the bond.
“It seems they find it thrilling to battle amongst dragons,” Weston said. “As far as I know, it has never been done before. Maybe it has here…?”
“No,” Nyfain responded. “Dragons don’t typically fight on the ground. I have to, obviously, and have sixteen years of practice. The others wouldn’t have if not for Finley calling them down. Her will is incredibly strong, and she’s figured out how to use it to force her commands.”
I pulled away and frowned at him. “My dragon issued the command, but we didn’t force them.”
“Your dragon should be using her will as a weapon, as well, like you do. That’s why Vemar didn’t land right away when you were in trouble. He worried you’d lash out with your will, and he’d be caught in the crossfire. It wasn’t until he realized your dragon wasn’t using it that he lowered to your aid, nearly too late. But she does snake will around her commands and helps people do what she thinks they must.”