Chapter 500

Someone scoffed. Chris crossed his arms. “Why would you help us become stronger? You’re just making us a bigger threat.”

I smiled. “Are there big pack wars I haven’t heard about lately?”

The question confused the men. “What?”

“Are there major land disputes you’d kill for?” I asked.

“Of course not.”

“Has the king stopped mediating disputes between clans?” My words sounded uncertain.

“You know he’ll still intervene,” he said, exasperated.

“Then why would our growth scare you? Any dispute will be mediated. Land will be assigned by the King. But honestly, Chris and I are being honest here. I’m descended from the goddess. I have magic, a wolf, and a Lycan. No one in your pack could stand up to me one-on-one. Pack against pack, ours is bigger and better trained.”

His jaw clenched. “See? This is what I meant,” Chris said, pointing at me. “She thinks she’s better than us.”

I raised my hands. “I never said I was better than you. I wouldn’t have even brought this up, but you pushed it.”

“Sit down, Chris,” Tim snapped.

Chris turned, growling at Tim. “They’re trying to demean us.”

My dad laughed. “My father is behind the plot to kill the king. Do you really think I have any room to look down on anyone?”

The room was silent. I snickered. My father raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, Daddy. But it’s a little funny.”

My dad shook his head, swiveling to face the other alphas. “Now, let’s talk.”

“What?” Chris sank into his chair.

“Why are you feeling this way? When have I ever done anything to make you think I was better than you?” My dad leaned on his desk. “I’ve done my best to avoid stepping on your toes.”

Chris snapped. “That, right there.”

My dad looked at me, confused. “What?”

Chris growled. “You’re always so fucking perfect. The perfect man, the perfect alpha, the perfect friend. It’s fucking demeaning.”

My dad stared at him, then started laughing. Everyone froze. They thought he’d lost his mind, and maybe he had. He wiped his face. “I made my mate believe I cheated on her, broke her heart, and let her walk away.” His words were laced with laughter. “I barely raised my pup. I got holidays and some summers.” He shook his head. “I’m far from the perfect man. I ruined my pup’s life, my mares’, because I knew better than anyone else.” He turned to Chris. “I spent years ruining every training program my mate put in place before she left out of spite. I stunted the growth of every female in my pack because it was the luna’s duty to watch over them, and I didn’t have a luna. My best friend nearly killed me, and the only reason I’m still alive is because Amy saw his true colors, not me.”

Chris shook his head. “You’re lying.”

My dad shook his head. “I wish I was. But you can ask anyone to verify.”

Chris looked around, and Tim nodded. “Ainsley ran to Vince’s pack. You can ask anyone.”

Chapter 500

Chris looked back at my father and me. We watched him deflate. My dad knocked on the table. “So, what’s the real issue?”

Chris looked back at my father. “You always seem to have it all together. I…I felt like I was letting my pack down. And I heard…”

He trailed off, looking around.

“Heard what?” I took a step, Thoth following. The movement felt instinctive yet unfamiliar.

“I heard some pack members talking about Gavin. They were saying how great he was.” He looked down. “They talked about living in a pack like this, and I…”

“You became jealous,” I finished.

He looked up, his eyes lost, then nodded. “Yeah. I was jealous.”

I walked to him. “You know transfers need approval. And my dad wouldn’t poach pack members.”

“I know. It’s stupid. I know it is. But I didn’t know how to cope. He was taking care of my pack, being a better man than I was, and my pack was looking to leave.”

“Just because they talked about living in a pack like mine doesn’t mean they wanted to leave. Why can’t your pack be like mine?”

“How?” Chris laughed.

“I can teach you,” my father offered.