“Anytime, Sis. I’m going to get back to my mate and let her know I’ve finally settled things with you. She’s been worried about both of us.”
“Tell Caroline I’m good,” I say, standing.
When he stands, I walk into his embrace, letting his strong arms hold me as I breathe in his familiar scent, just enough like our father’s to feel like the safety of home.
I walk him to the door. He turns when he walks out.
“Do your uncle a favor. Call your mom and let her know you’re doing okay,” he says, grinning. “I‘ ve seen Hurricane Sebastiana and she’s scary enough. I’d hate to see what Hurricane Christina would do if she was protecting her pup.”
I grin. “I’ll call her tonight.”
“Good. I’ll see you in class tomorrow,” he says, leaning in to press a kiss to my forehead before heading to his room.
I close the door and take a deep breath, the easiest breath I’ve taken since hell week started.
I smile as I go get my phone. Hurricane Christina. It’s got a nice ring to it. But right now, it’s time for me to protect my uncle from my mother.
Sebastiana
The next morning, I told Shane about my conversation with Ryan.
“He’s right T. I mean, I haven’t known your mother all that long, and I haven’t seen her go all Hurricane Christina, but you got this fire from someone, and I don’t see it being your father.‘
“Hmmm,” I say, then smile at him.
“What’s that look?” he asks softly.
“It’s good to have you back. I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” he says, pulling me into a hug as we walk to Dealing with Crisis.
”
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289 Vouchers
I’m still processing my own insights from yesterday, but when Cole is called to the front, I remember what Dane said, asking if I knew how he’d been broken. When Ryan asks if anyone wants to take the Alpha role, I raise my hand. I may not have any idea how they broke Cole, but I know that he’s an incredible Alpha and if I can help him, I’m going to.
When I get there, Cole looks at me with trepidation.
“Hey,” I say
“Hey,” he replies.
“Um, so, I have no idea how they broke you. Maybe we could start there,” I say.
He raises an eyebrow at me, then almost grins. “You chose to be Alpha, and you don’t know what‘ s going on with me?”
I shrug. “You’re my friend. I want to help you if I can. I hope I can, but I kind of need to know what I’m dealing with first.”
”
He shakes his head, but then the partial grin drops from his face, and he takes a deep breath.
“Did you know I have a brother who is six months younger than I am.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“He’ll be here at the Academy next semester. Basically, if I don’t succeed, my brother has the opportunity to take the pack from me.
”
I frown. “Why wouldn’t you succeed?”
He shrugs. “My brother and I have always been competitive. He knows he’s close enough to my age that if I falter, even for a moment, that the opportunity is there for him to take over. Our father has basically said that the pack will go the better Alpha regardless of me being the first born.‘
”
“Well, first, that’s pretty shitty of your father to pit you against your brother. You’re the heir. That should be respected in the pack. Unless you were a ridiculous failure, which you are not, it should never have even come up. But, since it did, let’s go with what we’ve got. Talk to me about why you think your brother is a potentially better Alpha than you.”
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Chapter 64
Chapter 64
