Chapter 334

“So you tortured her for what? Hope that she would accept you as her mate?” I scoffed, but I made it weak. “How was that ever going to work?”

“It could have worked.” He shouted and then wilted. “If she wasn’t so strong, it could have worked.”

I leveled him with a look. “She was from my father’s pack. You should have done more investigating.”

He threw up his hands. “What does that even mean?”

“This pack follows the old ways. They give males an excuse to not hold true to the mate bond.”

“Hey.” Vince looked a little agitated at that, but I just raised an eyebrow.

“We have had this conversation before.” Vince sighed and then nodded.

“Yes, we have. All I will say on this matter is that we follow the way my forefathers paved for us. Wolves, not just males, when they shift have too much going on to control every urge. Sex is a way to curb the aggression.” I just looked at him and he raised his hands. “Yes, I know your father’s pack pivoted to training, but not every pack does.”

I finally nodded, but Derek furrowed his brows in confusion. “What the hell are you talking about?”

I sighed. “Lynn came from a pack much like this one, where men used the shift as an excuse to fuck anything that would allow them to. She saw the pain and hurt it caused the females, her sisters. And if she hadn’t seen another way, a different way, you might have been right. It might have worked. But unfortunately for you, she was transferred to my father’s pack.”

Derek looked at Vince, who gave him a look I couldn’t figure out. “What does that mean? What was so good about your father’s pack?”

“My father’s pack had a code they followed. Every wolf, male or female, honored the mate bond. They stay celibate until they find their mates. They use the aggression, the surge of hormones, to train. My father had the best warriors.”

Derek scoffed. “Didn’t seem to help them, did it?” I snarled, but it was Brandon that reached over and punched Derek in the face. It was all an act. He held back most of his force, but it was interesting to watch.

“I will ignore that comment and give you a choice.” I stood, brushing off my pants. Brandon stood with me and I felt his arm settle against my back.

“What do you mean, you will give me a choice?”

I looked at Vince. “I hope you will lift the command.” I lifted my brow, and he nodded.

“I will keep my word.” He nodded and then turned around and sat at his desk. Then he gestured to the chairs. “No need to stay standing. As long as you’re not going to kill the man.” Now it was his turn to lift his brow.

I just sat in a chair and Brandon stood behind me. His hands rubbed in circles on my shoulders. Then I turned to look at Derek. “What I mean is, I will give you a choice. This is going to be the most important choice you will ever have, so I need you to really consider your options.”

He stood and sat in his chair. “What’s the choice?”

I leaned back against Brandon, watching Vince’s reaction out of the corner of my eye. I kept my eyes trained on Derek’s face and stayed silent. He started to twitch as I stared. “Vince already said he will remove the command for Lynn’s silence, but you...” I leaned in. “You will accept her rejection.”

He jumped to his feet. “No!” He screamed, his face instantly turning red. “I won’t do it, and you can’t make me.” He sneered down at me and I smiled.

“You either accept her rejection or I kill you.” I leveled him with a stare. I allowed all of my emotion to drain out of my face. “You either release her, or I will, but mark my words. By the end of today, Lynn will be free.” I stood, rubbing my hands together.

“You can’t make that decision.” Derek cried. “Alpha Vince, are you seriously going to allow her to do this?” I cracked my neck and stretched. “Alpha Vince?” Derek turned to face Vince, but he was watching me.

“If he complies?” Vince hedged.

“Then I allow him to live, but Lynn will be moved. She needs to heal, away from him.”

Vince’s eyes narrowed. “Where?”

“Toya will take her until I can rebuild.” I bent down at my waist, reaching for my toes. Then I popped back up. “Make your decision.”

“Vince won’t release her, and you won’t kill me.” Derek smiled.

“You are so sure of yourself?” He nodded, and I moved. One second I was next to Brandon and the next I had Derek in my grip, slammed against the far wall. “So sure, yet so fucking wrong.” I allowed my fangs to descend again, my claws digging into his skin. “I need you to really consider your choices here, Derek.” I tilted my head and smiled wide. “They won’t save you. They won’t even fucking move. Do you want to know why?”

He choked out, “Why?”

“Because you’re nothing to them. A beta, while useful, is nothing compared to an alpha.”