Page 21
Story: May the Wolf Die
Seth tilted his head, speaking in a condescending tone. “I think it would be in the best interests of her and the town if she went on hormone suppressants.”
My rage was boiling over. Just knowing he’d been thinking about Marlowe in any way was insulting enough, but actually trying to regulate her body? “Oh yeah? Better for her to be permanently drugged than for the males here to learn some self-control, is that it? What a positive message we’re sending to the females in our town.”
He swallowed, his smile faltering. “I… it’s for her own good. And the females in this town would probably agree, they don’t want their alpha partners going berserk…”
Oh, he didn’t even know what berserk meant. “What’s next on the agenda for the meeting then, hm? ‘City Manager Seth Ashton proposes all females should wear skirts down to their knees or lower lest they tempt the male folk with their sinful legs?’”
“Please, that’s not the same thing and you know it,” he scoffed, his eyes rolling.
My hands balled into fists but I kept them firmly by my side. “No, it’s not, because covering up doesn’t alter your body’s chemistry. She wouldn’t be able to go into heat or have pups on hormone suppressants, Seth. Are you really proposing we chemically spay her just becausesomealphas can’t keep their noses to themselves?”
His eyes narrowed as he spit back, “I know her backstory. She was on them for years without any problems. She might even agree to it.”
I couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed him by the shirt and lowered my face into his. “Don’t youeverspeak about her like you know her again. You have no idea what she’s been through. This is her home now, and she has the right to live as free and openly as all the other shifters here. It’s in our town charter, for fuck’s sake.”
Back when omegas were more prevalent, our town had writtenspecific laws and policies to protect their rights. They were as much a part of our society as the other designations, and I refused to let Seth take out his anger towards life and me on Marlowe.
Luckily, our illustrious pack leader had more than enough sway to help back me up, so I upped the ante. “And do you really think Camden Wolcott would continue to sponsor any of your projects if you tried to pass this? Say good-bye to the Fourth of July BBQ and parade, Maxwell Street Days, the new football stadium for the high school, and anything else you’ve got on the pipeline.”
I thought I had a slam dunk argument, but Seth smiled instead, and my confidence faltered. “Your pack would screw over this town just for your omega? Well, thank you for giving me the final push I needed to initiate a recall petition. I have a league of very concerned voters ready to start collecting signatures this very minute.”
He couldn’t be serious. I’d won in a landslide two years ago, so even if he could get enough signatures, there wasn’t anyone in this town with enough clout to run against me in a recall election and win. And who exactly were these “concerned voters?”
“The Betas Against Brutality are tired of alphas throwing their weight around. Betas outnumber you assholes four to one, and it’s about time our government reflected that.”
BAB? How laughably pathetic. BAB was a small, niche group of elderly beta females. Was he really trying to rally them into leading this farce?
Seth had always been a sardonic son of a bitch, but he’d beenmysardonic son of a bitch. What had happened for him to turn against me like this?
Could it really be something as pedestrian as jealousy over my new happiness?
Marlowe had rubbed a handkerchief along her neck before she’d left, leaving us each with her scent as a goodbye present. She’d insisted we give her ours as well, and it had been adorable watching her carefully pack them like they were her most prized possessions.
I let go of Seth and smiled back, taking out the handkerchief, waving it in front of his face. His pupils dilated and his nostrils flared, his breathing turning into desperate pants. “Is that her?” he asked. His hand reached out to grab it but I held it out of his way.
His face became pleading as he tried to get it from me. “Please, I just need one more sniff…”
“Enough!” I barked.
Seth whined and his shoulders shrank. For all his bravado, hewas still a beta, and I was still an alpha. And in my hands, I held one of the most powerful motivators known to our kind.
“Now listen to me,” I said. “We were on fine footing before Marlowe arrived. I understand I dropped a lot on your plate while I tended to her, and you were dealing with a lot of your own shit. But you speak of me wanting to screw this town over for my pack, when you’re just trying to ensure I’m as miserable as you are because it hurts too much to see me happy. Or do you just really want my job? Because if so, run against me in the next election, fair and square.”
His eyes were focused on the handkerchief as he listened. “But I’ll be damned if you think you can threaten the health and well-being of my omega just for cheap political points. You have no idea the lengths I’m willing to go to protect her. Well,” I looked down at the erection in his pants and smirked. “You might be starting to get the idea.”
I sacrificed my gift from Marlowe and handed it over. He snatched it quickly, taking deep breaths that caused his whole body to shudder. I cringed as I thought where it was likely going to end up, but it was a small price to pay to keep her name out of his mouth and off the town council agenda.
“So what’s it going to be, Seth? Apologize and I’ll forget this ever happened. Or go forward with this stupid charade, and… ” I gestured towards the security camera pointed towards his door. “Perhaps I’ll leak the video of a certain City Manager creaming his pants over the scent of the very omega he’s trying to medically control.”
Seth growled, “Fine.” Then he slammed his door in my face. I walked away before I’d have to hear what he was doing, heading straight to my office to get a copy of the footage before he was clear-headed enough to try to erase it first.
Marlowe would be furious if she ever learned what I’d done, but threats weren’t just coming from alphas and vamps.
I’d do whatever it took to keep her happy and safe here.
8
ARCHER
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21 (Reading here)
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191