Page 20 of The Careless Alpha

"Scarlett—"

"No, let me finish." She placed her hand on my chest, fingers splaying over my heart. "I've been patient, Marshall. I've been discreet. I've let you work through whatever guilt or obligation you feel toward that girl. But we're down to four months now, and I'm done waiting."

"She's my mate," I said automatically.

"She's a child who was assigned to you when she was thirteen years old," Scarlett countered. "That's not the same thing as choosing someone because you love them."

The word 'love' hung between us like a challenge. Did I love Annalise? I honestly didn't know. I felt protective of her, responsible for her, but love? How could I love someone I barely knew?Love will come,Ranger growled.Love will come when you stop being stupid and spend time with mate. Want to spend time with Sapphire.

"I want you, Marshall," Scarlett continued, her voice dropping to the husky tone that had always been my weakness. "I want to be your Luna, your partner, your equal. I want to give you strong children and help you build an empire that will last for generations."

She was offering everything an Alpha should want. Partnership, passion, a future built on choice rather than mystical bonds and pack obligations. For a moment, I let myselfimagine it. A life with someone who'd chosen me as much as I'd chosen her. But the reality was I wanted my fated mate.

"You could reject her," Scarlett said softly. "It's been done before. Alphas who realized their true mate was someone else entirely."

"The Moon Goddess—"

"The Moon Goddess gives us free will for a reason. She doesn't force us to accept bonds that don't serve us or our packs." Scarlett's hand moved up to cup my cheek. "Think about it, Marshall. Think about what kind of Luna you want beside you. Someone who chose this life, or someone who had it thrust upon her before she was old enough to understand what it meant."

Before I could respond, she pressed a quick kiss to my lips and walked away, leaving me standing alone at the forest edge.

I made it through the rest of the day on autopilot, handling pack business and avoiding the increasingly obvious attempts by various she-wolves to corner me for private conversations. By the time evening came around, I was exhausted and irritated and wanted nothing more than to hide in my office with a bottle of whiskey.

Instead, I found myself at the pack dinner, sitting at the head table and watching the social dynamics play out like a complicated chess game. Veronica sat at my right, discussing her herb garden plans with animated gestures. Tiffany had claimed the seat across from me and kept finding excuses to lean forward in ways that showed off her assets. Scarlett held court at a nearby table, surrounded by her usual admirers but occasionally sending meaningful looks in my direction.

And at the far end of the head table, almost forgotten in the political maneuvering, sat Annalise.

She looked beautiful tonight in a simple blue dress that brought out her eyes. Her auburn hair was pulled back inan elegant style that made her look older, more mature. She spoke quietly with Luna Etta and the pack Elders, contributing thoughtfully to their discussion about trade negotiations with the coastal packs.

Watching her, I was struck by how much she'd changed from the thirteen-year-old who'd accepted my claiming with starry-eyed wonder. At seventeen, she carried herself with quiet confidence, spoke intelligently about pack business, and commanded respect from the Elders who'd known her since she was a child.

She was going to make a good Luna. Maybe even a great one.

"Marshall?" Veronica's voice cut through my thoughts. "You seemed a million miles away."

"Just thinking about pack business," I lied.

"Well, save some energy for after dinner," she said with a sultry smile. "I still want to show you those garden plans. In detail."

Across the table, Tiffany pouted. "But Marshall, you promised to look at my patrol schedules tonight. I've been working on them all week."

The two she-wolves glared at each other with barely concealed hostility, and I realized this was exactly what Jackson had been warning me about. I'd created this situation by being careless with my attention, and now it was spiraling out of control.

"Actually," I said, standing abruptly, "I have some Alpha business to attend to tonight. Maybe we can discuss gardens and patrols tomorrow."

Both women looked disappointed, but they couldn't argue with Alpha duties. I made my excuses and headed for the door, needing air and space to think.

I'd almost made it to the exit when a soft voice stopped me.

"Marshall?"

I turned to find Annalise approaching, her expression hesitant but determined. Up close, I could see the maturity in her face, the way she'd grown into her features over the past few years.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly. "You seem... tense tonight."

The simple question, asked without agenda or ulterior motive, almost undid me. When was the last time someone had asked how I was feeling without wanting something in return?

"Just pack business," I said, the lie coming easier this time.