Page 33 of The Careless Alpha

Jackson entered, his expression carefully neutral. We'd barely spoken since our confrontation two weeks ago, when he'd laid out exactly how thoroughly I'd destroyed my life.

"The pack council wants to meet with you," he said without preamble.

"About what?"

"Probably about the fact that you've done nothing for two weeks except sit in here feeling sorry for yourself while the pack falls apart."

I looked up at him sharply. "The pack is fine."

"No, Marshall, it's not." Jackson closed the door behind him and moved closer to my desk. "Half the pack thinks you made the right call. They never thought Annalise was good enough to be Luna anyway, and now they're circling like vultures, thinking they have a shot at the position."

The thought of Scarlett, Veronica, or Tiffany as Luna made my stomach turn. "And the other half?"

"The other half are disgusted with you. They've been watching you treat Annalise like dirt for years, keeping their mouths shut because you were their future Alpha and then their Alpha. But now they're saying what they should have said years ago."

I pushed back from my desk, standing to pace to the window. "Which is?"

"That you're a selfish bastard who never deserved her in the first place."

The words angered Ranger, who didn’t like to be disrespected, but I couldn't argue with them. Every accusation, every piece of criticism—it was all true.

"Elder Maeve came to see me yesterday," Jackson continued. "She wanted to know what I thought about challenging your Alpha position."

I spun around to face him. "What did you tell her?"

"That you'd already destroyed yourself more thoroughly than any challenge could." Jackson's dark eyes were hard as flint. "The pack is divided, Marshall. Some are celebrating thatthe 'weak little Luna' is gone, and others are horrified by how you treated a pregnant mate. And you've done nothing but hide in here for two weeks."

Because you know what you did,Ranger said bitterly.Because you finally understand that you've been a monster.

"I know what I did," I confirmed, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Do you? Because knowing and acting on that knowledge are two different things."

Before I could respond, my door opened again without a knock. Scarlett swept in, wearing a dress that clung to every curve and a smile that set my teeth on edge.

"Marshall, darling," she said, moving toward me with predatory grace. "I thought you might need some... comfort... during this difficult time."

Behind her, I saw Jackson's expression darken with disgust.

"Scarlett," I said carefully, "this isn't a good time."

"Nonsense. You've been locked away in here for weeks, mourning that little girl who was never right for you anyway." She reached out to touch my arm, and I stepped back instinctively. "The pack needs to see their Alpha moving on, being strong."

She disgusts me,Ranger snarled.They all disgust me. I want our mate. I want our family.

"Moving on?" I repeated.

"Of course. Now that the pretense is over, now that everyone knows she was just a lying little slut, you can choose a real Luna. Someone mature enough to handle the position."

The casual cruelty of her words, the dismissive way she spoke about Annalise, made something snap inside me.

"Get out," I said firmly.

Scarlett blinked, clearly not expecting that response. "What?"

"I said get out. And don't come back."

"Marshall, you're upset, I understand—"