Page 9 of The Careless Alpha

"That's going to piss them off."

"Then they shouldn't have tried to lowball us." I signed off on a patrol rotation and moved to the next document. "What else?"

Jackson hesitated, and I felt that familiar prickle of irritation that came whenever he wanted to discuss something I didn't want to hear. "The she-wolves are asking about Luna succession again."

My pen stopped moving across the paper. "What about it?"

"Marshall, Annalise is fifteen now. The pack is starting to ask questions about when you'll start... preparing for the future."

I set down my pen and finally looked at him. Jackson's dark eyes held a mixture of concern and frustration that I'd grown tired of seeing. Ever since he'd appointed himself the moral authority on my personal life, conversations like this had become routine.

"Annalise is still a child," I said flatly. "She's got three years before any of this becomes relevant."

"She's not going to be a child forever. And the way things are going..."

"The waywhatthings are going?"

Jackson was quiet for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "You barely acknowledge her existence, Marshall. When's the last time you had a real conversation with her? When's the last time you asked how her training was going, or what she's learning, or how she's feeling about any of this?"

I stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the hardwood floor. "I don't have time for heart-to-heart conversations with teenagers. I'm running a pack. Managing alliances. Keeping our people safe and prosperous."

"And ignoring your mate."

"My future mate," I corrected. "There's a difference."

Jackson's expression darkened. "Is there? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're doing everything possible to pretend she doesn't exist."

The accusation hit closer to home than I wanted to admit. The truth was, I'd been avoiding Annalise for months. Not intentionally, exactly, but she made things complicated. When I looked at her, I was supposed to see my future Luna, my partner, the other half of my soul. Instead, I still saw a kid who still got excited about birthday parties and looked at me like I could solve all her problems.

"She's fifteen, Jackson. What exactly am I supposed to do with that?"

"Spend time with her. Get to know her. Help her understand what being Luna means." Jackson moved away from the window, frustration bleeding into his voice. "She's going to be leading this pack alongside you someday. Shouldn't you want her to be ready for that?"

"Mom's handling her training."

"Luna Etta is teaching her pack management and diplomacy. Who's teaching her about you? About what you'll expect from her as your mate?"

I picked up another document, signaling the end of the conversation. "She'll figure it out."

"Right now, the only thing she's figuring out is that her mate would rather be anywhere else than in the same room with her."

Before I could respond, my office door burst open without a knock and Scarlett sauntered in like she owned the place, wearing a tight dress that left little to the imagination and a smile that promised trouble.

"Alpha," she purred, completely ignoring Jackson's presence. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

The interruption was perfectly timed, giving me an excuse to end the uncomfortable conversation with Jackson. "Just finishing up some pack business. What do you need?"

"I was hoping you might have time for a more... personal discussion." Her eyes flicked to Jackson meaningfully. "Privately."

Jackson's jaw tightened, but he knew a dismissal when he heard one. "We'll finish this conversation later, Marshall."

After he left, Scarlett settled into the chair across from my desk, crossing her legs in a way that drew attention to every curve. "You look tense," she observed, leaning forward slightly. "Let me help you relax."

An hour later, I was sprawled across the leather couch in my office, Scarlett's head on my chest as she traced lazy patterns on my skin. The pack business that had seemed so urgent earlier could wait. This was simpler, easier. Physical satisfaction without emotional complications. This was what kept me going, waiting for Annalise to grow up.

"You know," Scarlett said, her voice carefully casual, "I've been thinking about the future lately."

"What about it?"