Page 22 of The Tracker's Mate: Sunderverse

I thought for a moment, then understood his angle. “You’re worried he’s a member of an enemy pack, is that it?”

He turned to face me. “Yes. But... I don’t guess it matters either way.”

“Because...”

“Because this...” He paused. “This doesn’t change anything.”

I stood up abruptly, making my chair roll back and crash against the wall. “How can you say that? You feel it as well as I do. We’re meant for each other, Jake. You can’t marry that insipid woman.”

“I can’t break the pact.”

“Pact? What pact?”

“My grandfather and Craig Blackridge have agreed for our packs to join. My grandfather stepped down as alpha in favor of Blackridge, with the condition that once I marry Allison I will become pack leader. It strengthens our position against Ulfen Erickson’s and Travis Hillworth’s packs.”

The Blackridges, Knights, Ericksons, and Hillworths were the four biggest packs in St. Louis and had been for generations.

“We’ve reached a consensus through,” Jake hesitated, “through an unbreakable pact. I can’t back down.”

“Anunbreakablepact?”

He nodded. “Magic was involved.”

“There has to be a way out. Tell them you changed your mind.”

“It doesn’t work that way, Toni. If any party breaks the pact, it would be a death sentence.”

“What?! That’s stupid. Who would agree to something like that?”

“It’s the way packs do things.”

“How could you?”

“Toni,” he turned and walked in my direction, raising a hand as if to touch me.

I pointed at him with a shaky finger. “Stay away from me. Don’t come any closer. I don’t need your pity.”

He shook his head and opened his mouth to argue.

“Don’t deny it. I see it in your face. You feel sorry for me because I still don’t matter.”

“That’s not true.”

I laughed with scorn. “Isn’t it, though? Tell me this, would it have made a difference if you’d known before your stupid pact?”

He hesitated for a moment too long.

“I guess I’mthatirrelevant.”

“You’re not irrelevant, Toni,” he said emphatically. “I love you.”

“And what difference does that make in your screwed-up world?”

He had no answer for that. He was caught up in something much bigger than what he felt for me. The knowledge hurt me deeply.

That vindictive streak that caused me to leave my wolf scent exposed this morning came back with a vengeance. A cold, calculating smile stretched my lips.

“Do you know what’s the cherry on top? The thing that will erase any doubt from your mind about whether or not we can be together?”