Brandon dropped to his knees and opened his mouth, but my mom jumped in. “My daughter is right. The picture undermines your status. It also makes it seem like you two are in a very disturbing relationship with your wife and mate. If you were both single, then it is a harmless photo of fun. But right now…if this got around…” My mother let her threat hang in the air.
“Ainsley, you wouldn’t.” Morgan walked over to her, and she growled, fangs descending with a snap.
“Oh, sweetheart.” She grabbed his face and leaned in. “To get away from you. Absolutely.” Then she pushed him away, causing him to stumble.
Vince looked at her for a moment. “So, this is what it comes down to? Lying to get out of your marriage?” My mother laughed as she pulled a stack of pictures from her pocket.
“That photo may or may not be fake Vince, but these are real.” She tossed them on to his desk. A collage of Morgan with his secretary spread across the table. Dinners, obvious dates, sexual scenarios cascaded across the tabletop. “I showed the first photobecause I found it funny, real or not, seeing Morgan being fucked like that healed a tiny part of my shattered soul. But this.” She pointed at the table. “This was the reason I broke. I won’t fucking make apologies for the way I get out of this fucking sham of a marriage.”
Vince sighed. “Morgan?” He turned to look at his Beta. “Do you have any way to defend yourself?”
Morgan looked down at the pictures and then back at Vince. “All I can say is that obviously the first was faked. What is to say these aren’t fakes, too? I would never cheat on my wife. I love her.” He looked at my mom. “I love you and I forgive you for making up all these lies to get what you want, but I refuse to just let you go without fighting for our marriage.” He opened his mouth to say something else. But I interrupted.
“I need to tell you something, Alpha.”
He turned to me. “What is it Amy?” He was tired, his maneuvering and lies were catching up to everyone and he was scrambling to keep the pieces together.
“I’m sorry, I know you are doing your best, but I just have to tell you I made a promise to my mom last night. I also told Shannon, Brandon and Morgan this as well. So I figured I should tell you before you make your final decision.”
He nodded and rubbed his eyes. “Sure. What is it?”
I let my face settle into dead lines. “If you deny my mother’s divorce. Then I will demand my right to a Cath Báis.”
Vince dropped his hand and turned his head to meet my gaze. I saw him flinch at what he saw there. But he shook himself and I made a little warmth enter my eyes. So Vince will second guess himself and what he saw when he looked at me. “What did you say?”
I tried to look defeated. “I said I would ask for a Cath Báis. My father taught me to uphold everyone to the same standards that I hold myself to when it came to the Goddess. He madea promise to my mother and the Goddess. One that Shannon told him to make herself. That if he was, in fact, cheating on her or lying that he would grant her a divorce. But now he is backpedaling.” I shook my head. “I have to hold him to the same standard I would myself, or any in my own pack. So he either divorces, and she’s free.” I swallowed. “Or he dies, and she is free…”
Chapter Forty-Five
Vince looked at me, then he turned to Morgan with a raised brow. “Well, then…” He sat back. “There isn’t much of a choice, is there?”
Morgan turned to me. “Amy, you can’t be serious. I raised you. I was your dad.” My eyes flashed and Nix was in front in a second.
“Repeat those words and I will call the Cath Báis out of pure arrogance on your part. You barely looked at us when we were a pup. You did everything and anything to take our mother’s time and attention from us. And when I finally shifted, you stole our bonding night.” Nix chuffed a warning call. “So think before you open your mouth again, Beta. If you step on my father’s legacy and my mother’s hard work, then I will not hold back. I will rip you to shreds and reunite you with your mate.”
Morgan paled. “Nix…I didn’t mean-”
“You didn't mean to take credit for work you had no hand in. You didn’t raise me. You didn’t pay my way. You didn’t even house me. Amy bought the house. Amy’s money paid for everything for her and her mother. You even borrowed money frequently to take care of Shannon. And Amy kept quiet for you. But I will not. You use my status around the pack like it is your own. You used it for yourself and for your daughter. You used my mother’s situation to hold us on a leash, but I refuse to be held back any longer. If my mother is single, she can leave to escape your archaic law about betrayed females becoming slaves. Thankfully I am too old for you to take me as a slave for the provision of age, status, and completion of school. I do not qualify as a betrayed female even if Brandon was fucking your whore of a daughter because we were not mated.”
“Nix!” My mother called, but she shook our head.
“No mother. Amy may believe these fools, but I will not. If she decides to mate Brandon, I will go along, but I know the truth.” Nix turned to face Brandon. “She might be in love with you, pup, but I don't believe you.” I saw Vince’s eyes tighten.
Nix, you are blowing it.She growled back at me, but it was Megan that surprised us both. She pushed forward, taking over. She tried her best to mimic Nix’s voice. “Prove to me in these next weeks that you are truthful and faithful. Otherwise the mating is off.” She softened. “Do not let me down.”
Then she pushed me forward. I blinked and my eyes faded back to my human eyes. My mom came over and grabbed my face. She leaned in close and winked. “Are you back, baby?”
“Yes.” I shook, and she held me close.
Vince looked closely. “She doesn’t have control of her wolf yet?”
My mom shook her head. “She hasn’t spent a lot of time with her wolf. She shifted late and went directly to school. Nix is sucha powerful wolf. If she takes over, Amy can’t fight it.” My mom answered quietly, causing both my wolves to snort. “She doesn’t remember much when Nix pushes her back.”
“Really?” Vince looked at me, and I could feel magic slip into the air. “Is that true Amy? You can tell me the truth.” He phrased it as a question, but I could feel the command along my skin.
Nix chortled.Even his magic is weak.
Megan sniffed the air.Because it isn't, he is using someone else’s.
