White appeared around Jeb’s irisrings.
Although people were near, they were too busy gossiping to listen to us. Or maybe they’dheard.
Like. I.Cared.
More whiskey dribbled along his wrist. “You—You—”
“Know about it? Yeah. Mom told me. I also know you didn’t do shit about retaliating. Besides getting us to leave, that is. Better Mom not tempt your revered Alpha again,huh?”
At first, I’d believed the cancer had made Mom delirious, but then Everest had confirmed it during one of our late-night chats after Becca’s attempted suicide. The confession came out almost at the same time as Mom’s last breath. Once she’d untethered herself from the lurid secret, her soul slipped out of her body and left me to deal with the aftermath of the terribletruth.
I’d been angry with her. But then Evelyn reminded me anger was one of the stages of grief, so I allowed myself to feel angry. With Mom and with Heath. Where I’d forgiven my mother for not telling me, I hadn’t forgivenHeath.
“So this—you entering the contest—it’s a personal vendetta?” Jebasked.
“Notonly.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Liam is not like hisfather.”
Gosh, how many people were going to tell me that? I gave a sharp nod and went to find Everest. Crossing the deck was like walking past a firing squad. Even though the slanted gazes pricked, I raised my chin and pretended to be unaffected by the pettyglares.
“I’d forgotten how friendly Coloradans were,” I muttered once I reached my cousin by the stainless-steel drinksdispenser.
He poured coffee into a mug, then handed it to me. “Did Dad try to talk you out ofit?”
“I didn’t give him time to.” I took a sip of the charred-tasting beverage. “He knows I know. AboutMom.”
The clink of metal against glass interrupted our quietconversation.
The bushy-eyebrowed elder stood from his Adirondack. “Usually pack matters are discussed among the pack, but since the choice of Alpha affects all our lives, not only our fellow members but also our partners, we decided to discuss the subject with all of you. As you’re all aware, Liam Kolane offered to replace his father as Alpha, but he’s been challenged.” The elder’s gaze slid to me, but then it skittered toward the beefy blond beside Liam. “Matthew Rogers”—next, the elder tipped his head toward the lanky boy with the mean white scar and mop of black hair—“and Lucas Mason have decided to go up against Heath’sboy.”
My shoulders pinched together. I bumped my arm into Everest’s. “Did youknow?”
My cousin shook hishead.
The elder’s gaze returned to me. “I believe they aren’t the only contenders,though.”
Silence entrenched thepatio.
While Matt and Lucas leered at me, Liam’s face was blank, calm. Too calm. Too blank. If anything, his expression bothered me more than theirs. And then it hit me that he must’ve orchestrated this, asked them to enter their names in the contest to dissuade me from enteringmine.
Smart.
If I hadn’t spied them talking, I would most probably have been swayed to drop the charade, but I could bet anything Lucas and Matt were going to suddenly back out and leave Liam incharge.
The elder’s gaze was cemented on me. “Anyone else interested in the role of Alpha, speak now or forever hold yourpeace.”
August was standing on the opposite end of the deck next to his father. Both had their arms crossed tightly, but only August scowled. His father kept wetting his lips, nervous, concerned. For the briefest of moments, I shut my eyes. When I opened them, determination chased away thehesitation.
I stared at Liam, and in a clear voice I said, “Sign meup.”
Intakes of breaths traveled through the women, followed by breathy exclamations. No one looked more surprised than my aunt, though. Her face, which she already kept out of the sun, had become as white as the sheets I’d spent all morningironing.
Jeb downed the dregs of his whiskey in one longgulp.
Contempt was stamped in many a gaze. And then there was the look August shot me. Disappointment. If I’d learned one thing about life, it was that pleasing everyone wasimpossible.
I lowered my gaze to the black liquid rippling inside my mug, rippling because my hands were shaking. I tightened mygrip.
