She closed her eyes and pulled in another breath. “Is Liam gettin’ coldfeet?”
“Liam doesn’t even know I’mhere.”
Her eyes opened and set on meagain.
“But my uncle knows I’m here,” I lied so she didn’t do away with me. “So . . . is your offer stillavailable?”
Her light-brown hair, which was cut within two inches of her scalp, appeared grayer in the sunlight. “Why didn’t you become Alpha? Everest all but handed it toyou.”
“Handed it to me? How did heall-but-handit tome?”
“Liam cares for you. He wouldn’t have foughtyou.”
“If we hadn’t dueled, Lucas would’ve been Alpha, notme.”
“What I meant was if you’d actually fought, Liam would’ve let youwin.”
I blinked as I understood what she was insinuating. “Winning would’ve meant killinghim.”
“Your pack’s soft, Ness. They surely wouldn’t have requireddeath.”
I didn’t think the Boulders were soft. Unless by soft, she meant civilized, which hadn’t been my first impression, but now that I’d met theCreeks. . .
“You don’t know that,” I ended upsaying.
She clasped her hands behind her back. “Did it even cross your mind to fight for what youwanted?”
“I didn’t want to becomeAlpha.”
“Then why did you enter thetrials?”
“Because I didn’t want a Kolane to becomeAlpha.”
“And yet a Kolane becameAlpha.”
“Look, I’m not here to discuss the past. I’m here to discuss the future. Is your offer still available?” I asked for the thirdtime.
“We agreed toduel.”
“Agreements change all thetime.”
“You’re obviously not well-versed in packpolitics.”
Her condescensionstung.
“When duels are agreed upon, they can no longer beannulled.”
“Why not? No one’s forcing you to fight another shifter to thedeath.”
“I offered him peace, and he didn’t want it,so—”
“That’s why I’mhere.”
“Listen,” she hissed, which made my wolf bristle. Not that she could get out from her Sillin-cage. “Alex is always cuttin’ me off before I can finish explainingthings.”
“Don’t compare me to yourson.”
“When an Alpha expresses a desire to kill another, it’s never taken lightly. If Liam had accepted my treaty, I would’ve spent my life lookin’ over my shoulder, which would not have been ideal, but would’ve been worth it, because it would’ve meant saving my son’s hide and myown.”
