“You meanmyomega?” Cole asked, and for the first time since we entered the room, her attitude became serious.
“You know she’s mine. It’s not like you’d know what to do with her,” he challenged. “Isn’t that right?” he continued, turning his attention to me.
I looked away, a knot forming in my stomach.
“Answer me,” he growled.
Cole’s hand landed hot on my shoulder, silencing me as I parted my lips to answer.
“Bring your son to heel,” Cole demanded of Alpha Julian.
“Ashford,” he warned without any real bite.
“She’s mine. She’d be dead if it weren’t for me; she knows it, everyone knows it. She owes me her life. Don’t you!” he said, becoming angry.
“Yes, Ashford,” I answered him.
I glanced up to see him smiling smugly towards Cole.
“It seems your heir is a liability. I will have to reconsider Pack Blizzard’s long-term viability,” Cole said sternly.
Alpha Julian stood then and slapped Ashford, the sound like a clash of thunder.
Ashford growled, clutching his cheek, and looked up at Cole like it was her who had slapped him.
“I apologise for my heir’s lack of grace. He is young and attached to the omega. His statement that he saved her life is true. It’s created an overly protective instinct within him. I had hoped some time apart from her would lessen that. But alas, wolves’ instincts cannot be destroyed, only tamed. His outburst is not representative of Pack Blizzard and our business dealings,” Alpha Julian said.
Cole nodded.
“See to it that you keep him on a short leash,” she instructed Alpha Julian.
“Yes. Of course. I will have my secretary communicate with your team, and we can sort out the details of our relationship,” he offered.
“Very well,” Cole said. She squeezed my shoulder. “Let’s go,” she instructed.
“Wait. The deal was I get her back,” Ashford found his voice as I stood.
“When your debt was paid or your father made other arrangements. Those arrangements are not yet in place,” Cole answered.
Ashford turned his attention to me.
“Don’t worry, you’ll be home with me soon,” he promised. “Don’t forget it either,” he added as I followed behind Cole and out of the meeting room.
We were silent as we returned to the cabin. Ashford’s words replayed in my head. Thewayhe said them.
“What were you thinking?” I asked as soon as the door to the cabin had closed behind us.
“It was a negotiation,” Cole answered simply.
“You taunted him! He was furious. So was Alpha Julian,” I told her.
“That was the point,” she answered coldly.
She didn’t care how her behaviour was going to impact me. She didn’t care that he’d need to prove himself to me now.
My chest felt tight.
I couldn’t take a full breath.
