The Alpha in me wanted to growl “No.” But my human half, which had spent the past five years expanding my father’s multi-billion-dollar corporation, knew better. A CEO is only as strong and as smart as the advisers he listens to.
The same, presumably, went for Alphas.
“Yes,” I said at last. “I want your advice, but this is my territory. The decision is mine.”
Jace’s jaw clenched briefly, and I saw him struggle to unlock it. I knew exactly how he felt. As valuable as he was as a friend and an ally, and as grateful as I was for his help and advice in forming my own Pride, we’d gotten along much better when we’d worked together from a distance—him in his territory and me in mine.
“If the decision were mine,” Jace began. “I’d send her back.”
“Now?”
“As close to now as possible. I’d call Faythe and tell her what happened, then have her send someone to meet us at the border. With Abby. For a friendly handover.”
“Because with the council chair’s daughter in the line of fire, they’re less likely to let things escalate.”
Jace nodded. “Exactly.”
“And if Robyn won’t go?”
“That’s not up to her.”
I sipped from my glass to hide my smile. “Better not let Abby hear you say a woman can’t make her own decisions.”
Jace rolled his eyes. “That’s not what I’m saying. Robyn already made her decision. She made a deal with the council. She has to honor her word. That’s no different than a plea deal would be in the human justice system. For a man or a woman.”
“But the US Department of Justice wouldn’t try to marry her off.” I watched as she took the first bite of her sandwich, leaning with the curve of one well-formed hip against my countertop.
Jace’s gaze narrowed on me, and I jerked my focus from Robyn with more effort than the act should have taken. “Titus,don’t do this.”
“Do what?” But I knew damn well what he meant.
“Donotlook at her like that.”
I didn’t even bother trying to stifle the soft growl of warning clawing its way up my throat.
His scowl deepened. “Falling for her will cost you everything you have. Everythingwehave.”
“Like falling for Abby cost you?” I snapped.
“Exactly. But she and I had somewhere to go. If you lose this territory, that won’t be the case for any of us.”
“It doesn’t have to end like that.”
“You know they’ll fight for her return, and if we fight to keep her, no stray Pride will ever be recognized.”
“They didn’t fight over Abby,” I pointed out.
“Yet.” Something uneasy swept briefly over his expression. “But Abby can’t help them figure out how human women can survive the infection. Or whether or not a female stray’s kids would be shifters,” he adds, and again, the thought of some other man ever touching her made me unreasonably, inexplicably angry. “Robyn represents the future of the US territories, and they’re not going to let her go without a fight.” Jace took a deep breath. “Either she goes to the Prides, or they’ll come in and get her.”
“I know.” He was right. But Robyn was also right. She was a stray, and I’d sworn to fight for the rights and acceptance of strays under my protection. That was the only reason I’d been able to recruit twelve enforcers and command the loyalty of my other Pride members.
That was something Ibelievedin.
Returning Robyn against her will would be a violation of everything I’d sworn to uphold as the first stray Alpha.
But if I kept her, my days as Alpha would be numbered.
Ihadto send her back.
