“It was Faythe’s decision not to marry you then. Just like it was Kaci’s decision to marry me two days ago,” Igrowled.
“Agreed. But I suspect there’s a reason this hasn’t yet been…consummated. Don’tyou?”
I let silence answer forme.
“Good. Now take care of her as if she’s the most important thing in theworld—”
“Sheis.”
“—but donotstart thinking of her as yours, in any sense of theword.”
“What the hell does thatmean?”
Marc’s pointed silence on the other end of the line reminded me that I wasn’t supposed to use profanity when speaking to an Alpha.Oops. “Justus, I’m going to give you some advice,” he said at last. “Because as new as you are to the biological demands and hormonal impulses of a Shifter, you’re even newer to the realities of our society, and the point where those two aspects converge is particularly difficult to navigate for a man in yourposition.”
I sank onto the side of the hotel bed, still listening with one ear for any sounds of distress from the bathroom. “What point of convergence would thatbe?”
“The point at which an adopted stray falls in love with a tabby. I may be the only man in the world who understands exactly what you’re going through right now. Those conflicting impulses. That irrational anger when someone who outranks you gives you an order. That consuming drive to protect her from any- and everyone—even the other people who love her. Even if she doesn’t need yourprotection.”
“Titus has been in myposition.”
“In love with a tabby, yes. But an adopted stray? No. When your brother fell for Robyn, there was no one around who outranked him. There was no other authority to rankle hisfur.”
“What the—” I bit off the profanity with a roll of my eyes. That was astupidrule. “What are you talkingabout?”
“From a hormonal, instinctive perspective, falling for a tabby makes a tom feel like he’s above the rules. Like no one else has any right to tell him what to do. That’s because historically, all the way back to our cave-dwelling ancestors, the tom who gets the girl rules the whole Pride. Kaci has accepted your advances, at least on some level. Your hormones are preparing you to…well, to take over. To become an Alpha. But your hormones are writing a check your body can’tcash.”
“All I want is to be with Kaci. I don’t care about being an Alpha. That’s literally never occurred to me.” I didn’t even know if I was going to be alive in aweek.
“Yes. I’m sure that consciously, that’s true. But beneath that, on a primal level, your body chemistry is pushing you to reject authority. Tobecomethe authority, in order to establish the strength that would have historically been necessary to protect your family. To gather a Pride around you, to help you protect that family. Times have changed. As a society, we’ve learned to listen to our human halves over our feline halves in matters of gender equality—though admittedly, the women learned that faster than most of the men. Hell, some of the menstillhaven’t caught on. In part, that’s because our hormones haven’t progressed as fast as ourbrains.”
“If you’re worried that I’m going to try to get Kaci pregnant or challenge you orsomething—”
“No.” Marc sighed over the phone, and I realized this wasn’t any easier for him to say than it was for me to hear. “I think your head will prevail in those particular areas. Though in case I’m wrong, let me take this opportunity to remind you thatI will end youif you fuck thisup.”
“Noted. If that’s not the problem, whatareyou worriedabout?”
“That instinct to argue. To shrug off orders. To do things your way. You lack the experience to make those calls, no matter what your body is telling you. That could get Kaci hurt. That could get both of you killed. So, when Vic and Chris arrive, I expect you to remember that they outrank you, and they have Kaci’s wellbeing in mind just as much as youdo.”
I found that last bit hard to believe.No onecared about Kaci like I did. No one was better prepared or more determined to protecther.
Wait,what?
The very strength of that thought made me wonder if Marc might actually have apoint…
“Is it always like this?” I whispered into the phone, suddenly conscious of the fact that Kaci might be able to hear the whole conversation, though the bathroom door. “You’re saying every tom who falls in love with a tabby goes throughthis?”
“No. Just the ones whose advances are accepted or encouraged. Jace went through this when he and Faythe were…a thing. But Brian didn’t, back when he was engaged to Abby, which should have clued all of us in to the fact that their relationship wasn’t going to work out. But all of the others—the natural-born toms—know how to deal with this. They grow up expecting it. The only exception I know of is Owen. He’s shown no Alpha tendencies, even though he’s been with Manx for years. But I suspect they’re the exception that proves therule.”
The sound of running water came from the bathroom. “I have to go. Kaci’s starting theshower.”
“Okay. Don’t forget to call me withupdates.”
The unnecessary reminder from Marc rubbed me the wrong way, and the realization that my reaction was likely hormonal in nature only further irritated me. I didn’t like being manipulated by anything—even my own body. “Iwon’t.”
“Hey Justus, before yougo…”
“Yeah?” I stood, already heading for thebathroom.
