“Good, perhaps I should talk to the beast since the man is so stubborn.”
Soren bit back a snarl. Undaunted, Balar sauntered around to face him. When Soren lifted his lip, revealing a fang in warning, his brother merely cocked a brow.
“Are you mad? Stay back,” Soren hissed. “It’s all I can do to keep it inside.”
“Then maybe you should listen to that damned beast for once and let it out,” Balar sighed.Sighed.
An indignant roar unleashed from his chest, blowing back Balar’s mane. That earned him both brows arching.
Balar called his bluster, shoving his shoulder. Soren stumbled back a step, shocked more than angry. Even histurukmomentarily stopped its snarling to huff in surprise.
“Go on,” goaded Balar. “Let it out. Get angry. Then maybe we can salvage this.”
Soren bared every fang and tooth at Balar, the need to pounce, to pummel that smug face with the broad side of his fist, consumed him. “You overstep, seska.”
“Maybe. But I think it’s well past time someone do it.”
Balar shoved him again, and Soren gnashed his teeth, every tendon straining as he held himself back. Balar stared down thelukanbrazenly, unyielding. A partial shift rippled across Soren’s skin, and he howled again for his brother to get back.
Histurukbattered the inside of his skull even as Balarpushed his shoulder again.
“You’d never hurt me or yourkigara.”
“Never!” howled theturuk. Soren stumbled back, shaking his head violently. “There are many ways to hurt someone,” he reminded both the beast and Balar.
“I’m sure you can work it out between the two of you,” said Balar. Striding forward, he clapped a heavy hand on Soren’s shoulder, even as he snapped and snarled back. “But you have to want it.”
“You think I don’t want her?” Soren cried. “She iseverythingI could want. She isallI want!”
“Then claim her, damn you!” Shaking him fiercely, Balar shouted right back, “No one deserves happiness more than you! I know what you think of yourself, but damn it all, the pride doesn’t matter here. She’s yourmate, your chance, and you’d let her slip through your claws?”
Soren shuddered, the shift writhing beneath his skin. “Can’t—force her—”
“Force her? That woman wants you,hurum-tu. She may even choose you, if you’d bother to ask.”
Soren yowled, smashing his paws into Balar’s chest. He’d meant to push his brother away, but his claws instead sank into Balar’s tunic and fur. He clung to Balar, desperate for—for—
“Imogen told me what happened last night. Your Maeve didn’t know about this new position. You still have a chance,seska. Which begs the question why you’rehere, pulling weeds.”
“You know why,” Soren growled, heart breaking as he denied the hope that wanted to rush to fill in the cracks.
“Because you’re a stupid fucking idiot,” Balar growled right back, nodding as though they’d agreed. “Don’t be a coward. For once, stand up and claim what’s yours.Fightfor it.”
Coward. The word tolled inside his head. His very soul withered to hear it, for he knew it to be true.
“If I fight, I lose.” That had always been true. Even when he wasn’t the smallest anymore, even when he proved a good hunter and strong male. Even in his anger now, against Balar he’d lose a fight—but not before inflicting unforgivable harm.
Which was why thelukanwasn’t allowed to rule him. Unfettered rage accomplished nothing except losing Soren the little he had. Violence wouldn’t have earned him a true place in their pride, and keeping Maeve with him wouldn’t win him her love.
“Would you?” Balar questioned. “Are you sure?”
…Yes.
Theturukseized on the momentary hesitation, throwing itself against the back of his skull.
“What if not fighting at all is also losing?”
Soren’s heart seized.Enket at inan!Strike him down, take him out of this misery! His head felt as though it might split down the middle, his overwrought mind spilling out.
