John tilted his head back, exposing his throat.
Frost shook his head. “There will be no more death here today.”
“But—”
“We’ve come to an agreement,” Xen cut in. “Alpha Frost has lost a valuable member of his pack, and his daughter has lost her future partner. As sad as the circumstances are, this does present an opportunity to strengthen the relations between our packs.” He sent a pointed glance Jake’s way and, fuck me, it was like he was proposing a business deal.
Faris wasdeadand Xen was about to throw Jake’s life away too. At least his choice in how he lived it.
John frowned, the meaning of Xen’s words slowly sinking in. “What are you—”
“Alpha Frost has agreed that instead of demanding your death, as is his right, your pack debt will be settled with the marriage of Jake to his daughter Myla.”
I bit back a snarl, the words no easier to hear a second time around. John paled, guilt a bitter tang on the air around him, but I couldn’t find any sympathy because this was all his fucking fault.
But was it?
The wolf in me howled, wanting to grab John and shake him for snatching Jake away from me when I’d only just got him. But the detective in me… he wasn’t so easily convinced.
None of that mattered though, because as Xen stepped forward to grasp Frost’s wrist in his hand, Frost doing the same to him, he looked at Jake. “What’s your decision?”
Jake didn’t even glance my way, but I felt every ounce of regret in his voice when he spoke. “I accept.”
The crackle of magic filled the air and the deal was done.
Fuck everything.
