“You being Martin’s alpha certainly plays a part in why he wants him at his side so badly,” I say. “But not because you are weak. It’s more like you are a thorn in Jordan’s side.”
“Plus, I have you,” he says.
“That too. Jordan disposed of me, but it doesn’t mean he wants someone else to play with his toy.”
“I will never forgive him for how he treated you,” Forest says, his voice dark. “Never. And if I find out that my father is actually on the list of his top customers, if he is exploiting those poor women as well, I won’t forgive him either. You know, deep inside I already know… The talk Martin had with Jordan, the things Jordan said, how much he wants Dad to join him again; my fatherwasin on it.”
“Yes,” I say quietly. “At least Donna only gambled.”
“Do you think Mom knew?”
“About the trafficking?”
He nods.
“I am not sure,” I say honestly. “Maybe she did. After all, she was in on the conspiracy to kill your fated mate. I wouldn’t put it past her. However, I don’t know if she would have supported a whole trafficking ring. Your mother is vile and vain, but not stupid. She’d have known that your father could have sold her to the brothel as well. She values her life.”
He nods tentatively. “There is no love between them,” he says. “I am sure now, that he must have constantly cheated on her, and she knows she doesn’t mean much to him. I just hope she truly didn’t know. At least one of my parents…” he pauses. “The last couple of days really brought forward a lot.”
“Yes, thanks to the work of our friends. I am glad now that we filled them in on everything.”
“Martin is the perfect beta,” Forest says. “He is smart, calculated and thinks things through. He is not a shoot-from-the-hip guy, not impulsive. Yet he can spring into action if needed.”
“Tell him,” I say. “He will be happy to hear your praise.”
“You think so?”
“You are his alpha. He will be over the moon to hear your approval.”
“It’s weird,” he admits.
“To have him admire you?”
“To haveanyoneadmire me,” he says. “Whenever I think about it, I feel a little off, like I am just an imposter, posing as an alpha.”
“Youarean alpha. The respect and admiration of your ranked members, the fact the elders have acknowledged you, the way that, one by one, the pack members have begun following you, are all proof of it. You are a leader.”
He stays quiet for a while before tightening his embrace. “I am only half a leader,” he says. “And that’s fine. Together with you, I am a whole leader and alpha. I am aware that I have a lot of shortcomings which you even out.”
My heart makes a leap at his words, at the fact that he sees me as his partner, not just as his mate, hisactualpartner. “Isn’t it like that with all alphas and their lunas?” I ask.
He smiles. “I think it’s how it should be. Tristan was great before he met his mate, but afterward, he turned into a fantastic alpha. I like the thought of that,” he admits. “Of us being awesome together.”
“Me too.” I gently tap his arm. “Now come, we are expected at breakfast.”
Forest and I manage to be the first to breakfast. Griffin arrives shortly afterward, and then, to my surprise, Rory and Martin appear together. I don’t know how these two suddenly get along so well, but I am happy that they seem to.
“Nervous about today?” Griffin asks Martin.
“Not really,” he says. “I am more anxious about tomorrow.”
“So, what’s the plan for today?” Rory asks.
“I am taking over one of the shifts today and will guard Harry,” Martin explains, “Forest’s father. I am going to slip a note to him.”
“Do you think he will buy it?” I ask.
“Honestly, I am not sure,” Martin admits. “I did manage to manipulate him a little, but I also helped Forest, and he knows that.”
