Page 112 of Hell’s Half Acre

“Can an Alpha die without a challenge?”

“Yeah. Not often, but it does happen. When it does, they hold a rally within twenty-four hours. Packs don’t like to be leaderless. It makes them vulnerable.”

“To whom?”

“Every preternatural group out there. They either want to annihilate them or control them. It’s actually what happened with our hellhound pack. We were originally led by my grandfather. Lucifer slaughtered him and took command of us.”

That shocked her. “Really?”

He nodded.

“How can your mom not hate him for killing her father?”

“You’re putting human thoughts in the head of someone who doesn’t share your morals or sensibilities. Hellhounds view life as it is, not what it can be. Their view is if you can’t defend yourself against an enemy, you’re useless to the pack. Especially the leaders. If someone kills you, you deserve it. Next leader steps forward. My mom didn’t hold her father’s death against Lucifer. She held it against her father for not being able to defend himself and the pack.”

That explained so very much. “That’s why your father’s afraid of your mother.”

Luke inclined his head. “She’s not weak, and she’s prepared to kill him if he comes at her. Unlike her father, she bows to no one and has no trust whatsoever for my father.”

“That is a screwed-up relationship says the one woman who epitomizes screwed-up relationships.”

“Given that I’m not known for having them, I try not to judge.”

She paused at his words. “Why haven’t you ever been in a relationship?”

“Seen how they turn out. It’s a mess here in your world. In Hell? An even bigger mess, and I don’t like messes.”

She suspected there was more to it than that.

A lot more.

All the centuries he’d lived…

It seemed unbelievable and heartbreaking that he’d never had one person who was special to him. “I’m sorry.”

“Why feel bad for me? From what I’ve seen, a relationship is just a disaster waiting to happen. All things end and those never end happily. Seems more like something created by my father to make humans suffer.”

Sorcha winced at the truth in that statement. He wasn’t wrong. The best anyone could hope for was to have a relationship that lasted a lifetime.

But even when they did, their relationship still ended with one person dying and leaving the other alone to cope with the grief and pain of loss.

In theory when a relationship ended, people could part as friends, but that was rare. Like finding a unicorn riding a bicycle while drinking a Coke rare.

“I hate when you’re right.”

Luke nodded. “Want to know a secret?”

“Sure.”

“I hate when I’m right, too.”

That set an ominous lump in her stomach.

Luckily, it didn’t take them long to reach the restaurant where Carlos was waiting.

As soon as they found his table in the back, he jerked his chin toward two women who sat closer to the front. “I was on my way out when they showed up. I can’t believe they just walked in. Soon as I saw them, I turned around and contacted you.”

“Appreciate it.” Luke pulled a chair out for Sorcha. “Not being sexist…but let me approach them alone. They strike me as the type who will be flirtatious if I’m by myself and suspicious if you’re with me.”