bChapter /bb246 /b

bArden /b

b*/bbI /bhear Leo has been kicked out of the Academy,” Sten says when I pick up the phone.

What the fuck? He was supposed to be dealing with that Alpha brat for

“What do you mean Leo has been kicked out?” I growl. ollime. /li/ol

“He’s been ousted from the Academy. Apparently, he was harassing Cyra’s fated mate. But more than that, he was taking bribes, letting bkids /binto the Academy that shouldn’t have been admitted. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?” he asks me.

“Are you implying that Cyra didn’t qualify on her own merits for admission? My daughter was epted because of the woman band /bbAlpha /bbshe /b

isb.” /b

“I didn’t say anything about Cyra. I know my future mate is intelligent and a strong warrior. I was just making sure that Leo being bgone /bwasn’t

problem for you. You know you’re still responsible for ensuring that Cyrapletes this alliance bond.”

“I’m well aware of the requirements of the alliance bond. I don’t need any remindersb,/b” I snarl.

“If you say so,” he says, smugly before hanging up.

The little shit. Who the fuck does he think he is?

‘He’s the man whose brother holds our balls in his hands,’ my wolf, Ceaser growlsb. /b

He’s been unhappy with me for a long time. He didn’t like me embezzling, but he didn’t get angry until I started using that money to gamble. Gambling led to me partying with women and when you throw money around, women flock to you. It started out because I was lonely and missing my mate. But gambling had quickly be an infatuation for me. I loved how people treated me when I had lots of money. They would fall over themselves to make me happy, do anything and everything that I asked.

‘Yeah? Where are they now?‘ Ceaser snaps.

They’re gone, that’s where they are. They onlysted as long as the money did. I kept thinking that I’d win big and then I could repay the money I took, but every time I did win, I just spent it again.

‘And who is paying the price for your fucking poor decisions?‘ he snarls in

my

head.

And this is where Ceaser has be nearly unbearable. He is furious with me for what he calls ‘selling his daughter to the devil to save my

soul‘.

‘Sten will treat her well,‘ I say, hoping that I’m right.

He snorts. ‘Sten is a piece of shit, He’s no better than his brother. He threatened you to get what he wants. You’re more of a fool than I realized if you don’t think he’ll do that same to iMY /idaughter.‘

She is no longer our daughter. She’s his daughter. He feels I’ve lost the right to call her mine.

‘No one treats their own child so poorly,‘ he growls, prowling around in my head. That has also be much moremonb, /bCaesar bbeing /bangry and agitated.

‘Chosen mates can be just as good as fated mates,‘ I snap at him.

‘How would you know? You never gave us a chance to find ours and now you’re taking that right away from our daughter. bShe /bbHAS /bbfound /bbher /b

bChapter /bb246 /b

bfated /bbm?te/bb, /bband /bbyou /bbwant /bbher /bbto /bbgive /bthat up bto /bsave your bown /bbass/bb: /bSome bfather /bbyou /bbare/bb, /bbhe /bbsays /bbing bmore /bagitated se

bI /bbpush /bbhim /bbout /bof my mind as bbest /bI can. It’s getting harder to do because his agitation is bing my own band /bbI’ve /bbstarted /bbsnapping /bat our pack members more often.

bI /bbrub /bmy temples as I think. I have to get that kid away from Cyra. If Leo is out, I’ll have to find another way.

I’ll just have to pull Cyra out of school and bring her home. I bcan’t /blet herplete her

And if I can’t find a way to get Yorick away from mate bond with the Hill kid. It would destroy everything.

Cyra POV

After lunch, we say goodbye to Yorick’s family.

“I do hope to see you again very soon, Alpha Cyra. You are family now. You are wee in our pack anytime,” Luna Yara says when she bhugs /bollime. /li/ol

I look at Alpha Connor, since technically it’s his pack.

“Oh, don’t worry about my son. Family is family. Quirin and Henry are allowed ess to his packnds anytime. You may not be wearing bmy /bson’s mark on your neck, but you are no less family than they are,” she says.

“The same is true for our pack,” Luna Kennedy says,ing over to hug me. “You are wee anytime. And at the risk of offending my father and brother, my mate is very strong, as is our pack. We could keep you safe from Alpha Christer, Alpha Sten, and your father.”

“Yes, I am offended, Ken. As if our pack wouldn’t keep Alpha Cyra safe,” Alpha Connor saysing over to say goodbye. “As my mother said, you are always wee, and we would keep you safe. As Yorick’s mate, you now have the power of all three packs at your disposal.”

“Thank you,” I say, feeling my throat tighten. “I didn’t know what to expect meeting all of you. I mean, of course, Yorick raves about his family. But it’s different when you’re not blood rted,” I say.

“Not in this group,” Yana, one of the middle daughters, says to me. “Madison lets us call her sister. I hope you will too.”

“I never had a sister, or a brother for that matter,” I say, fighting to keep my voice steady.

“Well, you have lots of them now,” Wade, the youngest son says as he walks over to say goodbye.

I look at the group of them. “You really are as wonderful as Yorick says you are.”

“Yeah, we’re pretty awesome,” Yvonne, Wade’s twinb, /bsays walking over.

“And SO modest,” Luna Yara says, making everyone chuckle.

“Are you about ready, Cyra?” Yorick says, walking up behind me.

“Yes. I’m pretty sure sses were cancelled today since all of the instructors were here. So, thankfully, I didn’t miss anything I’ve been taking notes in all the sses for you, but I can help you get caught up this week,” I tell him.

He wraps his arms around me, not caring that his family is standing right there. “Spending time with my mate sounds perfect.”

“Thank you again everyone,” I say, waving to therge group of people.

“We’ll be in touch soon,” Alpha Quirin says, wrapping an arm around his mate’s shoulders.

As we’re walking out, Yorick calls out to Hacker who is talking to Hijack and Wendy.

bChapter /bb246 /b

“bWe /bbneed /bbto /btalk, he saysb. /b

b“/bbYorick/b,” Wendy begins, but he gives Wendy the most arrogant Alpha look I’ve ever seen on his face. I hide a smile, veneval bbig /bbrother mode, but that’s obviously what this is. I get a sudden rush of desire, thinking of bmy /bmate being bprotective /bof air pubs.

I’ve always wanted pups, but the idea of having them with Sten put me off, I’m not sure he’d make a good bfather/b. bBut /bYorick look at the people walking out, talking,ughing, and being together.

Yorick would be an amazing father and that thought has my body responding much more strongly than I would have bexpected/b. I suddenly feel a visceral need to give this man pups, pups that look like the two of us.

“It’s fine, Wendy. We can talk tonight or tomorrow, Shakespeare,” Hacker says.

“Shakespeare?” Wendy asks.

“You haven’t met Zach. He gave us all nicknames when he first met us. I got mine for obvious reasons,” he says. “Not all of us get cool codenames,” he says much more softly. Wendy blushes and I gasp.

“You’re….?”

“Shhh, not so loud,” she says quickly.

“Wendy,e give me a hug goodbye,” Alpha Henry says to her.

She gives me a look before turning a big smile toward Alpha Henry and jogging over to him.

“She’s Sphinx?” I whisper, looking at Hacker and Hijack who are both watching Wendy hug Alpha Henry goodbye.

“Yeah, and the two of you are going to be very careful with my sister. You’ve seen how loved she is. I don’t care how much hacking and

hijacking the two of you can do. If anything happens to my sister because of either of you, we will destroy you,” Yorick growls at them.

Their eyes move back to Yorick.

“She’s part of our team now,” Hacker says.

“We protect our own, just like you do,” Hijack says.

“If anything, that should make you happy. She’s more protected than anyone else in your family,” Hacker says.

“Let’s keep it that way,i” /iYorick says. “And remember, Wendy is underage.”

“If we were predators, we wouldn’t work for the Councilb,” /bHijack says with just enough heat to let Yorick know he doesn’t appreciate the implication that they would be inappropriate with Wendy.

“They want her on the team, Yorick. They won’t do anything to jeopardize that, will you?” I ask them.

“Absolutely not,” Hacker says, smiling as Wendy bounds back over.

“So, I guess I’ll talk to you guys soon?” Wendy/asks.

“Count on it,” they say in unison.

“We need to talk,” he bsays/b.

“Yorick.” Wendy begins, but he gives Wendy the most arrogant Alpha look I’ve ever seen on his face. I hide a smile. I’ve never seen furick m big brother mode, but that’s obviously what this is. I get a sudden rush of desire, thinking of my mate being protective of our pups.

I’ve always wanted pups, but the idea of having them with Sten put me off. I’m not sure he’d make a good father. But Yorick look at alt the people walking out, talking,ughing, and being together.

Yorick would be an amazing father and that thought has my body responding much more strongly than I would have expected: I suddenly feel a visceral need to give this man pups, pups that look like the two of us.

“It’s fine, Wendy. We can talk tonight or tomorrow, Shakespeare,” Hacker says.

“Shakespeare?” Wendy asks.

“You haven’t met Zach. He gave us all nicknames when he first met us. I got mine for obvious reasons,” he says. “Not all of us get cool codenames,” he says much more softly. Wendy blushes and I gasp.

“You’re….?”

“Shhh, not so loud,” she says quickly.

“Wendy,e give me a hug goodbye,” Alpha Henry says to her.

She gives me a look before turning a big smile toward Alpha Henry and jogging over to him.

“She’s Sphinx?” I whisper, looking at Hacker and Hijack who are both watching Wendy hug Alpha Henry goodbye.

“Yeah, and the two of you are going to be very careful with my sister. You’ve seen how loved she is. I don’t care how much hacking and hijacking the two of you can do. If anything happens to my sister because of either of you, we will destroy you,” Yorick growls at them.

Their eyes move back to Yorick.

“She’s part of our team now,i” /iHacker says.

“We protect our own, just like you do,” Hijack says.

“If anything, that should make you happy. She’s more protected than anyone else in your family,” Hacker says.

–“Let’s keep it that way,” Yorick says. “And remember, Wendy is underage.”

“If we were predators, we wouldn’t work for the Council,” Hijack says with just enough heat to let Yorick know he doesn’t appreciate the implication that they would be inappropriate with Wendy.

“They want her on the team, Yorick. They won’t do anything to jeopardize that, will you?” I ask them.

“Absolutely not,” Hacker says, smiling as Wendy bounds back over.

“So, I guess I’ll talk to you guys soon?” Wendy/asks.

“Count on it,” they say in unison.

I don’t miss the looks the two men bgive each /bbother /bbOh /bhair …

“We need to talk,” he says.

“Yorickb,/bb” /bWendy begins, but he gives Wendy the most arrogant Alpha look I’ve ever seen on his face. I hide a smile. I’ve never seen Yorick bin /bbig brother mode, but that’s obviously what this is. I get a sudden rush of desire, thinking of my mate being protective of our pups

bI’ve /balways wanted pups, but the idea of having them with Sten put me off. I’m riot sure he’d make a good father. But Yorick? I look at all the people walking out, talking,ughing, and being together.

Yorick would be an amazing father and that thought has my body responding much more strongly than I would have expected. I suddenly feel a visceral need to give this man pups, pups that look like the two of us.

“It’s fine, Wendy. We can talk tonight or tomorrow, Shakespeare,” Hacker says.

“Shakespeare?” Wendy asks.

“You haven’t met Zach. He gave us all nicknames when he first met us. I got mine for obvious reasons,” he says. “Not all of us get cool codenames,” he says much more softly. Wendy blushes and I gasp.

“You’re ….?”

“Shhh, not so loud,” she says quickly.

“Wendy,e give me a hug goodbye,” Alpha Henry says to her.

She gives me a look before turning a big smile toward Alpha Henry and jogging over to him.

“She’s Sphinx?” I whisper, looking at Hacker and Hijack who are both watching Wendy hug Alpha Henry goodbye.

“Yeah, and the two of you are going to be very careful with my sister. You’ve seen how loved she is. I don’t care how much hacking and hijacking the two of you can do. If anything happens to my sister because of either of you, we will destroy you,” Yorick growls at them.

Their eyes move back to Yorick.

“She’s part of our team now,” Hacker says.

“We protect our own, just like you do,” Hijack says.

“If anything, that should make you happy. She’s more protected than anyone else in your family,” Hacker says.

“Let’s keep it that way,” Yorick says. “And remember, Wendy is underage.”

“If we were predators, we wouldn’t work for the Council,” Hijack says with just enough heat to let Yorick know he doesn’t appreciate the implication that they would be inappropriate with Wendy.

“They want her on the team, Yorick. They won’t do anything to jeopardize that, will you?” I ask them.

“Absolutely not,” Hacker says, smiling as Wendy bounds back over.

“So, I guess I’ll talk to you guys soon?” Wendy asks.

“Count on it,” they say in unison.

I don’t miss the looks the two men give each other. Oh boy. Young Wendy is going to break some hearts when she finds her mate next year.