Wilder?”
I shook my head. I liked Wilder. A lot. But my attraction to him and the connection we shared had nothing to do with my actions in Franklinton. “Pack is deeper than caring. Deeper than family or blood. You told us Hank was pack, and I had to protect the pack.”
What I’d done, facing off against Deerling, went so much far beyond merely protecting the pack. But I think Callum knew that.
“You would have died to save one wolf you don’t even like.”
“I would have died to save a thousand wolves I’ve never even met,” I replied.
We stared at each other for a long time, and for once I didn’t feel cowed by him. I didn’t want to look away.
“I am so proud of you it makes my heart hurt,” he said at last.
This wasn’t the response I’d expected. I was stunned into silence by my surprise.
Callum continued, “This week you proved to me, more than any wolf ever has, where your loyalties lie, Eugenia.”
“But I defied you.” Perhaps I shouldn’t be correcting him when he seemed so burdened with goodwill, but sometimes I couldn’t help myself, the wrong thing had to be said.
He smiled slightly. “You demonstrated leadership. You’ve shown me you have what it takes to be my heir, in more than just name.”
I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting him to say, but that sure wasn’t it. I’d come in anticipating I’d be grounded or locked under house arrest. I thought he’d make me withdraw from school and send me to live with a pack in Alaska until I learned to behave. This conversation wasn’t at all what I’d been anticipating.
As if he’d read my mind, he added, “You need more responsibility, not less. I think this has demonstrated that your skills are rough. They need to be honed.”
“Okay?” I wasn’t sure what he was leading to. I kept waiting for this to be a giant buildup, and then for the punch line he would tell me his plans to banish me forever.
“As you know, the New Orleans territory is small. Not a proper pack, more of a prefecture.”
I knew this all too well because the city was under his thumb. I didn’t have to report to any other Alphas there, which was part of the reason Callum allowed me to live near the school.
“Yes.”
“It’s yours now.”
“Wh-what?”
“The city pack. A dozen wolves, including yourself. You are the Alpha now.”
“But…Ben…” What was I doing? Hadn’t I wanted to prove to him I was ready for a responsibility exactly like this? Now he was handing it to me on a silver platter and I was what…saying no? “Thank you.”
“You’ll need to start small. I think this is a good way for you to learn the politics of being a leader.”
So my brother learned at the side of the master, but I was being tossed into the deep end to teach myself on the fly. The idea exhilarated me. His trust made me feel buoyant and giddy. The responsibility was terrifying, but a giant grin was plastered to my face, and I couldn’t will it away.
“Thank you,” I repeated.
“Now get out of here. I’m very busy and important.”
I was already halfway to the kitchen before I realized he had just quoted Love, Actually.
Once I’d started laughing, I only stopped for bacon.
Chapter Thirty-Four
My house smelled like stale too-hot air when I unlocked the front door and pushed aside the small mountain of mail. It had the stagnant feel of an abandoned place, like no one had lived here in ages.
I’d been gone two weeks, but it was long enough for my plants to all be dead. I locked the door behind me, checking and rechecking the deadbolt. When I felt certain no one could follow me in, I moved from room to room, opening all the blinds to let the light of day in.
Dust motes caught in the light, and everywhere I looked the sun illuminated some new thing I would need to clean. It wasn’t that the place was dirty—it was as tidy as it had been since I left—but a thin layer of dust and neglect coated everything.
I unpacked my bag, doing my best not to acknowledge all the extra space in my closet and drawers. There were no suits or dress shirts here anymore, no men’s runners at the back door. Only one toothbrush rested in the cup near the sink.
Cash had managed to artfully remove his presence from the house, like he’d never been here. I was