The Reluctant Alpha (West Coast Wolves #1) - Susi Hawke Page 0,5

what Elisha needs. If his father won the challenge, then he can go home, and his father can find him a mate of his choosing. I'm sorry our pack will be disbanded and absorbed into Newberry Springs, but the law’s pretty clear if the challenge was legal and witnessed by the Territory Chief Alpha. You know the rules as well as I do."

"Matthias, it's not so easily solved, or I wouldn't be calling. Elisha was pregnant when your uncle died. You know what a severed bond means for an omega. A bonded omega will follow his alpha into the grave within three days if left unclaimed. Usually, the challenger gives him a new bite if victorious, but it was his own father, so… yeah. Not an option in this case. Without a new bond, both he and the child he carries will be dead within three days. This is day two, and he's already gone into a delirium. I doubt he'll last another day without a fresh mating bite. It's the curse of biology, and we all know it."

As much as I felt bad for this Elisha person—goddess, my heart broke for the man and all he'd been through—I was also angry. I'd left my pack in my rearview ten years ago for a good reason. They all witnessed my father's brutal treatment of me and looked the other way.

Understandably so, since he was the alpha. But a kind word or gentle smile here and there would've gone a long way. Instead, they ignored me, even when my father wasn't around. Jared had been my single friend growing up, solely because his father had been the pack beta before him.

Shit. In order for Jared to be beta, his father would've had to die. My anger deflated. Titus and Paula, Jared's parents, had always treated me well. If not for them, I wasn’t sure I would've survived my childhood—at least not with my soul intact. I sucked in a breath and blew it out slowly. Though I'd let go of the anger, I wasn’t ready to give in easily, so I may have sounded harsh when I spoke again.

"Why should I care, Jared? Why am I the one who needs to come save this man? I don't want Elisha to die, but I'm also not in the market for a mate or a pack. And let's not forget you're not merely asking me to claim him. If I do this, I will have to challenge and kill his father to get our pack back. Unless Monty will gift it to his son, which I don't really see happening. No offense, but this isn’t a small favor you’re asking from me."

Jared wasn't offended, or maybe he was more focused on the outcome than on what was said getting there. "Matty, Elisha didn't ask to be your uncle's mate. When he was taken and forcibly claimed, he was barely of age. Think about it like this—your uncle was worse than our old alpha, so what kind of a life do you think he’s had here? And now he’s pregnant and was left to die by his own father? While I know most alphas wouldn’t care about some omega and his pup, I believe you would. Do you, old friend? Or have you changed so radically in the years since you’ve gone?"

Dammit. The guy was good at negotiating—and emotional blackmail—I'd give him some credit. Not only had he called me Matty, but he had to tack on ‘old friend.’ Tucker, standing close enough to easily hear both halves of the conversation, shook his head. I didn't know whether he was telling me to stand my ground or reminding me of our code.

Fuck me, I don’t have a choice. I have to do this, no matter how much it kills me. Nevertheless, I tried one more time to beg off.

"You ask too much, Jared. This is unfair. You want me to come back and fight to retake the pack from Monty—since we both know he won't hand it over—and you are asking me to forcibly claim a delirious omega who was already abused by my uncle. And then you want me to accept the responsibility of his pup, too. Is that what you're saying? Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong."

Jared spoke in a rush, relief evident in his voice when he realized there was a chance I would give in. "There's just no other way, Matty. Newberry Springs invaded this morning. Half of