Page 108 of Hart's Redemption

“He did what?!” Outrage momentarily clouded my vision and called into question my resolve to spare the miserable man’s life.

“I’d speculate he’s actually been trying to build up a tolerance, since he drank it as a show of good faith.”

My stomach rolled and my hands fell to my knees as I pulled in steadying breaths. Why hadn’t I just listened to Eric and Remus? One sip and Josh would have been dead before morning.

Eric cocked his head to the side. “Red, did you know Conrad was growing wolfsbane?”

I glanced up at my best friend and the myriad of doubtful faces behind him. “I… I saw the flowers when we met at the solarium. I didn’t realize what they were.”

Remus looked between me and Eric, then finally seemed to notice the groaning bodies littering the ground. “Seriously? I’m gone for like five minutes and miss a whole Alpha battle? What the fuck?”

Eric rolled his eyes and walked towards where Josh and I were still standing. “Now what, Red?”

I looked at Josh, who seemed to have the same question in his eyes. “Now we leave. Go start somewhere new.”

“Awesome, where to?” Eric asked, his usual pep once more in full force.

I turned back to him, already knowing he wasn’t going to like what I was about to say. “Not you. This wasn’t a formal challenge, and Conrad isn’t dead. He’s still technically the Alpha here.”

Josh looked at me, questions clear in his green eyes, but kept silent.

“There’s something else you should all know,” I said, raising my voice to address the gathered crowd.

Eric shook his head. “Don’t do this, Red. Not after everything.”

I took a deep breath and let it out. “I imagine most of you saw Detective Hart’s trial. It’s true. He is a Harker. He did all thethings you heard him admit to. A lot of it is more complicated than that, but I won’t go into that now. It's also true that the Klamath Pack held the sole authority to seek retribution. And I…” My voice cracked. The faces that had been my family for so long stared at me in confusion and hurt. “I took that away from you. I don't know where any of you stand on the things he’s done or what actions you’d hoped would take place today. All I know is that I couldn’t stand by and watch Conrad kill my bonded mate.”

Betrayal washed across Eric’s face, now pinched with pain as if I’d stabbed him. He was still shaking his head, but it was too late. Already my packmates were looking at me differently, reassessing my allegiance and motivations. How could they ever trust someone to lead them when that person had sided with an ancient enemy?

“I’m so sorry I haven’t been there for you. I only hope that whoever you trust to lead you next can restore the family this pack once was. As for us,” I took Josh’s hand in mine and laced our fingers, “we’re going to start over and hopefully get it right this time.”

Josh’s eyes softened. “Remus, will you tell Tommy and Kale?” he asked without looking away. Of course, he would have noted their absence. My heart constricted at what I was inherently asking him to do as well. Neither of us would have a pack.

“No! You can’t do this. Elijah, enough is enough. Stop running!” Eric’s anger sliced deep into my heart.

Remus reached out to him. “Hey, this has been a weird ass fucking few months for all of us. Give them sometime.”

Eric threw off his hand. “Time won’t solve anything. He’s running like he always does. Even winning isn’t enough to keep him here.” With that, my best friend since I was five stomped off. Uncertain eyes followed him as he pushed through the crowd, then turned back to me, seeking answers.

I didn’t have them. I didn’t know what else to say. Sure, Conrad had been defeated, but not killing him broke precedent, and while he was alive, he’d never stop trying to be rid of me. I wasn’t a killer. I couldn’t execute him or even banish him, which would essentially have the same outcome. It just wasn’t who I was. And if I couldn’t do what it took, then I had no business being in charge of a pack. The knowledge that I had so unforgivably failed them was a bone-deep sorrow that would stay with me until the end of my days.

I wrapped an arm around Josh’s waist and pulled him close, mindful of my sensitive nose as I leaned into him. “Can we go now?”

“Okay, baby. We can go.”

Chapter 32

Josh

IglancedatElijahaswe stepped clear of the hovercar. He’d been oddly silent the entire drive, nor had he asked why I hadn’t let the car take us directly to the house. I’d explained anyway that the security would have killed any lycanthrope to set foot on the premises. That now included me, which meant that particular protocol had to be manually eradicated from the system at the external control unit, which was conveniently located at the front gate. I’d considered having Lombardi make the correction, but I felt better doing it myself.

Still, Elijah’s silence was troubling. Perhaps Remus was right, and he just needed time to adjust. The last year had been especially stressful, and taking on a responsibility he’d beendodging nearly half his life wouldn’t have helped. I could understand that he didn’t want to be in charge of a pack, but did that mean he expected me to give up mine as well?

A pack of three wasn’t much, but it was mine, and I owed them more than walking away without an explanation. It wasn’t something we’d talked about as we boxed up the cabin, despite the fact that it was still his by right. We didn’t talk about it on the drive to Portland or on the wait for an available portal. Nor did we even speak on the ride here to my family estate and what would now be our home.

I sighed to myself and walked up the path towards the gate.

Elijah sped up and fell in step beside me. “You okay, moonbeam?”