Chapter 16: What He Is Owed

Tobias's father came to Hester's cabin at noon, in a pressed shirt, with two wolves waiting at the gate.

He was the Alpha of Cold Creek, fifty-eight, broad, with Tobias's black hair gone iron at the sides.

Hester set a chair at the kitchen table for him and a cup of coffee he did not touch.

"I'm told the old man made a mistake," he said. "I'm told you have your father's ring, Miss Standifer."

"I do."

"Then we should talk plainly. Ashfall's Council is his, and half the Beta's family sits on it."

"You walk into that ring alone, he wins on any ruling that isn't blood."

"I'm not alone."

"No. That's what I came to say." He looked at his son, who stood against the counter with his arms folded. "Mark her, Tobias."

The kitchen went quiet.

"Take her as your second mate before the Harvest Moon, and mark her in front of the pack."

"An Alpha with a Cold Creek mate has Cold Creek's wolves at her back. Ashfall and Cold Creek become one seat through you."

"Through me," Tobias said.

"Through you. It's what you've wanted for two years, and now it's useful."

His father turned his cup a quarter turn on the saucer.

"If you refuse, I keep my wolves on our side of the creek. I won't spend them on a Standifer's quarrel."

I stood in the doorway of the bedroom with my arms around myself.

It was the small cold thought again, the one I had hated. It said: here it is.

Tobias did not look at me.

"No," he said.

"Son."

"No, Father. I won't mark her to hold Ashfall."

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