Ethan

The morning after we run into Devon, I’ve only been in my office at the pack headquarters for about an hour before he comes barging in, his silver eyes blazing with barely contained fury.

“Who the hell are you and what have you done with my best friend?” He snarls, slamming his hands down on my desk and glaring at me.

I wondered how long it would take you.” I drawl, leaning back in my chair. “I see you’re still head over heels for Jane, then? If you’re this upset about her being upset. ” My wolf is grumbling mutinously in my head, but this is exactly what I hoped for. I thought long and hard about whether I should let Devon in on my secret, but I think it’s best he knows. I can trust him every bit as much as I can trust Matthew, and it can’t hurt to have another wolf on the lookout for dangerous behavior.

“It has nothing to do with my feelings for Jane.”

Devon thunders, “I would be disturbed to see any she -wolf treated the way you’ve treated her, and especially by someone I once considered a brother.

Do you have any idea the state she’s in?”

“Of course I do.” I reply simply. “It’s why I let her stay with me this last week. I couldn’t just throw her out onto the street when she was so unstable.”

“Unstable?” He repeats, as if he can’t believe his ears. “She’s pregnant and only just survived a kidnapping with her pups, only for her mate to reject her – it’s a miracle she’s still standing. You know she fainted when we were together yesterday?

What?” I utter in surprise, sitting up a little straighter. “She never said.'”

Oh so you do still care. Devon glowers, wrinkling his nose in disgust. “What kind of an Alpha are you, abandoning your family this way?”

“If you can calm down long enough to listen, I can explain.” I sigh, letting some of my own anguish show.

Devon seems taken aback by my abrupt shift in tone, and the emotion which is certainly shining through my eyes. Still, he doesn’t give in too easily.What possible explanation can there be for your behavior?”

Taking a deep breath, I rise to my feet, untucking my shirt and lifting it to show him the top of my braces.

skin is bloody where the metal is digging into me, and though it might not be obvious that they extend all the way down to my

sight, and I know he doesn’t quite

and I’ll tell you. I’ll tell

hour, I tell him the story from beginning to finish. My diagnosis, the implications for Jane and the pups, the journey I went through to reach my current mindset, and my plans for

I’m finished, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re

inquire,

He bursts. “Jane and the pups love you! Don’t you think they would rather spend your remaining time with you than be forced away! Don’t you think they should get to decide if they deserve you! I admit you screwed up royally the way you handled the Eve situation, but you weren’t yourself

become my slave again, if I would take the pups back.” I share, revealing one of the few details I left out of the

skin losing some of it’s color. “You’re

just about what they would want. They simply aren’t safe with me. I can’t protect them. I realized, when we saw you yesterday, how selfish I’d

her go the way you did. If I had been truly worthy of her I would have given her the choice between us, I would have trusted her more than Eve, I would have paid attention enough to see she was miserable in our marriage. This isn’t just

his

whether I live cr die, and that starts with giving

me to lie for you? To help you push them away knowing they would rather suffer the sadness and

things in motion for the future. I have a plan in place in case I go mad before the doctors can find a cure, and contingencies to continue helping my family

over the years too. I have my own secrets, things you wouldn’t like, wouldn’t want me near your family

to him in the years we’ve been parted. Would you trick them or be cruel, even if you thought it was in their

frowns, still shaking his head,

answer the question.” I press, knowing the answer

Devon tries

are you still my friend?” I inquire,

I’m playing dirty now.

be your friend.”

my dying wish.” I announce, wouldn’t deny

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