“Precious, aren’t they?” he said, not turning as the door clicked shut behind me.
I followed his gaze to the children, their giggles infectious as they chased one another in carefree abandon. A small smile tugged at my lips. “They are.”
Then, he turned, his eyes piercing, his next words slicing through the tranquil moment.
“Tell me,” he asked, his tone low but weighty, “would you go to the ends of the earth to protect them?”
“I…”
I wasn’t sure how to respond. It wasn’t a difficult question. Of course, anyone with a sound mind would say yes, but I know that wasn’t the answer he was looking for.
Alpha Lycus’s gaze softened, his expression painted with a hint of sadness.
“I’ll never forget the day you arrived at Crimson Wolf.” He sighed. “The tragedy of your old pack took every bit of joy from your face, and seeing that was heartbreaking.”
“Alpha, where are you heading with this?” I asked.
Alpha Lycus puffed a cloud of smoke and continued, “What Jena did was terrible, and I know nothing I’ll do would be enough to make up for what had happened, but I’d still want to. You’re like a daughter to me and I wouldn’t want you to suffer,” he said, making it harder for me to respond.