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I flinched. Zeke would fight this, but if I alpha-willed him to stand down, he’d use that to say I had something to hide. It wasn’t a big deal, but with Kel breathing down my neck, I needed to avoid as much turmoil as possible. The lesser of the two evils was allowing Lynerd to force Zeke to submit and hope that I wasn’t wrong in assuming he was the stronger wolf.

“There’s no time like the present.” I gestured to Jack’s SUV and went to Jasmine’s passenger-side back door, not wanting to make things worse for Theo. I linked to Jasmine and Zeke, I need you two to get out of the vehicle. I opened the door and forced myself not to avoid Theo’s gaze.

His eyes darkened, and he glanced away. All his life, he’d thought his dad would never step down, and here that day was, and I was taking away the future he’d always wanted. My chest ached, but I had to do what was best for my people.

Are you sure this is the right call? Jasmine asked and gnawed on a fingernail. Theo—

Jasmine, you know better t