Abraham Behr, is making noise with the other Alphas about our run having two Whites.”
Knight’s insides went cold.
“The other Alphas approved our uniting Springwell’s survivors with our town,” Rook said, his tone dark and fierce. He cast a protective glance Knight’s way, then refocused on Bishop. “We didn’t hide the fact that Agnes was alive.”
“Behr doesn’t want Agnes.”
“Well they can’t have Knight.”
A flash of annoyance creased Bishop’s brow. “He hasn’t officially asked for Knight yet.”
“But Alpha Weatherly thinks he will?”
“Once the hybrids are taken care of, yes, Weatherly suspects that Behr will demand one of our White Wolves be sent to Skydale, and he suspects he’ll ask for Knight.”
“Why Knight?”
“Because Agnes is much older,” Jillian said, speaking with the authority of the Alpha female. “She’s nearly sixty-five. Someone Knight’s age is theoretically better able to readjust to a new run and to acclimate to their emotions.”
“And Skydale doesn’t have any other Whites? Even children?” Rook asked.
“None that they know of,” Bishop replied. “A few infants of unknown color, but that doesn’t help them in the present, and none of them carry the mark of the White. Behr will play up the anxiety and trauma of the attacks as a way to sway supporters.”
“What about the anxiety and trauma to Cornerstone? We’re the goddamn epicenter of all of this.” Rook glanced at Jillian. “Sorry.”
Jillian smiled, unbothered by the swearing. Thomas McQueen had taught his sons not to swear in front of women—a quirky and old-fashioned thing—but most of the women Knight knew swore right back.
Bishop pinned Knight with an intense stare. “You haven’t said anything yet.”
Knight held his Alpha’s eyes. “I’m not going.”
“You haven’t actually been requested—”
“I’m not going.” Knight burned with resentment over his White Wolf, which had always been more of a burden than a joy. The status had always controlled his life. It had led the hybrids to his family, and it had nearly destroyed him. He was done being a thing, an object to be stolen, won, or traded. “Alpha Behr can request whatever the hell he wants, but I’m not going to Skydale, or to any other run.”
“Knight, run laws—”
“Fuck run laws, Bishop. The laws can be changed. We proved that when we allowed the half-breeds to stay here in Cornerstone. Hell, Colin Corman was sent here to kill you because our mother was traded from one run to another without any say in her own future.”
Bishop’s temper flared in his eyes and the way his jaw ticked. “I know that, and you know I don’t want you anywhere except here, but sometimes things are outside of our control.”
“Only if we let them be. Only if we give up control.”
Knight looked at Rook, remembering in vivid detail the night he’d walked into that awful trailer and seen Rook wounded and in pain. Ravaged by silver poisoning. Knight had given up control to the hybrids in exchange for Rook’s life, and while he didn’t regret the choice he’d made, he hated that he’d been forced to make it at all. He was done allowing others to control his life. It had only ever brought him pain.
“I’m not leaving Cornerstone,” Knight said, as much to Rook as to the Alpha couple. “Especially not for an Alpha too chickenshit to ask now and get his hands dirty with the hybrids.”
“Respect, Knight,” Bishop snapped.
Knight couldn’t drum up any respect for Alpha Behr waiting until the hybrids were dealt with before making his request. Behr would allow Bishop to suffer the burden of frontline warfare, while he stayed out of it. No.
I could never look that man in the eye and respect him. Never.
A loup who didn’t respect his Alpha was a liability. A White Wolf who didn’t respect his Alpha was dangerous, because Knight’s emotions could backwash out to the community at large and cause widespread
Knight’s insides went cold.
“The other Alphas approved our uniting Springwell’s survivors with our town,” Rook said, his tone dark and fierce. He cast a protective glance Knight’s way, then refocused on Bishop. “We didn’t hide the fact that Agnes was alive.”
“Behr doesn’t want Agnes.”
“Well they can’t have Knight.”
A flash of annoyance creased Bishop’s brow. “He hasn’t officially asked for Knight yet.”
“But Alpha Weatherly thinks he will?”
“Once the hybrids are taken care of, yes, Weatherly suspects that Behr will demand one of our White Wolves be sent to Skydale, and he suspects he’ll ask for Knight.”
“Why Knight?”
“Because Agnes is much older,” Jillian said, speaking with the authority of the Alpha female. “She’s nearly sixty-five. Someone Knight’s age is theoretically better able to readjust to a new run and to acclimate to their emotions.”
“And Skydale doesn’t have any other Whites? Even children?” Rook asked.
“None that they know of,” Bishop replied. “A few infants of unknown color, but that doesn’t help them in the present, and none of them carry the mark of the White. Behr will play up the anxiety and trauma of the attacks as a way to sway supporters.”
“What about the anxiety and trauma to Cornerstone? We’re the goddamn epicenter of all of this.” Rook glanced at Jillian. “Sorry.”
Jillian smiled, unbothered by the swearing. Thomas McQueen had taught his sons not to swear in front of women—a quirky and old-fashioned thing—but most of the women Knight knew swore right back.
Bishop pinned Knight with an intense stare. “You haven’t said anything yet.”
Knight held his Alpha’s eyes. “I’m not going.”
“You haven’t actually been requested—”
“I’m not going.” Knight burned with resentment over his White Wolf, which had always been more of a burden than a joy. The status had always controlled his life. It had led the hybrids to his family, and it had nearly destroyed him. He was done being a thing, an object to be stolen, won, or traded. “Alpha Behr can request whatever the hell he wants, but I’m not going to Skydale, or to any other run.”
“Knight, run laws—”
“Fuck run laws, Bishop. The laws can be changed. We proved that when we allowed the half-breeds to stay here in Cornerstone. Hell, Colin Corman was sent here to kill you because our mother was traded from one run to another without any say in her own future.”
Bishop’s temper flared in his eyes and the way his jaw ticked. “I know that, and you know I don’t want you anywhere except here, but sometimes things are outside of our control.”
“Only if we let them be. Only if we give up control.”
Knight looked at Rook, remembering in vivid detail the night he’d walked into that awful trailer and seen Rook wounded and in pain. Ravaged by silver poisoning. Knight had given up control to the hybrids in exchange for Rook’s life, and while he didn’t regret the choice he’d made, he hated that he’d been forced to make it at all. He was done allowing others to control his life. It had only ever brought him pain.
“I’m not leaving Cornerstone,” Knight said, as much to Rook as to the Alpha couple. “Especially not for an Alpha too chickenshit to ask now and get his hands dirty with the hybrids.”
“Respect, Knight,” Bishop snapped.
Knight couldn’t drum up any respect for Alpha Behr waiting until the hybrids were dealt with before making his request. Behr would allow Bishop to suffer the burden of frontline warfare, while he stayed out of it. No.
I could never look that man in the eye and respect him. Never.
A loup who didn’t respect his Alpha was a liability. A White Wolf who didn’t respect his Alpha was dangerous, because Knight’s emotions could backwash out to the community at large and cause widespread
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