Page 7 of The Alpha’s Heir

We never listen.

“And I think she’s right.” Kera turned the smooth rock between her fingers.

Kera never admitted that about anyone.

I tried not to be jealous. “Why?”

“Least amount of bloodshed,” Kera said. “If what she says is true about the gods loving sacrifices and offerings, and if they’re all as strong as she is, then I think a simple marriage to stop them from coming here is worth trying.”

“You’re not going to lecture me about giving up on fate?” It should’ve hurt that she didn’t care about my future happiness, but she wasn’t Mom. Kera and I had a different relationship. One forged by our personalities and roles. She expected more from me. I didn’t blame her.

“Maybe this is fate.” She held up the stone to the sunlight. “Your gram always said you three girls were destined for great things.”

Didn’t I know it.

I couldn’t help the slight twitch of my eye.

She’d drilled that thought into us all our lives. I still remembered getting busted for breaking the rules as a pup and having to run ten miles carrying a sack of bricks while chanting the phrase:

We are destined for greatness. Not stupidity.

It was Alec’s fault we got in trouble, by the way.

“I’m serious.” Kera must’ve read my thoughts. “I know I push you harder than your sisters, but I want you to be prepared for your role. Whatever one that may be…”

Kera’s voice never trailed off like it did now.

She’s worried.

“Don’t worry.” I smiled at my aunt. “You trained me well. I’m ready for whatever comes.”

Kera’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Did Coral get you into historical romance novels yet? Sometimes those human marriages are little more than political arrangements where the partners are free to sleep with whoever they’d like.”

I threw up a little in my mouth. “Please don’t give me a sex talk. I’m not a pup anymore, and I can handle this.”

She nodded. “I thought I was training you to be my heir, not some plaything for the gods.”

I straightened my back. “My duty has always been to my pack. If this saves them, I accept the role willingly.”

“I figured you’d say that.” Her voice sounded throaty and she coughed to clear it. “That’s a nice stack of fish.”

“Just wanted to make sure the freezer was full before I left.” I finished cleaning the last one. “Dad’s only catching minnows lately.”

Kera coughed again. “Damn, this is hard.”

Is she… sad we’re leaving?

Some cottonwood or dust must be blowing around and gotten into her eyes.

“How do we do this?” I made my voice light. “Do I just go kidnap a human male and make him marry me?”

Even as I said it, I realized that would never work. Most purist humans didn’t belong out here. They liked their creature comforts and the city they built to keep us out.

Such fragile beings. My wolf huffed.

But I wasn’t like some shifters who hated the humans, and for that I was grateful.

There’s no way Alec could do something like this without murdering whatever human she’d marry in his sleep.