Page 84 of The Alpha’s Heir

He'd been the foolish dreamer. Not me. The man who thought we’d be able to rise above our station like they did in the old stories if he just worked harder. Longer hours. Took on more jobs.

Right up until his body gave out.

Ironically, I’d done exactly what he always hoped to do. Yet where was I? Still the bottom boot of the head that didn’t care about the people I’d left behind.

Meg had come into our world, ready to sacrifice herself for those people.

For what?

The wood splintered into four logs and I stopped, panting as I wiped the sweat and rain from my brow.

“Now what?” I looked up at Maddock.

He nodded at the cut wood. “Now you do it again.”

“This is barbaric, you know that, right?” Justus gathered his coat around his chest.

“You can go inside,” I told him.

It was no use trying to get Justus to understand. I’d spent years telling him what it was like on the other side, and all I’d gotten was a stern warning from Helen to not put ideas into her son’s mind. So I’d grown quieter over the years. Doing my job.

Keeping my head down.

Blisters were already forming on my hands as I repositioned the cut wood to chop even further.

I’d known it since the moment I saw her that I couldn’t let Meg go through with this. Mate or not, it wasn’t her place to sacrifice herself for Ethica—people who wouldn’t sacrifice themselves for her.

Maybe it was for the best.

The gods should burn it all down.

Lightning cracked across the sky as the axe hit its mark and the log splintered into a spray of wood chips. I welcomed the burning pain in my shoulders, feeling sweat drip into the healing bite mark Meg had left on my collarbone.

After everything I’d given them, I refused to let them have her.

“Thank science, she’s back.” Justus’s cry of relief echoed that strange tug in my chest as I turned, seeing her step from the trees.

Meg’s bare feet touched the muddy earth. Toned legs stretched up under the loose t-shirt—legs I hadn’t fully memorized and wanted to run my hands along again. Her hair was tied back, letting the drips of rain run off her sharp cheekbones and nose. She looked cold, except for the fire in her eyes that burned when her gaze met mine.

I felt my heart skip, vowing to do anything this woman asked and more.

Then she turned away from me, looking at Justus instead, and it was as if my chest caved in on itself when she told him, “We need to talk.”

30

Meg

“So that’s why I can’t marry you.” I shrugged.

Justus put his head into his hands. “And just when I was starting to fall in love with you, too.”

My eyes narrowed.

“Kidding.” He smirked. “Does Roman know you’re his fated mate or whatever?”

“Kind of. I think. I’ll explain more to him, but I wanted to make sure we cleared up any misunderstandings between you and me before I took the next steps.” I looked out the window to see Roman marching up the hill toward the Jeep and Marcus in the rain.

“You two are perfect for each other. Insufferable with all this duty and honor bullshit. But wait. What does that mean for the…” He made finger quotes in the air. “Gods awakening thing?”