Mia Darien: Good Things

“Of course,” I replied.

“Court is adjourned then,” he said. “You’re free to go.”

“Go with grace,” Jackson said. With that, the nobles filed out of the lecture hall and I was left alone with my pack.

I turned to face them, hating how awkward it now felt to be around them. I’d walked into that room a fellow subordinate and now I was leaving it as their alpha. How in the hell had this even happened?

Kane flopped back into his chair and stared blankly at the wall behind me. Clearly, shock had set in. He’d just been impeached as alpha and then told he couldn’t see his girl anymore. He would get over not being the alpha, but losing Aspen? Never. I just hoped that once the shock wore off, he wouldn’t start obsessing over her or get himself killed trespassing onto Gray territory again. I wasn’t above assigning him a babysitter, not when I knew how strong the bond was between a wolf and his mate.

The rest of my pack hadn’t yet moved from where they’d been seated during the trial. Remy, who we sometimes called “Bulldozer,” crouched low to gather his momentum then pushed off, leaping over nine rows of seats to land beside me. None of us had hops like Remy, that was why Darien and poor Foster, who barely had any hops at all, took the stairs like normal people.

“I wonder,” Remy said, “if the nobles were high when they decided that you should be alpha.”

I punched him, but Remy was a solid wall of muscle and I was pretty sure he didn’t even feel it. “Honestly, I think they were,” I replied. “I haven’t even processed that I’m actually the alpha yet.”

“Well, better you than this asshole.” He gestured at Kane, but our cousin was so out of it, he didn’t even hear the insult.

“I told him this was gonna happen,” Eli said. He looked almost as distraught as his brother. “I told him it was either exile or they were going to keep him from seeing Aspen. But the alpha thing? I didn’t see that coming at all.” He glanced at me, then looked away.

“I didn’t ask for this,” I said. “I was perfectly okay with Kane being alpha.”

“I know, cuz,” he replied. “I’m just worried about him. This was what he always wanted and now it’s gone.”

“Yeah, by the dummy’s own doing,” Remy said. “Breaking the treaty was literally the worst thing he could have ever done. He’s lucky they only threatened to sic the Huntsman on his ass.”

“But it was his mate, ” Eli said. “We all know what that means and I bet there’s not one of us here that wouldn’t have been tempted to do the same thing.”

“Breaking the treaty or not breaking the treaty is the same as choosing to do heroin or not choosing to do heroin,” Remy replied. “It’s black and white for me. A true alpha would have resisted for the sake of his pack . Kane gave in without a second thought.” Eli couldn’t argue with that so he just shut up all together.

Foster sat down beside him. “I’ll study lycan law and see if I can find some loophole that allows Kane to see his mate. I already looked over the treaty and it seems ironclad, but I’m nothing if not resourceful.” Eli gave Foster a half-smile and nodded his appreciation.

“That’s cool of you, Foster,” I said, feeling the need to show mine as well. “Thanks.”

“No problem. I’d do anything for you guys, you know that.”

This was true, and Foster wasn’t even our blood. He was a Wesley, but he hadn’t been born one. My mother had saved him from sure death when he was just a few days old. Unless the mother is human, shifters are born as wolves and shift for the first time usually about a month after birth. Foster had been born a sickly runt so his mother had abandoned him in the woods at the edge of our territory. We didn’t know what pack she was from, but whatever. Her loss, our gain. Not only was Foster a great friend, he was damn near a genius and was studying pre-law at Wesley College. He could have gone to any school he wanted, but Foster wasn’t one to venture too far outside of Mirage. I’d told him he would have to in order to go to law school. Just the idea of it had scared the shit out of him, so I’d let the subject drop and hadn’t brought it back up since. Besides, he was only a first year. He had plenty of time to get used to the idea.

“I’m more interested in who you’re going to choose as your beta,” Darien said. He was the son of my father’s youngest brother, who’d been exiled before Darien was born. We all knew the story, but none of us ever brought it up. It wasn’t just a touchy subject for Darien. It was a touchy subject for all of us.

“I don’t even wanna think about it,” I said. “None of you suckas are qualified.”

“Man, whatever,” Remy said. “Just don’t pick Kane.”

“I don’t want to be alpha.” Kane blinked like he was finally returning to consciousness. “Or beta. Or anything. I just want Aspen.”

Remy groaned. “Aw, man. If this is what love does to a wolf, I’m going monk.”

“Fool, you wouldn’t last a week,” Darien said.

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Remy laughed.

“This isn’t funny,” Foster said, pushing up his glasses with a finger. “He’s really in pain.”

“The price of betrayal usually is pain,” I said. At that remark, Kane finally made eye contact with me.

“I didn’t mean to betray the pack,” he said, actually sounding remorseful. “But I swear to you, I couldn’t stop myself from going to her. The need ...it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”

“Said every asshole who’s ever free-based,” Remy commented, his expression flat and uninspired.

Kane glared at him. “Screw you, bitch . I can’t wait to see how you handle having a mate.”

“As long as she’s not a Gray female, I’ll handle her just fine, homeboy.”

“All right, chill,” I said. “You heard the nobles, Kane. They’re going to work it out with Clarence so you might be able to see Aspen. Foster’s got your back, too. But if you do anything to mess this up, I’m not going to bat for you again. So get control of yourself, young, and don’t make me regret not letting them exile your ass.”

Kane nodded half-heartedly. “I got you. Imma be cool.”

“You better. Now let’s go. I don’t know about ya’ll, but my stomach is touching my back.”

“Food sounds good,” Foster said, standing.

“Food always sounds good to you,” I said.

“This is true.” To be so skinny, Foster could pack it away like nobody else I knew.

My pack and I exited the hall and I let all the others, except Remy, walk ahead of me. My cousin stared at me like I’d lost my mind when I stepped in front of him and blocked his way.

“Should I be worried that you’re trying to get me alone?” he cracked.

“Yo, shut up,” I said to him. “I want you to lay off Kane. He’s going through enough without you adding your bullshit to it.”

Remy frowned. “Is that an order? ”

“Pretty much.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Damn, okay. I’ll back off the whiny little bitch.”

I shook my head. “See, this is why the rest of the pack can’t stand your ass.” I walked off, but Remy refused to let my comment go and followed me through the building and outside into the student commons. It was pretty cold out, especially for Georgia, but shifters didn’t really feel the effects of weather change. Our bodies were built to instantly adapt.

“What do you mean the rest of the pack can’t stand me?” Remy pushed.

“Are you really that dumb or do you just look like that all the time?”

“I’m serious, X. The others don’t like me?”

“You care?”