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“Is that why you don’t like me, Axel?” Caleb asked, crossing his arms over his chest. “Because you think I lie?”

“I don’t think you lie. I know you lie,” Axel replied. “So does my dad, and so do the other Alphas.”

“You’re an Alpha now, too,” Caleb chuckled.

“Wasn’t my choice,” Axel said.

“Wasn’t mine either,” Caleb replied coldly.

They locked eyes. Axel felt the hostility coming off Caleb.

“That anger you feel right now towards my family. Are you surprised I don’t think you and Ashleigh should be together?”

“You don’t know me, Axel.”

“No, I don’t, and I don’t need to,” he replied.

“I love Ashleigh, and she loves me. That is a fact. Whatever else there is between our families. That fact won’t change,” Caleb stated firmly.

Axel took a deep breath and moved back to the table where Caleb sat. He set his bag down in the chair and looked at Caleb.

“You lie to each other,” Axel said.

Caleb shook his head.

“No, we don’t.”

“You do. You keep things from each other, by choice,” Axel said. “That’s lying.”

“You don’t know anything about us,” Caleb growled.

“I know she doesn’t trust you,” Axel said.

Caleb growled._.

“It’s not your fault,” he continued. “She doesn’t really trust anyone.”

“We trust each other,” Caleb said. His tone was low and dangerous.

“If that were true, you would already know why things won’t work between you.”

Caleb growled.

“I love my sister, Caleb,” Axel growled back. “She’s been hurt enough in her life. I know she wants to be with you. I know you love each other. But it’s not enough. Not for her.”

“You don’t know what you’re talki–”

“Why aren’t you married already?” Axel asked.

“What?”

“You’re mates. You love each other. Why wait?”

Caleb considered telling him to mind his own business once more, but that wouldn’t get them anywhere.

“She wants to prove herself to my pack. I agreed to wait five months.”

“What happens if she doesn’t prove herself by then?”

“We get married, and she earns their favor in time.”

Axel laughed.

Caleb growled.

“You don’t know her,” Axel said. “She won’t do it, not if she doesn’t believe she has earned her place. Even if she really wants to.”

“She already promised.”

“She promised Granger she’d marry him too.”

Caleb stood up with a snarl.

“I’m not attacking you, Caleb. I’m telling you the truth,” Axel growled firmly at him. “She didn’t marry Granger because you came along, and she began to question everything.

“Yea, it was good, and I’m glad she didn’t marry that bastard. But you’re not the reason she didn’t marry him.”

Caleb clenched his jaw but said nothing.

“Ashleigh has always put the good of the pack before herself.”

“I’m well aware of that,” Caleb said.

“So, Alpha Caleb, is it good for the pack if their Alpha marries a Luna they don’t accept?”

“Wouldn’t it have been better for Winter if she had married Granger right after her birthday as she planned?” Caleb growled. “You said that I’m not the reason she didn’t marry him. If not because of her feelings for me, then why?”

Axel nodded.

“Yea, it would have. But like I said, you changed things for her. Changed how she felt about herself.”

Caleb stared at Axel, his anger replaced by confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“She doesn’t trust herself anymore,” Axel said. “Before you showed up, she knew her place in the world. Who she was, who she wanted to be… But when she met you, it all imploded.”

“Do you really think her life was better before me?” Caleb scoffed. “With Granger?”

“No, I already told you I’m glad they didn’t get married.”

“Then what?”

“Ashleigh didn’t use to lie. She was always straight with people. Tell you the truth whether you want to hear it or not,” Axel said softly. “Except for one person. My dad. She lied to him all the time, trying to prove herself.”

Caleb swallowed.

“She knew who she was, except with him,” Axel said. “Now, she lies, usually because she thinks she’s protecting people. But every time she does, she trusts herself a little less.”

“And that’s my fault?” Caleb asked.

“No, not really,” Axel replied.

“Then what?”

“It’s not your fault Caleb but let me ask you something. Is she trying to prove herself to your pack or you?”

“She has nothing to prove to me,” Caleb said.

“Does she know that?” Axel asked. “Because from what I’ve witnessed, everything she does, is for you.”

Caleb swallowed down the awful feeling rising from his stomach.

“How do I–”

Axel put his hand up to stop him.

“I’m not here to fix your relationship,” Axel said, grabbing his bag and heading for his room. “As far as I am concerned, if you can’t figure this out on your own, you don’t deserve her.”

***

“Hello?” Axel answered his phone.

“Axel, it’s Jonas, Broken Crag,” Came a thick southern accent over the line.

“Alpha Jonas, this is a surprise.”

Axel tried to hold back his irritation. Jonas was not someone he particularly cared for.

“Shouldn’t be,” Jonas said. “You come walkin into my territory, should be you reachin out to me, not the other way around.”

“All due respect Jonas, I’m not in your territory.”

“Don’t pull that technicality bullshit with me, pup. I know you’re here. My scouts seen you and Caleb.”

“It’s not a technicality, Jonas. It’s a true fact.” Axel sighed, rubbing his temple with his thumb. “Yes, Caleb and I are near your territory, but our current location is on neutral ground. If we were planning to enter your territory, we would, of course, send you notice first.”

“Well, then I saved you a step.”

“We weren’t planning to–”

“Change of plans then,” Jonas growled. “Y’all are expected in my home this evening.”

“Jonas, I appreciate the offer, as I am sure Caleb will as well, but–”

“Ain’t no ‘but,’ Axel. I expect you here tonight.”

Axel took a deep breath.

“After all the shady shit you ‘blessed’ bitches keep pulling, I am gettin some answers,” Jonas said sternly.

“What are you talking about, Jonas?” Axel asked, suddenly interested. “What happened?”

“Nah, Axel, you will answer my questions, not the other way around,” Jonas stated. “I will see you both at supper.”

***

Caleb had gone to his room after their conversation had ended so abruptly. He expected he and Axel would not speak or see each other again until the morning at the earliest.

Which was why the knock at his door surprised him. It had only been an hour since their conversation.

“I just got an unexpected call,” Axel said as Caleb pulled open the door.

“Your scout?”

“No,” Axel smiled. “Alpha Jonas, of Broken Crag.”

Caleb sighed.

“Let me guess, he was an asshole?”

“Naturally, though, I was slightly relieved to hear from him this time.”

“It is good to know that at least one pack is alright,” Caleb said, eyeing Axel, “I assume?”

Axel nodded.

“He called to tell me that he knew we were in the area, his scouts spotted us, and he wants us to come for dinner. Where he expects us to answer his questions about, and I quote, ‘all the shady shit you ‘blessed’ bitches keep pulling’.”

Caleb furrowed his brows.

“Jonas calls Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter the ‘blessed bitches’ because of the Goddess,” Axel clarified.

“I know,” Caleb replied with annoyance.

“Sorry, seemed like you didn’t interact with the lesser packs much, so I wasn’t sure you knew much about him.”

“Broken Crag has always been a pack that needed to be watched. They have skilled warriors and good leadership. Granted, their chosen Alpha is an asshole, but he does lead his wolves well.”

Axel nodded in agreement.

“Do you know the ‘shady shit’ he refers to?”

“No idea,” Axel replied. “But my guess is it might have to do with whatever Autumn has been doing to get wolves to abandon their packs and join.”

“Agreed,” Caleb said.

“Guess we’re going to dinner,” Axel sighed.