Cole's Redemption (Alpha Pack #5)(19)

“Is he doing well now?”

Daria smiled. “Very. He’s actually my former boyfriend, and we’d broken up before I met Ryon. The whole reason he came here was instinct—he was looking for me, and the Pack as well. In his lucid moments, he was trying to get help. He went back to his law practice and is doing fine.”

“That’s great news.” Selene returned her smile.

Ryon stood, extended his hand to Selene. “It appears I was wrong about you. I want to add my thanks for saving my mate. I’ll never forget what you did. In a way, you brought us together.”

“I did?”

“Tell you another time.” Daria grinned. “Over a glass of wine or two.”

“I appreciate the invite,” Selene said noncommittally.

“Soon, then. We’ll let you get settled in.”

“It’s kind of funny, isn’t it?” Ryon said, pinning Selene with a piercing look. “I misinterpreted your actions that injured Daria so severely she almost died. Sometimes there are explanations for things we don’t understand at first, things that seem unforgivable. You might want to remember that.”

Selene stared at him, cheeks flushing, and then looked away.

The couple left, and Selene’s discomfort was obvious. “So where do I go from here? What does getting ‘settled in’ entail? My nice comfy cot in Block R? If so, can I at least have some magazines?”

Zan’s heart clenched. He didn’t like to think of her in that place, alone. Nothing to do but wallow in misery and listen to Raven, their poor insane teammate, howl day and night. Once again he turned to meet Nick’s gaze and made his plea.

“She can room with me. I’ll take good care of her. I swear.”

“We don’t even know each other.” She gave him a questioning look.

“That’s going to change anyway, whether they let you out of solitary now or next week. At least this way you have some freedom.”

“I don’t think—” Nick began.

“I’ll take full responsibility for my mate.”

“And if she tries to slit my throat while I’m sleeping?” He was only half joking, Zan could tell.

“I don’t need to resort to dirty tricks—I can take you in a fair fight!” she said evenly.

Zan tried to speak over her. “If she harms anyone, or even attempts it, I’ll take her punishment.”

Selene gasped. “Why the hell would you do that?”

“It’s my job—no, my honor—to protect my mate. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure nothing happens to you.”

It was a big gamble. He really didn’t know this woman at all. If she were a bad apple, he’d pay the price. But he had to take the chance; he didn’t know if his wolf could live without his Bondmate.

Her fingers wrapped around his wrist, and sheer pleasure from even that minimal contact had his wolf rumbling, wanting more. He could barely focus on what she was saying. “I can’t let you do that.”

“Why not? Because you know that your sense of honor won’t allow you to stand by and see me take the fall for your actions? I think that says more about you than you’ll admit.”

“It says nothing except that I don’t want your interference.”

He didn’t agree. A glance at Nick showed he didn’t, either. There was more to this woman than blind rage and thoughts of vengeance. She needed a chance to see that for herself.

“It’s done,” Nick said. “You commit a crime, your mate takes the punishment. Perhaps your time here will bring you some perspective.”

She was fuming. No wolf liked having her hands tied behind her back, especially an alpha bitch. She’d decided on a course of action and had been derailed. Now she was lost.

“If we’re done here, I’ll show her to my quarters,” Zan said. He couldn’t say our quarters yet. They had a long way to go before that day, if ever.

Nick stood, signaling the end of the meeting. “Bring Selene to dinner. Everyone will want to meet her.”

She snorted. “I just bet they will. More than likely, they’ll want to rip me to shreds.”

“Something tells me you can handle it,” the commander said with the barest hint of a smile. “You are my daughter, after all.”

“Not by choice,” she spat.

Crap. Time to go. Zan put a hand on her arm and tugged gently, guiding her toward the door. As he looked back, Nick’s expression was composed, revealing nothing.

Until Zan ushered her out the door. When she’d cleared the room, Zan looked back to see Nick’s head bowed, shoulders slumped.

This was going to be a bumpy ride for everyone. And Selene was now his responsibility.

It was enough to make him wish he’d never returned from vacation. In fact, if he bought a ticket to the Caribbean right this second, he doubted anyone would blame him.

Zan had been ready to leave the Pack for good until she showed up loaded for bear.

And now he was just as tethered as he’d been to the Pack—for the rest of his life.

Selene’s mind whirled in confusion as Zander ushered her through the hallways toward what he called his quarters.

All of her life, she was told her father had murdered her mother.

Is there another explanation?