55 Need A Plan
Ace POV
I listen to Ebony talk about Candace’s plan and with every word the rage inside me intensifies. I can’t believe she would go this far. What if Ebony hadn’t come to Connor? What if she took Della? What if she was just as evil as Candace and hurt our pup? Ryker’s anger intensifies my own. I can feel myself losing the battle as Ryker starts to pace in my mind. The minute the first image of Candace slapping Della across the face pops into my mind, the little control I had snaps.
We are on our feet and heading for the door. I can hear Connor and Becca shouting my name, but the overwhelming feeling of rage won’t let me stop moving through the pack house. People try to talk to me but quickly back away as I stalk past them. They have never seen me this way. I’m normally relaxed and kind, but at this moment I feel murderous. If I had Candace in front of me I’d probably snap her neck, and I’ve never been a violent man.
I’m reaching for the handle of my car when I hear Olivia’s desperate voice in my head. “Ace, please. I need you and Ryker to come back. You can’t go there and show who you truly are. I’m as angry as you are, but I can’t lose you and Della. If you go over there and shift to Ryker, the council will be pounding on our door. We have to have a plan. I promise you that they will pay for even thinking about harming our daughter. Please just come back,” she pleads.
We both know she’s right. The anger was blinding, and I’m grateful that Olivia got through to the two of us before we put our pup at risk. I guess she isn’t just Della’s guardian wolf but ours. Ryker recedes in my mind as he grumbles about tearing Candace and Roman apart. I take a few deep breaths before I start to walk back toward the pack house. “I’m on my way back, Olivia. I’m sorry I scared you. I love you” I say before I cut the link.
I just reach the pack house when the back door flies open and Olivia launches herself at me. The feeling of having her in my arms has the remaining anger fading away. She’s right, they will pay for even thinking about hurting our pup. I lift her, and she wraps her legs around my waist. I kiss her like she is the air I need to breathe. A throat clearing makes me smile against her lips. “If you two can tear yourselves apart, we need to finish our discussion,” Connor says.
I set Olivia on her feet but pull her close to my side as we make our way back to Connor’s office. Ebony and Becca look worried when Olivia and I step back inside. “What’s wrong?“,“Ace you looked possessed when you ran out of here. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought you were a wolf because of how scary you looked. Are you alright,” Ebony asks.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I lost control of my anger, and I wasn’t thinking. I know I’m no match for Alpha Roman, so we have to come up with a plan to make Candace pay. I appreciate what you’ve done, Ebony. I know you considered Candace a friend.” She seems to accept my explanation. “No, she was never a friend. Candace doesn’t care about anyone but Candace,” she says.
her from the two
..e appreciate that,
“I am truly sorry for trying to come between the two of you. I won’t rehash everything that I told Alpha and Luna because it doesn’t justify what I did, but I promise you I would never hurt Della or of you. In fact, I’m willing to help you in any way I can to try to make amends,” she says. Ebony. I forgive you, but just remember what my right hook feels like if you ever think about going after Ace again,” Olivia says.
172
55 Need A Plan
Ebony chuckles. “I promise I’ll never forget. Besides, I think I’m going to try to find my own mate again.” “I think that is a really good idea. You are not Candace, Ebony. You won’t throw your mate away because of something as stupid as rank. You deserve a mate that will treat you well.” “Thank you Ace. Candace never deserved you. “I’m just sorry I didn’t tell you the person she was while you were together,” she says.
“Tell me what” I say. Not because I give two f**ks about Candace, but I have a right to know exactly what she did while she pretended to be my mate. She looks at me confused before she finally answers. “I’m sure you wondered why she never marked you.” I nod and wait for her to keep going. Olivia holds my hand in hers, calming the anger that is simmering below the surface. How did I not know how evil she truly was? Was really that blind?
“Every time she went away to the human city she would cheat Ace. She didn’t mark you because you would have felt it. I remember her ranting one day about how if you had a wolf, she would simply have given you wolfsbane but because you were human. She couldn’t take the chance that you would feel her betraying your bond,” Ebony says, dropping her gaze to the floor. The guilt is practically rolling off her.
She may not have told us everything, but I know why she clung to Candace and Collette. Dane decided to use
her crush against her. Once he got what he wanted, he made sure his mate found out. You would think he would want to keep it a secret, but he liked the she–wolves fighting over him. He was an a**hole, but back
then I couldn’t get involved. He was a wolf and I was a human. I knew I would always be to blame because I
was the outsider. Maybe if I had gotten involved none of this would have happened.
“You can’t do that, Ace. Everything happens for a reason. Goddess, I sound like a fortune cookie. I just mean
that good and bad experiences mold us into the people we are meant to be. Ebony chose to do the right thing despite all her past mistakes. That’s what makes someone redeemable, regret,” Olivia says. I turn pressing a kiss on her temple.
“So, basically, we need their permission and, in order to get their permission, we need to spend more time around them.” “I’m afraid so, but I don’t think it will be an issue. Everything was fine during their last visit. You
know I wouldn’t even bring it up if it wasn’t absolutely necessary Ace,” Connor says. “I know that, Connor, but
it doesn’t make this any easier. I still don’t know enough about the council or Hudson.”
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