Chapter 11

Harry entered the kitchen as I began putting the leftovers away. 

"Did you like dinner?" I could not help but remark. 

"The food or the entertainment?" He quipped. I laughed aloud despite the tense situation. "I hate leaving you with all this going on."

I shrugged. "What's another day in my family?" 

He nodded. "That's basically what Caleb said."

"He's not wrong."

"Tally, stop cleaning," he murmured as I scraped plates into the trash. I looked up to him. "I need to talk to you."

I put down the empty plate on the counter and assessed him. 

"What's wrong?"

"Emory," he flat out said. "I see how affected you and your siblings are because of your mother's choices and unfortunately some really bad leadership."

"I'll stop you right there," I held my hand up. "I have no intention of sleeping with Emory even if my wolf picked him." 

"But what about your heart?" Harry asked quietly. 

I shook my head. "My heart has not either."

He nodded accepting my answers. "I just don't want to relive history."

I grew confused. "Harry, you are a kind and caring alpha. You will never play the role of John or even Sean." 

"What about Humphrey?"

My father was known as the great cuckhold, a man with strength and honour, but pitied among men. 

"Yes, there are women in this pack who do behave like Diana. But we aren't all like that." I understood his fear. Diana had turned the Scottish alpha upside down when she took my father as her soul mate. "That won't be your fate, alpha." 

He nodded. "Is that why you have not gotten close to anyone?"

"Lilly and I have the unfortunate mark of the red A. Caleb is seen as a strong male who has had many notches on his belt. Lilly and I are women, we've had to be above reproach to cast off the pimpernel. But to answer your question, no. I just had never found someone I wished to be intimate with before." 

Before. I reflected on my accidental slip. I hoped he had not read anything into it. 

He smiled. "That's understandable." He did not ask any questions so I figured he overlooked my comment. 

"Like my mother says, Tally is a mated for life type." I remarked. "She takes pride as if I'm a precious jewel."

"You are, and she should," Harry said sincerely.

"Thank you alpha," I smirked. 

"Harry," he corrected.  

I did not fight him. Soon he was helping me clean up from dinner as Caleb came into the kitchen looking for a snack. Suddenly both men stood still and exchanged looks. 

"What happened?" I demanded. 

"Idiot!" Caleb howled. 

Harry shook his head and out his hand over his face. "He's going to be destroyed."

"What is going on?" I demanded and Harry looked at me. 

"Tak has called for the Law to be read, he is challenging Arthur."

My blood went cold. The Law had not been called since Humphrey had won my mother decades before. 

"Maybe it's time for Tak to be taken out," Caleb murmured. "He's been upsetting the balance for years. He had his eyes set on Lilly since the beginning, thinking it would give him power by mating her."

Harry stared at me. "As long as he doesn't look elsewhere for a mate."

"He's going to die," Diana said as she entered the kitchen. She grabbed a random glass, half full of wine, and downed it. "I suppose we are all fools for love."

Caleb snorted with laughter. "Yea sure it's love."

Harry shook his head. "He's drunk and hurt."

"Maybe someone should speak to him," I said out of the blue. 

"He's upstairs in the guest room," she pointed to the ceiling. 

"No," Harry snapped. 

Caleb shrugged. "It might not be a bad idea."

"No," Harry snapped again. 

"It might be good for a sensible mind…" Caleb began and Harry growled. 

"No." 

"Then it's settled," I said smiling. "I'll speak with Tak."

"You see me right?" Harry asked Caleb. "You all can hear me, yes?"

Diana looked to me. "Maybe bring him something to eat."

"No," Harry snapped once more. 

"I'll take his plate to him," I agreed as I went to the dining room. 

Harry followed me still saying no and also forbidding me to speak to Tak alone. 

I grabbed his plate and headed towards the foyer with Harry still on my heels. 

We walked passed Humphrey who had just shut the front door. 

"Where are you going?" Humphrey asked as I ascended the stairs. 

"To talk some sense into Tak," I responded as Harry again said no. 

"Alpha," Humphrey began. "Let her speak to the boy. It's under my roof and nothing will happen to her."

Harry looked between my father and I. "How can you be so persuasive?" Harry asked Humphrey. 

Humphrey shrugged his shoulders. "It's just sensible."

"I also have the same trait," I responded to Harry. 

He thought before he spoke. "Fine, but I'll be in the hallway."

I smirked. "Thank you for your permission Alpha."

"Not like it mattered," he grumbled as he followed me up the stairs. 

"Now you're getting it," I smiled secretively. 

I knocked on the door and pushed in not waiting for Tak to speak. He sat sulking on the bed with his elbows on his knees. 

I shut the door as Harry cursed and bore his eyes into me. 

"I'm not taking it back," Tak growled. 

"How long have you known me?" I laid the plate beside him. 

"Since you were born," he responded. 

"Do you trust me?" I crossed my arms. 

"No. Not anymore," he stared at the floor. 

"Why?"

"You would take an Englishman to bed," he growled. 

I shook my head. "Tak that's a rumor."

He looked up to assess my eyes. "Truly?"

"Truly," I responded. "I swear I have not taken an Englishman to bed. I have not taken anyone to bed ever." Not that this was his business but if I needed him to open up to me I could not hold back from him. 

"So you are unmarked?" 

I pulled my hair back to show him my neck. "No one has touched me."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "You could have Emory."

I shook my head. "He does not see me that way and neither does the new alpha. And honestly Lilly doesn't feel that way about Arthur."

He growled and I could see his hazel eyes glow. "I want to destroy him."

"But that's not what will happen and you know it."

"I could beat him," his arrogance came from his youth. 

"But no matter how the Law will end tomorrow, the pack will suffer. Right now Emory has the Republic, our kind are safe. I will ensure that our people are always a priority but I cannot do that if you go to war with our supreme alpha." 

"I want Lilly," he cocked a dark eyebrow at me.

"Let her go to England. I know my sister. She won't mate with him for duty. She will fight the whole way and once Arthur realizes he will not get what he wants from her, she may return to you. But I don't think this is love that has you acting this way."

He looked at me. "Why do you say that?"

"Because love supersedes the Law. Love makes you want to set yourself on fire, to keep that person warm. Not put them in a difficult situation because you've lost your favourite toy." I knew I was speaking from experience. 

I was willing to help Harry find the right woman for him, even though I would never be that person. It would hurt, but seeing him happy and his reign secure was all I could ever want for him. 

"Who are you referring too?" Tak smirked. 

"Wither I know from experience or not, you know I'm right." 

Tak closed his eyes and I heard Harry outside the room say 'thank God'. 

"Did I miss an announcement?" I smirked. 

He nodded. "I gave you credit." He stood from the bed and pulled me into his embrace. "You know, Caleb isn't the only brother you can come too," he murmured against my head. 

"The secrets we keep," I whispered against his chest. "Do you know Harry worried you might choose me as a mate," I giggled against him. 

He gave a throaty laugh that turned into a snicker. 

He pulled back to look down at me. "No, this family is too screwed up as it is." 

"You're telling me," I murmured moving towards the door. 

"I know what you said about Emory," he began as I had my hand on the door knob. "But maybe he does feel that way about you. I just don't want you to think too much and miss out on something that would be great for you."

I nodded. "I understand."

I left the room to see Harry leaning against the wall in the hallway. 

"What powers do you have?" He smirked. 

I shook my head and shut the bedroom door. "It's called logic and watching my tone."

He followed me down the hall to my room. When I opened it I was taken aback. 

On the wall above my desk were shelves aligned with books. I turned on my lamp as I read the titles. 

"Are these yours?" I turned toward him. 

He shrugged. "I figured you would get more benefit than me." 

He was giving away his books because he knew he would probably not be back for awhile. His beta would most likely take over his townhouse and would report pack affairs to him. He would do an annual trip to check on the pack's welfare but other than that he would delegate most of his duties. 

"Thank you alpha," I whispered. 

"Shall we read tonight?" His brow rose as he smiled crookedly. 

I shook my head. "No."

"Well, we don't have to read, we can just talk."

"I think I should be alone tonight."

He seemed hurt but understood. "Cops, hangover, family dynamics, and a potential murder… You've had a full day."

I snickered. "Indeed I have." I placed my hand on the door as I ushered him out.  "Good night alpha."

"I'll come back soon," he said genuinely leaving my room. 

I nodded and shut the door slowly. I could not let him see me break. My heart began to hurt and I knew I had to put at least a door between us before I began to sob.