Chapter 30

“Of course not, he was trying to defend his friend,” Donal snapped.

“Yet you were held prisoner and raped by Apuso’s customers more than once a day, forced to become addicted to drugs, and you hold yourself responsible. You were only fourteen when it started. If you are responsible for what happened while Apuso held you prisoner, then logically, Alexei is responsible for what happened to him.” Kane’s eyebrow lifted.

“No! I ran away from home. Alexei was objecting to a violent act condoned by his government. It was entirely different,” Donal protested, trying to pull his hand out of Kane’s grasp.

Kane tightened his grip. “You ran away from an abusive situation. You were just a kid. There should have been someone there for you, your mother, a teacher, a counselor. Yet there was no one. You were a child taken advantage of by a two wicked men—first your stepfather, then Apuso.urdquo; Kane let go of his hand and gave him a hug.

Donal appeared to ponder what Kane said. But then his face scrunched up again in dismay.

“When the others in his packs and on the council find out what I was, and I know they will, they’ll disrespect Alexei and he’ll lose his place.” Donal’s mouth set in a stubborn line.

Colin shook his head. “You have no idea what a Mate means to a loup garou, any loup garou.”

Donal’s eyes widened. “What is a loup garou?”

“Werewolves originated in France back in the mists of time. Loup garou is French for werewolf. Boy, you didn’t give him a chance to tell you anything, did you?” Colin asked.

“I couldn’t let him change my mind.” Donal frowned. “It isn’t fair you’re ganging up on me. I’m trying to do what’s right here, for Alexei’s sake.”

“No, you’re wrong, what you’re doing is actually hurting him. Loup garou are not fertile until they mate. You are depriving him of two little girls to love, his and yours.” Sean noted that Ian, usually the quiet one in these types of discussions, had spoken up. “In addition to that, you’re shortening his life. Loup garou live to be about four hundred fifty years of age. If you mate with a loup garou, you live as long as he does.”

Sean continued for Ian. “The sad part of that equation is if you get hurt or killed, you shorten his life because he will die within the year. The profession you are talking about returning to is dangerous. Are you willing to put him in danger?”

Donal eyes grew wide in horror.

“If he doesn’t bond with his Mate,” Colin told him, “it’s possible that the other council members or pack Alphas will challenge him. If he’s not strong enough to get and keep his Mate, he’s not powerful enough to keep his territory in line. Alexei isn’t back to his full strength, yet. Right now he couldn’t survive the challenge of a Beta never mind an Alpha from his home territory. Yet he was number two in Russia. I thought you read my book. That’s one of the newer series where I reveal a little more of the truth. You should know some of this from Peter and Ritchie’s story.”

“I haven’t been in school since I was fourteen and only went sporadically before that. I can’t remember everything I read like I used to,” Donal snapped.

“Yet you have an excellent vocabulary, almost that of a college senior,” Colin observed mildly. “You certainly wouldn’t disgrace Alexei at council. You could decide to improve your situation by getting an education. Half of what Alexei owns is already yours by loup garou law.”‘

“How can that be? I made no promise to him,” Donal wailed, clenching his fists.

“Once a loup garou finds his Mate, the Mate automatically holds half of his or her possessions. You are currently a very rich man.” Ian took a bite of a French cruller.

Donal looked down at his lap. “But I don’t want his money. Everybody will think he’s stupid enough to hook up with a gold digger.”

“You still don’t get it do you?” Sean fought to control his growing anger. “You are it for him. He gets no other chance. If you refuse him, he dies at two hundred instead of at four hundred fifty, refusing him cuts his life in half even if there are no challenges to the death.” Sean shook his head. “You’re being a stubborn fool. You’ll hurt him more if you walk away.”

Colin leaned forward, his voice calm. “What happens to your friend Julio? He loses his free ride to beauty school. He’d have to hide you from Alexei because Alexei would try to change your mind. He loves you. Believe that if you believe nothing else, just like Peter loved Ritchie.”

“Alexei is hard wired to protect you, even to his own peril. If you leave, you leave with security, even if you don’t want it, especially with Ernesto Apuso so pissed off,” Sean added.