Thirty

Justice had questions but she wasn’t quite up to asking them all. Remiel carried her into the house and Bastion showed him to their room. The house felt empty, and almost as if it were holding its breath. 

Bastion picked up on her feeling. “Father filled this place with his presence. Now that he’s dead it’s going to feel strange.”

“I need to clear it. All of it. Nothing can linger.” It was a big task and it made her feel tired just thinking about it.

“I’ll help you, but not until you’re well enough.” Bastion rummaged through the drawers as Remiel stripped the soaked shirt and underwear off of her. “A clean shirt for now. When we can get you clean I’ll find something more substantial for you.”

“Something soft and warm, please. I don’t care what it looks like, I want to be warm and comfortable.” She let Remiel tuck her into the bed and sighed in relief as he lay down on top of the covers next to her.  

“I’ll find something for you, Sibbi.” Bastion headed toward the door.

“Justice. Her name isn’t Sybil.” Remiel half growled the words.

“But I am the Sibyl. My brother is allowed.” She curled closer to him.

“If that’s what you want.” He breathed on her hair. “I’ve missed you, mate. I was so angry with you for leaving me, you needed me. But all I want is to make you understand how much I love you, how much I need you. You’re not leaving me again. I’ll chain you to the floor if you try.”

“I had to protect you, to protect the pack. Dying would have been worth it to have you all safe.” Justice closed her eyes pressing her face against his chest.

“You don’t get to decide that. Alpha Germain does. You are my mate, and a member of his pack, do you understand?”

“Yes, my angel. But I can’t-” She sighed.

“You can’t what?” He growled softly.

“She can’t stand to let anyone else suffer. I swear she has the stupidest, softest heart of anyone I ever met. She wouldn’t let me knock Nate’s block off or help her move…” Harm interjected from the doorway. “I don’t mean to eavesdrop, I came to see her and ask if you have any advice on bone broth. Ethan says there isn’t any in the kitchen but there is some leg of lamb.”

“He knows how to make bone broth.” Remiel leaned, putting an arm across her protectively.

“I never said he didn’t, he just wanted some advice since she can’t taste anything.”

Justice started to laugh softly. “Has he recovered from the way you cussed him the first time you met?”

“Mostly. He said you knew that would happen.”

“I saw it, it was a little hazy but I knew.” She took a deep breath enjoying the warmth and closeness of Remiel. “He’s a really great guy, the two of you together are going to be more fun than people can stand some days.”

Remiel started to laugh. “Fun. They tease each other constantly, and if you join in they both start on you.”

“Aurel keeps up with us, he’s good, the rest of you need to step up your game.” Harm teased.

“The Golden.” Justice murmured with delight.

“You shouldn’t call him that, we’ve teased him about being a golden retriever too much I think.”

“Your mate is a vegan chihuahua, he doesn’t have room to tease.” Justice grinned against Remiel’s chest.

“Oh really? I think I need to ask him about that.” Harm was grinning, she could hear it in her voice.

“I think you should do it now, my mate needs to rest. Tell Ethan to make the broth like he normally would.” Remiel spoke gently but firmly.

“Rest up, Vivi.”

“Mm-hm,” she yawned and felt Remiel shift into a more comfortable position around her. 

A cold hand on her bare back startled her awake. “It’s alright, Vivi. I thought you would wake up a little when I was talking to Remi. I didn’t mean to startle you.” The woman’s voice was soothing.

“She sleeps hard, Alpha Latro. Sibbi’s gone through a lot and it’s left her exhausted. Father wouldn’t let her rest enough to recover.” Bastion sounded resigned.

“And you let him?” That was Harm’s furious voice. “What the hell kind of brother are you?”

“The kind that listens to his sister, and had to keep himself safe to look after me as much as he could be permitted to.” Justice let Alpha Latro roll her gently away from Remiel’s chest. “If he hadn’t I wouldn’t have survived this long.”

“Considering you didn’t intend to survive at all, that’s not very convincing.” Alpha Latro sliced the shirt down the front with a claw to look under it.

She could feel anger bubbling up inside. “My continuing to live was important to him, and his life not being filled with torture was important to me. He did the best he could.” 

“It’s alright, Sibbi. Everyone in the room is angry, you need to try not to reflect it.” Bastion sounded like he was standing near her feet. “Too many angry people in one place, you’re going to get an angry Sibyl.”

“Clear the room.” Alpha Germain spoke quietly. “She looked bad in the picture you sent, but not this bad.”

“What kind of torture chamber were you in? You have burns and grate marks and you stink like stagnant water.” Alpha Latro asked gently.

Drawing a breath she tried to describe it. “It was black inside but I could feel the grate under me and the hot metal above me. The water was so cold when it came up through the grate, all at once just gushing, it pushed me against the metal.”

“Luna.” The doctor breathed looking over her hands.

“The smoke was sucked through when the water was high, I could taste it. And then it got sucked away pulling me down against the grate. Over and over.” She started to tremble and Remiel pushed the doctor’s hands away and pulled her close.

“Why would he fill it with smoke when he was trying to drown her?” His question was a growl.

“He wasn’t trying to kill her, not quickly. He wanted her to be afraid, to suffer.” Bastion’s exhausted, miserable sigh tugged at her heartstrings.

“My brother needs to rest too. He needs to stay in the room with me.” Justice pleaded quietly, pressing her face into Remiel’s skin.

“He can stay.” Remiel assured her softly. “I need help with you. He can feel you and I can’t.”

“I’ve changed since we last could feel each other. You’re going to have to do it again.” Her heartbeat quickened and she found herself nervous.

“Why are you nervous? You liked it the first time.” He kissed her hair.

“You have to be sure you want all of me, I’m not easy to love.”

He exhaled with a low growl. “I’ve noticed. But you’re mine, every difficult, strange piece of you. When I mate you this time I won’t leave any room for doubt.”

“You,” she inhaled, “you would mate the Sibyl?”

“Yes. She is part of my mate.”

“And if I sing to you?”

“I will listen. And I’ll only call you creepy if you are.” His golden eye glowed at her as he tilted her face up.

“I’ve learned to embrace it.” She couldn’t help giving him a smile.

“Good, I want my mate to be whole.” He leaned in for a hungry kiss.

“That’s enough of that for now.” Alpha Latro sounded amused. “I’ll have to make sure Bastion knows which licking is healing and which is recreational, if he’s going to be penned up with the two of you.” Her tone grew more serious, “Recreational licking is off the table for now. Healing licking is going to have to be very gentle on her burns and only once, maybe twice a day if they do well. Too much licking might do more harm than good.” The doctor took a breath, “And I’m worried about the stagnant water breeding an infection like MRSA so I want her on Bactrim.”

“What can she eat while she’s waiting on the bone broth?” Bastion asked dutifully. “She hasn’t eaten anything for almost two weeks, not with her mouth if that makes a difference.”

“How was she fed?” The doctor sounded apprehensive.

“A tube in her nose. Father did it himself. I tried to keep her still so her nose wouldn’t bleed so much.”

There was a brief silence. “Is he dead? If he isn’t, I’m going to rip him to pieces.” Alpha Latro’s growl made the room feel cooler.

“He’s dead. It’ll be hard enough to explain when people come asking without his corpse being ripped to shreds.” Alpha Germain sounded calm and matter of fact.

“It won’t be. I’ll take care of it for you. Sibbi wants you safe and I have skills she won’t be too upset with me for using on your behalf.” Bastion paused pensively. “Do you think you could all pose as construction workers? The damage to the house will be more difficult, I can tell them we’re remodelling if people look like they’re busy.”

“That’s not a problem. Do what you need to do Mr. Valla.”

“But,” Justice interrupted, “Where did the name Valla come from?”

“Veronica Valla was your mother’s name. I thought you knew?” Remiel kissed her head.

“No, I knew her name was Veronica, the true image. Beyond that I only knew I needed to go to the cottage and help her rest. There was something for me to find and give to Alpha Germain. I did that and cleared away the curses Dara had laid down in and around the place.”

“Technically you gave them to Brandon to give to Rob.” The disapproval in the Alpha’s voice made her duck her head. “They should have come straight to me.”

“I was trying to be considerate. I didn’t want-”

“They should have come straight to me, Ms. Valla.” There was no arguing with that tone.

“Yes sir. I’m sorry.”

“This seems like the time to scold her for not telling me I was living with the wrong name as well, but…” There was a teasing tone to Bastion’s voice.

“But she might try to burrow into my ribcage.” Remiel finished the sentence. “Scolding can wait, I want to wash her and get her fed.”

“No salt baths.” Dr. Latro was adamant. 

“I’ll run the water and we can wash her in smoke before we put her under the shower.” Bastion sounded like he was moving toward the bathroom.

“A bath would be better for her skin right now.” 

“She insists on showering before getting in the tub. Sibbi is a little bit odd.” His very polite explanation to Dr. Latro wasn’t asking for permission.

Immediately backing him up, Justice explained, “If you don’t you’re just sort of, soaking in your own filth.”

“You won’t be soaking. Get in, wash some of the worst of this off of you, get out.” The Alpha expected to be obeyed, it was clear in her tone.

The thought of getting in the tub without washing first made her skin crawl. Justice tensed, feeling like she might be ill.

“Alpha Latro, she’d rather stay dirty. There is a way she does things and at the moment I don’t think she has a lot of flexibility. She needs her rituals and routines.”

“I’ll be helping, this has to be as gentle as possible.” Elizabeth was not happy. “Food is on the way up.”

“I’ll get the water started if you can bring her?”

Remiel started to lift her carefully, when the Alpha stopped him. “If she can walk that might be best. Her back is burned.”

They helped her out of bed and to the bathroom, “It’s weird, I was hurting all over earlier, now I’m not hurting at all.”

“You’re welcome.” Bastion gave her a faint smile. “It’s still there, you’re just not registering it.”

“She needs to be able to feel pain. Otherwise she can hurt herself worse.” 

“After the shower.” Bastion might have taken on his new name but the old attitude hadn’t gone anywhere, dismissing an Alpha was not wise. He caught the warning as she thought it. “I didn’t mean to be dismissive. I’m just not willing to put her through needless pain right now.” He glanced at Justice, “Better Sibbi?”

“Yes, thank you.” She hesitated and then tried it out, “Thank you, Bastion.”

“I think I understand why you clung to Genevieve. It’s strange to have a different name, even though it feels right.”

“Bastion Valla suits you. Plus now you have a name I can make nicknames for.” She gave him a grin.

“Don’t you dare. Get in the shower.” He pointed imperiously.

Alpha Latro was pleasantly surprised at the misting effect of the shower. It was gentle enough not to damage Justice’s skin, and with her helpers they had her rinsed and out quickly, in time to eat her sweet potato soup while it was still warm.

For her safety, she had to be allowed to feel the pain and discomfort of her burns as the licking was started and demonstrated by Dr. Latro. Bastion and Remiel watched and then Remiel took over so that the doctor could make sure he was doing it to her satisfaction. It felt very strange to have anyone other than Remiel licking her, and strange to have Remiel licking her with an audience despite the discomfort. 

Bastion’s smirk got Alpha Germain’s attention. “Why exactly are you smirking, Bastion? Your sister belongs to my pack. This is how we care for our sick and injured.”

“I didn’t mean to offend you, if you could hear her… She’s not entirely certain about being licked by anyone other than Remiel, and she isn’t so sure about having an audience while he’s licking her. She associates it with,” he paused smirking again, “other things. Even though it isn’t exactly comfortable at the moment.”

Their Alpha snorted. “Remi you were supposed to teach her about the pack not just the delights of your tongue.” 

Justice hid her red face in the pillow. 

“I got distracted, my Alpha. My mate has that effect on me.” From his tone he was grinning. “I haven’t even gotten to show her everything I can do with it.”

“Irksome!” She muttered into the pillow trying not to laugh.

“Irksome?” Alpha Latro sounded amused. “That’s not a word you hear everyday.”

“It’s her playful way of saying I love you, please mount me.” He teased into her ear. The thought sent a thrill through her and at the same time, she thought she might die of embarrassment.

“Sibbi!” Bastion started to laugh. “It’s true, but she didn’t expect you to say that out loud. She’s frozen in embarrassment and eager at the same time.” 

The Alphas started to laugh and she relaxed as Remiel rubbed his chin over the back of her head.

“It takes some getting used to, but wolves are much freer with sex and affection than humans are. Speaking of, no mounting. No mating until she’s healed.”

“Is that going to be a problem, Remi?” Alpha Germain asked with a slight edge.

“No, my Alpha. I love my mate, I will give her the time she needs.”

“Good.” 

“Is that a concern?” Alpha Latro’s sharp tone made her turn her face out of the pillow.

“It was my fault.”

“It wasn’t, and you were told it wasn’t.” Remiel leaned his head against hers.

“The difference is in who’s being sharp with you.” Bastion offered thoughtfully, “She won’t argue with Alpha Germain. But while she likes and respects Alpha Latro, she’ll put herself between the two of you without hesitation if Alpha Latro speaks to you in the wrong tone. Sibbi wants to protect you.”

“She can’t protect herself. Vivi needs to get the idea of protecting anyone else out of her head before it gets her killed.” Alpha Latro gave her a look like the one that had almost sent her running at the den. This time she wasn’t afraid.

“Sibbi isn’t afraid of you, she knows she can’t defend herself, but she knows she can defend others despite that. She put our father to sleep so that she could do what she had to do for our mother, and to free the stone creatures.” Bastion sighed softly. “I think that was what made him angriest Sibbi, you have all that power and you won’t use it the way he would have.”

“Why just put him to sleep? You could have ended this.” Dr. Latro looked at her uncertainly.

“The Sibyl does no harm. There is enough pain in the world already.”

“Isn’t it doing harm to -” the female Alpha began and was cut off.

“The Sibyl does no harm. I will not shorten any life. There are things that must happen. There are things that cannot be foreseen. It is not my place.” Justice looked at her with the stern confidence she had learned being pressed by Dara.

“But-” Dr. Latro clearly wanted to argue her point.

“The Sibyl speaks the truth, it is perception that varies. The Sibyl does no harm.”

“I don’t advise arguing with the Sibyl. She doesn’t bend, not on that.” Bastion interceded. “If our father couldn’t break her, you don’t have a chance of persuading her. If it’s any consolation, I don’t share her convictions. If it had been anyone but our father, I would have killed to protect her.”

“The Servant and the Sibyl have different strengths, but at times we share the same weaknesses.” He loved their father, and so did she. Her heart just had more scars to protect it.

Bastion took a deep breath. “I like how you phrased that. You may be the only person that doesn’t fault me for not doing more.”

“If she doesn’t fault you, no one should.” Alpha Germain’s words were resolute. “Not for that.”

“I’m still willing to make whatever restitution you deem necessary. What I did was wrong, and possibly unforgivable.” Bastion spoke with quiet sincerity.

“You’ll join my pack as your sister’s keeper. Your inheritance, this vineyard, all of it will become pack assets.”

“This is a little outside your territory, isn’t it?” Alpha Latro inquired pointedly. “Maybe Joel should be in here.”

“To keep you from saying something you’ll regret, absolutely.” Justice murmured, earning a snort from Alpha Germain and an indignant look from Dr. Latro.

“We should take this to another room when you’ve finished wrapping her, to let Ms. Valla get more rest. Remi you stay with her, Mr. Valla, with me.”

“My brother needs to rest too, Alpha Germain.”

“He will. He still needs to find a bed to bring in, you can’t ask your mate to share with both of you.” There was a tone she couldn’t place.

“That’s because you expect everyone to know the two of us sleeping in the same bed is innocent, Sibbi. He just wants to be sure.” I would tease you but your mate might rip me to shreds. 

“If I recall you kissed her inappropriately.” Alpha Germain’s tone was cool. “And you’ve made jokes about incest.”

“That’s his sense of humor.” Justice yawned. “He’s a very good brother,” she turned toward Remiel with an impish grin. “Not very handsy at all.” 

“Madeline!” Bastion laughed and she could feel his delight that she would still trade jokes with him, and his slight apprehension at the looks from the Alphas.

“There has been no incest. We sleep in the same bed because we need to be closer than separate rooms.” She sighed and snuggled as close to Remiel as she could get. “There is only one person I want. My Remiel.”

“I expected as much but the maids have been talking to Harm. They seem to think Mesny condoned an incestuous relationship.”

“He did.” Bastion spoke wryly. “He told me to do whatever I needed to do to persuade her, that we were so close and not intimate was difficult even for him to believe. Especially after I brought you home in that dress.”

“That dress… I looked like a hooker.”

Bastion scoffed. “She looked stunning, she just hated being stared at.”

“What dress?”

Justice faded into sleep as he told them about going out to a movie and dancing to get out of the house and didn’t wake again until someone was holding her wrist firmly and licking her hand.

“Hmm?” She managed to crack her eyes open and realized Remiel was still next to her, it was a large grey wolf licking her fingers.

“Ethan’s helping, we thought you might sleep through it if I didn’t move.” Remiel whispered to her.

“You and your brother can sleep through anything. We’ve been in here talking…” Harm came closer and stroked the wolf’s head.

“We’re tired. Been tired.” Justice mumbled with annoyance. 

From somewhere close to the floor on the other side of the bed she heard a groan and Bastion snapped, “Stop waking the Sibyl. If she’s awake I’m awake.”

“You’re going to have some long sleepless nights when her mate gets her home.” Harm rubbed behind Ethan’s ear. “If her mate is anything like mine.”

“Then you should let us sleep now.” Bastion grumbled and she could feel how achingly exhausted he was.

“We need sleep. Please stop.” She tried to pull her hands back.

“When we’re done. Your burns need tending.” Remiel spoke firmly.

“She needs to eat too, Alpha Latro said as much as you can get into her.” Harmony added.

“Please stop. We have to sleep.” It came out as a helpless whine.

“Listen to her.” Bastion sounded more awake and urgent. “When she says stop you have to stop.”

Harm started to argue with loud, palpable dislike for Bastion, “No, you aren’t in charge here. The Alphas are. They said-“

“Harmony Pedan you will leave this room and not re-enter it.” Justice lifted her hand slightly and Harm jumped as if she’d been struck moving to the door at speed with Ethan on her heels.

“Stop licking her, stop touching her.” Bastion’s words were clear. “In this room, the Sibyl is in charge. She does no harm, but she will not tolerate disrespect.” 

Remiel disentangled himself and followed the pair out wordlessly. In the heavy silence, Justice could feel Bastion’s apprehension, his exhaustion, and the terrible feeling of being utterly alone. Gingerly, she crawled across the bed and looked down at him on a thin mattress on the floor.

“It’ll get better. You’ll be part of the pack.”  Looking down at him, his eyes were dull and she could feel his disbelief and resignation. “Come up onto the bed.”

“No, Sibbi. Your mate won’t stand for it, and the Alphas are going to be angry enough with you.” He sighed and rolled over, turning away.

“Fine. Scoot over, Bas.” She lowered herself from the bed onto the mattress and put her face against his back. The song, You Are Not Alone, another she’d heard from Sage when he was playing the Eagles non-stop for a few days to spite Brandon, poured out. She could feel that it was true.

“Thank you, Sibbi. Now go back to sleep.” His voice was as soft as falling snow, and she could feel that the assurance had warmed him but not made him more hopeful.

“Don’t mistake her submission to you for helplessness Alpha Germain. In this room, the Sibyl could overrule you. She chooses to defer to you.” Bastion’s low quiet voice brought her almost completely out of her slumber.

“I need her awake to discuss her behavior. Harm doesn’t even want to come back into the house.”

Justice murmured, “She mistook me for helpless, it frightened her to see I wasn’t.”

“It frightened her to be compelled out of the room, Ms. Valla, to be out of control of her limbs.” His disapproval was heavy.

With her eyes closed she spoke calmly, “I asked them to stop. The Servant tried to caution them. Harmony refused his caution with hostility and disrespect, to him and to me. The Sibyl protects.” 

“Your wounds need to be tended.”

“My brother was so exhausted it hurt. He needed rest more than my wounds needed tending.”

“Mr. Valla, you didn’t complain about tiredness.” The Alpha’s frown was audible.

“No, I didn’t. Your people dislike me enough as it is, if I tried to rest before you were done with me they’d have seen me as uncooperative and unrepentant.” 

“I told you, Alpha Germain, my brother needed to rest.” Justice sighed. Why didn’t they listen?

“You failed to mention that he couldn’t sleep if you were awake, Ms. Valla. And you failed to make clear it was urgent.”

“The Sibyl doesn’t understand why people ignore her.” Bastion turned toward her and kissed her forehead. “She speaks the truth. That she does no harm, that I needed to rest.” He stroked her hair. “That I’m not alone and that I’ll be a part of your pack. It doesn’t feel like it, but the Sibyl speaks the truth.”

“You and the Sibyl are a part of my pack. The pack needs to know they’ll be safe from you as much as you need to know you’re safe with them. I need to know the Sibyl isn’t going to do this again.”

“If that’s what you ask, Alpha Germain. How should I handle disrespect in the future? It will come.” She spoke with tired assurance.

“You bring it to me.”

“And if she’s prevented?” Bastion tilted her face up, “Open your eyes, Sibbi. How much are you willing to trust them?”

Her eyes opened, “The Sibyl will serve. I trust them, but I cannot tolerate disrespect.”

“Come here, Ms. Valla.” Alpha Germain sounded intrigued and she rose carefully and took the blanket with her to sit on the floor in front of him. “Say that again?”

“The Sibyl will serve.” Justice gave him a smile. “I trust you, I trust the pack, but I cannot tolerate disrespect.”

“Mr. Valla why are you looking so horrified?” The Alpha pointed to a spot next to her.

“She’s been saying, ‘The Sibyl will not serve,’ over and over, to hear it change…” Bastion joined her staring at her as if she’d done something concerning. “She trusts you but I find it difficult to believe you won’t try to take advantage of her. You don’t understand her needs or purpose. How do you intend to use her?”

“No one is going to use her. The pack will protect her and she’ll protect the pack. If anyone tries to prevent you from coming to me, Ms. Valla, you may send them directly to me to explain themselves.”

“Yes, Alpha Germain.” She looked at him searchingly, “May I ask you for something?”

“You may.” He smiled faintly. “What do you need?”

“Names have power. I need to be called by a name, and to have mine protected. Will you still call me Genevieve? Or Vivi? Will you ask the others to continue to do the same?”

“Vivi is the nickname they like calling you, I’ll have them stick to that. And I’ll have your name protected, Vivi.”

“Thank you, my Alpha.” She looked at him pointedly and his face split in a wolfish grin.

“What should you be called, Mr. Valla?”

“I’d like to keep going by Bastion. Bas would be fine.” 

“Bas will do. I need your trust, and I need to trust you.” The Alpha studied her brother’s face.

“I serve the Sibyl, and the Sibyl serves you. She trusts you, and I trust her. I’m not sure what I can offer your pack other than my assets, but I’ll try to find something.” Bastion glanced at her and took a deep breath, “My Alpha.”

“Good.” Alpha Germain stepped between them and placed a hand on both of their heads. “Now, Harm is going to come to the doorway to talk to us.”

After a moment Ethan and Remiel brought her to the doorway, where she stood nervously looking at the pair sitting on the floor on either side of Alpha Germain. “My Alpha?”

“It’s been clarified that her submission to me shouldn’t be mistaken for helplessness. And she does submit to her Alpha. Vivi, lift the restrictions on Harmony.”

Lifting her hand, she inhaled and exhaled releasing the thought of her banishment. “Harmony Pedan, you may re-enter.”

Alpha Germain stopped her from stepping in with a look. “The three of you may not re-enter until you’ve apologized to the Sibyl and the Servant for being disrespectful and for continuing what you were doing after you were told to stop. I expect better from all three of you.” 

“I thought I was doing the right thing, trying to take care of my mate. I’ll stop next time when you ask, and I’ll stop anyone else from being disrespectful so that you don’t have to. I’m sorry, Justice.” Remiel’s golden eye was glowing.

“I forgive you, my angel. I didn’t mean to scare you out of the room, can you forgive me?” 

He brushed past Harmony and joined her on the floor. “You didn’t scare me. I followed them partly because Ethan was worried about Harm, and partly because I thought you didn't want me touching you.” He caressed her face gently with both hands.

“That was my fault, she needed it to stop. I should have made it clear that you don’t have to stop touching her. Not ever.” Bastion swallowed expecting Remiel to be furious.

“Don’t apologize. You were protecting my mate.” He turned toward her brother and held out his hand. “Bastion, you’re my mate’s brother, and a part of my mate. I can see that. Can you forgive me for not-”

Bastion took his hand and gripped it firmly. Justice could feel the pleased surprise and gratitude as he spoke, “There’s nothing to forgive. You love her and want her safe as much as I do, anything else is inconsequential.”

“I disagree.” The Alpha interrupted, “You and she are of the same rank, her behavior has made that clear. You need to be treated with the same respect, Bas. Her mate will help that happen.”

“And I’ll help.” Ethan stepped forward with an arm behind Harm. “My mate and I didn’t mean any harm or disrespect to either of you.”

“I-I did. I don’t like him.” Harm sighed and looked at Justice and then at the Alpha sheepishly. “I’ll try to do better.”

“You will. You’re going to be keeping them both company and helping them learn about the pack and proper etiquette. Your mate has been better about teaching you than Vivi’s.” Alpha Germain patted both of the Valla’s on their heads at once and stepped past them. “Vivi, your wounds need tending and you need to eat. Are you going to object?”

“No, my Alpha.”

“Good girl.”