Chapter 177

The ceremony to remove Wyatt as the Hayes’s Beta, it turns out, is not all that formal. It mainly consists of all of the brothers and a witness to the declaration of dismissal. We don’t even have to dress up.

Thank the Gods. I really doubt I could squeeze my broken and battered ribs into any kind of constricting dress. T-shirts and sweatpants are it for me for a while.

Even though the event doesn’t need to be formal, because the Hayes brothers are still the Hayes brothers, they rent out the conference room of a swanky hotel for the occasion. They only explain that to me when we are in the garage, deciding which cars to take over there.

Neil caves quickly to Beau’s begging and puts in a call to have a limo come get us and take all of us at once.

We make quite a sight as we wait. I’m on crutches. Neil has an IV. Steven is holding Mia since I am unable to. Beau is pacing again. Archer glares at all the cars in the garage like they personally offend him.

I know I’m about to get yelled at, but I have to point out once more.

“This really might not be necessary,” I say. “I’m leaving in just over a week. If Wyatt is a good Beta, you should keep him.”

“He’s a shitty Beta,” Beau says.

“He’s untrustworthy,” Archer says.

Steven looks at Mia in his arms. “We can’t have someone like that around Mia.”

“You will be welcome in our home,” Neil says to me. “Wyatt will not.”

I see. They’ve all clearly given this a good measure of thought. And with each of their points, I couldn’t argue anymore.

To be bad at his duties…

To have someone they didn’t trust in their home…

To worry that person might hurt Mia…

To have that person possibly chase away other guests…

I close my mouth and decide not to reopen it in Wyatt’s favor anymore. Honestly, I’m not sure why I bothered to begin with. The bastard tried to actually kill me. He hates me. And I hate him, too.

But… when I think of Mom, so kind to Wyatt and thinking him kind to her…

When Wyatt gets turned away by the Hayes’s, what kind of man will he become? Will he be pushed to the edge far enough to finally show his true colors to his parents?

Would he be cruel to my mother’s face?

I worry that this ceremony, this disconnecting of him as Beta will only push him to becoming an even worse person. One with nothing to lose who might seek revenge on those he already hates.

But the brothers’ other points were just as valid.

I would rather risk the chance of Wyatt seeking revenge on me, than chance him being around Mia with malicious intent.

We wait for the limo, but then Neil receives a call. He answers it, and steps away for a minute. But then his voice raises, “What do you mean he’s not there?”

Beau and Archer look at each other. Mia starts to fuss in Steven’s arms.

“He’s honor-bound to attend,” Neil says into the phone. “He can’t miss it.”

I glance at Archer for explanation.

“Wyatt should have been there by now,” Archer says. “There is a tremendous amount of paperwork to read through. The actual ceremony is just a formality, more for show. For him to not be there now, means he is unlikely to show up at all.”

“Can he do that? Just not show up?” I ask.

“He’s doing it,” Beau grumbles.

“It goes against werewolf law,” Archer says. “He will be prosecuted.”

“If he’s caught,” Beau says.

“Where could he be?” I ask. “Where would he hide?”

“You don’t think he’s still here?” Beau asks Archer.

Archer’s face tightens, grim. Without a word, he heads for the door.

Beau, cursing, starts to follow.

“What’s happening?” I call after them.

“Stay here, Chloe. Stay with Neil,” Beau shouts back.

Mia starts to fuss more.

“She’s hungry,” I say. “Did you remember to feed her?”

Steven’s face goes a bit pale. “There’s been a lot going on.”

This is the group I’m going to entrust with Mia’s care while I’m gone? They clearly need more lessons.

“Since we are staying for a while, I’ll take her to the kitchen,” Steven says and heads to the door, fussy Mia in tow.

Neil is still on the phone. “If he shows up, I want to know.” Then he clicks it off and faces me. He blinks when he sees me alone. “Where are the others?”

“Searching for Wyatt,” I reply. “They think he might be hiding out here.”

Neil sighs. He looks so tired all the sudden. He’d been doing really well until now, looking so strong.

“It’s possible,” Neil says. “After everything, I knew he was an asshole, but I never imagined he would dishonor the actual werewolf law.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, though I’m not sure why. I guess I feel guilty for being sort of associated with him. We are only step-siblings but I still feel partly responsible for him.

Neil shakes his head. “Never apologize for him.” He comes closer to me. Slowly, he reaches his hand up and cups my cheek. “He nearly killed you, Chloe. If he had kept hitting you… I don’t want to think about it.”

“I’m okay,” I say. Sort of. My ribs still hurt like hell.

“Maybe we should sit down,” he says. His hand slips away from me.

I wholeheartedly agree. Slowly, side by side, we make our way back into the Pyramid and then to the living room. We are both winded by the time we flop onto the couch side by side.

We sit in silence for a moment, and then Neil begins to speak.

“So, what will you do…? It’s your last week with us. Any plans?”

I give it some thought. It’s all I’ve been able to think about since the challenge ended.

“I want to spend as much time with Mia as I can,” I say. I smile as I add, “And eat as much good food as I can.” The fridge in the Pyramid is always stocked with the best, highest-quality goods.

Neil laughs a little. It doesn’t last. “Things won’t be the same around here without you.”

“You’ll get by,” I say, meaning it in earnest, though still grateful for his words. Truth known, even though we don’t always get along, I will miss all of the brothers terribly. And that’s not even mentioning Mia. The ache in my soul when I think about how I will likely never see her again is incomparable.

“Maybe,” Neil says.

I turn toward him, meeting his gaze. For a moment, he almost looks… lost. A man without direction. A boat without a harbor.

“Neil…” I want to help him, but I don’t know how. I have no idea how to mend the hurt inside of him.

But then, before I can even try, Archer and Beau return with armsful of papers. They drop it down on the coffee table, and the papers flutter out in every direction. I lean forward to look but I’m not sure what I’m looking at.

Neil grabs one paper and lifts it to look closer. “What the fuck is this?”

I look over his shoulder. It’s a letter addressed to Wyatt.

It’s signed, Alpha King Hayes.

“He’s a fucking spy,” Archer growls.