Page 23 of Found Objects

“They just always want to expand the pack.”

“I know, and it’s smothering. My brother is an alpha, and he’s the same way.”

“Does he want you mated as well?”

“Oh yes, but as his and his mate’s matchmaking efforts have not been well received, he’s at least leaving it up to nature. I mean, I’m not going to have children at this point. I’m too old and⁠—”

“You’re not too old if you want to be a mother, ma’am, but that’s your choice, no one else’s.”

“Well, it’s lovely that you think like that, and please call me Oonagh.”

I nodded.

“So, do you want to know?”

“Know what?”

“What the issue was with the succession?”

“I would very much like to know.”

She leaned even closer to me. “Well, Cole, who you just met and who Justin can’t stand, his father, Anson, was alpha of this pack, but when he was killed, Cole was too young to lead, so Abel stepped up.”

“He wasn’t given the title of regent or steward?”

“Oh, I’ve only ever heard steward used, but no. Abel pronounced himself alpha, and then, after a time, named his and Narah’s son, Justin, as successor.”

“How can he do that?”

“Because by that time, Cole wasn’t going to say anything about it.”

“And why is that?”

“It had been years, and you know, after a time, it takes a challenge to undo whatever an alpha has put in place.”

“Yes, but Abel wasn’t really the alpha.”

“But again, by then, he’d held the title for more than two decades.”

“So Cole and Evan lost their father and their birthright?”

“Yes,” she said firmly, then shook her head. “I probably shouldn’t have told you all of that.”

“It’s okay.”

“I wonder why I did?”

It happened because of what I was. No one kept secrets from me. It wasn’t possible. “I’m easy to talk to.”

“You certainly are. And you have such lovely warm green eyes.”

I ignored the compliment. “What happened to Cole and Evan’s mother?”

“She died giving birth to Evan.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s a sad story.”