I pressed on quietly, “You know I wouldn’t suggest it if I didn’t believe it was the only way—”
“No, Faye.” He sighed. “I know what that part of me is. I know what I become when he takes over. I’m not letting that thing loose in a fight meant to prove I’m worthy to lead this pack.”
“Your pack has seen him before,” I reminded him. “All of them.”
“That was different,” he snapped. “War is different; defending the pack during an ambush is different. Losing control in the heat of battle isn’t the same as letting myself become a monster in front of everyone just to win.”
“Alexander, please…”
He shook his head sharply. “I said no.”
Something inside him had closed, shut tight, like a wall had dropped instantly. I could see the conflict in his eyes, the pieces of him pulling in different dire
