It had been a week of agony. As I stood within the circle, n***d and body painted, I thought back on the look of agony in Shane's eyes when I had requested the death of his two female Betas. He had sat there for an hour, looking at me, talking to another pack member in his head. I could see that he knew there was no point trying to persuade me not to go through with it; and no other route was clear. In the end, though he said it with as much regret and agony as possible, he had finally said yes. All week as I healed and regained my strength the pack had been in turmoil, Shane had been miserable and I had been attacked in the corridors. I may be their Alpha's mate but I wasn't wolf yet and these people had died to protect me: now I was demanding the death of two valuable pack members. Regar
