Fighting Fate by Carrie Ann Ryan Read Free Book Online

like you did us. I know Gina and I
    aren’t blood, so we didn’t get the Heir powers, but when we get older, we can help Finn. We can
    help him now.”
    Cailin sucked in a breath, fighting off tears. Those kids had already been through so much, and
    now they’d lost their only grandparents as well.
    Kade dropped to his haunches and ran a hand through his son’s hair. “You and Gina are my
    rocks. Both of you. I know you’ll help Finn. That part I’m not worried about.”
    Jasper cleared his throat. “I’m still Beta, if that helps. I can still feel the bond within the Pack.
    The moon goddess passes Alpha, Heir, and Beta by blood only, but the rest are up for grabs when the
    next generation gets older.”
    Adam jumped in. “I’m still the Enforcer because I can feel the tenuous bonds. Although since I
    couldn’t sense the danger until it was too late, I’m not sure what my role is anymore.”
    Cailin reached out and patted his arm. “Stop it. You’ve been on edge for years because right
    now there’s always a threat to the Pack. There’s only so much you can do.”
    “He’s right,” Maddox added in. “Yes, I’m still the Omega. That’s not going to change for a long
    time, but while my wolf is screaming to help everyone in this room, we need this pain, this idea of
    what was lost to take the next steps.”
    Though it hurt to hear, Cailin agreed. She wouldn’t let Maddox take her pain. Not now. Not ever.
    She needed to feel it through the numbness that had become who she was since those moments on the
    field.
    “What are we going to do?” Ellie asked, her hand on Maddox’s knee.
    Kade’s mouth firmed. “I don’t know. I’m not ready to be Alpha.”
    Cailin stood quickly and stalked toward her brother. She punched him in the chest and kept her
    fist there. “Stop it. You have the power and knowledge to be Alpha. What you aren’t ready for, what
    none of us are ready for, is living without them. I know this more than anyone.” Her voice broke, and
    she sucked in air through her nose, pushing her emotions back.
    “You can’t be weak in front of the others. You can’t show that you want to scream and sob and
    try to make sense of what is going on around you. None of us can. We need to be strong for the Pack,
    or all else will fail. We can grieve, but we can’t back down. We can’t show the Centrals that they’ve
    won. Because they haven’t. Don’t let what happened be in vain. Please.” She rasped out the last
    word, and her brother’s gaze bored into hers.
    “It wasn’t your fault, Cailin,” Kade whispered, far too much knowledge in his gaze.
    She backed up a step, knocking into Charlotte, Maddox and Ellie’s daughter. Her niece wrapped
    her arms around her legs, and Cailin centered herself.
    Or at least tried to.
    Not her fault? Her father had died for her. She hadn’t been fast enough and had watched her
    father die when it should have been her body on the ground. Then she’d watched the same thing
    happen between Logan and her mother.
    No one would understand how she felt.
    No one but Logan.
    Her wolf cried out for him, and Cailin knew she wouldn’t be able to hold it back much longer.
    She needed to leave the room, leave the people that surrounded her who all had babies, mates, and a
    future.
    She had nothing . Nothing worth saving, and yet her father had died for her.
    How was she supposed to live with that?
    Maddox let out a pained groan behind her, and she closed up her emotions tight. She wouldn’t
    put the burden of her pain on her brother’s shoulders.
    She’d done enough to her family as it was.
    “Cailin, it wasn’t your fault,” Kade repeated.
    She backed up fully until she stood by Adam’s chair again. “He was aiming for me and Logan,”
    she finally said, her voice void of emotion. “I didn’t miss that, and I don’t think the rest of you did
    either.”
    “Why would he be trying for you two in particular?” North asked. “Does Caym know something
    we