Austin cocked his head to the side. “I seem to remember ordering you to guard the property a few years back when we had a problem with a rogue pack. You left the house and Ivy was hit by a car.”

Ben shrugged. “So? Look how it ended up. She met Lorenzo and now they’re happy.”

“Are you kidding me?” he shouted. “She could have been killed! Were you gambling?” Austin stepped forward and the room became electric with his alpha power. Even I stepped back. “A wrong doesn’t become a right just because it all ends well.”

Ben looked down. “Okay. I have a gambling problem. I’ll stop and get another job if you want, but you can’t throw me out just because I hit on his woman, or even because Wheeler helped me out. It’s always been his choice. You can’t blame me because he was a cage fighter! No one put a gun to his head and made him go.”

“Do you think this doesn’t hurt me?” Austin asked. “I’ve always looked up to you as my older brother. I look up to all of you. But I’m the Packmaster and have to do what’s best for the family as a whole. How do you think I feel, throwing out one of my own brothers? This pack isn’t about blood; it’s who has your back. It sounds to me like Wheeler has had your back for more years than I can count, and I already know his loyalty lies with the rest of us. Maybe I didn’t know this shit was going down, but now that I do, I have an immense amount of respect for him.” Then he snapped his gaze at Wheeler. “And no, you’re not off the hook for lying to me. You should have come to me. We don’t keep secrets in a pack, especially when it’s something that makes us weak.”

Wheeler lowered his head submissively to his Packmaster.

Austin’s voice sounded weary and wrought with pain. “Ben, I will always love you as my brother. You’ll still be invited to family functions, and if you want to hang out at the house, then the door’s open. We’re brothers, and I’ll never turn my back on you. But I can’t afford to have a weak link in my chain. Your foolishness could have killed Wheeler—twice! And Ivy, for that matter. Who’s next? No,” he said, shaking his head. “You’ve had more than enough chances to clean up your act. I hope you get help, and know that whichever pack you choose, I’m going to have a long talk with that Packmaster. You’ll get help one way or another. Just not here. You’ve done enough irreparable damage. Maybe it’s harsh, but you got off lucky being my blood brother. In any other pack, you wouldn’t have been as fortunate. And just so you know, had I caught you in here with Lexi? Well… I can’t promise that I wouldn’t have done something regrettable. Pack up and leave tonight.”