"And then what?"

"And then . . . Clarke is your Beta. That is an important role, and it meant so much to him that you made him your second. I can't take that away from him. But I want to be with him. I asked Axe permission to ask you first, and he said he'd be okay with it so long as you were."

"So ask."

He twirled the apple before placing it on the side, still unbitten. "I wanted to know whether you would allow me to live within your territory? I know it's a big ask, and I know that there will be a lot of people...