Thank God the pack wasn’t made of total morons. If I got in trouble for that after everything Imogene had done, I really would’ve lost it.
“We’ve had a heated debate and are almost evenly divided on what we should do regarding Luciana’s claim,” Mr. Dawson continued. “The complication that the witches brought forth—their wanting you back and willing to go to war over it—has been divisive among pack members.”
I nodded. How could it not be? I didn’t like the idea of the pack having to fight for me either.
“However, most agreed that you two should be together. We understand that Dastien lost control only because he met his mate. No one is faulting him for that, but we can’t let a war start because of it.”
That wasn’t something I wanted either. But what did that mean? I clenched Dastien’s hand tighter.
Sebastian stepped up. “We’ve come to a decision to appease the witches. For a period of one lunar cycle, you, Teresa Elizabeth McCaide, will live on coven lands. You will have no contact with Dastien—”
“No.” Dastien’s voice was so harsh I jumped. “I reject this. I will leave this pack. Go lone wolf—”
Gasps rang out. I wasn’t sure what being a “lone wolf” meant, but from the reactions, it was obviously a terrible idea.
“Dastien. You will wait to speak until I’ve finished.”
“No.”
I squeezed Dastien’s hand. Calm down. We have to know what we’re up against.
Dastien stared down at me, his eyes two glowing orbs of yellow. It wasn’t him talking anymore. It was the wolf.
“No one takes my mate from me.”
I don’t know how I knew, but right then—it was like my life flashed before my eyes. If I didn’t get Dastien to calm down and agree to this, he’d destroy this pack. They were nearly evenly divided. Among the ones that had mates, the desire to keep us together had to overshadow the desire to keep the witches satisfied.
The pack would fight. Fear leading some. Love, honor, and tradition leading the rest.
The witches would come. It would be war, and the pack would be too weak to defend itself.
Visions of blood and death flickered behind my eyelids, but they moved too fast for me to pick out the specifics. All I knew was that we were about to head down a terrible path. Really, really bad.
I let out the breath I’d been holding.
While I’d been out of it, Dastien had started yelling. Others were shouting back.
“We’re asking for a bit of leeway with you.” Donovan’s clear blue gaze met mine. “I know it’s a lot to ask—”
“No! Would you ever let someone separate you from Meredith? Let them take her away?” Dastien stood up and leaned over Donovan. “She won’t be going anywhere.” His face contorted as he slowly began to shift. His jaw popped and expanded. Fingers lengthened into claws. It was a grotesque sight, and it hurt to look at him.
The bond revealed the full spectrum of Dastien’s emotions. His gut-shaking terror. Anger enough to boil the waters of Antarctica. And a healthy dose of I-don’t-give-a-fuck. He wanted what he wanted, and he wasn’t going to let anyone tell him different.
He’d always told me he was more dominant than any other wolf. None of those gathered here could really make him do anything. And that was the problem. If someone didn’t convince him that this was the right thing to do, no one could make Dastien follow along. He couldn’t be ordered. He only obeyed orders out of respect for his elders.
But threatening me had taken away all that respect.
I was the only one who could fix this.
“You will obey us.” Donovan shouted, power backed words, his eyes glowing bright blue.
As soon as Donovan said it, I felt Dastien’s anger swell. He was never going to obey that order.
Dastien leaped off the rock, hitting Donovan with the full force of his alpha energy. The power rolled into the gathered crowed. Donovan hit the ground, and Dastien pinned him. But only for a second. Donovan rolled and sprang up, throwing Dastien into a tree. Branches crashed down.
I had to do something. I had to stop this before he tried to rip out Donovan’s throat.
“Stop! Dastien!” He wasn’t listening to me. I tried to get to him through the bond, but he was too much wolf, and not enough of his human mind was left to see reason.
My gaze slipped to Mr. Dawson. He was the only one not watching the fight. Instead, he stared steadily at me. Waiting for me to say something. To do something.
A sudden chill came over me and I hugged myself. “I’ll do it. I agree to the terms.”
