Lanie
s who donât give a dam n if I live or die as long as they get to claim the
âTake care of me? You mated me off to two shifters v
she-wolf they actually wanted.â
Heat crept up from my neck to my cheeks as the words came tumbling out,
âYou should be taking care of them. They're the ones who spat in the face of your whole mating practice and got us all into.
this situationâ
The High Elder cleared his throat, but I was on a roll.
âAnd while you're at it, why donât you take a closer look at those so-called practices of yours and ask yourself why you ever
allowed something like this to happen in the first place!â
I wasnât just angry at the Xander and Zane mating, I was also angry that weâd all been left in the dark about the Great Wars, and
the other creatures who walked among us.
The High Elder had to be at least partially responsible for keeping the truth from us
But I could tell by the look on his face that this was not a conversation he was interested in having.
âShut your mouth, girl,â his voice boomed.
I shrunk back until I was pressed against the door.
His icy, gray-blue eyes flashed as his wolf surfaced.
YOU
are not a Luna, and you are barely even a mate.â His voice dripped with disdain. âThe only purpose of she-wolves is to make
pups and support your mates. So shut your mouth and remember that
Xander
We marched straight to the entryway to meet the High Elder. But when we got there, he was towering over Lanie, jamming.
his bony finger in her face.
Hot rage coursed through my veins at the sight.
Lanieâs fear rolled off her in waves I could probably scent from a mile away,
Deep inside me, Hunter clawed his way to the surface, eager to get his paws on the man who was berating Lanie.
Protect her, Hunter urged. Protect your mate..
âAh, yes, here your mates are now,â the High Elder said in a cold voice. âPerhaps they will put you in your place.â
Acold knot twisted itself around my chest.
Sheâs in trouble, Zane said. We need to help her
No s hit sheâs in trouble, I replied, And Iâm about to do something I might regret.
Propelled by my wolf and my own overwhelming desire to protect her, I marched straight up to the High Elder and stepped
1/2
between him and Lanie.
âCan I help you?â I asked, advancing on him and forcing him backward, farther away from Lanie.
What the hell are you doing, Xander?! Zane demanded.
Shh, I silenced him. Just back me the f uck up.
âIf you have a problem with my mate, you can take it up with me first.
I turned around to face Lanie, and her eyes flew open wide. The smell of her fear waned, replaced by surprise and something
darker and more animalistic.
Desire.
Distantly, deep in my soul, I felt the clawing of that other beast, the one who wanted to ravage Lanie the night we mated, the one
who would do the same right here, right now.
Snap out of it, Zane said. I know what youâre thinking
Of course, because he was thinking it, too
Even here, under the scathing stare of a High Elder, I couldnât keep myself from imagining taking Lanie again.
What the f uck was wrong with me?
The High Elder stepped toward me, his voice a low warning growl
âGet your b itch in line, Alpha Xander. Her behavibe is improper for the mate of an Alpha and Beta.â He glanced over at Lanie
again, and she grabbed my arm, squeezing it tightly
Her touch sent a rush of heat straight to my c ock.
I needed to get my s hit together around her. And fast
âIf you donât get her under control,â the High Elder said. âThen you will be to blameâ
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lanie step forward âYou motherfu-â
Before she could pi ss off the High Elder any more, I threw out my hand, catching her off guard and cutting her off.
âI wouldn't say that if I were you,â I told her in a low whisper.
âWhat
âWhat are you talking about?â She looked confused. âI didnât say anything.â