Grayson drank some cider, the crispness of the apples tart on his tongue. “There’s something I wanted to ask you about.” He exhaled and stared into the forest in the distance. “Was it worth it?”
“Waswhatworth it?” Damon asked.
“Letting down your guard. Being vulnerable and allowing yourself to commit to a mate.” He faced Damon. “Because I know how reluctant you were and see how happy you are now, it makes me wonder…” He didn’t finish the sentence and instead, shook his head.
“Ah.” Damon groaned and raked one hand through his dark, chin-length hair. “I know how much trouble I have brought to the pack, and the guilt is something that I still struggle with. But the answer is yes. It was worth it.Sheis worth it. She means everything to me.”
Grayson put his cider on the flat armrest and rubbed his temple. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because I’m in trouble,” Grayson admitted, his torment apparent through his tone. “I’m torn between what’s the right thing to do and what my wolf is telling me I can’t ignore.”
You can’t,his wolf insisted.
Damon cocked his head. “What is it exactly?”
Grayson propped his elbows on the armrests. He leaned his head into his hands. “I’ve found my mate.”
“That’s fantastic!” Damon patted Grayson on the back. “You’ve been searching for a long time.”
Grayson snorted and lifted his head. “I gave up on the search a while ago. And now I’ve found her. But it’s the worst possible time and in the worst possible situation.”
Damon blinked. His mouth formed an O. “Is it the witch?”
Grayson’s wolf moaned inside. He nodded. “Yes, it’s Aurora.”
Damon made a sound of acknowledgment before prodding, “And the problem is?”
“I have to ignore it, at least until the matter with the Sacco pack is resolved,” Grayson declared.
“Ah.” Damon drank some of his cider. “Does she know?” He peered out to the forests.
Grayson shook his head. “I can’t tell her. Not now.”
Damon fixed his stare on Grayson. “Be careful, Grayson. I almost lost everything by keeping things from Sophie.”
He released a slow exhale. “I don’t have much of a choice.”
“You do,” Damon countered. “Don’t repeat my mistake—be honest with your mate.”
Grayson suppressed a groan. It wasn’t that easy.
Aurora
What a difference between the heated sensuality in Grayson’s office to the cold response from the Sacco pack. Kane and Lars were no easier to deal with today than they were yesterday.
“They will not agree to the death of one of their pack mates,” Aurora continued after both had gone on a tirade about the Franconia pack. “And I have to confirm that it isn’t a reasonable request.”
“Why not?” Lars asked. “We lost one of our enforcers, so should they.”
“An eye-for-an-eye never satisfies anyone,” she explained. “It just spreads more grief.”
“Witch, maybe you don’t understand the way that a wolf pack functions.” Kane declared with contempt.
“I have worked with shifters of all kinds, including wolves.” She bit back the words on how they were notorious for being the most inflexible and troublesome to work with. “And my name is Aurora.” She heard the testiness in her voice and struggled to remain calm. “The Franconia pack has offered a generous settlement as well as an apology for Alex’s death.” She handed Lars the proposal.
It was more than a reasonable cash offer in her opinion. Yet, she also didn’t own a resort in the White Mountains. She didn’t own any property at all and still lived in her aunt’s house.
