Ivan smirked. “I am, though. I’m also running interference between you, Riley, and anyone who gets too close.” His smile faded. “Rumor has it the Blue Moon’s alpha wants you. Bad. And not just for mating, but to get a litter of berserkers out of you.” Ivan frowned. “I hate that they try to force mating in this day and age.”
Riley looked at Ivan, surprised he cared. “How old are you, Ivan? I thought you went through this a hundred years ago.”
“I did. But I told them I had no plans to procreate until I hit my third century. Because I’m male, no one made a fuss. But you, with your ovaries and your breasts, are so frail and female that they demand you get pregnant before you die. Because Remus-forbid you have plans for your life other than having babies.”
“That’s exactly right.” Riley nodded. “I mean, you didn’t need to go there with ‘your ovaries and your breasts,’ but thank you for understanding.”
Ivan nodded and stole more fries. “I used to hear that crap from my mom all the time. But after she had my seventh brother, who along with the other six, also did not turn out to be a berserker, she’d had her fill and the alpha finally let her stop trying. Out of them all, I’m the only one who got maxed.” Ivan flexed his arm.
“I don’t know if my parents would have kept trying.” Riley had thought about it. “I mean, neither of them had any history with berserkers in the family tree. I think I’m an anomaly.”
“And such a troublesome one,” said her Aunt Alice with a worried smile as she approached the table. A pretty woman with fists that could plow through a face with ease, she had golden-brown eyes that glimmered with anxiety. “Sorry, honey, but the Rainier mages, reps from the Wildridge, Torn-Fang, and Raven’s Eye packs, and your alpha need you in the conference room. Ivan, you’re on guard duty. Max, get your ass up and come support the pack.”
Riley glanced at her uneaten foot. “Josie, we’re gonna need a few to-go boxes.”
“Oh my God. It’s like you’re trying to ruin my life!”
Riley couldn’t help grinning at the girl’s abject misery. “Don’t forget a bowl for milk for my furry friend.”
You’ve got potential, lycan.Paz licked his whiskers, a fastidious demon, at least. He leaped to her shoulder without being invited.
“Sure, come along to watch me fall on my proverbial ass.”
“There’s the spirit,” Max said with way too much feigned enthusiasm.
Her aunt cuffed him in the head.
“I’ll wait and bring all the food,” Ivan offered.
“Thanks, Ivan.” With a sigh, Riley followed her aunt to her doom.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
Riley satand munched on her fries, sitting at the end of the table, far from her alpha and all her accusers.
Near her uncle, Boyce, his master (who was a grand mage), and another mage she didn’t recognize sat. The representatives from the Rainier mage guild looked stiff and uncomfortable. Boyce had given her an apologetic shrug, so at least he didn’t think she’d actually allied herself with blood-thirsty sorcerers.
The two Torn-Fang pack members sat on the other side of her uncle, along with the Wildridges—Freddy, his mom, and Antonia, that bitch. Smart, the traitorous lycan refused to make eye contact. The Raven’s Eye alpha and two of his enforcers also sat close, along with Raven’s Eye, Wildridge, and a ton of extra Crimson Claw soldiers stationed around the perimeter of the room in case anyone tried to leap across the table and gouge out any eyes.
Her alpha was taking no chances that things might get out of hand.
Because yes, sometimes inter-pack discussions got heated.
Ivan sat next to her at the end of the table, consuming his food without a care. She followed suit. If they intended to string her up by her toes, she intended to swing on a full stomach. Invited to watch if not participate, her alleged suitors, minus Freddy, stood behind her along the wall.
“Okay, everyone, let’s get this shit done with,” Jack began, not one to stand on formality. “We’ve got accusations against our berserker, Riley Foster,my niece,that she’s conspiring with rogue magic users and—”
“Vampires,” rasped one of the Torn-Fang liars. “She’s working with them to take us all out,” he cried.
To her disquiet, more than a few of her own pack’s soldiers shot her suspicious looks.
“Seriously?” She shook her head. “Quit being so dramatic. You’re acting scared of your own shadow.”
A few dires agreed while other muttered about killing the blood-drinkers too.
“Quiet,” Jack barked, and the room’s noise dimmed. “Riley, we need to hear from your accusers.”
“Feels like a witch trial, but sure, why not?” She went quiet when her uncle glared.
