Kraft whipped his head back to hers, his eyes narrowed. “You’re selecting a mate?”
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” she growled. “And I dare anyone to prove me wrong.”
A few dires watching her grinned, and one said, “Oh, that’s definitely a challenge.”
Another chimed in. “Yes, it is. She finally did it. I can’t believe it, but you can’t argue the timing. She’s nearly hit her first century.”
The entire pack seemed invested in her upcoming birthday.
“No, that’s not what I meant.” Riley swallowed a mouthful of nerves.
“Finally, our berserker is getting mated.” Uncle Jack looked beyond pleased.
Shit. The damage had been done.
“Congrats, Riley,” Max said, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes as he sent her,You dumbass.
I wasn’t thinking!
What’s new about that?“Our youngest berserker has just offered up a challenge for the right to be her mate.”
The room burst into applause and howls. A new mating was always cause for celebration. The start of a potential new line of berserkers would enrich all the lycans.
Riley turned to see Kraft scowling at her. In no mood to deal with him too, she flipped him off and stormed out of the meeting, Paz on her shoulder.
The kitten nudged her ear.Don’t worry about him. Worry instead about the four lycans marching after you. One of them has flowers in hand.
“Fuck me.”
I think they mean to, young berserker. So, is this when you show me your odd lovemaking prowess in beastly form? You know, like I asked before?
Riley groaned.Just shoot me with a silver bullet.
Oh, is that part of the sexual ceremony?Paz’s whiskers twitched.I can’t wait to learn more.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
Kraft staredat Riley’s back as she strode from the crowded conference room, more than aware she had a small contingent of suitors following her. He also noticed the interest from the Wildridge whelp and a few of her Crimson Claw pack members. But it was the other berserker who concerned him. Because that large male seemed like a real contender for her affection.
The male stood taller than Kraft, had broad shoulders and a powerful chest, and looked ready to maul something just for fun. Kraft could smell the need to kill all over him, which put a solid mark in his favor.
Paz temporarily distracted him, trotting back into the conference room.
Max sidled up to him, blocking his view of the demon. “Kraft, who the hell let you in here?”
“I need permission? Really?”
Max sighed. “Right. Well, thanks for showing up. You made that a lot easier for Riley than it was going to be.”
“Yes, good. But what is all this about her having to mate?”
Max shrugged, but Kraft saw the keen look the lycan shot him. “It’s simple. Riley’s nearly reached her first century. The day she turns one hundred, she has to select a mate. She’s a berserker, and a female at that. It’s her duty to provide new berserkers for the pack. To do this, she had to take a mate.”
“There’s a loophole for just making a few pups, not necessarily mating,” Ivan said, his voice deep and rumbling, as Kraft would have expected from so large and brutish a creature. He liked that about Ivan. But he didn’t like how closely the lycan had been sitting to Riley. Or how well suited for each other they seemed to be.
“She’s a brood mare, is that it?” Kraft growled, offended on her behalf.
Max shrugged. “Kind of. But then, we all are. As are you. Isn’t it expected that you’ll take a mate and make a vampire baby some day?”
