But, thankfully, the circumstances of the exposure will matter. The only time Keir has been on his own all day is at the club. He said he ‘accidentally’ extorted his boss because he couldn’t hold back a partial shift. The mating frenzy caused the reveal, and that means the triumvirate isn’t likely to hold Keir responsible, especially since it was just a single human and he didn’t witness a full shift.
As long as Keir makes it to the hearing, that is.
Which means I still can’t declare him as my fated mate.
The triumvirate is based in New York and, on short notice, it’s unlikely they sent more than those few praetorians here. Now that Kier and I are separated, Rossi could probably make him disappear even if he had to make the triumvirate’s agents disappear too. Taking that kind of action would be a big risk for Rossi, but given the level of his animosity toward me, I don’t think that would stop him.
Derek moves closer and shakes the stack of papers, an impatient look on his face. “Let’s get this done, Matisse.”
And that’s about the last straw. I can’t hold my tongue anymore. I take a step backward, my upper lip curling into a sneer. “I wouldn’t sign those papers if your sister was the last shifter on Earth.”
Derek’s eyes go dark, redness creeping up his neck. “Watch what you say, Matisse.”
Remy steps in front of me so he’s standing between me and the other Alpha. “My brother has already made his position on the alliance clear. What just happened hasn’t changed that.”
Derek doesn’t acknowledge my brother, his attention fully focused on me. “You’re breaking the mating alliance?”
“I am,” I growl before Remy can stop me.
“And you’re comfortable with the consequences of that?” Derek flashes his teeth at me.
Remy presses his hand on my chest, a signal for me to keep my mouth shut, no doubt. “There is nothing to ‘break,’” he says in a tight voice. “What my brother means is that the terms of the mating alliance are no longer acceptable to him and there can be no contract without acceptance.”
Derek growls with frustration. “Then you deny what you said last night at the bar, Julien?”
Remy tenses and I can sense him fighting the urge to spin around and give me the evil eye. Hell, I deserve that and more. In all the craziness today, I never got a chance to mention to Remy that Derek and I met up for drinks downstairs at the hotel bar last night while my brother was off trying to get himself kidnapped.
Fuck.
“No,” I say. “I can’t deny my words from last night.”
Remy spins to face me, his lips pressed together in a tight line and his eyes flashing with what looks like the desire to skin me alive. He’s pissed, and he has every right to be. I’m supposed to let him take the lead on any political or legal issues because of situations exactly like this.
Derek shakes the stack of papers a second time, still holding them out toward me. “Then, let’s sign and get this over with.”
Remy raises his brows at me.Your move, his expression says.And you’d better make it a good one.
I sigh. “I can’t deny what I said, but I’m still not signing the papers.”
Derek blinks, his jaw dropping open even as his eyes narrow. I know what’s coming and I’m simply going to have to deal with the consequences and then figure out a way to get out of it later.
“Alpha Matisse, you have blatantly insulted me, my pack, and my sister. I hereby challenge you.” Derek snarls at me, then grabs his sister by the arm and yanks her with him toward the door. Right before he leaves, he says, “I’ll have our host be in touch with a time and location.”
Remy stares at me as the door slams closed, then shakes his head. “You’re lucky Keir thinks you’re pretty because sometimes I swear you don’t have a single brain cell in your head.”
Nineteen
Keir
Todayseemstobemy day for new experiences, but so far ‘new’ definitely doesn’t translate into ‘good.’ I’ve been kidnapped, informed someone wants to sell me for parts, run all over town, and, to top it all off, arrested by the shifter equivalent of homeland security.
Though that last thing isn’t quite as bad as I always imagined it might be. They haven’t thrown me into a cell or anything, so that’s a plus. Of course, that’s probably only because this is the shifter legal system and they don’t exactly have any regular holding cells outside of wherever the triumvirate is actually based.
Instead, I’m holed up in a room at a luxury hotel. My new accommodations aren’t a suite like Julien’s pack has, but the space is still nicer than my apartment. Sure, I’m not allowed to leave, there are guards at my door, and the hotel is owned by the guy who wants to sell me for parts, but things could be worse.
Right?
I collapse backward on to the bed, staring up at the ceiling. What am I going to do? Those guys kind of shoved me in here without saying anything and I’ve heard nothing in the three or four hours since then. I don’t even know the specifics of my alleged crime or what’s supposed to happen next.
