Yang smiles. “Of course.”
“While you’re here,” says Julien, “do you mind giving me an update on the situation with Rossi and the Chicago pack?”
“Rossi is still in custody. He’s currently being transported to New York where he’ll stand trial for his crimes,” says Yang. “Since he refused to name someone to lead in his absence, a praetorian has taken over responsibility for the pack.”
“Is there anything I should be worried about?” asks Julien.
Yang shakes her head. “I know Farah Khan personally. Chicago is in good hands with her.”
“Thanks,” says Julien.
Both praetorians nod.
“I’ll be in touch about what we find out,” says Smith as he passes both me and Julien new business cards. “If you hear anything or if Luke shows up here, please give us a call.”
“Of course,” says Julien, taking the card and tucking it into the top drawer of his desk. He rises to his feet and walks to me, resting a hand on my lower back. “Now, if—”
The office door flies open, and William comes stomping inside. “Julien, I must insist that you…” The older man’s voice trails off as he notices our company, then his eyes narrow in on me. “Just what have you done to bring down the triumvirate’s attention on this pack?”
I shrink back at the venom in his voice. He was an asshole the other day, but now his tone holds nothing but absolute hatred. My mate tenses beside me and I can practically feel his hackles rising, but William’s attention is focused only on me.
“You’re nothing but trouble.” A malicious glint flashes in his eyes. “An abomination.”
My breath stalls in my chest and I freeze in place as the word ‘abomination’ echoes through my head. If he’d said something like that at the meeting the other day, I would have had some smart-ass comment for him. Today, after all the crazy revelations yesterday evening, I’ve got nothing.
“Get. Out,” says Julien in a low voice.
William glances at him. “Excuse me?”
“Get out of my office.Now.”
William makes a choked noise and redness creeps up his neck and into his face. “Who do you think—”
“I am your Alpha,” growls Julien. “And I’ve had about enough of your disrespect toward myself and especially toward my mate. I’ve tried to be reasonable, to give you time to adjust to the idea of your new Alpha Mate, but you’ve fought me at every turn and it stops. Today.”
“Fine. I will await your summons,Alpha.” William sneers the title, then turns on his heel, and strides back out of the office.
Smith glances at me. “Is that what you meant by having enough to deal with?”
I shrug and look away. “It’s a long story.”
Smith’s brows pull together, but he nods in understanding before he and Yang exit the office, shutting the door behind them.
I take a deep breath and force some snarkiness into my voice. “How long should we let that jerk wait?”
“I’m an idiot,” says Julien in a low voice.
“Huh?” My gaze shifts from the door to my mate, who has returned behind his desk, his elbows resting on the surface and one hand rubbing at his forehead.
He glances up at me, his expression stricken. “I’m so sorry, Keir.”
“Um… okay? What exactly are you apologizing for?”
“The other day at the council meeting to start with,” he replies. “I wasn’t assertive enough about getting you officially instated as Alpha Mate, and now William thinks he can just walk into my office and say something like that to you.”
“No worries,” I say, shrugging. “It’s not anything I haven’t heard before.”
“That doesn’t make it right.” He shakes his head. “You’ve been so unsure about your status here—and with me. I never considered it’sbecauseof me. I’ve taken your seemingly unflappable ability to adapt for granted. You’ve been thrown into the deep end in more ways than one and I’ve been watching you drowning without realizing I’m holding a life preserver.”
