“So, what do you think the options are?” asks Julien.
Remy thinks for a second, tapping a finger against his chin. “If we take the omega aspect out of the equation, there are plenty of ways for regular shifters to leave their pack without a mating alliance or being formally released.” He pauses. “Our best option is probably having Keir claim sanctuary like Rossi’s sister-in-law.”
“Sounds great,” I say. “How do I do that?”
“It’s fairly simple,” says Remy. “But there’s a problem.”
Ofcoursethere is.
He continues, “With her, there was plenty of evidence of abuse—the most common basis for a sanctuary claim.”
I sigh. “And since so much time has passed, I have no evidence of what they did to me.”
Remy nods. “It’s going to be extremely difficult to prove.”
Forty-Six
Julien
Keirvisiblydeflates,hisshoulders slumping. That’s about all I can take. My mate needs a break.Ineed a break. I’ve had more than enough of politics and diplomacy for the morning. Hell, except for the moments I’ve managed to steal with Keir, my time’s been almost entirely consumed by that political crap for the past week or so.
And ifI’mabout to go insane from all the pressure, I can’t imagine how difficult this has all been for Keir. I can practically feel his anxiety rising second by second. Actually, if the stories about fated mates are true, then I probablyamfeeling his anxiety even if it’s a little hard to distinguish it from my own at this point.
I’m calling a timeout.
The triumvirate’s magistrate and whoever will be representing the interests of Keir’s old pack won’t be here until tomorrow at the earliest. Nothing is going to be solved in the next few hours, so I’m taking Keir out of here for a while. At the very least, we’re going for a run so the two of us can get rid of some of this tension.
I wrap my hands around Keir’s waist and tug him toward me. “Is there anything you desperately need us here for, Remy?”
“Not at the moment,” he replies, the corners of his lips curling into a small smile. He jerks his chin in the direction of the back door. “I’ll run interference if you guys want to take some time for yourselves. I know this is a lot.”
Keir’s brows draw together. “But what about—”
Not bothering with my hand this time, I cut my mate off by pressing my lips to his in a quick, hard kiss. “Everything and everyone else can wait,” I say. “We both need a break, and I want to spend some time with you without all these other ears around.”
“Oh,” he says softly. “I’d like that too.”
Decision made, I intertwine my fingers with Keir’s and tug him toward the back door. Remy gives me a mock salute as we pass, and I wink at him. I don’t know what I’d do without my brother sometimes.
Once outside, I stride across the backyard toward the trees bordering the lawn, with Keir following close behind. I own almost one hundred acres, most of that the wooded section behind the house extending all the way to the border of one of the state parks.
As soon as I hit the tree line, I shed my clothes, leaving them in a crumpled pile under a large pine tree. I turn around to find Keir has done the same, his smooth skin pale in the sunlight. His eyes darken and he shoots me a mischievous grin as his gaze slides down my body. He starts toward me, shifting as he crosses the distance between us until he’s rubbing the fur of his face over my thigh, eyes closed as he nuzzles me.
I haven’t spent much time with Keir’s wolf, but he’s just as gorgeous in this form as he is in human form. His fur is a shiny silvery gray with hints of black on his paws and ears. I run my hand over the top of his head and he leans into the touch, a soft whine in his throat. After a few seconds of petting, he steps back, sits on his haunches, and lets out a sharp yip. I suppose that means he wants me to shift already, and I’m more than happy to oblige.
My own golden wolf is much larger than Keir’s, my mate’s head coming up only to my shoulder as he trots back to me and rubs himself against my side. I nudge him with my nose, urging him toward the woods. There’s a narrow game trail and I take off down it at a run, Keir nipping at my heels with a short, joyful bark. The two of us dash through the trees, jumping over fallen logs, crashing through the leaves, and following various scents as they meander through the woods.
Eventually, we reach a small clearing surrounding a deep pool of water fed by a natural underground spring. Keir walks to the edge of the water, his pink tongue darting out to take a drink. He sticks one of his front paws in and does the canine equivalent of wrinkling his nose before taking a few steps backward and returning to his human form.
“My wolf doesn’t enjoy swimming,” he says, glancing over his shoulder at me. “But I love it.” He grins and wades into the water, ducking under once he reaches the center of the pool. He swims a couple laps, then turns his attention back to me, still in my wolf form sitting on the grass. “Care to join me?”
I flatten my ears and shake my head.
He chuckles. “It’s a little cold, but you get used to it.”
I huff in disbelief and Keir grins again.
“You’re right,” he says. “It’s fucking freezing.” My mate barrels out of the water and onto the bank, then stands there shivering a little as he glances around. “No towels. I guess I didn’t think this through very well.”
