"I can't answer that, sir."
"I could kill you."
Randal swallowed again. "I know that, sir." He'd been able to think of nothing else. He didn't want to die, but he would if it meant keeping his heart safe.
Alpha Colton's hard stare bored into him like a razor sharp nail. Randal wanted to look away, but he couldn't. Some force he was unfamiliar with kept him seated right there where he was, with his gaze locked with the alpha's.
"Did you know I thought my mate was human when I claimed him?"
Randal's jaw dropped.
"He was raised human and he's never shifted." The alpha chuckled. "Hell, he thought he was human. It wasn't until he was attacked by the son of the alpha of our former clan that we learned he was a shifter."
Randal didn't know what to think of that, or what to say. "You said he was attacked?"
The alpha nodded.
"He's okay though, right?"
"He is, thank god. My men and I were able to get to him and save him before he was hurt too badly."
Randal cocked his head and frowned. "Is that why you guys were looking for a clan?"
"It was, actually. I attacked the alpha's son for kidnapping my mate. Alpha Barker didn't kill me, as was his right, but he did banish me and Casey. My men decided to come with us on their own."
Randal felt a little braver after hearing the alpha's story. "And how do you feel about humans?"
"They taste good with honey."
Randal gasped and reared back.
"No, no." The alpha laughed as if the situation was funny, but it wasn't. "I was joking. Sorry, bad time for humor."
Really bad.
"I don't have a problem with humans, but if they are going to be involved with the clan, then I require that they know about us. It's against one of our fundamental laws to tell humans about us except for mates or in extreme cases. You know that."
Randal nodded. "Yes, sir, I do."
"So, does your mate know about us?"
"Yes, but—" Randal slapped a hand over his mouth, realizing to his horror, what he'd admitted.
"Relax, Randal. I'm not in the habit of killing mates. I just need to know about him and whether or not you are going to bring him into the clan."
"You'd allow that?" Randal was almost too afraid to hope.
"You said your mate knows about us?"
"He does."
"If he joins the clan, he'll be expected to adhere to my rule. Will he agree to that?"
"I hope so," Randal whispered almost to himself. He couldn't say for sure. Luca Buchanan was unlike anyone he'd ever met, human or shifter. He had the spirit of a massive warrior bear in a five foot ten inch human body. Randal couldn't be sure he'd accept anyone's rule over him.
"I'd like to meet him."
Randal could feel the blood drain from his face. "You want to meet him?"
