Warrick smiled, flashing his perfect teeth. “Excellent. That’s part one settled. Part two is going to be more complicated, but we can all agree that Emmeline cannot be allowed to roam freely without security. I’ve promised her that no harm will befall her from the shifters in our city, and I stand by that promise.”
Hunter, who had remained on his feet after the last outburst, didn’t interrupt. But I could feel his wolf’s dominance simmering through the room.
Warrick glanced down at me with an apologetic stare. “The Reeves pack is the strongest in our city. You will be safest with them. Do you have a good reason for not taking up Alpha Hunter’s offer?”
Yes. An exceptionally good reason. A reason I was never going to reveal because I wasn’t sure it was common knowledge that a pack of alphas could destroy an omega in the way my mom’s pack destroyed her.
Instead, I said, “I’m used to freedom and Alpha Hunter clearly enjoys control and dominance. I think we’ll end up coming to blows if I stay in his pack.”
“But we’re a scent match,” he boomed, his scowl infinitely more attractive than Sissily’s.
Warrick jerked like I’d used a Reeves Industries’ Taser on him. “Scent match? Why didn’t you say so before?”
I was confused by what they thought his behavior before had been about. Was I not the only female he’d ever acted this way around? The very idea made me angry enough to snarl into a lie. “Not on my end you’re not. I won’t be forced to bond no matter how many times you blow into a room and throw your power around,Alpha Hurricane. I’ll take my chances with literally any other pack.”
Several of the alphas lifted their hands, but Hunter’s glare shut them down fast. All except Sorenson, who smiled and waved his arm like he was having the time of his freaking life.Weirdo.
“Are you saying you reject our offer and pack?” Hunter asked in a softly dangerous tone.
I was too pissed off to care as I replied with the falsest chuckle I could muster. “Wow, not just a pretty face. I don’t need or want your protection, but thanks for the offer. I really hope you have the day you deserve.”
His eyes grew wilder. I was sure a shifter like him had never been rejected before.
Get used to it, asshole.
“At least she thinks you have a pretty face,” Sorenson called with a laugh. “Never thought I’d see the day you found a shifter immune to your charms and power, Hunt.” Hunter’s face went blank, which only amused Sorenson further as he laughed again and shot a wink my way. “I like you, sweetheart. You’re a fun addition to the city.”
I wanted to join him in laughing, but I was currently working onnotvomiting across the council table. Finding a scent match on my first day in a shifter city was not on my to-do list. I mean,what the actual fuck?Mom had told me scent matches weren’t even common, with most packs bonding out of love or friendship. Was that another one of her lies?
Before I made an even bigger fool of myself, Warrick came to my rescue. “Why don’t we give Emmeline a few days to get her bearings,” he suggested in a calm tone. “She could stay with my pack, as we’re fully bonded in a solid power structure and not looking to add any others to our ranks. I’m sure all of this has been very overwhelming for her after being in the human world. I’ll provide some basic training on what to expect in Golden Claw, and when she decides on her path forward, I’ll inform the Reeves pack and the council.” His smile was gentle, and I found myself calming enough to stave off a full-blown panic attack. “Is that agreeable with you?”
I nodded disjointedly, my head feeling weird and floaty. “Yes, perfect. Thank you.”
A few days or a few weeks would make no difference; I’d never agree to live with the Reeves pack. But I did need time to figure out how I would escapeand neverget caught again.
Chapter
Five
The spectators were the first to leave. After all the commotion with my entrance, and then Hurricane Hunter, everything was calm as the room emptied. The council members were mostly silent as they exited; only a few threw lingering stares my way—including Sorenson—before it was just Warrick and me.
And a tropical storm set to blow us all away.
“We need to talk, Alpha Warrick,” Hunter said through gritted teeth, his strikingly handsome face set in hard lines. He didn’t look at me, which grated on my wolf. Though only her; I was personally grateful not to be on his radar. Well,well.They might make a decent liar out of me yet.
It wasn’t my fault that my awareness of the giant shifter was distracting to the point of danger. Scent matches were as destructive as mind-altering drugs.
Not. My. Fault.
Warrick squeezed my shoulder gently, both of us ignoring the low rumble from the other alpha. “Give me a second to speak with Alpha Hunter, then we’ll get you settled.”
My senses were not as strong as other shifters, so I couldn’t hear a word of their hushed, five-minute discussion.Neither of them looked my way, but Warrick’s expression grew progressively more annoyed as he listened to whatever Hunter was saying.All good things, I’m sure.
It was clear that this alpha had no plans of letting me stroll off into the sunset, and the fact that I was on his intense radar was only going to make my plans to eventually ditch America for greener countries all that much harder. But not impossible.
Nothing was impossible when you had no other choicebutto succeed.
The conversation wrapped up with grim faces and shifter dominance filling the room, and as Hunter strode past me it appeared as if he was going to keep ignoring me until…
