“You’d better hope so. If not, you and Seth are dead.” Alice shook her head. “That boy should’ve mated Emily like Ben wanted. Then he’d live and be Alpha oftheirpack someday.” Anger and regret burned in her eyes as she looked over her shoulder. “You’ve all but signed his death warrant.”
Mia stepped back from the venom as well as the words. “If Seth had mated Emily, he’d have his own pack?”
“Yes.” Alice focused back on Ben. “The boy grew up an outcast and finally had a chance to belong. We had it all perfectly planned, and everyone would live far into the future. He had a chance to be…himself. Finally. You’ve taken that away from him.”
Mia blinked. Goose bumps rose on her skin. Seth had mated her to save Gena and Dotty and, in effect, had given up his life. Why would he do that? “There has to be some way to negate a mating.”
“Only if you die,” Alice said, leaning over to smooth a hand over Ben’s forehead.
Mia’s jaw firmed. “There has to be another way.”
“There isn’t.”
Wolves were impossible. Given her terrible night and weird dreams, there was no doubt in her mind that the mating had taken place. She still wasn’t feeling a hundred percent, though. But she’d protect Seth. “What if Seth and Erik refuse to fight? I mean—”
“Then the pack will tear them both apart.” Alice snorted. “They can’t refuse. We need an Alpha strong enough to protect us from the Granite Pack. They’d love to destroy us.”
“Why?” Mia asked. This was crazy.
“Because of Seth.” Alice sat on Ben’s bed. “Ashlynn was next in line at the Granite Pack, and then she left and took Seth with her. She betrayed them all. Ben basically declared war when he took her in and mated her.” Alice’s voice softened. “Men in love do stupid, stupid, stupid things.”
History proved that fact to be true. “What if we run?” Mia whispered.
Alice turned to face her again. “You could try. But really…does Seth seem like a runner to you?”
The man might get her to safety. But no way would Seth Volk run like a coward…wolf or not. “No.”
“There’s your answer,” she said, her eyes filling. “If Ben doesn’t awaken, then…”
“Then I’ll figure something out,” Mia muttered, turning and heading from the room. She was a cop, and she had a job to do. No way would Alice tell her whose scent lingered outside. Seth or his brother would level with her, or she’d arrest their asses and figure out a human-type reason later. If they weren’t going to protect themselves, she’d figure out a way to help them. First on her list was finding the asshat who’d shot Benjamin Volk in the back.
She held her breath through the smoky house until she reached the front porch. Seth stood at the edge, his back to her, his body tense—like a sentinel on full alert. “Where’s Erik?”
“He’s scouting in wolf form.” Seth jerked his head toward a pile of clothing on the nearest chair.
“What are you doing?” she asked, striding to stand next to him with a view of the forest to the west.
“Planning.”
The darkness in his tone froze her in place. “You’re going to follow the law.”
“I know.”
“Thehumanlaw,” she hissed.
He lifted a shoulder, his gaze remaining on the trees, his profile strong and chiseled. “Human law is the last thing you should be worrying about.”
“Yeah, about that.” She swiveled and pressed her hands to her hips. The profiler in her finally woke up and tried to make sense of the situation. “What exactly is your plan?”
“Meaning?”
“I may not know you all that well, but I do know three things: you won’t run, you won’t lie down and die, and no way will you kill your brother.”
“That doesn’t leave many alternatives,” he said evenly.
“You had an alternative…and you gave it up.” Mia settled her stance. Her shoulders hunched against her will.
He turned slowly, his gaze warming her face. “From the first second I saw you, so earnest and brave and facing me through those bars, I lost any alternative but you, Mia Stone.”
