“I agree,” she said. “I’ll be the happiest woman alive if neither of those rooms is ever used. This is Rydaria, however, so I doubt that will be the case.”
“I’ve been begging for a private exam room ever since the clinic was built,” Raphael groused, but amusement shimmered in hisgaze. “It was never important enough to build until a pretty woman shows up on the planet.”
“Bitch, bitch, bitch,” was Gabriel’s only response.
“So, catch me up,” Heather urged her friend. “Has anyone else been claimed? How many have agreed to be courted?”
As Claire filled Heather in on all she had missed while ensconced in the cottage, Raphael meandered across the room. “Zion hasn’t rescinded his invitation for us to participate in the gatherings, but I would much rather bring another group of females up here. Any ideas on how we can make that happen now that we’ve backed off from the alliance?”
The gatherings were group social events designed to introduce the females to a variety of males. Feline shifters could only produce offspring with genetically compatible mates, so it was not always easy to find a suitable match. With raptor shifters genetic compatibility intensified physical attraction, but the mating bond could be formed with anyone.
Gabriel’s relationship with Heather was a good example. Patrick’s mating instincts had been triggered by Heather, while Gabriel’s attraction to her had developed gradually as they spent time together. When they claimed her—and he firmly believed they would—all three of them would be ready and willing to form the bond.
“If we want to maintain peace, the females need to be distributed evenly between the three villages,” Gabriel stressed. “That means the lupine village too. We can’t punish all the wolves because their leader was a psychopath.”
Raphael crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes. His tone was tense but conversational. “Even if I agree, which I don’t, Zion will never allow it.”
“Fuck Zion,” Gabriel growled as he turned his face away. “He was the first to approach the females, but he doesn’t own them.”
“I’m not sure he realizes that,” Claire interjected, clearly having heard at least part of their conversation. “Zion has acted like he owns the females ever since we agreed to the alliance.”
“Well, he doesn’t,” Gabriel said firmly. “There are three groups of hybrids, and the females should be able to choose their mates from any of them.”
“That’s different than what you said before,” Claire pointed out.
“What do you mean?” Gabriel asked, though her persistence was starting to annoy him.
“You said the females should be evenly distributed between the three villages. Not all the wolves are evil. I think we realize that. But shouldn’t the females be the ones who decide which village they want to join?”
“A lot of the women want nothing to do with the wolves,” Heather insisted. “Their attacks have been brutal and bloody. Most of us are terrified of the wolves.”
She had a valid point. Many of the females had witnessed the wolves at their most savage. And the attacks continued even after Elias was killed. Despite Gabriel’s desire for equity, the needs of the females must come first.
“Also, the various populations aren’t even.” Patrick set his empty glass aside as he elaborated, “There are roughly twice as many wolves as there are raptors, and there are almost three timesas many cats as there are wolves. If the females are to be ‘distributed’ among the villages then the ratios need to be taken into consideration.”
Heather shook her head. “The ratios are moot if the females choose which village they wish to join.”
“Then whoever treats the females better will end up with more women,” Claire concluded with a smile.
“We both know that won’t be the wolves.” Heather shuddered, then shook her head. “I have no desire to go near that village, and I’m not the only one.”
“I hate to be the hard-ass, but allowing the females to choose will encourage the ones avoiding real courtships to flit and flutter from village to village,” Victor predicted. “There has to be some sort of schedule, and a minimum stay in each village.”
The males looked at the females to see if they’d object.
Heather nodded, then Claire said, “Unfortunately, I’ve known more than one female who was intentionally prolonging the process.”
There was a long, silent pause as everyone considered the options and possible strategies.
“I don’t know how to resolve this,” Gabriel finally broke the silence. “I can’t help feeling like a lot of bloodshed could have been avoided if the wolves were included from the start.”
“That doesn’t excuse their brutality,” Raphael argued. “Elias slaughtered hundreds, and Alex is not a whole lot better.”
As if in response to Raphael’s claim, an eerie howl sounded in the distance. The animalistic cry was picked up by other wolves until the sound vibrated in the air around them.
“They wouldn’t,” Gabriel sneered as trepidation clawed through his belly. Alex promised that he had no intention of staging another attack.
“Guard the females,” Raphael told Victor as he grabbed his coat and headed for the door.
