She launched one more rock that crashed through his living room window. Up close, I could see that most of the windows were already broken. She turned to me, her eyes red and swollen from crying. When she saw me, her jaw fell open.
“Oh,god. June,” she cried. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry about what?”
“About what he did to you,” she said, and wiped at her nose with a sleeve. “He told us all to be there, and when I found out why, I left. Fuck him and that cunt he’s got with him.”
“I need you to give us the story,” Levi said, his voice low but stern. “What are you talking about?”
“Anders! He put out a town-wide message. Said the mating ceremony was taking place a day early, and that everyone needed to be at the square for it.”
“What?” My eyes widened, and from the look on Levi’s face, he understood the same thing I did, but I needed to hear it first.
“He’s mating with the creepy bitch Eugenia. He says he rejected you again, and thatshe’shis fated mate. June, your grandparents looked heartbroken.”
“Is the ceremony over?” I asked.
She shrugged helplessly. “Not sure. Maybe? It hadn’t started yet when I left.”
“Let’s go,” Levi said, grabbing my hand. “We need to talk to this motherfucker.”
“Are you going to kick his ass again?” Beatrice looked hopefully at Levi. “We all saw his face. Rumor is, you did it.”
“Come on,” he said to me.
“I’ll see you later,” I told Beatrice, then shifted and followed Levi.
Leaving my friend behind to continue vandalizing Anders’s house, I hurried along to get to the town square as quickly as possible. The tents that had been set up for the reception after the ceremony were filled with people. The flowers were in place, and the music I’d chosen was playing. It was as if I’d somehow traveled twenty-four hours into the future.
Shifting back, I strode forward. Everyone gathered looked uncomfortable and confused. Hakeem and his mate Tamara sat with the other alphas, looking on with disdainful expressions ontheir faces. At the front, Anders and Eugenia sat at the raised table, holding hands and smiling at each other.
There were signs of how rushed all this was. There was no food—the caterer wouldn’t have had time to get everything done a day before it was due—and the band was missing two members. All this in less than four hours? Anders and Eugenia must have jumped into action the moment Levi and I left. If this was the reception, then the ceremony itself was already over. Anders and Eugenia were officially mated now.
Instead of heading toward the raised table, Levi led me over to the other alphas. Rainier was seated with them, staring daggers up at Anders.
“Levi,” Hakeem said. “Is Idlewild always this fucked up?”
“Wasn’t when I was in charge,” he grumbled, casting a disgusted look in Anders’s direction. Anders’s eyes widened slightly when he noticed us in the crowd.
Rainier gestured at Anders. “That prick started marching around like Napoleon, telling us what to do, where to go, and how to do it. All his little fucking football buddies were helping too. Fucker was actually dragging people out of their houses to come watch this bullshit. I told our people to get out and head home. I stayed because I thought you might come back soon.”
“Anders can wait,” I said. “We need to have a meeting. All the alphas together. We need to discuss?—”
“Discuss what?”
Turning, I found Anders glowering at us. He’d pushed his way through the crowd. His eyes were still swollen and black, but his healing had taken care of his split lip. Eugenia stood a few paces behind him. The crowd, already subdued, went completely silent as they turned to watch us.
“We need to get everyone together,” I said. “We’re in danger, and all the alphas and their mates need to discuss how to?—”
“Shut the fuck up,” Anders snapped. “Even if there was going to be a meeting,youaren’t an alpha’s mate anymore, so you’re not welcome.”
“You may want to think about that again,” Levi said, stepping between us. “June ismymate, andI’ma pack alpha. She’ll go wherever I say she can go.”
“No she’s not.” Anders straightened, a self-satisfied smirk on his face. “I’m her alpha, and Iforbidher from taking anyone as her mate, especially some flea-bitten forest wolf with a fucking cavemen pack.”
“Excuse me?” I shouted, pushing forward again. “Youforbid me?”
“You heard what he said,” Eugenia snapped, her tone waspish and victorious. “He’s your alpha.” She stepped forward until she was nearly touching me, all her earlier shame gone. “Obey.”
