“Good heavens!” Mary said, touched. “I would be honored, but I would want to make sure it’s a name that you and your husband both like.” She glanced around furtively. “Speaking of your baby… I was wondering about a certain tradition, in which the baby is taken from you immediately after birth and given to the Mage for an hour. Are you okay with that?”
“Well…” The expression on Briony’s face was all the answer Mary needed. Of course she wasn’t okay with it.
“Or would you prefer the baby stayed with you?”
“You mean I could do that?” The woman’s eyes lit up. “I’m not from this pack, so that tradition is new to me. I was quite surprised when I heard about it. So…I’m allowed to keep the baby with me right after he’s born?”
Petra hurried up to them, along with a female security guard who was dragging a smug-looking Regina by the arm. “But I’m sure you wouldn’t want to,” Petra said, pursing her lips and giving the woman a severe look. “Since the blessing always ensures a strong, healthy, baby with a long and blessed life. You wouldn’t want to risk the health of your baby for purely selfish reasons.”
Briony’s face fell, and she glanced at Mary uncertainly.
“Healthy cubs are born all over the world without this Mage nonsense. This is the only pack that does it,” Mary said to Petra. “And the tradition only started when your brother took over as Alpha Pro Tem.”
“Really? I didn’t know that,” Briony said, starting to look more determined. “I was told this was the way it had always been done. I would like to keep my cub with me.”
“So what you’re saying is that you want to risk your cub’s health and his future rather than follow pack tradition?” Petra moved close to her, her eyes glinting fiercely.
“Excuse me, I’d like to talk to her alone for a minute, without you intimidating her,” Mary said.
“That won’t be possible. You and your friend have caused enough trouble, and you’ve upset this woman enough. You’ll have to leave now,” Petra said, grabbing Mary’s arm.
“She didn’t upset me,” Briony protested.
Mary yanked her arm away, but a large orderly bustled up to them and she and Regina were hurried outside the hospital in no time.
Jarrod was standing by the car, talking on his cell phone. It was obvious from the look on his face that he didn’t like what he was hearing. He hung up as Mary and Regina approached.
“Who’s that?” Mary asked.
“My uncle.”
“I’m surprised this is the first you’ve heard from him,” Mary said as they all climbed into the limo.
“Oh, it isn’t. He’s been trying to call me to complain ever since the bridenapping. I’ve just ignored him.” Jarrod shrugged. “He’s calling an emergency meeting of the council right now. I’m going to drop you off at the house and then go deal with it.”
“When you come back,” Mary said firmly, “We need to talk.”
