chapter Six

White Wolf

Chayton

Two days later, I find myself in the woods watching the old Miller house. I told myself the first time I came back, it was to make sure she didn’t go to the authorities. I don’t totally trust the human. However, that theory was tossed out the window on the first day when she didn’t rat us out.

Now, I have no idea why the hell I’m back watching her house. I haven’t told Enzo or the others about Miko transforming for Elizabeth. Hell, they don’t even know I’m here staking out her house like a damn lunatic.

As much as I want to leave, I can’t. Watching her climb into the white sedan with the clean faced man she called Dr. David, doesn’t sit well with my wolf. He wanted me to march over there the moment the man pulled up and rip his throat out. Obviously, I refused. He then wanted me to follow them. Again, I refused. However, I’m still standing here waiting for her to get back.

I let out a deep breath, running my hands through my hair.

“What the hell are you doing, Chayton?” I mumble to myself.

Just as the words are out of my mouth, the white sedan pulls back up.

My wolf, who has been angrily ignoring me for the last hour and a half, stirs inside me.

“Kill him,” he growls.

“Will you relax? I’m not attacking an innocent man.”

My wolf harrumphs in my head.

“Thank you for a nice dinner, David,” Elizabeth says as she walks toward her front door. The clean faced man follows her up the steps.

“No problem. I had a great time. Besides, I know you needed cheering up after setting your little friend free.”

I pay close attention to her, waiting to see if she will say anything about Miko to this man. I’d hate to do it, but I would kill her before I allow her to incriminate my son.

However, what I don’t expect to find is the look of sadness on her face. She flinched when he mentioned Miko, and her gaze went to her empty hands. She misses him. That’s peculiar.

“Yeah,” her voice sounds hollow. “I just hope he’s alright.”

The man steps closer to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. My wolf growls, his anger so strong it causes me to take a step forward.

“Down,” I warn him.

“He’s a wild animal. They deserve to run free.” The man says. She only nods her head in reply.

“Tell you what, I’ll be back in a week. Maybe we can meet up again? It will help you take your mind off things.”

Part of me hopes that she tells him no. I don’t know why, but I don’t like this doctor. Something about him irritates my sensitive palate.

“That would be nice,” she replies. My wolf whimpers inside me.

“Until then.” The doctor turns and walks back to his car. He climbs in and before long, he’s driving away. The asshole doesn’t even make sure she gets in the house safely.

When I turn my attention back to Elizabeth, she’s looking directly at me. I freeze. I’m too far away for her to see me, not with her human eyes. However, if I didn’t know better, I’d think she sensed me near.

I keep my eyes glued on her. I can’t deny how gorgeous she is no matter how hard I try to ignore it. I have to brace myself against a tree to keep from going to her. It’s as if she has cast me under a spell. Eventually, she shivers as if a breeze runs over her body, then turns and walks into the house. The moment I know she is safely inside, I leave. I put as much distance as I can between us.

I make it back to my pack in forty-five minutes. A lot longer than it would have taken had I shifted. However, I still don’t trust my wolf around her.

As soon as I step foot into the main area, Enzo is waiting for me.

“We have a problem,” he says, stopping in front of me.

“Fuck, I don’t have energy for any more problems.”

“Well, you need to find the energy. The council is here. It seems your conniving cousin couldn’t wait to report his scouts’ death. Almost like he planned it.”

If the council is here five days after their deaths, it means Vilkas reported it immediately after it happened.

My wolf who is already agitated growls. “I was justified in my actions.”

“We know that. We only have to prove it to the council.”

“Damn it, this isn’t the time for this.” I rake my shaky hands through my hair. My mind isn’t as clear as it should be, not with that woman still stalking around my thoughts as if she owns them.

Enzo rocks back on his feet, folding his arms across his chest. “Are you going to tell me?”

“Tell you what?” I query.

“Where you’ve been the last two days and why your wolf is so agitated.”

I shake my head. Being an Alpha means my wolf also rules my pack’s wolves, and if he is feeling an emotion strong enough, anyone under me will feel it too.

“That fucking woman,” I hiss. My wolf growls at my disrespect.

Enzo’s brows nearly reach his hairline. “You mean, the leggy beauty that had Miko.”

Without my control, my wolf growls and pushes forth. He isn’t happy with the way Enzo speaks of her. The sudden intake of Enzo’s breath lets me know my eyes must have changed. I regain control and force my wolf back down.

“Heel,” I demand of him.

I place my attention back on Enzo. “Yeah, that she-devil,” I spit out the words.

Enzo only watches me, not saying anything. After a moment, he seems to get the reading he desires. “I’m guessing there’s a good story behind this.”

I pass my hands through my hair. “The day I went to get Miko, she gave me all kinds of hell. Even tells me how I’m not doing a good job in raising my son. Where does she get off telling me how I should raise my wolf pup? What does she know? She doesn’t even have enough sense not to run around town with some bare faced doctor that doesn’t even make sure she gets in the house good before driving off.” My last words are punctuated with my fist hitting the palm of my hand.

Enzo holds up a hand to stop me. “I’m going to ignore the fact that you’ve just admitted to stalking this woman. However, can you please explain to me how she knows Miko is your son?”

I let out a long sigh. “Miko changed in front of her.”

My second in command’s jaw nearly unhinges it drops so low. “Why the hell are you just now telling me this?” he asks. “This is great news. So, you saw him?”

I feel like an ass having to explain to him my son would rather show himself to a complete stranger than to his own father.

“Not stranger. Mine,” my wolf grumbles, but I ignore him.

“No. Apparently, he changed back when I arrived.” Silence surrounds us as we both dwell on that information. Enzo is as close to Miko as I am and yet Miko has never shown him his true form either.

“Well, we need to keep this tidbit of information from the council,” Enzo says. “They will not be happy he changed in front of a human. Can you assure this woman won’t go around telling people?”

Obviously, that was my first concern. Hell, it’s why I started watching her. However, seeing her today and watching the way she reacted to the mention of Miko, I can answer him without a doubt. I strongly believe she will keep this secret. Not for me, but for Miko. It seems my wolf agrees.

“I think we’re safe.”

He rubs at his chin. “You may want to speak with her again, make sure she understands the repercussions of telling. They wouldn’t only kill Miko, but her as well.”

The single thought of seeing Elizabeth again has my mind and body torn in two different directions. Mentally, I’d rather run into traffic in my wolf form than speak to her, but my body is humming with the idea of getting one more whiff of her amazing smell.

“I’ll think about it,” I say in answer to Enzo. “Let’s go deal with this council mess.” I turn and walk away.

“Yeah, the faster we deal with them, the faster we can get that Springhill scum off our land.”

Immediately stopping in my tracks, I spin on my heels to face him. “Springhill is here?”

Enzo pats my back and shakes his head. “Trust me, your shitty mood hasn’t even reached its peak of shittiness yet.”

Seven minutes later, I’m in our meeting hall. The room is set up like most meeting venues. Seating is arranged in rows dividing the room in two sections. A wide aisle separates the two seating sections for members to walk down and be heard. Raised on a slight dais is a long table where I usually sit to discuss pack business. Instead of me behind the table, three members of the seven-member council are here, Duradel, Keir, and of course, Gawain. My pack has already made them feel at home and shown them hospitality.

Five other people who are also attending this meeting have me seeing red. I expected Vilkas and even his three scouts, but the woman at his side completely disarms me.

Looking as beautiful as the first day I saw her, is my true mate. Her golden skin is flawless and radiant. Her hazel eyes are bright and shaded by long dark lashes.

A small nose fits her delicate features well. Thick hair that I loved being curly, has been straightened and hangs to her mid back. The man in me wants to run to her, scoop her up and make love to her the way I used to. Never have I seen such a beautiful woman.

Until two days ago.

The thought comes unbridled, racing through my mind like a bull in a china shop. It then takes my mind to a place I wish it wouldn’t. An image of both women is pulled up and I’m forced to compare them.

Where Kamyra is short and lean, Elizabeth is tall and statuesque. They both have darker skin than mine, but Kamyra’s is only a few shades darker than my tan. However, Elizbeth’s looks as if she was molded from the earth’s clay.

Although Kamyra’s eyes are a stunning hazel color which have more greens than gold, Elizabeth’s dark brown eyes seem to stand out to me more. They are both gorgeous women, and although my heart belongs to Kamyra it is Elizabeth who seems to draw my attention the most.

“We’re here today to discuss the death of three of Springhill’s members at the hands of Alpha Chayton,” Gawain says successfully, drawing my attention away from my true mate and to the front of the room where he is seated.

“We also need to discuss my stolen members,” Vilkas argues. He and Kamyra are seated in the row of chairs to the left of the council. His scouts stand guard behind him.

I take my seat on the opposite side of the room. Enzo stands behind my chair. “How can something be stolen if it came to me freely?” I reply.

Vilkas’ blue eyes narrow before a sneer lifts his lips. “I guess you’re right about that. If something comes freely it’s yours to keep.” He turns to Kamyra and entwines his fingers in hers before lifting her hand to his lips. “Have you met my new mate? She is Luna of the Springhill pack. A title befitting her beauty, don’t you think?”

His words hit their mark and I’m forced to close my eyes to fight down the dull ache. When I open my eyes again, Kamyra gazes back at me, and for a brief moment I can see the longing shining behind those hazel irises. She mouths the words “I’m sorry.” Before ducking her head.

I have no doubt, Vilkas found some way to sucker her into being his mate. Probably threatened to toss her out or made it seem she had no other option. Just the thought of the conniving he must have done pisses me off.

“We will only discuss the matter of the fallen pack members, nothing more.” Gawain again garners my attention.

“Let’s discuss how Omega Chayton hunted my pack members down and killed them in cold blood,” Vilkas shoots to his feet and says as if he is commanding this meeting.

“You’re on Dark Wood pack grounds,” Enzo says gruffly. “You will mention my Alpha with the title he deserves, or you will not mention him at all.” The tension in the room thickens as Vilkas’ scouts stand taller.

They’re out for blood after what I did to their members, but they don’t want to go toe to toe with my Beta. Springhill is notorious for not giving wolves the title or position they deserve.

Enzo is a great friend and he’s helped me run my business successfully for years. However, he’s a more talented fighter and should have been a scout leader. Vilkas knew he would never be able to get my Beta to follow his orders blindly like the others, so he made him one of my employees as punishment.

“Silence,” Gawain says. “Alpha Vilkas you aren’t in control here. You will follow protocol and give Alpha Chayton his title.”

Vilkas turns his chin up and sinks down in his seat like a little bitch.

“We will start these proceedings as soon as my enforcer gets back with his investigation findings.”

I don’t have to look at Enzo, but his tension immediately crackles through our bond after Gawain mentions the Enforcer.

“Did Miko leave any tracks leading back to the leggy beauty?” Enzo asks inside my head. I glance over my shoulder to him. His outward demeanor doesn’t change despite his concern.

“I have no idea.”

“The Enforcer can track a single drop of his blood even if it’s a few days old and despite the rain. If Miko left any blood on his way to her house, the enforcer will find her.”

Opening up my connection, I search for my son. Miko doesn’t like communicating this way, but he’s going to have to get over it today.

“Miko,” I call out to him when I connect with his wolf. He’s still pouting about having to leave her. He’s been avoiding me for the two days. “Elizabeth may be in danger. I need to know if you left any traces of your blood leading to her house?”

His tentative connection reaches out to mine. This will be the first time I will hear the sound of his voice.

“I don’t know. Will they hurt her?” If I were a weaker man, the sound of my son’s little voice would have broken me down. How I’ve longed to hear it in my head and in person. Yet, now is not a good time.

“I’m not sure. Stay close by, but out of sight for now.”

I went against my pack for my son. Despite what Elizabeth thinks, I’ll forever have his back against any enemy. However, if the council finds out about Miko changing in front of a human, we may both have to die today.

I sense him before he walks through the door. There are few legends in our world, but none as well known as the enforcer or the white wolf. His father a vampire and his mother a shifter. A very rare combination.

He’s the mix of them both, the cold eyes of the vampires and the height and build of a shifter. Rumor is, no one who has had the disadvantage of going up against him has ever lived to tell about it.

The white wolf walks into the meeting hall ducking down in order to get his six eight frame through the door. His silvery white hair is in some sort of knot at the top of his head. His wolf markings cover his arms, but where ours are more symbols and shapes with dark areas, his are dark thick lines with sharp edges.

“You do realize we may have to kick his ass today, right?” Enzo says in my head.

“Yes. I’m not looking forward to it though.”

“Welcome back, Alarick,” Gawain says. “I’m assuming your investigation is complete.”

Silver unyielding eyes cut to me and for a split second, I think the enforcer is trying to convey something to me. I have no idea what it is. The spell is broken when he looks away from me and back to the councilmen.

A lift of his brow is the only form of answer he gives. Another one of those rumors about the white wolf is he isn’t very smart, and he follows the council blindly.

“Then let us start,” Gawain demands.

I breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe there’s no evidence. It would make sense as to why he came back alone. However, those dreams are dashed when her scent slams into me like a tidal wave. Even coated in terror, her honey suckle fragrance has my wolf sitting up at attention.

He growls inside me when a terrified Elizabeth enters the meeting hall. She’s escorted in by another enforcer. This one is nowhere near as recognizable as the white wolf.

Brown eyes find mine the minute she enters. She is terrified and I have to fight to control my wolf. When Elizabeth tugs against the tight grip of the Enforcer and he jerks her back toward him nearly knocking her over. I shoot to my feet and my wolf lets out a deadly growl so loud inside me I start to transform. I quickly wrangle the control back from him and stay in human form.

Any wolf lesser than an Alpha can sense my anger. They all turn to me, including Vilkas.

“Now isn’t the time to lose control,” Enzo speaks inside my head.

I have to give the human credit. I can tell she’s scared; the scent of her fear permeates the air. However, she isn’t screaming or crying.

The white wolf’s next actions completely confound me. He grabs the enforcer by the throat and lifts him off the ground.

“Take care of how you handle a female,” He snarls at the male.

“My apologies,” The other enforcer chokes out.

The white wolf releases him and the man falls to the floor before hurrying to his feet.

“Does the claims Alpha Vilkas make hold true?” Duradel asks, ignoring the recent exchange between the two enforcers.

“They don’t. The cub was attacked and left for dead. The Dark Wood Alpha was justified in his actions.” The white wolf looks to me and for a second, I think I see respect looking back at me before he turns away.

I turn to Vilkas, even though I know he won’t object. I get a slight since of pride seeing him wallow in defeat.

“Who have you brought us?” Gawain asks.

I don’t like the way he looks at Elizabeth.

I take a step toward her. She isn’t my favorite person at the moment, but my instincts force me to protect her. Enzo grabs my arm, holding me in place. He’s right, it’s stupid to make any advances toward the human. We don’t know what all they have discovered yet.

“A human,” the white wolf replies. “One who knows our secret.”

A few gasps go around the room. Maybe I was mistaken when I thought she wouldn’t betray us.

“I told you already, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I found a wounded wolf and turned it over to its owner,” Elizabeth argues.

“Not betray,” my wolf gloats smugly in my head.

Okay, maybe she didn’t, but how does he know?

Gawain stands. “Do you know what the penalty is for lying to a council member’s face, human?” I watch as those brown eyes widen, and her fear soaks the room even more.

She shakes her head.

“The penalty is death. Now I will ask you again, do you know anything about the wolf you saved?”

Many emotions appear and disappear on her face. I can’t keep up with them. This is the first and only time I wish she was my mate, because I’d plead for her to hear me. I want to warn her no matter what she says at this point, it will be a death penalty. She may as well keep to her lie.

“She knows.”

I turn to Enzo, my eyes nearly bulging out of my head at his outburst.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Even my wolf snarls at him.

Enzo ignores me, only shaking his head slightly.

“The woman knows of the wolf pup’s true form,” he goes on to say.

The councilmen start to murmur and words like death and law start to float amongst them. Before I can step in and possibly kill my oldest friend, he continues to speak.

“She knows, because she’s Alpha Chayton’s mate.”

This time I spin on my heels to face him. Clearly, he’s gone mad. Enzo keeps his attention on the council.

“Impossible,” someone screeches.

“A human?” Vilkas scoffs.

The last voice I hear has my attention settling on someone else other than my Beta.

“He cannot have another mate. I’m his one and only true mate,” Kamyra’s soft voice stands out over the others.

I’d do anything to erase the pain and hurt in her eyes. The five years I’ve been away from her have been hell. That constant dull ache and the feeling of something missing stays with me at all times. By her breaking the mate bond, I took the brunt force of the consequences—I didn’t want her to hurt at all.

The thought crosses my mind to declare to her she’s right, she will always and forever be my one and only true mate. However, like before, I have to consider my son. I turn away from Kamyra’s distraught face.

“The human is my… mate.” The word fights to come out.

“Mate,” my wolf preens happily.

“Don’t get happy, this is only to save Miko’s life.”

I know why Enzo claimed her as mine. Only if she is mated to me, can she be allowed to know our secret without repercussions.

Vilkas storms over to Elizabeth. Without thought I step in his way cutting him off before he can get too close. He stops in his tracks and looks on both sides of me, Enzo is on one side. The white wolf is standing slightly behind me on my other side.

Vilkas takes a cautious step back before sniffing the air. “I don’t smell your scent on her.” He seems to take pleasure in pointing this out, before walking back to Kamyra’s side.

“That’s true,” Gawain says. “She doesn’t have your mating mark or smell of your wolf.”

They have us there. If she was truly my mate, we would have already started the mating process and I would have marked her. We wolves are territorial when it comes to our significant others.

“The woman is human,” Enzo thinks quickly on his feet. “She has her own human customs that our Alpha is trying to respect.”

“What customs are these?” Keir asks Elizabeth. Always searching for opportunities to learn about different species, I knew he’d ask this question.

Turning to her, I watch as she seems startled by the direct question. She clearly has no idea what the hell is going on.

“Marriage?” Elizabeth says and I think I’m the only one who picks up on the fact it’s a question and not an answer.

I feel sorry for the poor woman. All she did was stop and help an injured wolf. She had no idea what she was getting herself caught up in. Unfortunately for her, I’m unable to get her out of this unscathed.

“And how long does this human custom take?” Gawain queries.

Elizabeth looks to me as if I have an answer for her. I don’t know enough about the ritual to offer any help.

“Anywhere from six months to a year,” she says turning back to the council. Murmurs go around the room. The councilmen start to speak amongst themselves.

“You better hope this works,” I say to Enzo.

Without turning to look at me, he replies, “As far as mates go, you could do a whole lot worse than the beauty standing before you. You better be thanking me.”

Before I can reply back to him, Gawain holds up his hand and silence again fills the room.

“I do not believe you,” he says.

“Sir, I can—” I try to speak.

“Silence,” he snaps cutting me off.

I have to grit my teeth to keep silent. After claiming my birthright as Alpha, it’s hard for me to take orders from others. No matter who they are.

“Nothing you say will make me believe you. However, lucky for you I have my own way of finding the truth.” He turns his attention to the entrance of the meeting hall. “Bring in the witch.”

The doors open and a hooded figure steps through. Even covered from head to toe in the long red wool cloak, there’s no mistaking the figure before me is a witch. The power radiates off her and the smell of roses is immensely strong. I don’t even know how I didn’t pick it up from outside the meeting hall.

The witch pulls back her hood and the room gasps. This time it had nothing to do with me.

Our world is made of balance. Shifters, humans, witches, vampires, and the near extinct fairies coexist because we all keep to ourselves. It is better that way. Rarely do you see the species intermix; on rare occasions you may find a mated pair. Yet, never has a witch willfully been employed by any of the other species and vice versa. Witches are the most secretive and skittish of the supernatural beings. Picking up on the energy radiating off this witch, I don’t think she’s here on her own accord.

“Come, Ashara,” Gawain beckons, holding a hand out toward the witch. The smile on his face is like he’s summoning a lover to him.

Her eyes cut to the white wolf. In the brief glance, I witness something way deeper than familiarity. I would even go out on a limb and say there is something between the two. A very subtle tilt of the white wolf’s head causes her to walk to the councilmen. I wonder did anyone else notice the exchange.

Ashara, glides across the floor with the elegance only a witch carries. She has the dark skin of most witches, the brown tones of the earth. Her head is shaved nearly bald, only short hairs remain.

Her hands, I spotted when she removed her hood, are decorated in the markings of her ancestry. Where wolves carry their markings on their arms and neck, witches carry their markings on their hands. Vampires tend to carry theirs on their chest. All the markings are distinct, telling others of your lineage and power.

Ashara stops in front of Gawain and bows her head, the gleam in his eyes when he looks at her ruffles my wolf. Something about it doesn’t sit well with him, I cannot say I disagree.

“This Alpha claims he’s to be mated to this human, I need you to tell me if he speaks the truth.”

Ashara lifts her head. “You ask me to use my power for something you could simply use your nose for?”

By the way Gawain’s brows come together, I can tell he doesn’t like her response. The councilman lifts the gold medallion hanging around his neck. I’d never seen anything like it before. Wolves have little use for such talisman. However, by the way the witch flinches, I’m assuming it has some relevance to her.

“I don’t care if I ask you to cut my dinner before I take every bite, you will do as I tell you.”

“Magic does not work that way,” the witch says lowly. Not quiet enough to go unheard in a room full of shifters. “I have used my magic three times for you today already, I need a break.”

The last word is cut short when Gawain’s hand goes across the witch’s face knocking her to the ground. A pulse of angry electricity goes through the room. Some of it coming from my wolf, at the sight of seeing a woman of any species poorly treated.

I scent Enzo’s anger as well, the other distinct trace comes from the one and only white wolf. When I glance to him, I catch him looking at me. Those daunting silver eyes studying me before turning away.

“You will do as I say, or do I have to remind you who is in control here?” the councilman says to the witch.

She shakes her head as she slowly stands. The white wolf takes a step toward her, but his action gets cut off by Gawain.

“Remain where you are, Alarick.” The threat is pungent in his words.

That crackling of electricity floats through the room again. Only the clenching of the white wolf’s jaw signifies his irritation.

Ashara slowly walks toward me. She stops right in front of me. Her beauty is astounding from this close up. She has a wide nose that narrows at the tip and full lips that resemble Elizabeth’s but are still slightly smaller. Her wide set eyes are a lighter brown than Elizabeth’s dark chocolate irises. She is pretty.

“Not like mate,” my wolf argues.

I reluctantly have to agree with him. The witch is gorgeous, but not like Elizabeth. Turning to look at the deviant who has caused all this ruckus, I find her watching me.

She’s still afraid, but when our gazes connect, she seems to relax only a little. I get a feeling in my chest, one I’ve only had with my son. A feeling as if I should protect this woman with my life. I shake my head of the wayward thought.

“Why do you deny her?” the foreign voice in my head has me a little shaken, until I notice it’s coming from the witch. The connection is different from the one I have with my pack. It isn’t as smooth. It sounds more like she’s talking to me from a long distance with an echo rather than right in front of me as it is with my pack.

“I do not deny her,” I answer quickly.

Ashara smiles. “You like her though,” she says this as if she’s speaking out loud to herself and not as a question. “Oh, but now I see why. Your heart belongs to another.” She turns to look at Kamyra and when she turns back to me her brow is pinched. As if she is in deep thought.

“Interesting,” is all she says.

She then leaves me and walks toward Elizabeth.

“What did she say?” Enzo asks immediately after she’s put enough distance between us.

“How do you know she said anything?”

“Because while she was speaking to you, I couldn’t,” he replies.

I don’t think I will ever understand how witches’ powers works.

“She asks why do I deny the human?”

“Hmm, interesting,” he replies.

Why do they keep saying that?

Ashara turns to the councilmen. “What they say is true. They are to be mates.” Her brown eyes cut to me, and she whispers in my head. “Heed my warning, Alpha. Trust your most basic instinct. It will not lead you astray.”

The connection between the two of us drops instantly and a bit of a chill run down my spine.

Ashara takes her place at the side of the white wolf. They glance at each other momentarily before turning away. There’s a story there, one I bet is very interesting.

“It has been decided,” Gawain says. “No charges will be brought upon the human or the pup for exposing himself. The two of you will have one week to fulfill this human ritual and mate by way of shifter law.”

“A week?” Elizabeth says a little too loudly.

I step forward when the councilman turns his gaze to her.

“A week is plenty of time,” I offer quickly.

He looks back to me. “Alarick will return at the end of the week to confirm your bond has been submitted.”

I don’t care for anymore run ins with the white wolf, but this I will have to allow.

“I don’t trust them,” Vilkas whines. “Who’s to say they aren’t pretending only to protect the pup. He could forge a temporary mate bond, only to break it once the enforcer leaves. It’s not like he hasn’t broken a mating bond before.”

Vilkas cuts his eyes over to me and I have to stop myself from ripping his fucking head off. He knows damn well why I broke that mating bond.

“You may have a point, Alpha Vilkas.” Gawain rubs at his chin.

“With all due respect councilman,” I say. “I was given no choice but to break my first mating bond. I can assure you I am in no rush to break another.”

That is the truth. Although I have no desire to form a new bond with the human, I also have no plans of getting out of it.

“Be that as it may, I still want to be sure. In a few months, you two will be summoned to visit the council to assure us you’re still happily bonded. I will continue to summon you until the council is satisfied in the ruling.”

I don’t miss the gleeful smile on his face or the way he watches Elizabeth as he speaks. Gawain has an ulterior motive. I know this, yet I can’t deny his request without looking suspicious. My hands are tied.

“As you wish,” I regretfully reply.