Page 23 of Exiled Mate

I look around. If I tell Terra to stay out here in front of the whole pack, then she’s going to be just as embarrassed as I was a few minutes ago.

I can’t do that to her.

“Terra. You have to stay out here,” I murmur.

“I don’t want to,” she says stubbornly.

“Terra, sweetheart,” Rhea’s voice drifts softly over my shoulder. She must have been in the crowd that’s gathering out front. She’s focused on Terra, and my heart aches to explain everything to her, but she just holds out her hand to her daughter. “Come with me.”

I turn to look at Terra’s mom and nod. She looks at me with curiosity but doesn’t say anything. She leads Terra away, and I turn.

I follow Thorne and the others inside.

Thorne settles into the leather chair in his office, and three enforcers file in behind me.

Zander, who is a halfway decent guy.

Evander, who hates me just as much as I hate him.

And Chet.

My skin prickles. I’m aware that Chet is standing right behind me. That makes me decidedly uneasy.

At this point, Thorne has to know that Terra and I are together. If he didn’t know two years ago, it’s clear now by our linked hands earlier.

Which also means he knows that I have something to lose.

Her.

“What do you need to tell me, Rylan James?”

Well, at least he remembers my name. I look him square in the eye. “Chet Sanders is taking money from the pack and using it to bet on illegal shifter fights.”

From behind me, Chet explodes. “He’s a fucking liar, Alpha,” he snarls, pushing past us to stand next to Thorne. “He lied about the money then, and he’s lying about it now.”

Thorne stares at me. “I thought you learned this lesson, James.”

“I said the same thing then, and I’ll say it again.”

“Alpha,” Chet sneers. “You have to know that I’d never do that. Just because my dad was into that, doesn’t mean that I am.”

“Do you have any proof?”

I stand very still. “I was there when he bragged to a bookie that he had unlimited resources from his pack.”

“Fucking liar.” Chet steps forward.

Thorne holds up a hand, and Evander grabs Chet’s shoulder. “How is it possible that you were there, James?”

Fuck. This is the part I didn’t want to talk about. It’s going to destroy my credibility. However, there’s no way to explain this without telling the truth.

“I was there because I was the one fighting. He bet against me and lost it all.”

“You son of a…”

“So you’re telling me that you’re confessing to fighting in an illegal fighting ring?”

I brace. “Yes.”

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