Page 21 of The Renegade Mate

“Yeah,” he finally said, his voice heavy with something unspoken. “That's something we're going to have to work on. But it doesn't mean it wasn’t extraordinary.”

I looked at him, and for a brief moment, I felt the pulse of love that throbbed through our bond. I knew we had our differences, knew we hadn’t agreed on our roles or about what kind of Alpha pair we should be, but in that moment, I caught a flash of how it could be. If we’d just get out of our own ways and let the bond guide us.

“Tucker was brave,” I said, my voice muted. The memory of his little body, all cut up from the bear attack, yet still standing between us and Ivan and Danni, yelling at us to stop fighting, brought a smile to my face.

Ryan’s eyes sparkled with agreement. “He didn’t hesitate for a second. He’s a little warrior.”

My thoughts swirled from Tucker’s bravery to the complex tightrope of trust and acceptance that our being here demanded. Ryan must have sensed my turmoil because he reached out and held my hand in his.

“We’ll find our way through this, Mai,” he said.

We were in a tough situation, facing challenges that seemed insurmountable, but Ryan’s belief in us, in our ability to lead and protect … it made me feel like maybe, just maybe, it was possible.

I squeezed his hand as the afternoon sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the Alpha House.

Half an hour later, and there was still no news. Ryan and Sam were talking in low whispers on the edge of the veranda. Mason was staring out at the view, a grim look on his face.

I had to get him out of whatever place he was in his head.

“Hey,” I said, nudging his knee with mine. “You okay?”

Mason blinked, focusing on me. “Yeah, I’m good. Just taking it all in, you know?”

I nodded, though something told me there was more going on beneath the surface.

“So …” I began, leaning back against the chair. “Shya seems nice.”

Mason’s eyes darted to mine, his expression snapping into neutral. “Sure,” he said, his voice strained. “I guess.”

I bit back a smile. Clearly, I had hit a nerve. Time to poke it a little more. “She’s Michael’s daughter, though. That could be … complicated.”

Mason crossed his arms, his jaw tightening almost imperceptibly. “It’s not complicated. She’s the Alpha’s daughter, nothing more.”

“Doesn’t seem that way to me,” I pressed. “I see how you look at her.”

Mason sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It doesn’t matter how I look at her. She’s off limits, end of story.”

“Because she’s Michael’s daughter?”

“Partly, yes,” Mason admitted. “But also because nothing can happen. We’re guests here until we figure things out back home. Getting involved with someone, especially Michael’s daughter, would be a bad idea.”

He wasn’t wrong—our situation here was temporary at best, and it was a bad fucking idea to rock the boat. We needed the Bridgetown Pack right now. They were open to offering us sanctuary, but the rift between our Packs went back decades. I wasn’t convinced they’d be so open to one of us being involved with their equivalent of a Pack princess. Still, I’d seen the way Mason looked at her. If Shya was really Mason’s mate, I knew first-hand the damage running from that bond could cause.

“What if she’s your mate?” I asked, point blank.

Mason froze, his eyes widening fractionally. “She’s not.”

“But what if—”

“No,” he cut me off sharply. “Don’t even go there.”

I held up my hands in surrender. “Hey, just looking out for you. Can’t have our best fighter distracted, right?”

The corner of Mason’s mouth quirked up in a reluctant half-smile. “Nice try. I know you’re playing matchmaker.”

“Maybe.” I laughed. “But seriously, Mason. Promise me you won’t shut this down just because it seems complicated. If she’s really your mate, the bond won’t let you ignore it forever. That never ends well.”

Mason’s expression turned thoughtful. “It’s just attraction. Really, really strong attraction.” He shook his head. “It’s too risky to pursue anything here and now. Like I said, she’s off limits.”

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