"We didn't feel in a place where we could follow or ask questions, so we came back here and tried to find out who he is, but we found nothing," Luke explained further. Ira nodded his understanding of the situation they were in.

“Show me the picture, perhaps I know him.” Ira suggested and Riall called up the picture and handed him his phone.

CHAPTER THREE

Ira made a call, and then he and Riall were taken to meet with Master DuCane. Ira simply told them he could not elaborate and that the Master would have to oversee the situation.

"He will see you now." Ira told them, and the fact that the meeting was arranged so quickly told them much about the status of their mate. They would have asked questions, but it was obvious that Ira was not going to elaborate beyond what he'd already shared, which was nothing.

“Will you tell us his name?” Luke ventured as they made their way back to Master DuCane’s office.

“His first name is Liam, but that is all I can say right now.” Ira was trying to be considerate within his limits. Luke could feel Riall's patience wearing thin, and he reached over and patted his upper arm.

"We'll get this straightened out, Riall." He told him. "They cannot prevent us from seeing our mate. It is against paranormal law." He said this loud enough for Ira to hear.

“No one will stand in your way.” Ira turned and stated clearly. “We only wish to handle this correctly.”

“You believe our mate will want to reject us.” Riall was blunt. Ira continued to stare at them but did not comment further until they reached the Master’s office.

"This is bullshit, Luke," Riall stated, his voice clipped in frustrated anger.

“Agreed.”

They entered the office and Master DuCane was there waiting. He obviously was not aware of the situation but had taken the meeting because Ira had asked for it. The awkwardness set in as everyone stood there waiting.

"The raven soldiers have identified their mate among our membership, sir," Ira stated. "They saw him across the dining hall and snapped a picture but were unsure of how to proceed."

Luke stepped forward and showed the picture to Master DuCane. The Master was casual and easy until he looked at the picture, and then he suddenly tensed up, and his brows pinched together. Luke and Riall looked at each other and then back at the two men. The weirdness was getting weirder.

"He is our mate." Riall snapped and stepped back, a move which Luke mirrored. If they denied them the chance to meet their mate, then they were prepared to start fucking things up.

“He is mate to both of you?” He asked for clarification.

"Yes," Riall answered without further explanation.

“I will have him brought here to meet you.” He said and although it was what both he and Riall wanted the way he said it made them uneasy. There was more to this than it seemed.

"The man you claim is your mate is my chef. Many refer to him as Chef Reid, and his skills in the kitchen are phenomenal. He is loved and respected by all." Luke felt pride and a little nervousness at the thought of coming face to face with their eternal mate. The Master studied them for a moment and then made a statement that did not surprise them, considering how they were feeling and the tension filling the room.

“If you try anything, it will go badly for you, and you will not succeed." He said the threat was clear, and his tone lethal.

"Maybe not, but we will fuck things up spectacularly before we're finished." Riall was not one to back down from a fight, no matter the odds. Master DuCane flashed a sinister smile and put in the call for Liam Reid to report to his office. He asked Luke and Riall to wait in an adjoining room while he explained the situation to their mate.

Riall was not on board with being isolated while the Master spoke with their mate, but ravens had abilities that few were aware of and which they planned to use in this moment. They possess hyper-acute hearing and being placed in a room so near the Master's office they could, with concentration, pick up the conversation. Ira left them there with instructions to wait. "The Master wishes to prepare Chef Reid." He said in a lame explanation and then left closing the door behind him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Riall was pacing the room.

“They’re preparing him to meet us, the raven brothers. I suppose we can take that however we wish.” Luke was snide with his retort.

"I'm taking it in the worst way possible," Riall informed.

“As it was meant to be, I’m sure.”

"He entered, and I can hear the Master addressing him." Riall brought their attention to the other room. The sound of his voice was stirring and calming all at the same time and the desire to go to him was all powerful.

"He sounds cultured and sophisticated," Riall commented.

"He sounds gorgeous," Luke added, and Riall readily agreed.