Page 19 of Lost Mate

“I’m not a fucking traitor. I may not be able to remember anything, but I know it in here.” Dylan placed a hand over his heart.

“I know that.”

Dylan sneered. “You just said you want to rape my mind to find out.”

Ross stared at him, horrified. “No, baby, no.” He reached out a hand, but Dylan folded his arms across his chest, his expression bleak.

“You’re going to enter my mind without my consent. What would you call it?”

“No. I’m not.”

For the first time Ross saw confusion in Dylan’s expression.

“What?”

“I said I’m not. I told them I wouldn’t do it.”

Dylan slumped and Ross rushed to hold him up. To his relief, his lover stayed in his arms, leaning against him.

“But you just said…”

“I told you what they wanted me to do and why. You didn’t give me a chance to tell you the rest of the conversation.”

Dylan stepped away from him and Ross let his arms drop, even though all he wanted was to hold onto his mate.

“Next time lead with that, you bastard.”

“I’m sorry.” Ross was an idiot. He’d been so busy trying to tell Dylan about the conversation he hadn’t thought it through. He took a deep breath. “I told Eli and Niles where to shove their idea. Then I called in Owen, plus Milo turned up too. And Owen and Milo lost their fucking minds at Eli and Niles. I’m surprised you didn’t hear the yelling.”

“I guess I was lost in thought. What did Owen and Milo say?”

Ross grimaced. “More or less the same as you did with added curse words, most of which were in wolven. Milo said he’d arrest anyone who did that to you, and he’d throw away the key. Owen swore that he would leave the pack if anyone ever tried that dangerously stupid idea.”

Dylan grinned, just for a second. “They said that?”

“Yeah. I’m paraphrasing Owen’s language.” Ross ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what half the cuss words mean, and I’ve worked with Vets all my working life. Then Owen explained in excruciating detail how other shifters would react if they heard about humans doing that to their kin.” Ross shuddered, remembering the explanation.

“How did Eli and Niles take it?” Dylan asked.

“Quite well.”

Dylan burst out laughing at Ross’s dry tone. “So they behaved as normal. Niles threw his arms up and Eli scowled?”

Ross snorted, then Dylan’s words struck him, and he tilted his head. “You remember how they act?” He phrased it carefully, not wanting to make an accusation but Dylan furrowed his brow.

“No, it just came out like that.” He squinted at Ross. “That is what they do all the time, isn’t it?”

“Yep, that’s exactly what they do. Niles nearly knocked out Eli as he swung his arm and Eli’s face is gonna stay like the grump he is if the wind changes. Eli’s a good man but he’s out of his depth trying to understand being part of a pack, not being in charge, and dealing with an international cartel of hunters trying to wipe us out at the same time. None of that is in his wheelhouse.”

Dylan sighed. “I need to remember that when I’m yelling at him.”

Ross shook his head and pulled Dylan toward him. “You’re my mate. That’s all that matters. I’ll stand between you and Eli.”

Dylan gave him a sweet smile. “But Eli is right. If this were anyone else, I’d insist we find out what happened before I trusted them with my pack.”

“Do you think the shifter doctor can help?”

“Maybe. But why don’t we try it the old-fashioned way?”

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