Page 12 of Mate Forsaken

“The Shadowhide Pack had a feud with the Pale Claw Pack,” Jericho replied. “About ten or twelve years ago.”

“Fifteen,” Miles interjected. “Lots of people died. Including my elder brother and Circe’s parents.”

“Shit,” Ledger muttered.

“Circe never told us that,” Jericho said with a sad shake of his head. “She only told us she was a lone wolf. Why didn’t she stay with the pack if she was your mate?”

“In order to bring the fighting to an end, it was agreed the alpha heir of the Shadowhide Pack would marry the daughter of the Pale Claw Pack.”

“And since your brother died…” Jericho trailed off, not needing to say the rest.

“You were willing to throw away your mate?” Ledger demanded.

“I did something worse,” Miles admitted. “I asked her to stay at my side even though I had to marry another woman.”

Both men tensed, fury darkening their faces.

“You were willing to turn your moon-fated mate into yourmistress?” Jericho practically roared, hands curling into fists.

Miles braced, ready to defend himself. “I was eighteen years old and had the weight of the pack thrown onto my shoulders. I was stupid and I panicked. She left the night of my engagement party.”

Ledger placed a hand on Jericho’s shoulder, and the alpha slowly relaxed. “Are you still mated to the other woman?”

He shook his head. “I never mated her. I went looking for Circe, and couldn’t find her.”

“How did you know she was here?” Ledger asked.

“I offered a reward for information. I got a call a few days ago that she was here in your pack.”

“Who was it?” Jericho demanded.

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”

Jericho shrugged Ledger’s hand off and took a step closer to Miles. “Why don’t I believe you?”

“All I came here for, was to take her home with me.”

“If Circe wants to remain here in Sheridan, then you will walk away.”

Miles shook his head. “No.”

“Look,” Jericho said with exasperation. “It’s been fifteen years—”

“I know,” Miles snapped. “Believe me. Iknow. But I need time to convince her. So, I ask if you would allow me to stay in Sheridan until I can convince her to return with me.”

Jericho turned to look at his beta, and a dialogue seemed to happen in a glance. When he turned back, Miles wasn’t sure what the alpha was going to say.

“I will grant you one week, and you will abide by what she wants. You are not to force her or manipulate her. Understand?”

His entire future narrowed down into seven days.

“Understood.”

Chapter Seven

The dismissal bell rang and her students practically leapt to their feet. They all waved bye to her and she waved as they all filed out of the classroom. As Circe started to clean up, putting crayons, pencils, and papers away, the night before last flashed through her mind. Truthfully, she hadn’t been all that surprised to see him. Some distant part of her had to have known it would only be a matter of time once she came back to the shifter world.

He looked exactly the same, so beautiful he almost hurt her eyes. He still made the butterflies swarm though her body and fire burn through her blood. Damn him.

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