Page 43 of Clash of Kings

“Your head has been filled with lies.”

“Ask Sloane who kicked his ass through a window. Ask him who put his claws around a female’s neck and threatened her. If that’s the type of wolves you want to bare your neck to, be my guest. I’d rather be considered a traitor than to align myself with bastards who would threaten a female.”

“Since you won’t tell me where you are, well, consider yourself warned.”

“I knew talking to you would be pointless, but I had to try. I know you won’t tell Mom I’m okay because you never wanted us to be happy. But if you care about your mate at all, at least give her that.” Dakota disconnected, threw the phone across the room, and collapsed against Sebastian’s chest.

Bas held her tightly. “I’m sorry,Cucciolina,but now I know what I have to do.”

Dakota turned her head so her face was against Sebastian’s neck. “Yeah? What’s that?”

Sebastian took a deep breath. “I have to confront King.”

Chapter 18

Sebastian waited forDakota to argue, but she didn’t. Instead, she snuggled deeper into his embrace. He reached out to check her mood and found contentment mixed with anger. Maybe that was his own ire coming through the bond because Bas wanted to head to Panther and rip Arthur Young a new one. How dare he call Dakota a traitor? Accuse her of turning her back on the pack? And what was the deal with Dakota being the one to save their pack? Save them from what?

“Cucciolina,what did Arthur mean about you saving the pack?”

“Fuck if I know, unless Tony was onto something with two alphas creating more alphas.” Dakota scooted down and crossed her arms over Bas’s chest, resting her chin there. Her dark eyes held a fire he’d only seen once, and that was right after he saved her from her brother. “And even if that’s the case, if the pack is in some kind of trouble, adding alpha pups isn’t going to make the pack stronger until those kids are grown. None of this makes sense.”

“I agree. What do you think about what I said? About confronting King?”

“I think before you do that, maybe talk to Alpha Millard and see if he’s making headway with other packs. Right now, it’s his word against King’s, but Knox is older and probably better respected. Getting other Alphas onboard with the council is your ultimate goal, right?” Bas nodded, palming Dakota’s head. “If you confront King now and word gets out you defeated him, I believe that’ll make others hesitant about talking to you. If we weren’t worried about humans, we could televise the meeting. Have you speak to him beforehand, explaining where the first meeting went awry and that you weren’t challenging him but asking him to take a step back.”

Bas pulled Dakota up his chest and kissed her soundly. “You’re brilliant.”

“I am? I mean, yeah. I’m a genius,” Dakota joked, her mouth tilting at one side. Bas poked her ribs to turn the almost grin into a full-blown smile. It worked. Too well. Dakota giggled while wiggling off the bed, landing with a thud. “I gotta pee. Hang on.”

Sebastian relaxed against the pillow. Behind the closed bathroom door, Dakota muttered, “I’m gross.” Sebastian chuckled, knowing they were both in need of a shower. The sheets needed changing as they reeked of sex, as did the room. He got up and padded to the window to see if it would open. It wouldn’t, so he cranked the AC down a few degrees. He didn’t know if that would help, but it couldn’t hurt. When the toilet flushed, he met Dakota as she opened the door.

“Let’s shower.”

“Good idea.” Dakota reached into the tub and turned the knob. While the water was heating, she went to her toiletry bag and pulled out a huge clip. She secured her braids to the top of her head so her hair wouldn’t get wet.

Once they were both in the enclosure, Bas soaped up a washcloth and ran it over her body. “Speaking of good ideas, we can record the next meeting. I will go on record stating what happened in the first meeting and why I’m returning to Panther. To talk. If it then comes down to a fight, everyone who watches the recording will know I tried my best to talk King down.” While he was washing her, Dakota began stroking his cock.

“Oh. Yeah, that might work. But we’re going to need to call in reinforcements. I have no doubt you can take King, but you, me, and your cousins against a hundred wolves is not good odds.”

Sebastian brushed the cloth across her breasts. “You’d fight against your pack?”

Dakota’s eyes flashed amber. “You are my pack now.”

Bas dropped the cloth, and bathing was forgotten as he lifted Dakota against the shower tiles and lowered her onto his aching cock. Before, sex had been nothing more than slaking a need. Now it was a different type of need. An ache to be one with his mate. She rode him until they both found their release, and after placing her on her feet, Bas kissed her tenderly. They finished bathing, and as they were drying off, he said, “I have thousands of Goyles I can call on, but it won’t take that many to defend against the pack. I don’t want it to come to an all-out war. I only want to show who’s stronger. If I have to fight King, I will, but I want my Clan there to ensure no one interferes. Let’s get dressed and see where Tony and Lydia are so we can come up with a plan.”

Ten minutes later, they headed out on foot. Sebastian liked the fact that Dakota didn’t wear a lot of makeup. She didn’t need it. His mate was stunning with her natural beauty. He also appreciated how she dressed. With her flannel shirt tied around her waist, her ass-hugging jeans over worn cowboy boots, and the straw cowboy hat topping her braids, Dakota was the girl next door of his dreams. He had no doubt that whenever they attended a formal event, his mate would be equally exquisite in a ball gown and heels.

When Bas texted to see where his cousins were, Lydia responded that they were still milling around, waiting for Bas and Dakota to come up for air. It didn’t take long to reach the diner where Tony wanted to meet for a late lunch. Instead of sitting inside, Lydia suggested getting their food to go and eating at the small park she’d found earlier, giving them privacy to talk. The males carried their drinks, while the females carried their bagged meals. The park was empty, but that wasn’t surprising considering the time of year. Being shifters, they weren’t susceptible to the cooler temperatures. Gathering around a concrete picnic table, they unpacked their lunch.

“Dakota called Jolee and got a feel for the temperature back in Panther. It wasn’t good. We already knew King was spreading lies, but those in his pack who witnessed what went down at the meeting haven’t set the record straight. Jolee said Dakota’s father was rounding up a posse to come after Dakota, thinking she would call her mother and he would somehow figure out where she was.”

Dakota dumped several packets of ketchup on the sandwich wrapper. “I called Mom, but good old Arthur answered. It wasn’t pleasant. He called me a traitor and a disappointment. He mentioned how I was supposed to save the pack somehow by mating with King. At first, I thought you might be onto something with the two alphas mating, Tony, but that doesn’t make sense. If it were up to more alphas being born into the pack to save it, those pups would only add numbers, not strength. At least not until they hit puberty and could fight.”

Sebastian picked his sandwich up, but placed it down without taking a bite. “I think I need to confront Kingston.”

“Hell, yeah!” Tony pumped a fist in the air, spewing his chewed sandwich onto the table.

“Say it, don’t spray it, Goober,” Lydia chided, slapping Tony on the arm.

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