Page 6 of Wanted

I lost my right to a family or mate of my own the same day I lost my hearing. Well before my first shift.

“Chance, that’s not true.”

The song ends. Beneath my feet, I feel the change of the rhythm of the music. It’s a subtle shift but through my honed senses, I pick up on it. I release my brother’s mate.

What did you do to her?

My brother’s voice thunders through my head. Chael comes up from behind me, glancing between Reese and me, settling on me with a glare.

Why is my mate frowning?

I don’t take offense at his tone. Wolves are extremely loyal and protective over their mates. Alpha wolves even more so.

“Babe,” Reese says before I can reply. “Your brother believes he doesn’t have a mate. But I know what I saw,” she tells him.

Chael looks at me, his facial features relaxing the slightest bit.

I shake my head at my brother. I won’t argue with our Alpha Queen. Many of her visions have come true, but I also know the fate Mother Moon dealt me the day my hearing was taken away.

“Ms. Elsie is waving you over,” Chael tells Reese. “I need to speak with my brother.”

Reese looks between the two of us before heading in the direction of one of our pack elders.

“I don’t have a mate,” I say to my brother out loud as soon as Reese leaves. “Don’t bother trying to convince me otherwise.”

He shakes his head. “Whether or not you have a mate is your business. This concerns the pack,” he says.

“What is it?”

“I need you to go to Florida.”

I cock my head to the side, giving him my full attention. “The Alliance wants me to join their ranks.”

I nod, knowing the Alliance, a council of the various types of shifters created to maintain the peace between all of us, requested my brother to take the place of Rufus Dalton.

The wolf shifter who tried to destroy our pack betrayed the council and paid with his life.

“I need you to be my eyes and ears and make sure there isn’t something we’re missing. Rufus was from Florida, and I want to make sure we tied up all the loose ends as far as he’s concerned. I also need to make sure the Alliance’s request is genuine.”

It’s not even a doubt that I’ll do as he requests. Even as my brother speaks, I mentally run through everything that I know about the plan the former Alliance member had to rid the world of shifters.

As far as we’re aware, Rufus scouted a few lone wolves out of Florida to do his bidding. Which included trying to kidnap Reese. This is likely why he wants me to start in Florida. Though us wolf shifters tend to remain in colder climates, there are many packs spread out all over the country.

What about that other issue you had me looking into?I ask. For a few years now, off and on, I’ve been looking into the history of one of our pack members.

Chael’s lips pull into a small frown as he contemplates.Sera’s gone for now. We’ll have to wait on that issue. My cousins haven’t contacted me as to her whereabouts.

A nod acknowledges his words. Sera, our pack member, and Chael’s three cousins from Colorado. That’s a whole other issue that we may or may not have to deal with when the time comes.

“As for Florida, I’ll leave tonight,” I tell him.

“Tonight?” Reese says, coming up to us once again. There’s a concerned expression on her face. “Where are you going?”

Chael cups her face and tells her something. I can’t tell what it is since his face is turned away from me. Reese’s features relax a little. But she looks at me, I can tell she wants to ask me something. If I had to guess, I believe it would pertain to our previous conversation.

My nonexistent mate.

But I don’t say anything. I refuse to have this conversation again tonight. It’s pointless and over time my new sister-in-law will come to accept it as well.

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