Page 101 of Confusing Hearts

My eyes shot up to his and I saw he was being entirely serious. I shuddered at the thought. It was something I did know, I just hadn’t really been around the wolves long enough for that to fully sink in, but he was right. In a room full of Alphas, I could start another war without even realizing it, over something so simple. I decided it was best to stay close to Chase and keep my head down. I scooted my chair a little closer to him and linked my arm around his. He leaned in and kissed my temple and smiled.

You’re doing great,he wrote on his pad.

I’m so nervous,I admitted on mine.

An older man, short, with a receding hairline, stood and walked to the center of the room. All eyes followed him, and the tables began to still.

“Greetings, Alphas,” he spoke. “It has been far too long since the great leaders of wolves came together for a common goal. I am only saddened that it is for this such reason. Each of you today will have a chance to voice your opinions, ask your questions, and decide for the entirety of your pack where you stand. As you have each been informed, Chase Westin of the Westin Pack has taken a mate. He believes her to be his one true mate, yet she is not of our kind. Jenna Lockhardt is the youngest daughter of King Lockhardt of the panthers. He has rallied the big cats together and issued a formal notice of war to your Grand Council. Had he sent this notice directly to Westin, the decision would be a simpler one to make. He didn’t do that though. King Lockhardt has issued a threat to all wolves.”

There were growls of anger throughout the room. The intensity of it made me shiver.

Grand Councilman Omar, Chase jotted down on my notepad. I added my own notes to remember which one he was.

“At this time, we know our kind is at odds among ourselves. Do not think for one second that King Lockhardt is not already aware of this fact.”

He sat down and a younger, more handsome and distinguishing look man took his place. Since he came from the same table Grand Councilman Omar had just returned to, I deduced he was also a Grand Council member.

“Bulgarian Alpha Nikolai, your predecessor issued a war against the Westin Pack. The Grand Council sincerely appreciates you just being here. That said, the first issue at hand is to determine if the wolves are even capable of setting aside our differences and working together for the betterment of all wolves. Alpha,” he said addressing Nikolai, “what say you?”

“I am aware of the grievances my late Alpha had against Westin. My people are not prepared to forgive the loss of our great leader, but I am Alpha now, and his grievances are not my own. I cannot promise an alliance at this time, but I can promise to sit and talk with Westin Alpha Kyle in private and consider a temporary treaty for the good of all wolves.”

Kyle began a round of clapping in show of gratitude for his decision. The Grand Councilman Titus—I knew because Chase had once again written it for me—motioned for quiet and thanked the Bulgarian Alpha.

“Am I to assume that those packs aligned with Westin and those siding with the Bulgarians will respect the decision and possible treaty should it be?”

The Alpha at each table agreed. The last one to answer sat directly across the room from us and stared at the Westin table with the look of a thousand daggers. “Aye,” he finally said in an unmistakable Irish accent. I glanced between him and Patrick and noticed an uncanny resemblance.

Patrick’s dad,Chase wrote.He’s an arse.

I bit my lip, trying not to laugh.

Most of the remainder of the morning meeting went by in a blur, or more like a snooze. I was quite bored and struggling to focus. When Grand Councilman Titus was back up in the spotlight, he called Chase forward and that brought my attention back faster than a freight train. My heart was pounding in my chest with nerves as my mate left me for the first time that day.

“Chase,” Titus said, grasping his forearm as Chase reached for the other man’s.

“Grand Councilman Titus, thank you for your consideration, and that extends to each of you present here today. I cannot tell you in complete honesty that had I known King Lockhardt would resort to such extreme measures, I would have reconsidered taking Jenna as my mate, because that would be a lie. Jenna Lockhardt is my one true mate and as such we had every right to complete our mating and begin sealing our bond—a bond that has grown quickly and strengthens more each day.”

I blushed when he looked my way. I couldn’t believe he was speaking so candidly about our bond to these strangers.

“If you have any questions for me or Jenna, I will be happy to answer them. With the Grand Council’s permission, I’d like to go ahead and open the floor for any such questions. If you wish to hold them for private, we will be available over the lunch break, but I do encourage you to bring any concerns, fears, or inquiries forward so that the record can be set straight.”

Titus looked back towards the Grand Council table and then nodded his approval. What I assumed was the Alpha, from the table closest to ours raised his hand.

“Collier Alpha Zachary, you have the floor,” Titus said formally.

“Thank you. Now Chase, I know that many have doubts and questions regarding the validity of your mating with the Lockhardt Princess.”

Chase pulled his shirt over and showed my bond mark on his neck. I bit back a growl of my own in surprise.

The Alpha smiled. “No, son, we realize the bond occurred or else none of us would be here today. What I mean is the validity of her being your true mate. It seems unlikely and to many, inconceivable. I am quite close with your family and I understand the importance of true mates in the Westin Pack. Can you give us some examples or solid reasoning why anyone here should believe that the Princess is your true mate?”

Chase took a deep breath. I could feel his agitation.

“I’ll admit that no one was as shocked as me. I walked into my first calculus class of the semester and I smelled her, my wolf stirred, and I felt her presence nearby. For weeks it was a battle of hot and cold every time I saw her. I thought I was losing my mind. How could I feel so much and be so sure one moment, and then look at her and feel nothing the next? I called my Alpha immediately and voiced my concerns, not only that my mate was not a wolf, but that there was something wrong with our bond.”

Hurt sliced through my chest and unconsciously my arm moved and I placed my hand over my heart. I then saw Chase wince and rub the exact matching spot on his own chest.

He looked up at me and grinned. “Just hearing me say that caused my mate a great deal of pain. I know this for a fact, because I could feel her pain just now, as fiercely as if it were my own, but bear with me a moment. It wasn’t until sometime later that I finally realized Jenna has an identical twin sister. There was never anything wrong with our bond, I was feeling nothing, when looking at the wrong girl. They may be identical, but I could pick Jenna out of a million lookalikes, because I only have one true mate, and that is Jenna.”

---