Page 28 of Eclipsed Heart

“They attacked my mate,” Zeke snarled. “Do you really think that’s something I wanted to happen?”

Shrugging, Bodey frowned. “You didn’t make sure the prisoner you had was adequately guarded. I’m not sure if that was intentional or if you were just careless. Either way, you’re not getting Stevie. She’s safer with us.”

Zeke’s face reddened, and his neck corded. “I made one mistake—”

“A costly one,” I interrupted. I didn’t want the advisors to be the only ones to address him like this. As his former pack member, my instinct should have been to submit to him, but I didn’t have to anymore, and my wolf wouldn’t even let me appease him now that she was out and free. “One that we can’t repeat, especially when my sister is involved.”

Even if I was mad at Stevie, I’d never want anything bad to happen to her. I did believe her as to why she’d aided the queen, even if I didn’t agree with her logic. She’d done it to protect me, and maybe if she’d been the one being treated like shit, I’d have done the same for her. I’d like to think I wouldn’t, but fear and trauma had a way of distorting our realities and helping us rationalize things that we wouldn’t normally do.

“Listen here—” Zeke started, and his tone had me snapping.

Before I even realized what I was doing, my wolf surged forward. Power rolled off me and into him. The time had arrived for Zeke to learn a very important lesson.

CHAPTEREIGHT

Power flooded my body,but there was no tingling to indicate fur was about to sprout like there was during a shift. My blood thrummed as Zeke's eyes widened and his bottom lip trembled.

I could feel my wolf surging and knew that the blue of my eyes had to be nearly white from the power she sent through me.

Bodey’s shock struck me, but I pushed the distraction away. Putting Zeke in his place was my focus.

A faint hint of spice emanated from Bodey, indicating that he’d become aroused. His voice popped into my head.Damn, babe. You’re sexy as hell like this.

Sweet-talk me later.Though my wolf was thrilled that we’d affected him.Down, girl.I didn’t need those types of thoughts when staring this asshole down.

Taking a menacing step forward, I crowded Zeke, his overly musky cologne nearly choking me. “My sister will remain with Bodey and me where we know she’ll be protected.” My voice sounded deeper, raspy, with a hint of my alpha will laced in. “I get that you don’t like it, but you’re outvoted.”

“Just as the law states that the majority vote of the advisors is final, if the royal by blood wants something done, unless it risks the safety of others, the advisors don’t have to vote.” Samuel stood tall, calmly stating facts he’d grown up learning due to everyone believing he would be king. “So Callie isn’t required to ask the advisors. If you were best friends with ourmotherand a knowledgeable advisor, surely you know that.”

Even as Samuel spoke, I glared Zeke down, not wanting to break the stare-off the two of us were having. If I broke first, he’d view me as weaker.

“Please. That was when a king was the true leader.” Zeke’s nose wrinkled as sweat beaded his forehead. “A woman deemed the true leader? That’s laughable.”

I inhaled sharply, a low growl vibrating from my throat. Maybe that was the real reason he’d hidden me. He hadn’t wantedmeto be the one in charge. Bastard.

“Well, thekingagrees with his mate,” Bodey spat.

Zeke grimaced, and his eyes lowered to the ground,finally. I hadn’t struggled at all, other than having to look at his face the entire time. But it wasn’t over.

“You, a king?” Zeke sneered. “Of course, out of everyone here,you’dfind a way to mate with her.” He took a step back and smacked into the garage door.

Fire scorched my veins. “Is that why Theo was so desperate to mate with me? He wanted to be king?” Had Theo also known and left me in the dark?

“Theo had no clue you were the heir to the throne.” Zeke rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry.”

No wonder he hadn’t tried to dissuade Theo from mating with me. I’d found it strange that he hadn’t been upset over the thought.

“I’m still lost.” Lucas pursed his lips. “Why didn’t you tell anyone that Samuel wasn’t the rightful heir since we were having the coronation? What if Callie hadn’t been there to receive the mark?”

My breath caught. I hadn’t even considered that, but if the spell could be performed only once, whatwouldhave happened if I hadn’t been there? Would Samuel have been marked, or would the magic have been able to sense me and thus done nothing? The Southwest queen might have been able to take over this territory even more easily.

“Her wolf was weak and her magic repressed.” Zeke gestured toward me and continued, “I didn’t know she’d mated and somehow freed her magic. I wasn’t sure if she even could be marked.”

He had some solid reasoning, but he couldn’t haveknown. We were all lucky that everything worked out. The what-ifs were futile now. It was over, and I had the mark, though I couldn’t help thinking Samuel was still far better suited for this.

Moving backward to gain more distance from Zeke, I ran a hand down my face. “It doesn’t matter. Right now, we need to determine how Stevie was conversing with the queen and whether she was working with anyone else.” I didn’t want Zeke to control the conversation and keep us from getting anywhere.

“Good point.” Zeke smirked. “Hopefully you can get those answers before something else happens. At least, next time, it’ll be on you, not me.”

---