Page 47 of Betrayed Mate

“Sometimes being direct is the best way to assess the situation.” That was what Dad had always claimed. He’d believed that keeping political agendas hidden was counterproductive, whereas being direct and open-minded could help accomplish anything in this world.

“Fair enough.” Queen Ambrosia leaned forward. “We don’t want the wolf shifters to weaken. We agree with the witches’ belief that all things must be in balance. If one type of magic weakens, then Fate will weaken us all.”

I hadn’t expected that answer. “Makes sense.”

She smiled widely, her sharp canines on display. “I’m glad you approve. So what’s the plan for this meeting?”

My breath caught as fear coursed through me even as I stared at her, dazed by her beauty. To shake myself out of it, I homed in on Ryker.

When I realized he wasn’t staring at the screen displaying the queen but instead watching me, I started breathing once more.

His face twisted into a smile far more breathtaking than the queen’s as he replied, “Cause a scene and leave a lasting impression.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“What the hell does that mean?” I gaped at Ryker.

I hadn’t expected his smile to be so arresting. The queen’s smile hadnothingon his. A lump formed in my throat.

Why the hell was I noticing him so much? I needed to focus on what sort of plan he had up his sleeve.

His gaze stayed on me, and my heart lurched into my throat. If he’d been this stunning all along, I’d never have gotten a word out. My wolf inched forward, growling with approval.

Down, girl,I internally chastised, needing her not to add to my growing confusion.

“I already told you that we both need to attend the meeting, but it might be more fun to put the Blackwoods even more on edge.” He winked, looking nothing like the angry, cynical alpha I’d come to know.

I opened my mouth to question him further, but no words formed.

“Man, come on.” Gage snickered. “Tell us. Don’t keep leaving us on a cliffhanger. Your dad pulled the same shit all the time. It has to be part of some alpha strategy training book the two of you read together or something.”

Ryker snickered, rolling his eyes. “Well, if the Blackwoods are behind this and they’re trying this damn hard to discredit my pack by trying to set us up like we’re the ones behind the attacks and desperately trying to kill all of yours, we should give them something to actually fear.”

The thought of making Reid and his pack fear me brought the butterflies fluttering in my stomach to a halt. My entire focus was returned to locating Briar and getting even with my enemy. “Which is?”

“The two people they most fear winning control of the throne being together.” He motioned to me and back at himself.

Now I felt like I was trying to solve a complex math problem. The answer was clearly in front of me but just out of my understanding. “Were we not arriving there together already?” I’d assumed we would be, seeing as I was staying with them.

Queen Ambrosia chuckled. “No,child. He means showing up together aslovers.”

Instead of disgust, my damn heart skippedanotherbeat. Nope, not happening. I wouldn’t develop emotions for Ryker. Clearly, Fate wanted me to be attracted only to men who could destroy me as if the fated mate she’d chosen for me hadn’t been cruel enough. Still, that didn’t mean I would succumb to another one of her tortures. “I don’t see how that would accomplish much more than just arriving in each other’s company.”

“But it would and might actually provide an advantage.” Lucinda sat upright in her chair as the other two vampires flanked her. “Two of the people they fear most, allied and romantically linked. That will unnerve them and maybe cause them to do something reckless.”

I bit the inside of my cheek so I didn’t outwardly react, focusing on the sting I inflicted on myself rather than what these people were asking me to do. Yet, even that didn’t push away the thoughts for long. They wanted me to not only facethe man who’d rejected and publicly humiliated me but do it while pretending to be with a man everyone else hated. While making it seem like I hadn’t only allied with him but taken him as a lover. The thought alone had my stomach churning. “I don’t think we need to add the romantic element. I think showing up together will be enough. We don’t need the extra layer.”

Raven pursed her lips, scanning me.

A chill ran down my spine. Could she see more than I wanted?

“I know what we’re asking is a lot, given how he’s been acting lately,” Gage said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “But having two people with the most legitimate claim to the throne united as a couple will make it even harder to ignore that they’d be stronger together.”

I hated that he made sense. It would be hard to deny our claim, especially if we had an heir. Still, the thought of having to pretend to be attracted to Ryker didn’t appall me, which was the biggest part of the problem.

A threatening growl came from Ryker on my other side, and suddenly Gage’s eyes faintly glowed. The pack link was being utilized.

Dropping his hand, Gage stepped back and huffed abruptly. He placed his hands behind his back as if emphasizing that he wouldn’t touch me again.

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