Page 60 of Betrayed Mate

“Is that your way of trying to get me back?” Reid’s jaw dropped. “I know I shouldn’t have embarrassed you like that, but damn, Ember. I didn’t do it on purpose. You don’t have to be so damn bitter.”

After the slaughter of my pack, this guy had the nerve to suggest my suspicions were due to his rejection. For the first time in my life, I wanted to slit someone’s throat with my bare claws. My pack strived to be pacifist and fight back only when attacked, but I believed that, for a situation like this, a change in policy would be justified.

Ryker straightened and pivoted to me. The sheen on his eyes seemed thicker than ever.

I had no clue what I’d done to get his attention, but at least this time, he’d get a show instead of being the main act. My wolf inched forward, and I marched toward Reid, but Ryker intercepted me.

I ran into his chest, and his arms circled my waist. I tried to jerk out of his grasp as he whispered, “Rebel, pretend your hatred is due to the rejection and not because you remember anything from the attack.”

Shit, he was right. Now wasn’t the time to act. I had my sister to save. I would take her somewhere safe and then eliminate the threat. I didn’t need Reid convincing the Shae pack to harm her to get back at me.

Fighting to pull my wolf back, I forced my body to stop fighting his, but then his mouth covered mine. I gasped, but instead of air, his tongue filled my mouth, tasting of mint and honey, a combination I never imagined I’d enjoy this much.

Before I could stop myself, I responded, and my arms slid up his chest and around his neck. I anchored my body to his, and the world seemed to disappear.

Until he pulled away.

He snickered and turned his head toward Reid. “Your loss is my gain, and it’s not that you rejected her that’s the problem. It’s that you attempted to embarrass her, which wasn’t a regal move.”

I smiled, immensely enjoying yet another dig we’d managed to make at Reid, one that made it clear he didn’t have the temperament needed to be king.

Reid’s flush and flared nostrils had me grinning so hard it hurt.

“That’s quite enough!” Perry exclaimed. “You don’t get to come in here and make these statements like they’re facts.”

“Actually, he does.” An alpha with salt-and-pepper hair stood. “That’s the whole purpose of the meeting, right? To discuss who makes sense to lead? The Grimstones have been running rampant, trying to pin the attacks on someone else, and the Sinclair pack was supposedly extinct. Yet here they both stand, andyouhave attempted to control this entire meeting. I drove ten hours to say that I think a competition should be held to determine the next ruler. Just because you scheduled this meeting and selected a location near your territory doesn’t mean you should assume the role. You have no claim.”

“What sort of competition are you suggesting?” The Golden pack alpha tilted his head. “Because I agree that the Blackwoods shouldn’t use manipulation to take control, but neither should those two. Neither one of them could protect their own packs.”

Both Ryker and I tensed. I wanted to scream that the attackers were the ones trying to take control, but I didn’t need to.

One by one, the other alphas agreed, causing Perry’s and Reid’s expressions to strain further.

Good. Those assholes didn’t deserve an easy win…not after everything they’d done.

“Now listen here—” Perry slammed a hand on the table.

But the Golden alpha jumped to his feet. “I can’t remain here. An unknown scent has been discovered on my perimeter. I must get back to my pack.”

Bruce ran a shaky hand through his dark brown hair. “Then I must get back to my pack as well since we share a border.”

“If our enemy knows that the local pack alphas are meeting here, then we should have a video conference to discuss the competition.” A man with sandy-blond hair stood. “We should’ve never left our homes with a threat at large, but the Blackwoods promised the meeting would remain secret. We should all get back to our packs immediately.”

My stomach dropped. Was another attack happening? Thinking of another pack being slaughtered had my stomach in knots, especially knowing Kendric, Gage, and Xander were in that area too.

The Shae and Golden alphas were the first ones out the door. Ryker and I glanced at each other before trailing behind them.

We needed to follow Bruce to see where he went.

The two of us jogged to our vehicle as the other alphas rushed out. We jumped in and waited for Bruce to peel out of his spot and gun it down the road.

Ryker didn’t wait long before we pulled out and followed him.

“Are the others safe?” I asked and gripped the door handle as we took a curve fast.

“They’re fine. The Golden pack picked up Kendric’s scent. He got too close to their lookout, trying to scout for your sister.” His jaw clenched, and he kept his eyes on the road as he reached out and took my hand.

The buzz shot between us, and I couldn’t make myself pull away.

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