Page 6 of Destined Bear
“Yeah, but I don’t think Ember Hollow is abiding by the terms laid out by the surveyors.”
I smother the urge to roll my eyes. “You guys are bored. Find something better to do with your time. We’re finally at peace, and you’re looking for trouble where there isn’t any.”
Another murmur of disapproval rushes through the office, and I scan the room for a missing face. Curiously, I look at Heath, but he doesn’t seem to understand my questioning look. Where had Alessa gone this morning? I don’t ask the question aloud.
“Is there anything else on the agenda today?”
No one says another word, their collective gazes pinned to the office floor.
“Good,” I grunt. “Now get the fuck out. And stop with this constant bitching. It’s getting old fast.”
With a wave of my hand, I dismiss the enforcers, and they trip over themselves, leaving the packhouse office, except for Heath, who lingers behind to recount the meeting with me.
Heath waits until the last enforcer leaves before speaking. “You know, they haven’t been settled since the whole failed mating with that Ember Hollow female.”
Irritation creases my face. “No shit, Heath. But what was I supposed to do? Anyone in my position would have done what I did.”
“They think there’s more to it than that.”
My eyebrows shoot up, but Heath wisely avoids my eyes.
“So, what if I didn’t take the Beta’s sister as my mate? Are we worse off for it? We still have a pact with Ember Hollow to maintain the peace. And now that we have resolved the territory disputes, there is no reason we can’t get along. I don’t need a mate. There’s no reason for them to be acting like this.”
Heath remains quiet in his passive way, studying my face dispassionately as he lets me rant.
“I never wanted to take a mate from the Ember Hollow pack.” I throw my hands up in exasperation. “I just wanted peace. But it worked out better than I could have planned. I could have never predicted that Brynn would find her fated mate before our ceremony. All that matters to me is that our packs have a treaty, and I don’t have to mate with a female I barely know. I don’t really give a fuck that the pack is upset. They’re just looking for a reason to be mad.”
My Beta clears his throat nervously, and I tense, sensing what he’s going to say next. “Some people believe you didn’t insist on taking the Ember Hollow female as your mate for other reasons.”
My head jerks toward him, eyes narrowing. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know what it means, Emeric.”
Yes, I do know what it means. The pack still believes I harbor feelings for my first love, who has been gone for five long years now.
Of course, Heath knows better than to say her name aloud in my office, but the simple allusion is enough to conjure images in my mind.
Flashes of the redheaded fox dance behind my eyes before I can stop them, along with memories of her defiant emerald eyes clashing with mine over the council table, the last time I’d seen her. Words from that fateful last time we’d been together still ricochet through my head, even when I’m trying to sleep at night.
Heath is waiting for me to respond, and I clear my throat. “This has nothing to do with… her.”
“It’s been five years. That’s plenty of time for you to have found another mate and placated the pack in the interim. You need an heir. The sooner you get one, the sooner they’ll stop.”
I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’ve had this conversation too many times in the past few months, let alone the years since Vivienne left, heading into no man’s land with her mother, for no other reason than her bruised pride. I still can’t believe she put herself in exile like some kind of martyr.
“Where is Alessa?” I flop back into my desk chair to rub my temples with the edges of my fingers. “Why wasn’t she at the meeting?”
The pounding hasn’t subsided in weeks, and I don’t anticipate it will anytime soon.
Since the mess with Brynn and the Ember Hollow pack, my pack hasn’t looked at me the same. I don’t need Heath or anyone else to tell me that. But I don’t know what to do about it that won’t increase the headache I already have.
“No idea.” Heath looks toward the door as if he expects her to materialize, even though the meeting is over.
“If she isn’t going to start taking her role as an enforcer more seriously, we’re going to have to do a role reassignment. In fact, the way Raynor was talking today, I’m not sure I’m opposed to doing that, anyway. Maybe we should?—”
I don’t get a chance to finish my thoughts as the door flies open and Alessa saunters inside nonchalantly, like always, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder.
“Oh. Did I miss the meeting?” She beams demurely at me, and my scowl deepens.
