Page 32 of Forsaken Desire
My instincts rose to the surface. I didn’t like being around so many other people. They could all turn on me and attack. I let out a breath. A touch on my spine brought my attention to Alex. He leaned close and inhaled again, being so obvious in sniffing me.
“Are you okay?”
I straightened until his hand wasn’t on me anymore and nodded, smile stiff. Cierra’s voice echoed from the stage, and I focused on it to get out of my head.
“The next Blood Moon is only two weeks away, and it is a perfect time to cement our mating.”
“This could have been an email,” the guy on Alex’s other side muttered, and I snorted. Every shifter in my vicinity turned to look at us, and I pressed my lips into a thin line, trying to play it off.
Alex made a point of coughing into his fist, and it sounded a lot like the snort that had escaped. Everyone turned back around after a few more disapproving looks. Seemed like no one wanted to go head-to-head with the Alpha’s brother, something I benefited from. I cleared my throat and didn’t meet anyone’s disapproving look. Cierra was going on about something or another, her voice echoing across the large space. None of what she said applied to me, so I let my mind wander.
Getting used to this was going to take a while. What I managed to learn about shifters after my accident was all from Tate. She’d been my cellmate for a few months. Fortunately, the first one, so I’d had the chance to learn a little about what I was, or relearn it, not that I would knowwhatI had known before my memories were wiped. The psychologists called it a severe case of dissociative amnesia, but not everyone believed I had lost my memory.
Waking up in a turned-over car with who I later discovered was my father, his head bent at an impossible angle, would always live in my head. I’d been so disoriented, and my thoughts fuzzy. Even though I hadn’t had memories of him, every time the image filled my head, my stomach ached. Some part of me recognized him, but the hint of emotion fled my grip as quickly as it appeared.
Maybe it was a good thing I didn’t remember anything from my past.
After all, with the drugs that had been found in my bloodstream—and with me in the driver’s seat—it had been clear cut for the authorities.
All sorts of accusations had been thrown my way, and all I’d been able to do was take them.
They painted an accurate picture at court. I’d gotten doped up and taken off. My father had tried to stop me, but in my state, I’d swerved and hit the side of a railing and rammed into a tree.
“Are you okay?” Alex asked near my ear. I stiffened, hating having his breath on my neck.
“Yeah.” I pressed my lips into a thin line.
I hadn’t touched the stuff since, and I never would. I rubbed my arms to calm my nerves. Turning over a new leaf was my only option, and I would succeed, especially now that I had a mate. A lovely, sweet mate who coddled me. Butterflies assaulted my stomach at the thought of Lucian.
“No, we are not.” The snarl ripped through the audience. I stiffened. That voice. I looked to the front of the room, but I couldn’t see anything over the heads of the people in front of me.
I pushed to my feet to peek at the stage.
Cierra caught my attention first. She didn’t look even a little happy. She bared her neck, her body almost curved toward the ground. Her attention was fixed on a wide-shouldered male on the stage.
On the platform at the front was my mate.
“Joey?” Alex whispered, hand on my hip. I was so stunned I didn’t swat him away.
My Lucian . . . But why was Cierra standing next to him like she had a place there?
I staggered back, plopping onto the chair.
My ears rang, but even through the noise, all I could focus on was my mate’s voice.
“This will be the last unsanctioned meeting you ever call. Everyone out,” he roared. I stiffened at the bellow. So quickly, everyone stood and started to shuffle out. Big shifters, small shifters, young adults, they fled like they were being chased.
I didn’t move an inch, so utterly confused. Alex watched me, his focus on me like an eagle focused on prey.
A guy with piercing blue eyes walked up behind him. The crowd swarmed around the blockage I caused by not moving.
“What’s with Wilder?” Blue Eyes said.
“Not right now, Dillon.” I lifted my gaze to Dillon’s in time to see irritation flash through his gaze.
“And who is this?” He raised an eyebrow at me and grinned, sidling closer. He stuck his hand out, and mechanically, I grabbed it, not knowing what was what. “New meat?”
The grin didn’t have the effect he obviously expected, because I only blinked at him. He pushed forward a bit more, invading my space. I stiffened my spine and dropped my hand from his, keeping still, but not backing away caused my boobs to rub up against him.
