Page 8 of Broken Arranged Mate
At the time, I’d thought it was only psychics, but Emaline said she saw a caster in there, too, chained up so she couldn’t use her magic.
It’s not likely he wants to ask much of his casters yet, especially when he’s probably still trying to earn their trust.
“I’d be willing to make the trip to Grayhide territory,” Kira says, speaking for the first time during this meeting. All eyes around the table swing to her—maybe this is the first time an omega haseverspoken during one of these meetings.
I watch my brother carefully, knowing he’ll hate this idea vehemently. Of course, we’ve been to the Grayhide territory before, but that was a surprise visit to one of their festivals, not a planned, political visit. If I know him as well as I think I do, he’s already considering the possibility of some sort of targeted attack against his wife, his mate.
Dorian works his jaw, and I can tell he’s trying to walk a fine line—turning down Kira’s idea without also immediately turning down the first omega input at this meeting.
“An arranged marriage?” Emin interjects, glancing at his sister for only a second. He’s leaning back in his chair casually, a donut in his hand and a loose grin on his face, but it’s clear to me that he’s done this to defuse any potential tension.
To my left, I can basicallyhearKira rolling her eyes. Whether it’s from her brother interjecting or from his statement alone, I’m not sure.
But besides the antiquity of the phrase, the first thing that strikes me about the proposal is that it’s not totally ridiculous.
Gramps made us do a lot of studying up on history, even outside the Edune valley, and there have been quite a few cross-pack marriages that manage to curb violence in the long term. Obviously, the more intimate details—like whether the omega actually liked the alpha—are less robust in texts, but the fact remains that it’s not, overall, a terrible idea.
It sounds ridiculous, but it might actually work.
“Right, sure,” Dorian says, letting out a long sigh and closing the binder in front of him. He’s clearly making a joke, going along with Emin’s proposal. “Go right ahead, Oren. You shall have the pick of any free omega in this pack.”
Even the thought of that makes my stomach sink, mouth turning sour. A jealous heat rises to my cheeks, and I hope nobody can see it, that it’s not evident as ever, blazing behind my eyes.
“Fine,” Oren says, and I have to bite my tongue to keep myself from looking at him. But then he says something I never would have expected. “I’ll take her, then.”
And when I raise my eyes, finally giving myself permission to glance his way, his finger is pointed right at me.
Chapter 5 - Oren
Why thefuckdid I just say that?
Dorian stands from his chair, it seems, on instinct, his eyes blazing when he looks at me. If what I said earlier stands true,you can trust that any Grayhide jeopardizing our relationship with this pack will face swift retribution—that means I’m about to take myself out.
I’d said it without thinking, the words falling from my mouth, hand raising to point right at Ash. I could tell myself that I meant it as a joke, but it didn’t land. I could tell myself that I was trying to play along with the ruse and accidentally took it a bit too far.
But that would be a lie.
If I’m truthful, something inside of me acted, jumped at the opportunity, taking very brief control of me to say something utterly tactless in this meeting. Andthatis why I try to stay away from those feelings—from thatwoman—as much as possible. Because I’m smart enough to know that those feelings could hijack my brain with hormones, with emotion, and lead me to make stupid, irrational decisions.
Like laying a claim to an alpha leader’s sister while in enemy territory.
Kira is immediately across the room, laying a hand on her mate’s shoulder, whispering something into his ear, and I’m grateful for it.
“I apologize—” I start, but I’m cut off by something that makes my mouth shut. The sound of Ash’s voice rang through the space, definitive and calm.
“Fine.”
Now, the entire room is turning to focus on Ash, who is also standing, but looking reserved, almost nonchalant about the whole thing, her arms crossed. They’re looking at her, but she’s staring right at me, something almost like a challenge there in her expression, the slightest raise of her brow.
It sends a swell of adrenaline through me, like a line of gasoline that’s caught fire, blazing to life, heading closer and closer to the live wire.
“Fine?” Dorian asks, glancing between me and his sister, his eyes looking slightly wild. This morning, he carried with him the exhaustion of constant infant care, being the father of five. That exhaustion is completely gone now, replaced with a rising and falling chest, his hands in loose fists, cheeks flushed, voice deep and threatening. I see the other alphas in the room start to bow their heads at the sound of it. “I fail to see how that’s fine.”
“I’m saying I’ll do it.” Ash doesn’t back down from the scrutiny of the room, and I think, not for the first time, that her tenacity is impressive. In a room where even the other alphas are dipping their chins in response to her brother, she stands tall and unbothered.
But that’s just part of who she is—brave. During the incident in the ballroom, she was there. First, going to Dorian.
Then coming to me.
