Page 42 of Taste of His Skin

Rafael is giving me a scrutinizing look. I don’t know what they all discussed while I was out, but no one seems surprised when he waits until I’m seated again, then approaches me.

I flinch.

“I want you to touch my hand.” He gentles his voice for my benefit. He must’ve noticed the flinch. “You’ve given us an example of what happens to a mated pair who don’t want to lose their bond. Here.” Rafael holds his hand out in front of me. “Let’s show the Alphas gathered here what happens when a supe does.”

Ah. I peer closer at the handsome shifter with the sad eyes. Too distracted with everything else, I didn’t really pay attention to his bond. Every Alpha had one, so I ignored them all. But Rafael… I understand now. He has a fated mate, but not only has he not bonded her to him, she has a bond with someone else.

She chose another male, but she didn’t release Rafael.

How can that be, I wonder. I look a little closer and then I see what makes Rafael’s bond incomplete. Poor guy. His fated mate is an omega wolf. No wonder he’s holding on to it subconsciously. Omegas are the glue of any pack, making it whole. Any shifter lucky enough to bond to an omega would never willingly let them go.

But Rafael’s fated omega chose to bond to another male. Until he does the same, he’ll have an echo of their intended tie—unless I take it from him.

So I do. Tapping him on the top of his hand, I instinctually erase the featherlight tie still connecting him to another female.

He gasps. I take a few steps back, hoping that I made the right choice to agree to break his bond for him.

Luna, this wasn’t a trap, was it?

“Rafael?” rumbles Bishop. “Did it work? Do you still sense my sister?”

Oof. I didn’t know that the omega on the other end of Rafael’s bond was another Alpha’ssister.

Rafael nods. “I—yes,” he breathes out. “I’ve finally set her free.”

Bishop nods. It’s hard to tell with such a stone-faced male, but I think he actually looks relieved.

Maybe… maybe this is going to work out in the end.

Rafael moves back to the table with the other Alphas. Dash announces that they’re going to take an anonymous vote, using a peace of paper. My heartbeat ramps up when he says that each Alpha must decide my fate.

A yes vote means that they believe I’m no danger and I’m free to go.

A no vote means that I’m too big of a risk to shifter society and… He doesn’t finish his sentence, but he doesn’t have to. If the Alphas vote ‘no’, Peyton’s probably going to get her wish.

He also offers the Alphas the chance to abstain. If they’re not persuaded by either display, or they’re not sure, they can leave their papers blank. Once they’re done, the eleven other Alphas pass their papers facedown to Dash. He shuffles them, then reads them out loud.

With a vote of ten to zero, with two members of the collective abstaining from voting, the Alphas conclude that my gifts are mine to do with as I please—but if someone challenges me over them, I’m on my own.

“That’s it?” shrieks Peyton. “That’s all?”

I wait to see if there’s anything else. As the Alphas begin to get up, talking amongst themselves, and Rafael gives me a curious look as he rubs the heel of his hand over his chest, I wait to see if Peyton is going to challenge me.

I’d fight her. If I had to, I would. Drawing on my fight to the death with Christian, I… I think I would win, too.

But Peyton doesn’t say a word to me. Whether it’s because she’s terrified of Gem, or she doesn’t want to go against Dash’s earlier decree that there would be no more challenging today, or, Luna forbid, she was afraid of what I could do… Peyton Slade surprisingly keeps her mouth shut. And, with a flounce, she disappears out of the den.

I let out a shaky exhale of relief.

Do I think that I’ve seen the back of her?

Not even a little.

Am I glad this whole ordeal is over?

More than you would ever know.

Am I dying to get back home to mate?

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