Page 53 of Forsaken Fate

“Mary, go clean something. Go prepare for the reception for after the Gathering. Grayson’s expecting at least two hundred guests. I don’t care. Just quit lurking around and stay the hell out of my way.”

“What do you have there?” she asked, pointing to the wadded up blanket I carried.

Would a lie serve me best or something else?

“Mary,” I said. My exasperation wasn’t a lie so I used it. “This is about to be my house as much as it is Grayson’s. I don’t answer to you, and I don’t appreciate you sneaking up on me.”

“You don’t have permission to be up here. These are Governor Dorran’s belongings, and she wouldn’t ...”

I crossed the floor and stood a few feet away from her. “Mary. I’ll speak slowly. Diana is dead. She doesn’t have things anymore. You don’t work for her anymore. You work for Grayson, which means you work for me. If you want to keep doing that, I suggest you go downstairs and do some of the things we’re actually paying you for.”

“I’m going to speak to Mr. Dorran.” Red menace shot from Mary’s eyes and I had an urge to give her a shove. From this angle, she would have toppled backward down the stairs. It was a risk though. Mary wasn’t powerful like Diana had been. But she still had magic I didn’t. Could she sense the power of what I was carrying? She gave no indication of it. She just looked at me with hatred.

“I don’t care what you do,” I bluffed. “As long as it’s part of your job description. Following me around isn’t. Like I said, Diana’s dead and I’m still here. Get it? Game over.”

I kept moving, daring Mary to stop me. She flinched as I brushed past her, jamming my shoulder hard into her arm to move her out of the way. My heart raced but kept on going. I half expected her to shove me from behind or hit me with some spell. I heard sputtering behind me, but she didn’t move. I don’t think she believed I’d stand my ground. If she went to Grayson, so be it.

She brushed past me on squeaky shoes and hustled down the hallway. I had no idea what her next move would be and for now I didn’t care. I had the books I needed. The answers were inside.

They had to be.

CHAPTER 20

Theo

Less than twenty-four hours from now, Brynna planned to stand in front of a group of shifter alphas and willingly take the mark of a wolf she wasn’t fated to. Two weeks ago, I didn’t give a rat’s ass. Now, it was the only thing on my mind.

She was mine. I couldn’t deny it anymore. My blood pulsed for her and her alone. Every instinct in me screamed out for her. She was mine!

And yet…the choice was hers. It was the most sacred shifter law there was. A human mate had the ultimate say in who he or she allowed to mark them. It didn’t matter that Grayson wasn’t her fated mate. It only mattered that Brynna chose him. If she went through with it…there was nothing I could do.

I hadn’t slept since Brynna left. I wanted to see her again. I wanted to get her to tell me why. What desperate secret kept her tied to Grayson? It wasn’t money. Was it power? Did she actually think Grayson would be able to fill Diana’s shoes as governor? Did she just want to align herself with someone who had political power as a trophy wife? It didn’t seem like the Brynna I thought I was getting to know.

Would I be able to hold my wolf in check? Would I be able to stand there and watch. No…it was more than watch. I was being asked to facilitate it. If I shifted. If I tried to challenge Greyson and the rest of the packs chose his side, they would close in and rip me apart and it would be within their rights.

I needed to get Brynna alone again. Whatever plan she had, I saw her resolve unraveling in her eyes the other night. I had to understand her reasons. I refused to believe this was what she wanted in her heart of hearts. Which meant Grayson had something on her. It was the only thing that made any sense.

I grabbed my phone and texted Doyle.

Need to talk. Need answers on that little side project I gave you.

I put the phone down and finished getting dressed. I’d go to Grayson’s ridiculous pre-Gathering dinner. I’d keep up the charade until I found my chance to talk to Brynna. Also, watching Grayson try to schmooze the power players he invited would provide added side entertainment.

My phone buzzed and I picked it up.

Got lots of ’em. Following up on something this afternoon. You going to the shindig?

I texted back. Yep.

Doyle answered. K. We’ll talk there.

I felt a pit form in my stomach. Was it guilt? Probably. Whatever Doyle found was probably the exact thing Grayson was using to keep Brynna tied to him. She asked me to trust her and this sure as hell wasn’t that. But something big had upset her the other night when she came to my door. If Grayson was behind it ... if Diana had been behind it ... she might need me more than she realized. Maybe I could give her another chance to come clean before I talked to Doyle. Except, I didn’t know how to reach her before that.

I picked up my phone and dialed Grayson’s number. He answered on the second ring.

“Theo.” His tone was flat.

“Hey, Grayson,” I said. “I’ll be there tonight,” I said. He let out an audible breath.

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