Page 39 of Unforeseen Mate
“He can’t have told you everything,” snarled Nora.
“Isn’t that a bit like the pot calling the kettle black?” Fallon fired back. “I’ve learned more from Hayden during our brief time together than I learned from you in all the years we’ve been friends—good friends, I thought.”
“The best,” said Nora, clearly upset. “I will never forgive myself for what happened to you, and I will kill Abraham…”
“I don’t think so,” said Fallon, sounding incredibly calm and in control. “According to Hayden, if you kill him, Abraham will be banished to the Underworld but can probably still strike out at me—and you, for that matter. When Hayden kills him, he can banish Abraham out of existence where he can never harm anyone again. As I am the aggrieved party, I vote for Hayden.”
A man Hayden believed to be Nora’s mate approached him.
“Hayden, I’m Erik Hutchinson. My friends call me Hutch. I can see you’re finding this all very amusing. I assure you when your mate turns that sharp tongue and sense of righteous anger or indignation on you, it will not be nearly as amusing.”
“I’d listen to him, hellhound; he speaks from experience,” said Nora.
Colby joined them, walking forward and taking Fallon’s hand, bringing it to his lips to kiss and ignoring Hayden’s threatening growl. “I’m Colby. Welcome to Windsong. Don’t be too worried about Hayden, I’ve met his sister. I’m quite sure dealing with outspoken, strong females is something he’s used to. If you wouldn’t mind coming inside, we’re all getting cold and wet. Nora? Would you mind showing Fallon to the room we have set up for them? It’s next to yours. The rest of you should head into the war room. I’d like a chance to debrief with Hayden before we join the rest of you.”
Hayden watched Fallon disappear up the stairs and into the house. He wasn’t sure if he should be worried more about his mate or the tribunal he was pretty sure he was about to face.
Colby ushered him into what had once been Colby’s luxurious library, but which Colby and the rest of them now called the war room. Deke Campbell was waiting for them, as was MasonPayne. Hayden had served in the military with both men, and they had remained close.
“You look like shit, Mason.”
“Well, almost dying and then being transitioned from a snow-leopard to a cave lion is tough on a man.”
“Cave lion is better,” said Deke with a grin—Deke was a cave lion.
Hutch went and sat with the other two men, as did Colby.
“Why is it I feel like a man facing an inquisition?”
“Because you are,” growled Colby, slamming his fist down on the table. “Damn it, North. What were you thinking? You turned a human female…”
“With her full consent,” said Hayden, reminding himself that these men were concerned for his mate and that did not necessarily make them his enemies. If they tried to take her from him, that would change in the blink of an eye.
“You actually asked her?” questioned Deke.
“Not all of us go all caveman and just claim a female without her consent,” suggested Colby.
Deke shrugged. “Annie is my fated mate; she was being difficult.”
Mason laughed. “Is that what you call it?”
“I do,” said Deke with a nod. “At least I didn’t have to get my sorry ass saved by a female.”
“God help him if he ever meets my sister,” quipped Hayden, who would far rather turn this little conference into a referendum for female shifters’ rights than be the subject of an interrogation by men whom he liked and respected.
Mason laughed. “I like to think we saved each other.”
“You tell yourself whatever you like,” taunted Deke. “The fact is you were a snow leopard and now you’re a cave lion, which by the way is far superior and for which you should thank Emery.”He turned and stared at Hayden. “To be honest, I don’t care if you asked her or not…”
“She was dying, but I did ask and even explained things to her as best I could.”
Deke waved his hand and then reached behind him for a beer. “Whatever. What I want to know is, what are your intentions for her?”
Hutch nodded. “Nora is pretty concerned about that, and hellhound or not, I wouldn’t want my mate looking to add your scalp to her list of accomplishments.”
Hayden looked each man in the eye. “She is my fated mate. My intentions are to spend the rest of my life and all of eternity with her.”
Deke opened the beer. “That’s good enough for me. I’ll see if I can’t get Annie to call off the Shadow Sisters, and you probably ought to talk to your sister. She wasn’t convinced that Fallon was given a choice.”
