Beckett

I stared at the general. Then I laughed. "You're out of your fucking mind."

The confident expression he wore slipped and turned to anger. "You might be the alpha here, Warner, but I'm the General of the Council. That means I outrank you."

"Only if I am acting outside of Council laws, and I'm not. Jack has no claim to Devany. No paperwork was signed, and you did not transfer money. And even if it had been, she's a fully shifted wolf. Her rights are the same as every other wolf."

General Lawson glared. "Jack bit her. That makes her part of the Blue Mountain Pack."

"No, that makes him a dangerous asshole. The Black Fang Pack claimed Devany as one of ours when we put her forward in the auction. That paperwork was filed."

"And what do you plan on doing with her? A she-wolf with her power will be wasted here. You're already mate bound. Are you telling me you're willing to let a Beta have her?"

Fury seared my insides. I wasn't willing to let anyone have her, but I couldn't say that out loud. Not without drawing unwanted attention.

Gritting my teeth together, I replied, "Like I said. Her rights are the same as every other wolf, and that includes participating in a mate run."

Instead of the frustration I'd expected, General Lawson smiled and nodded. He clapped me on the back. "You're absolutely right. A mate run is the right of every wolf, and isn't it wonderful that the Blue Mountain Pack is hosting the next one?"

"How wonderful. Thankfully, location doesn't have anything to do with it when the goddess declares a mate bond," I said, shrugging off his hand when I really wanted to rip it from his body. Every instinct inside of me screamed he was far too certain about the outcome of the mate run.

Pria appeared at the end of the hallway. She glanced between me and the general with wide eyes, barely remembering to dip her head in deference when he walked by her. The moment he disappeared, she rushed forward and grabbed me by the arms.

"Holy shit. Holy shit. She shifted."

"She did."

I staggered backward. An Alpha was supposed to be strong and unwavering, but the relief coursing through me right now was so strong it almost brought me to my knees. What would I have done if she hadn't made it?

"She shifted into one bad ass wolf, too," Pria continued. She chewed her lip and lowered her voice. "Like, I got Alpha vibes big time from her."

"Do me a favor and don't say that out loud again."

The words were harsh, but Pria didn't take offense. She was used to my pleas for caution, and while she would risk her own life with her words, it seemed she drew the line at risking others. It was probably for the best, because my wolf was champing at the bit to make it clear what would happen if anyone tried to harm Devany.

I crept to Devany's door and cracked it a bit to check on her. She was right where I'd left her. Face down in the pillow and one long tan leg hanging out from beneath the covers. Her Alpha Mark remained hidden, but until I had a witch charm, anxiety would be my constant companion.

Pria stood on tiptoe to look over my shoulder. "My friend, that girl is fucking gorgeous."

"She is, isn't she? Shit, Pria."

"What?"

I looked down the hall to make sure no one approached and whispered. "I think you might actually be right."

Her lips quirked to the side. "I usually am, but what about this time?"

"I think Devany might actually be my mate." My wolf howled his agreement, and in Pria's eyes, I witnessed my eyes brighten to an electric blue. "But if that's true, then someone faked our mate claim, which shouldn't be possible."

The grin that had stretched wide across her face when I admitted that Devany was my mate fell sharply. "It shouldn't be, but..."

"But what?"

"What if it was a spell? What if someone was working with a witch?"

"I think you're right." And wasn't it convenient that I needed to make a deal with one myself? "You think we can get in touch with Kleo?"

Pria winced. "Didn't she tell you if she ever saw you again, she would hex your dick?"

"Fuck." All because I'd kissed her twin sister at a party. It didn't matter that they were identical, down to even their scent, and her sister had instigated the entire thing. We were seventeen, but witches lived even longer than wolves. They could hold a grudge. "Okay, maybe not Kleo or Kyla."

"Liam?"

"He's a little full of himself."

"And pricey."

"Money isn't an issue," I said, scrubbing the back of my neck before shrugging. "He might be arrogant, but nothing happens in the witch community that he doesn't know about."

"Yeah, but he's pretty discreet. It's going to cost us more than money to make him talk."

"Maybe." I glanced back at Devany. "But it will be worth it."

"Sure." Pria didn't look very excited.

"Hey. This is what we've wanted all along, right? To find out how we were mated."

"That's not the issue. I've always known we weren't meant for each other. Claiming or no claiming. This just means that you'll finally believe it, too."

"What is it, then?"

"It's the question Liam probably can't answer. Why would someone go through all that trouble to make us think we belonged together? Is there a reason we need to be together, or..." She trailed off and jutted her chin toward Devany. "Or do they not want you with your real mate? And–"

"And what?"

"And what lengths are they willing to go to keep you apart?"