This time, it was Gabriel's turn to slip out of bed while I was still asleep. I didn't mind so much—I could have stayed all morning wrapped in his sheets, buried in his pillows, with the scent of him fully enveloping me. It felt good. It felt like home.

Before I went to find him, I rummaged through his dresser for a pair of sweats. Aubrey had thrown the original pair I'd kept into the trash when she found them in my suitcase and I missed being cocooned in his clothes. I pulled out a sweatshirt as well then went to check his office. As I entered, three men all turned to glance at me from their position standing in front of Gabriel's desk. Soldiers—I recognized two of them. Their faces were set in stoic, determined masks and I knew exactly the conversation that had just unfolded. Embarrassed, I backtracked towards the door.

"Kiera," Gabriel caught me and beckoned me to join them. My cheeks burned as I made the long walk across his office to stand beside him, then blazed even hotter when he pulled me down into his lap and snaked his arms around my waist. The men showed no reaction, but I was mortified. He rubbed his thumb up and down over my hip as he explained to them where they were to meet up with the other teams coming in from the Sawtooth, Blackfoot, and Olympic Packs. Minimal damage if possible, an in-and-out job.

Once we were alone, he sighed and dipped his head to bury his face in my hair.

"You're not going?" I asked. I tried to keep a neutral tone.

He shook his head against mine. "I have something else to take care of."

I shifted in his lap so I could turn to face him and he smirked, letting his eyes roam over me. Blushing all over again, I crossed my arms defensively over my chest. "All my clothes are at Aubrey's," I explained.

"She dropped your bags off this morning." He kissed my forehead. "But I prefer you in mine."

"What do you have to take care of?" I asked. I couldn't imagine what would keep him from going to remove Erick, not after how angry he'd been at the betrayal. I figured he'd be leading the charge.

"We're going to talk to the Council today." Gabriel reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"We?" I demanded, balking. "Why?"

"By law, I have to inform the Council before doing anything that puts me at risk. They have to know in case anything happens."

"Oh." He was referring to the ritual. Suddenly, this thing that had felt so theoretical when we'd discussed it the night before felt very real.

"It's only a precaution. Victor expects me to tell him when I drive farther than normal; they just like to be prepared. That's all." He offered me a reassuring smile and patted my hip. "But as much as I like seeing you in my clothes, they might appreciate something a bit nicer."

I rolled my eyes. "I wouldn't have even left your room in this if I'd known anybody besides you would be seeing me."

I took my time getting showered and changed. I was stalling, trying to buy myself time to settle my nerves before going with Gabriel before the Council. I wanted to support him, to present as a united front. Having met them each with Ephraim, I knew that they at least accepted my presence in their pack. Victor liked me, I knew that. Angus had liked me, though I wasn't sure if he'd been replaced yet. The others had ranged from lukewarm to friendly, but that was when they were meeting me as a healer. Not as the potential mate of their Alpha.

"How are you so calm?" I asked Gabriel as he drove to the Council chambers. As hard as I'd tried to rein in my nervous energy, my leg still bounced uncontrollably against my seat.

"Because I've already made up my mind. I'm informing them out of courtesy, I'm not asking for their permission," he said. Truthfully, he did seem relaxed. There were no lines on his forehead, the crease between his brows was smooth. He shifted his shoulders now and then, but that had more to do with his distaste for wearing button-downs and the way the rigid fabric fit tightly across his broad back.

The Council chamber was grand and imposing, designed to command respect and foster a sense of authority in those who entered. As I stepped in, my gaze was immediately drawn to the intricately carved wooden walls adorned with symbols of power and unity. It was spacious, with high vaulted ceilings that amplified every small sound. Natural light spilled into the room through tall stained-glass windows that cast vibrant hues across the floor. An old church, I realized. They'd repurposed it so seamlessly I could hardly tell.

At the center of the chamber stood a large round table, crafted from a rich, dark wood and polished to a gleaming shine. It was encircled by seven high-backed chairs, the one directly at the center being the tallest and most ornate. The Alpha's chair. The others were already filled; we were the last to arrive. Farris sat closest to us, and the brothers Orion and Amon beside him. Victor was on the other side of Gabriel's seat, then Uriah. There was an empty chair between the two of them; I guessed that they'd not yet replaced Angus.

The air in the chamber was palpable with solemn, loaded quiet. They were waiting for Gabriel to speak. He led me by my hand around the table, but instead of taking his seat, he pulled out the heavy chair and gestured for me to sit. I tried to subtly shake my head at him. I could feel the Councilmembers exchanging loaded glances. Gabriel stared at me insistently until I sat, then he took his place behind me and rested his hands on my shoulders. I wasn't sure whether this was done in other packs, but judging by the faces around the table, they were wholly unprepared to see someone other than their Alpha in his seat. He was starting this session off with a statement—a loud one.

"I've asked you all here to inform you of my intentions." His voice echoed off the tall ceiling. "I've sought out the shaman that bound me and I plan to undergo the ritual to have it reversed."

A murmur started to both my left and right and ran around the table. I kept my eyes lowered.

"For her?" There was no malice in Amon's voice, but judgement. "With all due respect—"

"Which I'm sensing a lack of, but please, keep going," Gabriel interjected shortly.

"With all due respect, Alpha," Amon began again, "that is a significant risk to assume for someone you've only known a short time."

"And how long did you know your mate before you were wed, Amon?" Orion snapped. I chewed the inside of my cheek.

"My mate, brother, is one of our own. Not some human life-debt." Gabriel's grip tightened on my shoulders.

Uriah jumped in to smooth over the rough edges of Amon's thoughts. "I think Amon's concern is for our path forward. We've made specific decisions to limit human influence on this pack. Choosing a human..."

"From the moment we met, this was never a choice. The only thing I am choosing is to give myself to Kiera, fully. I haven't come here to seek your permission or advice." Against the back of my head, I could feel his wolf growling softly in his chest. I reached up to hold one of his hands.

"You're bound, of course it was a choice," Amon argued. "It isn't natural. It isn't a true mate bond."

"What do you know of magic?" Orion bit into his brother once more and flashed me a supportive look. "Maybe it wasn't strong enough."

"Choice or not," Farris said, "this is a tremendous risk. You bound yourself because you wanted to protect this pack; to seek to undo the magic could ruin everything you've built."

I felt like there was something they weren't saying, some unspoken concern that no one was brave enough to say out loud. While the brothers bickered, I looked over at Victor, who'd been silent. He wouldn't look at me and kept his eyes on his hands that were folded atop the table.

"Enough," Gabriel's growl ripped through the room. "I've done my part my informing you of my intentions. I'm leaving in the morning. All standard contingency plans remain in place. Kiera, let's go."

He pulled the chair back from the table and led me out quickly. On the road, I noticed Victor trailing behind us in the rearview mirror. Gabriel was quiet, save for the short breaths puffing out of his nose. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel. I kept one hand on his thigh but didn't push him to talk.

He slammed the car into park and was nearly out before the engine had fully shut off, storming towards Victor's car.

"Gabriel," Victor stepped out with his hands raised.

"Thanks for the fucking backup!" Gabriel's voice was already raised. "A little support from my Second would have been nice."

"Can we discuss this calmly, please?" His eyes flickered to me, then back. "In private?"

"Anything you have to say, you can say in front of Kiera," he growled. I moved to stand by his side and rested a hand on his back. I hated knowing that I was causing such a rift, especially between Gabriel and his closest friend.

"Gabriel," Victor said insistently, "this could kill you. You could die."

My head snapped towards him, eyes wide and a sick feeling in my stomach. "You never told me that."

"I said it was dangerous," he said without looking away from Victor.

"Dangerous and deadly are two different things," I argued. My mouth tasted foul.

"Look, I'm not saying that she's not your mate. Okay? That's not my call to make." Victor took a step closer. "The point I am trying to get across to you is that you can be happy with what you have. There's no need to risk your life for this. You two have each other, is that not enough?"

"You know nothing of what this does to me!" Gabriel roared. "Every day I'm fighting, with or without her. I can risk my life to be unbound or I can die carrying on the way things are."

Everything was catching up to him at once: the pain of knowing he couldn't say what I needed him to say to prevent me leaving, having to find out from Jack where I'd gone, knowing that he'd been betrayed by an ally he'd been reluctant to make in the first place. And now, his conviction was being questioned by his Council. By his best friend.

Before either of us could react, Gabriel had Victor pinned to the side of his car by his throat. Victor, for his part, remained calm and still. He kept his hands at his sides and made no move to fight back. I was not so calm. I moved forward and wedged myself between the men. When I looked up, Gabriel's eyes were fully blackened, his face a mask of pure rage. I pressed my palms against his chest and pushed as hard as I could, but he didn't budge.

"Gabriel, please," I begged. "Leave this and come inside with me."

I ran my hands up and down over his chest, urging him to settle down. After a few agonizingly long seconds, his eyes began to clear. He dropped his hand and took a step back. Victor doubled over, coughing.

"Get the fuck off my property," he spat. Without another word, Victor climbed back into his car and drove off.