Page 21 of Forsaken By Fate

“Yes,” Fenris agrees slowly. “What is this about?”

“Yes, that’s true,” Wyn concedes. “But at the time, we weren’t in possession of all the information.”

“What information?” all three of us ask in unison.

Wyn and his brothers smile thinly.

“Is she here now?” Wyn asks, maintaining his fake beam.

Tensions run high as I’m about to lie, but Zane and Fenris speak first, beating me to the fib.

“What do you want with her?” Fenris barks.

“Why do you care now?” Zane demands.

“I think it would be best if we spoke with Aurora present,” Wyn insists, his hands curling on the surface of the table. “It’s best if we do this face-to-face.”

The air around us is fraught with ice.

“Not until we understand what this is about,” I insist, standing. “Aurora is with us now.”

Wyn also stands and all six Alphas are on their feet, facing off.

“There’s no need for a showdown,” Wyn tells me conversationally, but I can see he’s fully ready to throw down if necessary. “You know Aurora is from Oklahoma. She technically belongs to us.”

“She wasn’t an Apex shifter there, but she is one here now. She’s sworn a blood oath to our pack.”

Lachlan snorts, and my head whips furiously toward him. “Is something amusing?” I snarl, ready to teach the shifter a lesson he won’t soon forget.

Blood drains out of his face, but he doesn’t have a chance to respond.

“I’m here, Victor.” Aurora appears in the doorway of the dining room, and Zane moves protectively toward her, blocking her from the rest of the Alphas.

Wyn and the other Alphas exhale, but the walls shake lights flicker as she enters.

“Stay there, Aurora,” I order her. “Don’t come any closer. We’ll send for you if we need you.”

She stops, pressing her lips together as she looks nervously at Lachlan.

“No! Wait!” Wyn cries out. “Hear us out, Victor! She’s clearly not being honest with you!”

I balk, my jaw tensing.

“Is this her, Lachlan?” Wyn sighs, sounding irritated.

He nods, rising. “That’s her. She’s my mate.”

I recoil as if I’ve been struck in the face. “Your mate?” I scoff, catching the dumfounded expression on my brothers’ faces.

“Yes. And I’ve come to take her home,” Lachlan adds smugly.

Aurora’s eyes pop at his declaration and a familiar expression colors her face as she turns to flee, her body morphing into her deer frame as we watch in disbelief. The retreat of her hooves on marble shock me back into reality as the walls continue to vibrate around us, a whistle piercing through the air.

“Aurora!” I yell out. “Stop!”

She gallops away and I nod at Zane and Fenris to go after her, before turning back to the others gaping dubiously after them.

“Are you sure she’s your mate?” I ask, raising an eyebrow skeptically. “There’s no hint of a bond surrounding either of you.”

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