Page 105 of Her Second-Hand Mate

“We have a few other decisions to announce. The Crown has decided to strip JD Anderson of his title because of interfering with a mate bond and alienation of affection. The Crown will seize control of the Yosemite pack and find new leadership for it at the next Alpha Summit.”

All the wolves present started talking among themselves; some even started yelling at John and David, but John just banged his gavel, indicating that he wasn’t done yet.

That was when I noticed that the room was absolutely packed with guards.

“The last item on the agenda is informing all packs that Alpha Larson’s Luna has requested asylum for herself and her pups in the Royal Pack, which the Crown has granted.”

Complete mayhem broke out after that.

24 - Penelope

“What was all that about? Why would Agnes need asylum?” I asked Dominic when we managed to leave the courtroom.

“We’ll find out soon,” he muttered darkly, his eyes scanning the drawing room.

He took my hand and led me to a group of Alphas huddled in the corner. My father was one of them, and he seemed distraught.

“It’s not meddling in a male’s private life if he is abusing his mate,” Father told the Kentucky Alpha. “It’s safe to assume that if he’s abusing his own mate, he’s abusing his power with the rest of his pack as well. The mating bond is sacred, and that is all you need to know.”

“I don’t disagree with you, but we’re setting a dangerous precedent if we allow the Crown to police our private lives like this,” the other male countered, and while I could see why he’d find that problematic, all I could think of was Agnes: beautiful willowy Agnes who seemed so sweet and kind. I wondered what he had been doing to her.

“All your arguments are pointless. Do you really think Larson will just accept this? We should be getting ready for war instead of yapping like females,” the North Carolina Alpha said with a scowl.

“Which side would you take in this war you predict, Terrell?” my father asked in a quiet and menacing voice, and the male’s scowl deepened.

I realized then I had no idea where my own father stood on the issue.

“Larson is a bastard,” the male, who was apparently called Terrell, finally spat out.

I got the feeling his stance would have been different if it had been anyone else, but there was no love lost between Larson and the other Alphas.

“Well, that settles it then. I’ll go talk to the others,” my father straightened and nodded at me and Dominic before approaching another group.

I cocked my head to the side as I observed him talking animatedly to them, clearly riling them up against Larson, and for the first time since my mother’s death, he looked like the male he used to be while she was alive. What was it about this situation that brought it out in him?

I glanced at Dominic, and he was analyzing my father as well.

“Should we go find Florence and Eden?” I asked him, tired of the male energy in the room.

“Yeah, I miss Gabriel,” he said close to my ear, like it was a secret he wasn’t willing to share with the others.

I smiled at him, and I felt my heart bloom from the love I saw twinkling in his eyes.

As we made our way to the stairs, I said, “You know what Lilian told me? She said that she made the mistake of getting caught in “survival mode”, as she called it, when her pups were little. She said one always thinks they will have time to enjoy and bond anddo all the things once just this last thing is done, but that is never guaranteed.”

Dominic nodded, “I think you and I both learned that lesson more than once. Tomorrow is never guaranteed to any of us. Especially now, when we could be on the brink of war.”

“You really think we’re in danger of war?” I whispered, feeling the color drain from my face.

“I don’t want to lie to you, Penelope; no one knows right now. Larson is unpredictable, he always has been, and this will not go over well with some of the packs.”

“What if someone kills him first?”

“Well, then that someone will be tried and jailed. Or executed. Who would throw their life away like that, even if it was for the greater good?”

There was nothing I could say to that.

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