Page 14 of Sold Bullied Mate

“Dorian, what a pleasant surprise,” Kellen says when I open the door and let him in.

Pleasant for him, but not for me. I hate having other people in my home, in the home that once belonged to my grandfather. With the exception of Emin, none of them have even been out here before.

But I’m not leaving Kira here alone. I have the feeling that the moment I pulled out of the driveway this morning, she would’ve hatched an escape plan, and I’d be forced to track her down, make sure she’s okay. I am not keeping her captive, but I know that she doesn’t have anyone else.

And I know her heat is coming soon. An omega on her own, packless and without a mate, without a friend at her side? The thought of it makes the hair on the back of my neck bristle, angry and ready to fight someone.

“Come in,” I manage to say, gesturing for Kellen to come inside. I don’t want him to know Kira is here yet, so I used some of the scent blocker from Claire and spread it through my home, masking her scent the best I could.

I can still smell it. I think I’ve always smelled it, since the day she left, but that could be because, as the alpha leader, my senses are stronger.

It could also be because Kira is my mate.

Kellen is talking, but I can hardly pay attention. I push thoughts of her away and try to focus on him instead, try to ignore the fact that my mate is somewhere above me, likely completely ignoring the food I’ve left outside her door.

After that, the rest of the council people arrive and gather around in my living room. I don’t offer refreshments or make small talk. I just walk to the front of the room, cross my arms, let out a breath, and start the meeting.

“As I’m sure you can see from my presence at this meeting, I made it to the market in Grayhide territory,” I say, wondering if they can see the exhaustion I feel plain on my face. “I arrived at night, cloaked and with the scent blocker on, and I have no reason to believe anyone at the market discovered my true identity.”

“Did you find Amanzite?” Claire asks. She’s perched on the very edge of a chair, her hands clasped together, looking wan. Nodding at her, I turn, walk into my study. Open the safe on the wall, pull out the rocks, and walk back into the room.

When I set the small bag down on the table, the color drains from her face.

“This is all you were able to get?” Kellen whispers, also looking like he might be sick.

“I kept my eyes open all night. There was only one vendor, and this was all the supply he had. When I pressed him for more information, he said, in no uncertain terms, that he’d stolen this himself, and so didn’t have a concrete lead on if or when he would get more.”

“Stolen goods,” Kellen mutters, looking to the ceiling. “Great.”

I understand the sentiment—the victim of this theft might go looking for their stash, and if they’re any good, it might lead them right to us. But we’re too vulnerable without the stones. It’s a risk we have to take.

“Do we have any other ideas for getting Amanzite?” Claire asks, her voice a squeak, her eyes red around the rims when she looks up at me. “Sir, this isn’t—”

There’s a knock at the door, then it swings open, and Emin comes strolling in. Despite being ten minutes late, he doesn’t look hurried, only slightly abashed as he walks into the living room and drops down into one of the armchairs.

“Sorry about that,” he says, laughing and running a hand through his hair. “I was—”

He pauses, his body going completely still, his eyes flying to mine. The air around us goes tense, and I understand the moment he’s smelled it.

His sister. Somehow, he caught the scent before his father did. As my right-hand, his senses might be stronger. Or, as the kid who played with her for his entire childhood, he might just be more attuned to the smell of her.

No matter what the reason, Emin sits up straight in his chair, and before I can signal to him with my facial expressionsnot to say a thing, his eyes are darting to the ceiling, his mouth opening in shock.

“Is Kira here?”

The council goes silent, all dozen or so eyes turning to me. Claire and Leta, who are both younger than Emin and I, look somewhat confused, their brows wrinkling, like they’re trying to recall where they know that name from.

Kellen speaks first. “Don’t be daft, Emin. Of course she’s not here, right, sir?”

When Kellen’s eyes shift to me, I know that I could lie. Compel him to believe me. Perhaps I could do that to everyone in this room, with the exception of Emin.

But those would not be the actions of the leader my grandfather raised me to be. Giving in to temptation, using your powers against those you are meant to work with—both things he warned me against.

Nobody is immune to the pull of alpha abilities. But the strongest can keep their morals about them while doing the best for their packs.

Standing taller, I let out a breath, look at each of them, and admit, “Yes. She is here.”

Kellen gasps. Emin, for the first time in my life, wears an expression I can’t decipher. Claire and Leta glance at one another, eyebrows raised. The others don’t dare murmur, but share their own looks, their own understanding of what’s going on here.

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