Page 37 of Fetch Me A Mate
Maeve's hand tightened on the bat handle. "You're not welcome here."
"I'm not staying." Kael's attention remained fixed on Rowan. "Just passing through. Delivering a message from family to family."
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a folded piece of paper, setting it on the bar between them. "Tomorrow night. Moonmirror Lake, north shore. Midnight."
"I'm not coming."
"Your choice." Kael's smile widened. "But understand the consequences of that choice. Alpha's been patient, but patience has limits. And when those limits are reached..." He glanced toward the windows again. "Well. Sometimes innocent people get caught in the crossfire."
Rowan stood slowly, his wolf pushing so close to visibility that his bones ached with the need to shift. "If you touch her?—"
"Her?" Kael's expression lit with predatory interest. "The pretty innkeeper? Is that what this is about? Have you been playing house with a human, brother?"
The old hierarchy pressed down like a physical weight, beta authority trying to force submission from a wolf who'd spent three years learning to stand alone. Rowan's vision edged with silver, his control stretching thinner with each heartbeat.
"Stay away from Diana."
"Diana." Kael rolled the name around his tongue like he was tasting it. "That's sweet. Really. But you know how this ends, don't you? You come home with us, or we make sure you have nothing left to stay for."
"Get out."
"I'm going. But remember, brother—tomorrow night. Don't keep family waiting."
Kael headed for the back door, pausing in the threshold to look back.
"Oh, and Rowan? Give my regards to your innkeeper. I’m sure it’ll be a lovely gathering. Be a shame if something disrupted all that hard work she's put in."
The door closed behind him with a soft click that echoed like a gunshot in the sudden silence.
Rowan sank back onto his barstool, hands shaking with barely contained violence. His wolf clawed at his ribs, demanding blood, demanding protection for their mate, demanding an end to the threats that circled her like vultures.
Maeve poured another whiskey and pushed it toward him. "So. That was illuminating."
"They know about her."
"Yeah, they do." Maeve's voice was grim. "Question is what you're going to do about it."
Rowan stared at the folded paper Kael had left behind. A summons. A trap. A choice between his past and his future.
"I don't really know," he said honestly.
"Well, you've got until tomorrow night to figure it out." Maeve collected the empty glasses. "But whatever you decide, remember this—running might keep her safe in the short term, but it won't solve the problem. They'll keep coming. They always do."
Rowan left the tavern with Kael's threats replaying and his wolf howling for blood. Tomorrow night, Diana would host her gathering, cementing her place in Hollow Oak's heart.
And at midnight, he'd have to choose between answering his pack's summons or watching them destroy everything she'd built.
The choice should have been easy.
It wasn't.
19
DIANA
The Hearth & Hollow glowed like a lantern against the autumn night. Every window blazed with warm light, and the sound of laughter spilled from the open doors onto the square. Diana stood in the parlor doorway, watching her first official gathering unfold with a mixture of pride and disbelief.
It was working. All of it.
