Page 14 of Broken Forced Mate
“As I’ve said,” Oren steps around the table to stalk closer, “six months seems like a very short courtship for such a momentous decision.”
“Some people know what they want,” I reply, though even as I say it, doubt creeps into my voice.
Aidan clears his throat. “Raegan, we’re not trying to attack your choices. But given recent circumstances, we have to be cautious about newcomers to the region.”
“What recent circumstances?”
“There have been some security concerns,” Kira explains. “Nothing that directly affects you, but it’s made everyone a bit more protective than usual.”
I want to push for more details, but something in her tone warns me off. The pack leadership clearly knows something they’re not sharing, and forcing the issue now would only make things more awkward. Plus, I doubt they would share anything of substance in front of a stranger.
“What do you really want?” This question comes from a corner of the room I’ve been trying to avoid looking at.
Wyn’s voice cuts through the debate, quiet but carrying more weight than all of Oren’s bluster. When I turn to look at him, those gray eyes are focused entirely on Bastian.
“Excuse me?” Bastian’s smile starts to fade, and he puffs up his chest.
“You heard me.” Wyn pushes away from the wall and moves closer to our group. “What do you want from her?”
“I want to marry her,” Bastian replies, but there’s a defensive edge to his voice now. “I’m not sure what you’re implying.”
“I’m not implying anything. I’m asking.” Wyn stops just a few feet away before he adds, “You show up at a university hundreds of miles from your home territory, happen to meet the sister of one of the most powerful alpha leaders in the region, and within six months, you’re engaged. That’s quite a coincidence.”
“Wyn, what are you saying?” I ask, but he doesn’t look at me. His attention remains fixed on Bastian, who’s gone very still beside me.
“I’m saying,” Wyn continues, “that your fiancé’s timing is interesting, given recent developments in the region.”
“What recent developments?” I ask as I throw my hands in the air and look around the room. Everyone seems to know something I don’t, and the exclusion stings.
“Nothing you need to worry about,” Oren says quickly, but his eyes never leave Bastian’s face.
“Don’t. Don’t treat me like a child who can’t handle adult information. If something is happening in my home, I have a right to know.”
The room falls silent again, and I watch a silent conversation pass between my brother and his advisors. Finally, Oren sighs and drags a hand through his hair.
“We’ve been tracking suspicious activity along our borders,” he admits. “Scouts from a local pack we’ve come to learn calls themselves Thornridge, conducting what appears to be reconnaissance.”
“What does that have to do with me?” But even as I ask, pieces start clicking together in my mind. The way everyone looked at Bastian when we walked in. The level of scrutiny he’sfacing. The undercurrent of suspicion has nothing to do with typical family protectiveness.
They think he’s part of that pack.
“Probably nothing,” Dorian replies. “But the timing is noteworthy.”
Bastian clears his throat, drawing attention back to himself. “I understand your concerns, but I can assure you that my intentions toward Raegan are entirely honorable. I have no hidden agenda.”
“Then you won’t mind answering a few additional questions,” Wyn says, and something about his tone makes my skin crawl with unease.
“Of course not.” Bastian’s smile returns, though it doesn’t reach his eyes now. “Though I’m not sure what I could tell you about border activities. I’ve been focused on my studies.”
“Tell us about your pack,” Ash requests. “Their territory, their leadership structure, their main industries.”
Bastian launches into what sounds like a well-rehearsed presentation about agricultural and sustainable development. His answers are smooth and detailed, exactly what you’d expect from someone studying interpack relations.
But something about the performance feels wrong. It’s almost like he’s anticipated exactly which questions would be asked and prepared responses in advance.
I watch the faces around the table as he speaks. Dorian looks skeptical, Kira appears concerned, and Veva has that distant look that suggests she’s using her supernatural abilities to read the situation. Even Aidan, usually the most easygoing person in any room, seems on edge.
And Wyn…Wyn looks like he’s ready to shift into his wolf and launch himself across the room.
