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“That surprises you?”
“I think it’d surprise a lot of people.” Even Harlan wasn’t expecting it.
A sigh eased out of the woman. “Before, I liked that you had to see Zaire and me together. It made me feel better, I guess.”
“About what?”
A hint of resentment blotted Nazra’s eyes. “You have a soul-deep claim to the man I love. It does take some sting out of it that he chose me, but not all of it. Because I’ll never know if he’d have made a different choice if the position of Alpha didn’t come with mating me.”
Ah. Huh. While some did suspect that his agreement to claim Nazra had been largely driven by ambition, it was also believed he cared deeply about her. And since they’d imprinted, Quinley hadn’t really considered that Nazra might harbor doubts.
“So, yeah, I was always jealous that you have an inborn claim to Zaire. Knowing you were miserable made me feel better. Sounds cruel, yes, but I never claimed to be a nice person. I don’t handle jealousy well.”
You’re kidding, Quinley inwardly deadpanned. “Most shifters don’t when it comes to their mates—true or chosen.”
“That’s the thing, you see,” said Nazra, her face hardening. “Whereas before I didn’t mind you being in his periphery, now I do. The imprint bond changes things. It amplifies possessiveness to such an extent that it feels like a living force inside you.”
“So you’re actually glad I’m leaving?”
“Yes.” Her eyes narrowed on Quinley. “What I want to know is if you’re serious about this arranged mating, or if this is some ploy to get Zaire’s attention?”
The woman couldn’t really think that was the case, surely. But… she did genuinely seem to worry that it might be. Weird.
“It’s no ploy,” Quinley told her. “I don’t want him. I don’t see him as mine. He rejected me and chose someone else. I could never accept him as a mate. Neither could my cat.”
“But you could be doing this because you want him to want you. I know all about hurting someone to make yourself feel better. And what better way to get back at me and Zaire?”
Quinley jerked slightly, totally baffled as to why the woman might think it would “get back” at him; that he’d at all react to anything Quinley did. “Has he given you some indication that my decision to mate bothers him?”
Nazra briefly looked away.
“He doesn’t know,” Quinley realized.
“No.” It was a murmur.
Well, there was no reason that he needed to, so… “All right, but do you honestly worry he’ll be bothered one way or another? Because truthfully, I don’t.”
Nazra cricked her neck. “There are things you don’t know. If you did, you would understand why I have my doubts. I need to know that you’re serious about mating the Olympus Pride enforcer; that any interest Zaire shows in this situation won’t change anything for you.”
“I’ve already told you, I don’t want Zaire. You either believe me or you don’t.”
“I want to believe you. But in your position…”
“You find it hard to take my word for it because you love Zaire—you know you’d fight for him. I don’t love him, and at no point would I ever want him.”
Nazra stared at her for long moments. “All right. But let me warn you straight up: If it turns out that you lied to me today, if you make any attempt to take him from me, I will kill you.”
Quinley let a slow, humorless smile curl her lips. “No, you won’t. I’m not the easy target you imagine. But neither of us need to concern ourselves with what would happen if we came to that bridge, because it’ll never come to pass.”
“That had better be true.” Nazra swanned out of the cabin, almost colliding into Adaline on the porch.
Quinley was guessing that one of the neighbors had called her sister, concerned that trouble might break out.
Adaline hurried into the cabin, closing the door behind her. “What did she want?”
“To be sure I wasn’t just using Isaiah to get to Zaire in some way and that I’m serious about making the mating work.”
Adaline’s head twitched in surprise. “She’s not going to try to stop it?”
