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Stop looking at him.
She was surprised. You mean Warren?
That’s exactly what I mean.
She shifted slightly in her seat so she could meet his gaze fully. Do you do the same thing at meals with your pack?
He glanced back at Warren. Make the rounds?
She smiled. Is that what you call talking to everyone?
Yes. Most of the alphas I know use a communal meal as much for chowing down as for staying in close contact with each pack member.
Mary sighed heavily. This was as different from Revel and her life as a fae as anything could be. Would your alpha female be expected to do the same? Mary wasn’t naïve. She knew that unusual forces were at work in her life, and there was a chance she could make the cut as Fergus’s mate. She needed to know what would be expected of her.
I think I know what’s going on in your head. You’re trying to guess what your duties would be if this fell to you. But try not to think of it that way. Instead, use your fae senses. What does the situation tell you? He chuckled softly, a low hoarse wolf sound. Because I think you’re too much wolf right now and not enough fae.
The comment surprised her. But as she glanced out at the wolves dining together, she focused on her fae ability to sense things. What came back was a strange rush of speed and oneness, as though the pack had a strong central unity definitely not found in Revel.
She also saw that the ease with which Warren performed his task wasn’t because of his natural abilities, but because the pack carried him from one person to the next. She found it hard to fathom, but there it was. Warren wasn’t doing this alone in the same way Fergus didn’t care for his pack on his own.
It also explained why, until Fergus defeated Sydon in a dominance battle, the pack wouldn’t be able to accept him as their alpha. The Gordion wolves had already started forging a bond with Sydon, however unwanted.
She turned back to Fergus once more. I’m amazed.
It’s very different, isn’t it?
There’s a oneness of thought that I didn’t see before.
It’s also the reason I can’t be with my pack. They’re in the middle of a bonding process with Sydon.
I know. I sense that as well. Her shoulders sank. Fergus, this must be terrible for them because of who Sydon is?
Pain flashed through his eyes. I think the suffering is as much mine as theirs. But the bond i
s also different from what you might think. It’s hard to explain, but bonding doesn’t require approval or appreciation. It’s very wolf and one of the reasons packs can be as strong as they are, even if there’s an absence of morality in the alpha himself. Bonding is chemical, not personal.
He pushed his plate away and swigged his beer, then continued. It doesn’t help that Sydon is a charismatic entity because not everyone knows how bad he is. His rogue following is proof of the support he can garner.
This time, she put her hand on his knee. This must be killing you.
Waiting is hard. My first impulse when I woke up, was to go straight to the Gordion Compound and kill the bastard. I might have, if I hadn’t already discussed everything with the head of the pack council.
With Andrew Dean? You never told me this, Fergus. What did he say?
He held her gaze, one hand on his beer bottle. Because Sydon already made a deal with the cartels, Dean believes that if Sydon was killed outright, the cartels would take revenge. And the last thing we want is a war with the drug lords.
She shook her head. But what if it comes to that despite your efforts? The cartels are always looking for a way to make inroads into a territory and Sydon was definitely holding that door wide. I can’t imagine, even if you bested him in a dominance fight, that the drug lords would give up such a powerful advantage.
Fergus shrugged, but his jaw had grown tight and his nostrils elongated. I can’t possibly predict what the cartels might or might not do. So, I’m moving forward by the book because it will give me the best advantage legally.
She remembered his distress over his dreams. You’re worried the whole territory is headed for war.
He held her gaze. I am. His dark eyes glinted with both fear and determination.
Mary sighed deeply, though it carried an odd wolf-grunt that had several nearby wolves turning to stare at her. She didn’t mind. She was an oddity to herself right now so of course she’d be the same to everyone else.
She wasn’t sure if the situation could get much worse than the idea that Savage was headed for a cataclysmic event. She thought back to hauling Fergus out of the Graveyard, but to what purpose? To lead the charge in a war? To mate with him? To become a fae-wolf? Would his pack ever accept a woman like her?
