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“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I?”
Ronin strode forward. “Stop speaking, Ophelia Belle. He is your Alpha. You will not disrespect him.”
“I can’t accept an Alpha who is a willing cuckold.”
“You don’t have a choice. You had your chance to claim your spot, but you failed. Kingston bested you. You submitted to him in front of the entire pack when you bared your throat. Which means you lost. This tantrum of yours proves why you will always lose. Go back to the house, and we’ll talk about this when you aren’t on the verge of an uncontrolled shift.”
Angry tears glistened in Phe’s eyes. She stared at me as though warning me she’d take me out the first chance she got.
Kingston pulled me out of Noah’s arms and against his chest as Ronin went to Phe where she stood just up the drive. He passed by me, and Phe took a few steps closer, the disc on my bracelet warming and setting my nerves on edge.
“She’s marked by the vampire. Look at her neck,” Phe growled. “This isn’t simply me being disrespectful. This is her making idiots of us all. Again.”
“She has more than one mate,” Kingston said. “Noah Blackthorne is hers as well. We’ve both given her our marks.”
“Impossible,” she breathed, eyes wide.
“Sunday has four mates,” Ronin said, surprising all of us.
“You knew?” Kingston asked.
He gave a tight nod, gaze not shifting off his daughter. “Since she arrived at Ravenscroft.”
“And you’re okay with it?” Phe pressed.
“Don’t get much of a choice when fate is involved. But I will say this, and I’ll only say it once. She is your brother’s mate. Your Alpha’s mate. You will treat them both with the respect they are due, or you’ll be sent to live with the pack in Juneau.”
I frowned, glancing up at Kingston. “Juneau?”
“It’s where the banished are sent. The ones beyond help or redemption.”
Nausea made my stomach roll. “Your father would banish her over a disagreement?”
“You know how packs work, Sunshine—”
“No, actually, I don’t. Ivory tower, remember?”
Kingston shot me an apologetic look. “I’ll explain later.”
Noah stood beside me, posture tense. “I meant no harm and didn’t cross into pack land. We can end this here with no bloodshed.”
Ronin and Ophelia both approached our small group slowly and carefully. Was it just me, or was this bracelet getting warmer with every step?
“I’m not going to start a war over something as insignificant as you nearly crossing our border,” Ronin said.
Noah relaxed even as Phe growled. “Insignificant? You call a vampire sneaking onto pack land insignificant?” Her eyes narrowed as she stared at her father. “I don’t even recognize you right now.”
“He isn’t on pack land. If he’d stepped one foot over the line, we’d be having a very different conversation.”
“Make a choice, Sunday. You can stay with us or leave with your leech.” Phe’s glare was fierce before she turned and stormed back to the house.
Noah’s hand found mine. “Stay. I’ll see you when you return home.”
I nodded, grateful he’d made it easy on me even when part of me wanted to go with him. “Thank you for stopping by to say happy birthday,” I whispered, not feeling comfortable doing more than hugging him in front of Ronin.
“Thank you for forgiving me.”
“Stop doing stupid things that require forgiveness,” I muttered, stepping back from him.
His lips quirked up. “I’ll do my best, but no promises.” He leaned forward to brush a kiss to my cheek, his mouth at my ear as he murmured, “Not when making up can be so much fun.”
Then he disappeared into the trees, my gaze following him until he was gone.
“Come on, Sunshine. It’s cold out here. Let’s get inside and warm up. It’s already been a long as fuck day.” My bracelet was still warm, a steady heat on my wrist as Kingston looked at his dad. “Go on ahead. We’ll walk back to the house. We need a minute to reset after Phe’s hissy fit.”
Ronin nodded and started up the truck again. As he drove away, I had the distinct feeling someone was watching me. But with the bracelet still warning me of danger, was it friend or foe?
