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“Next weekend,” Alpha Toth says. When Jeffrey’s eyebrows climb up his forehead, he adds, “You saw how Rook was when Nora danced with Evan and Alpha Day, right?”
Jeffrey’s jaw clenches, as if he didn’t particularly like me dancing with them, either. Considering he wants me for himself, I’m not surprised. “I saw,” he admits through clenched teeth.
Alpha Toth shrugs. “This is a volatile situation. The sooner we get it taken care of, the better.”
“Agreed,” Rook says. “Next Friday would be perfect.”
“Why not?” I add, because Jeffrey is looking to me to say something. “I don’t know how mating ceremonies work, but I don’t need anything big and fancy, and I already have the perfect dress, don’t you think?”
I pull at the skirt of my dress, forcing Jeffrey’s attention to my outfit. His eyes rake over me, and his gaze fills with heat. Rook’s jaw clenches at the sight of Jeffrey’s leer, and he pulls me just a little closer to him.
“It is a lovely dress,” Jeffrey admits with a smug smile that seems unjustified. He sweeps his gaze over Rook and me, then nods to Alpha Toth. “Next weekend, then. I look forward to the ceremony.” He dips his head in a bow to me and flashes me another unnerving smile. “If you’ll excuse me, Ms. Jacobs, I believe it’s time for me to say goodnight. It’s been a lovely party. I appreciate the invite.”
“Of course. Thank you for coming.”
I force myself to shake his hand without cringing. His thoughts are on Axel. He’s running off to tell him about the mating ceremony and thinking of the wolves he’ll have to get ready in less than a week.
Once he’s out of earshot, I tug Rook to a more secluded corner of the room. I’m not surprised when Alpha Toth and all my guys follow us. They gather around me, waiting for me to speak like I’m the quarterback in the team huddle. I give Rook, Nick, and Alpha Toth a knowing look. “He’s running off to tell Alpha Day right now. You’ll want to watch him like a hawk this week. He was thinking about wolves he’ll have to get ready this week. He must have a few in your pack loyal to him that are in on the plan.”
Alpha Toth’s jaw clenches, but he nods calmly. “Thank you, Nora. Rook, please reach out to Evan. Discreetly. Let him know everything, and warn him he only has a week.”
Parker can’t hold back any longer. “What’s going on?” he demands. “What are you guys up to? Because there is no way Nora agreed to be mated to Rook so suddenly.”
Rook’s eyes narrow, and he balls a hand into a fist. I elbow him lightly. “Oh, calm down, Rook. He’s not insulting you. He just knows me.”
Oliver steps forward, eyes wide. “So you’re not being mated? I didn’t want to believe it, but you said to trust you.”
Rook huffs again, but I can’t help pulling Oliver into a tight hug. His thoughts are full of hope and relief. “Thank you for trusting me, Ollie.” My voice cracks from emotion, and I squeeze him as tightly as I can. “I promise I’ll explain later.”
As I sit on the couchin Rook’s house, waiting for Rook to get dressed, my eyes start to close. I’m exhausted all the way to my bones. It’s been a very long week, and though I’m apprehensive about the mating ceremony and impending fight, I’m just glad it’s almost over.
To say that Parker and Terrance were pissed when they learned of my involvement with Alpha Toth’s pack would be a gross understatement. Oliver, amazing man that he is, was proud of me and only worried for my safety. Once they all settled down and realized they couldn’t talk me out of the fake mating ceremony, they demanded they be in attendance in order to protect me. Normally, a mating ceremony is strictly a pack thing, but Alpha Toth agreed, happy for the extra help. He said their presence would be easy enough to explain because I wasn’t pack yet, and of course I’d want my closest friends to see me mated.
To keep up with the ruse, I spent most of the week on the pack compound with Rook. He personally introduced me to almost everyone. I vetted as many wolves as I could and helped Rook and Alpha Toth figure out who were Toth’s most loyal supporters and who I thought might be in league with Jeffrey. I’ve never used my abilities so much in all my life.
I pull my eyes open and rub my face when Rook clears his throat and says, “You about ready?”
He looks damn good in his suit, and he’s shaved off his normal five o’clock shadow for the occasion. It’s almost a pity this isn’t a real mating ceremony. I look at the garment bag lying over the arm of the couch and sigh. I’m supposed to meet with the top-ranked women in the pack and let them get me ready for the ceremony, sort of like bridesmaids in a human wedding. I’m not really looking forward to it. “Can’t I just get ready here?”
Rook smiles and holds a hand out to me. “It’s tradition,” he says, pulling me to my feet. Once I’m standing, he slips his arm around my waist and pulls me to him. “You’ll break their hearts if you don’t go,” he murmurs, combing his fingers through my hair.
I gulp. He’s acted so differently this week. His wolf has been calmer, buthe’sbeen more aggressive. I can’t decide if he’s doing it on purpose because he likes me, or if he’s just losing the battle against his wolf’s desires. I asked him that very question yesterday, and he told me the two things are one and the same.
I can’t deny the connection I feel to him. There’s something about him. Aside from the fact that he’s one of the hottest men I’ve ever seen, he’s spent so long guarding his own heart that he knows where I’m coming from. He feels like a kindred spirit of sorts.
He untangles his hand from my hair and holds it to my cheek. I’m graced with his thoughts and am surprised to hear he’s having doubts about the plan. He pulls his fingers away from my skin when I frown, and explains. “My wolf doesn’t want to let you go out there today. It goes against my instincts to put you in harm’s way.”
I break his hold and take a much-needed step away from him. “I’ll be fine. Axel doesn’t want me dead, and I’ll be surrounded by Wulf, Nick, Oliver, Parker, and Terrance, anyway. Besides. Unless he brings every rogue in the country, he’s going to be sorely outnumbered. The fight is hardly going to be a fight at all.”
Over the week we only found maybe ten of Alpha Toth’s wolves who planned to side with Axel. They’re some of the strongest, but they don’t know Alpha Toth’s wolves are expecting this fight and know they plan to turn on them. Alpha Toth has secretly spoken to all his faithful wolves already and coordinated the proper defense strategies. It also helps that Evan has been spreading the word to his loyal wolves that Toth is granting clemency to those who don’t fight for Axel. Axel has only half the numbers for this fight that he’s expecting, and Toth has twice as many.
Rook sighs. “You’re right. I know. Still. My wolf knows there’s going to be trouble, and he doesn’t want you in the thick of it.Idon’t want you there.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes only because I really don’t want to be there, either. I know my guys will keep me safe, but the thought of being in the middle of a bunch of angry wolves ripping each other apart is unsettling. I’m still having nightmares about watching Daniel and Maya die. “I’ll tell the guys to get me out of there the second the fighting starts.” I pick up the dress bag and smirk. “Unlike you wolves, I’ve got no problem standing aside while you all fight.”
He can’t stop the small smile that breaks out on his face. “Good. Still, I’ve got something for you, just in case.”
He walks into his kitchen and pulls a sheathed knife from a drawer. “This is pure silver. It’s werewolf Kryptonite,” he explains, kneeling in front of me. He lifts my pant leg and straps the knife just above my ankle. “I know you don’t know how to use it, but if anyone gets near you, just swing with it. You probably won’t manage a killing blow, but any slice you can give with this will slow them down a little.”
