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“We’re both fine,” Ashley said. “Thanks for the offer though.”
Midas cleared his throat, and the look in his eyes told Romeo that he wasn’t going to like what the male said next.
“So there are a couple things that Maya and I wanted to speak with you about privately. The elders know what we’re going to say here, of course, and some of the higher ranked protectors, but that’s it. What we say tonight isn’t going to be known among the ambush.”
Ashley tensed next to Romeo and he could feel her unease. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t know what Midas was going to say.
“First,” Maya said, “we’re so thankful you’re both okay. And we’re glad that you’re half wolf, Ashley, so that you have long-life and some of the other abilities that go with being a supernatural creature.”
Ashley nodded but didn’t say anything.
Maya looked at Midas, who stared back at her for a long moment, then said, “We’re not going to invite you to join the ambush.”
Romeo nearly roared as fury poured over him. He managed to rein some of that in and said through clenched teeth, “What? She’s my truemate.”
Midas put his hand up. “We understand that, but she’s also not known to our people. Not only did she infiltrate our territory and spy on us, but she lied several times over the course of the last few days and hid her identity. We don’t hold her accountable for Brent’s actions, but we want to get to know her better before we officially bring her into our group.”
Romeo’s tiger seethed. This wasn’t how the ambush was supposed to react. He’d forgiven Ashley for her actions before she realized they were truemates, and the ambush should too.
“We’re not saying that we won’t welcome her,” Maya said gently, “just that it’s going to take time. You’re welcome to stay here in town, of course, at Romeo’s home, but if the offer to join the ambush hasn’t been extended by our next hunt, then we’ll ask you to refrain from joining.”
Romeo snarled. Ashley put her hand on his arm and gave it a squeeze. “I understand,” she said with a low voice.
“You haven’t even mated her yet, Romeo,” Midas said. “That matters to the ambush.”
“Then I’ll mate her right now,” he said. He rose to his feet, barely holding onto his skin since his tiger wanted out to roar for real.
“No,” Ashley said. She stood and took his hand. “No, you won’t. We agreed to take time to get to know each other before we mated each other, and there’s no reason to expect the ambush to treat me differently than you are.” He looked down at her and she gave him a sad, half smile. “I get it. I wouldn’t trust me either.”
“I don’t know if that’s it so much as the appearance to the ambush. Just a few days ago you were the Humans Against Shifters’ number one spy. The ambush knows you worked for Brent and that you’re Romeo’s truemate. But the fact that he didn’t mark you would be concerning to the ambush on some level, even though Maya and I fully understand. Rushing forward to mate each other officially isn’t the answer. Just take the time to get to know each other, mark and mate when it’s right for you, and we’ll revisit joining the ambush at that point.”
“There’s no timeline, and we’re not saying you can’t live in Whisper Creek,” Maya added. “Give us time to get to know you.”
Romeo couldn’t articulate his annoyance, so he nodded.
“I think we’ll go now,” Ashley said. “Thanks for helping set me free and being gracious.”
She gave his hand a tug and they left. Romeo inhaled deeply when they got outside, the crisp evening air searing his lungs. They were both silent as they walked back to his house.
When he’d shut the door and hung up their coats, he ran a hand through his hair and snarled. “I’m fucking sorry.”
“About what?”
“If I’d mated you that first time we were together like my tiger demanded, then the ambush would trust you.”
“I don’t know if they would,” she said. “And it wasn’t the right time. You weren’t one hundred percent sure of me and my intentions. I’d hate if our relationship had started on a lie like that.” She sighed, her shoulders lifting high with the motion. “I’m really okay with it.”
He arched a brow. “You aren’t pissed they don’t trust you? You’re my truemate.”
“You didn’t trust me.”
“But I donow,” he said empathically. “My trust in you should be enough.”
“It is for me,” she said. She moved close, her body brushing his, and her sweet scent making his tiger purr. “I don’t mind, truly. I only care that you trust me, and I want to focus on us getting to know each other.”
He let out a grumble and hugged her close. “I’m sorry if I fucked things up for you.”
“You didn’t. It’s how it’s supposed to work out. I just want to be with you. I’m sorry I wasn’t someone you could trust when we met, but I’m not sorry we’re together now. If I hadn’t joined Brent’s group, I wouldn’t have come to Ohio, and we wouldn’t have ever met. I wouldn’t trade what we have now for anything, but the road here was a fucking mess.”
