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“Wait, if you share a mating bond with Iris, doesn’t that mean …”
“Yes,” muttered Derek. “Cyrus will come for her too.”
“In that case, you ought to give her everything you’ve got if that’s what it takes to convince her.”
“Believe me, I’ve already thought that. The pack will stand tall regardless, but with her by my side, the inevitable victory will come to us sooner. The last thing our group needs is a long, drawn-out war.”
“Things are hard enough with the children. I just hope you can pull this off, Derek. I’ll stand by your side either way.”
“Thank you,” the leader said, laying a hand on his shoulder. “For me, though, I have this new woman in my life to protect. No matter what she thinks of the mating bond, I can’t let her get hurt after she saved me.”
“Well, well, maybe you can tell your savior those loving words.”
Derek spun around, his eyes landing on the gorgeous sight of Iris as she shuffled out of her bedroom. Her hair was tied back into a low ponytail, and she wore a loose-fitting shirt and shorts.
Her tired, crinkled eyes grew wide as she spotted Mason. Derek fought hard but failed to contain his smile when her tired demeanor suddenly straightened into that of a drill sergeant. She marched over, her deathly stare carving a hole into Mason’s very existence. Iris snarled through closed teeth as her eyes darted to the alpha.
“What do you think you’re doing? And who in the hell is this? And why the fuck is he in my home?”
Mason nudged Derek. “I see why you like her.” He chuckled.
“Is this one of your buddies?” she demanded.
“Good morning, Iris,” Derek greeted calmly, flashing a warm smile at his mate. “Have a seat. I’ll put on some fresh coffee for all of us.”
“Son of a bitch,” she muttered, shaking her head. Clenching her fists, she drew a deep breath and let out a long sigh of defeat. “Explain to me who this man is and why he’s in my home, please.”
“My name is Mason. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise,” she growled with a hint of sarcasm.
“He’s my beta,” said Derek. “Don’t worry, we can trust him. I would not bring him in otherwise.”
“Oh, good! I really appreciate that from someone I met a day ago.”
She resigned herself to taking a seat. Derek handed her a cup of coffee, fully aware she’d have thrown it in his face if it wasn’t steaming.
“I hope the two of you are enjoying that breakfast because I’m not cleaning the mess you’ve left in the sink. Do I have any unused dishes left?”
“Of course, but not many. Also, I don’t expect you to clean up after me.” Derek sipped on his coffee. “I do expect you, however, to leave here and join our pack. I’m sure you remember what I told you about Cyrus.”
“I do,” she snarled. “Are you ordering me to come with you?”
“No, not quite,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “It’s not a command but a warning. Cyrus is a dangerous man, and I can’t guarantee your safety should you remain here.”
“I don’t know.” Iris groaned, shrugging her shoulders.
I’ve got to convince her somehow.Derek got up from his seat and switched to the one beside his host.
“You’ll be safe with the pack. I promise you that.”
“If I may,” interjected Mason. “You are aware that you’re a future Luna, right?”
“I know because this fucker won’t shut up about it,” said Iris.
“If I’m being honest, we need you with us,” Derek confessed. “Look, Cyrus is ruthless. We have to stand and fight for thesafety not only of you and me but for the entirety of the shifter population.”
Iris threw up her hands in frustration. “This is all just so sudden and a little over the top, don’t you think?”
