Page 134 of Contested Crown

“Well, of course I don’t do it in my real name,” Rhys said. “But everyone likes a discreet stylist now and then. Even other houses, and I needed somewhere to do that work.”

Now that I recognized it as Rhys’s place of business, the large mirrors and the pedestal in the corner made sense. The fabric hanging on the walls wasn’t drapery; it was samples.

“Welcome, welcome. I’ll offer you a tour later. For now, let’s have some food.” Rhys strode over to a small fridge tucked in the corner. At the offer of water or juice, most of the wolves accepted, and Rhys pulled out a large tray of sandwiches that they handed over to Nia. She took it and placed it on the coffee table, growling when Joel leaned forward too quickly for a bite.

Nia went back over to Rhys, who took out a tray of vegetables and then a charcuterie board so large that I was sure it had nearly an entire ham on it, sliced so thin the pieces were almost translucent. Once everything was arranged to Rhys’s satisfaction, they stepped back.

Significantly, Nia glanced at me, and I realized that the meats and cheeses weren’t a full-grown buck or a bison, but they were the closest thing my pack had seen yet. Alphas ate first.

I approached and took one of the small napkins, selecting a few choice pieces. Then I stepped back. I watched Evelyn, Heather, Gabe, and Joel jostle for position in the pack. They each wanted to be my second, even though the pack wasn’t even a full day old.

They were all eyeing each other. For a second, I worried it was going to result in a physical fight and I’d have to shut it down. Then Nia swept in. She took a napkin and chose her food.

The others gaped at her, but she snapped at them sharply. Heather and Gabe immediately looked down, and Evelyn eyed her for a second before tilting her head.

Well, that was that, then. I raised an eyebrow at her as she retreated to my left side, ready to guard me.

“You sure?” I asked. “Won’t Rhys have a problem?”

“Oh, no, she and I have hadmanydiscussions on this,” Rhys called from across the room. “And she and I both think you’re worth it. And not just for thatass.”

They winked at me. Cade’s face went pink, and his lips pursed in annoyance.

“All right,” I said, taking a bite of the food.

Things settled quickly from there. Evelyn and Gabe shuffled for a second, but she gave in, and so it went until the wolves who hadn’t even been in the running got their share. The mages and their wolves took food nearly last. The humans seemed oblivious to it all, waiting because one of the lower-ranked wolves had held them back with a hand and a whispered warning.

I wanted to keep an eye on him. Packs were complicated, and having humans in them was even more so, but having someone willing to help the humans navigate everything was powerful. If he kept it up, he might be someone I wanted closer to the top in rank.

Cade walked across the room, and all the wolves stilled. Everyone except Nia kept their eyes on him as he approached me. He raised an eyebrow, and part of me wanted to take the remaining cracker I held and feed it to him, feel his lips on my fingertips.

Instead, I offered over what was left on my napkin. Coolly, Cade examined the single cracker, the slices of cheese, the meat. When he looked up, I could see a dark heat in his eyes. He stared at me as he selected a slice of cheese and meat, folding them together and slipping them between pink lips, the slightest hint of tongue visible.

The other wolves looked between each other, silent, tension rising in the room.

I had just as good as declared him my mate, letting him eat from my own portion. But they could have smelled us on each other, so the physical intimacy wasn’t the surprise. I was letting him own his position in the pack. Not quite my equal, but as close as anyone got.

Even in packs that allowed in humans, I’d never heard of the alpha with a human mate, much less a mage. Our histories were too complicated, too tied up in ownership and violation. But the way Cade had talked about us becoming consorts, the way I wanted it, with partnership and affection, maybe mages and werewolves could have a relationship without the violence of our history.

Cade met my eyes, the smile in the corner of his lips saying he understood everything that had just occurred, that I’d placed him firmly in pack hierarchy, that now, no matter what came next, he wasmine.

Carefully, Cade looked down at the empty napkin. He took it from my hand and refilled it from the tray, giving it back to me. As his hand brushed over mine, deliberately trailing down my forearm and cupping my elbow, he looked up again, raising his brow.

He might be unfamiliar with pack dynamics, but he knew politics. He knew appearances. I’d claimed him by letting him eat from my food, but he’d known exactly what he was doing.

Heat coiled in my stomach. He knew, and he’d decided he wanted it, wanted me, as much as I wanted him.

“Now, don’t be mad,” Rhys said. “But I didn’t bring you back here because it has a much better atmosphere than that horrible little rec hall. Can you imagine having a wedding there?” They shuddered dramatically.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I have someone coming,” Rhys said quickly. “Someone that you two both need to have a conversation with. Granted, I didn’t realize you were evenhereuntil earlier, so this is just a… nice surprise for everyone involved!”

“Rhys…” Cade said in warning.

“And they’re arriving now,” Rhys said. A flower bloomed on their skin. “Right now.”

Someone knocked on the door.