Page 26 of Rejected Sold Mate (Crystal Creek Wolves #4)

After one hell of a week, all I wanted was an oat milk latte before I tackled a huge painting I’d been putting off.

Scott owned two cafes downtown, and Gwen worked sporadic shifts at both when motherhood gave her the extra time.

I figured if my friend was working, it would be a good excuse to catch up and get a drink at the same time.

But then a single offhanded comment from Gwen threw my entire day into a spiral.

“So, I heard you’re putting your magic to good use.”

I froze, narrowing my eyes at her. “What do you mean?”

Gwen grinned over her shoulder, “Well, my Alpha mate happened to tell me that your Alpha mate was bragging that you broke some dude's arm who was messing with you. Jayce was so proud, apparently.”

My stomach rolled, but I didn’t want Gwen to see how much the incident with Brian had shaken me up. I wasn’t thrilled that Jayce had told the other Alphas about it, but hearing that he was bragging about me took some of the sting out of it.

“He put his hands on me when everyone was out berry picking,” I explained. “The other wolf. Brian. I had no choice.”

“Oof. What a stupid move. No wonder Jayce is throwing him out of the pack today.”

The world skidded to a halt while I tried to make sense of her words. “What did you say?”

My friend put the lid on my latte and handed it over. I plucked it from her grasp with nearly numb fingers, using both hands to make sure I didn’t dump the coffee all over the ground.

“Scott said they had to have their Alpha alliance meeting a day early because Jayce was having an emergency council hearing about the wolf that was harassing you. Touching an Alpha’s mate is usually like…

automatic banishment.” She shrugged, seeming totally unbothered by the whole thing.

It briefly made me wonder how much chaos she’d caused in her own pack when her magic manifested.

“Shit.” I’d just recovered from the guilt of breaking Brian’s arm, and while I’d have done the same thing if put in the same situation, I still hated that it had to happen.

Jayce had made sure I wasn’t ashamed about defending myself, but getting the single wolf that had complained about me kicked out of the pack surely wasn’t going to help my reputation with anyone else who was on the fence about me.

“Scott said Jayce is having the meeting today?”

“Mmhm,” Gwen turned to look at the clock on the wall. “Like, around now, I think.”

“Thanks for the latte!” I was already halfway out the door, digging my keys out of my bag.

“You didn’t pay!” Gwen called back, but I was in way too much of a hurry to turn around.

“I’ll pay double next time. Bye!”

I was on a mission, but I made sure to take a huge swig of my coffee before I threw the old Subaru into drive. It burned my tongue a little, but I was going to need the caffeine if I was about to face the entire Blacktide council.

***

The meeting was in full swing when I stormed down the stairs to the brewery basement, where the pack’s meeting room was located. It was a massive open space with a long table and chairs and the huge beer brewing vats, silver and shimmering, taking up one side of the high-ceilinged area.

When I pushed the door open, ten heads turned towards me, Jayce at the head of the table. I paused, the significance of busting into the Alpha’s council meeting hitting me hard, but it was too late to stop.

My mate was on his feet, and while he looked baffled to see me, he pulled out the empty chair next to him and motioned to it. “Welcome, Luna. Would you like to join us?”

I almost snorted. So formal for a man who had said all sorts of sweet and dirty things into my ear when he was helping ease my heat. I swallowed, tilting my chin up and taking the offered seat, even as the rest of the council murmured to one another.

“Luna,” Josh, the pack’s Beta, greeted. “Er, to what do we owe the pleasure?”

Without hesitation, I pointed down the table to where Brian sat, looking miserable but stunned at my appearance, his arm in a blue sling. “I’m here to make sure you don’t kick that man out.”

Jayce leaned towards me, “Rhie…”

“No. Let me speak, please. I know what happened was terrible, and I know better than anyone else that Brian laying his hands on me was out of line, but casting him out isn’t the right call.

No one has said so to my face, but I’m sure my addition to the pack, and in such an important role, was a shock to everyone, Brian included.

He needs to be punished, yes, but you can’t throw him out of the pack. ”

An older woman, towards the end of the table, cleared her throat, but no one else spoke until Jayce asked, “Why do you believe banishment is the wrong choice?”

I sucked in a shaking breath, heart hammering against my ribs.

“Because I know what it’s like to be cast out and to have your pack turn its back on you and treat you like a monster.

I hated my old pack for it. I still do. But this pack is different, isn’t it?

You made me feel like I could belong again.

Like I was seen as an equal. Like my words, my opinions had value.

Don’t…don’t take that from Brian because he made one mistake.

It doesn’t teach any lesson. All it does is ruin a life. ”

By the time I quit speaking, I could hear my pulse pounding in my ears, and adrenaline coursed through my veins. Slowly, the buzzing in my head abated, and the heavy silence of the room became apparent. It was so quiet I could hear myself breathe.

Only then did it hit me how passionately I’d been ranting, and I felt my cheeks start to burn. That was the first time I’d joined the council, and all I’d done was interrupt it and detail their entire meeting.

I felt juvenile. Stupid, even. The plan that I’d thought so brilliant when I left the coffee shop just felt ridiculous once I was in the middle of it. I couldn’t even look at Jayce, whose presence I could feel beside me as bright as the sun.

Then, gently, I felt his hand land on my shoulder, his fingers curling into my skin reassuringly. I looked up, drowning out the sight of all the other council members in the room, and gave all my attention to my Alpha.

“We aren’t going to banish him.” Jayce said, “It was a consideration in the beginning, but Brian has a clean record other than this incident. Instead, we’ll be assigning him some tasks within the pack and removing him from combat and guard duty until he’s proven his temper is under control.”

More silence, mine included, followed. A few chuckles could be heard, and I was willing to burst into flames on the spot if I didn’t have to look anyone in the eye at that moment.

“I…” I cleared my throat. “I…that was always the plan?”

“It was,” Jayce’s voice was even, but I could sense the suppressed laughter there.

“Great. Right. That’s…good.” Then, I leaned in so only Jayce could hear me. “Would it cause diplomatic issues with Joe if I shook his mate around just a little for giving me bad information?”

“We’ll address that later,” he whispered back. “But for now, sit tight. You’re here, so you might as well hear the rest of the meeting.”

I didn’t have the confidence to march out of the meeting like I’d marched into it, so I took Jayce’s advice, sitting back in the chair and smiling reluctantly at everyone else around the table. After a minute of adjustment, Jayce looked around and nodded. “Let’s continue, then.”

***

My mate pulled me aside as the meeting disbanded, everyone else talking amongst themselves as they made their way upstairs.

“So,” Jayce drawled, grinning, “How many times did you rehearse that speech on the drive over?”

“That’s the worst part,” I groaned, dragging my hands over my face. “I didn’t rehearse anything. It was all off the cuff.”

“Could have fooled me. I think I saw Josh get teary-eyed.”

I groaned, “I want to crawl into a hole and disappear.”

Jayce put his hands on my hips and pulled me close, kissing my forehead once we were alone in the room. “Don’t. That was hilarious, but also brave. You spoke your truth, made your case, and succeeded. I’m proud of you.”

“I didn’t succeed.” I didn’t try to pull away, hiding my face against his shoulder. “You’d already made up your mind.”

“I’m sure you would have swayed me.”

I wasn’t sure if he was saying it just to make me feel better, but something warmed in me at his words.

I savored those moments when he was less Alpha and more Jayce.

It gave me a glimpse of what he might have been like if he hadn’t been raised in the crucible that was his pack under his father and grandfather.

What he could still be like, if his pack was accepted fully into the alliance and he could finally relax.

“I’ve got a little bit of paperwork to finish up before I can go, but I’ll see you at home tonight, okay?”

I nodded, slowly pulling out of his arms. “Thank you. For giving me the chance to speak, even though you had no idea what I was going to say.”

“You haven’t given me a reason not to trust your judgement yet, Omega.” He gave me a last kiss, on the lips that time, “Let’s keep it that way, hm?”

***

My hand was on the driver’s side door when a shadow behind me blocked out the sun. I had a sinking feeling, and when I turned around, my fears solidified. It wasn’t Jayce who’d followed me out to the parking lot, but Brian.

My body tensed, my magic starting to simmer under my skin, ready for another fight, but Brian held up his hand that wasn’t in the sling.

“I heard what you said.” The wolf's voice was reluctant, but he was set on his path and didn’t back down. “Didn’t expect that.”

“Honestly, neither did I. I surprised both of us, I guess.”

Brian rubbed the back of his neck and looked past me, into the horizon, like it was hard for him to meet my eyes. “I was wrong about you. I don’t…like witches, as a rule, and it made me act like an asshole. I just wanted to say thanks. For sticking up for me.”

I was stunned, “You’re thanking the person who broke your arm?”

“I’ve had worse,” Brian said sheepishly, shrugging, “Still hurt like hell, though.”

That surprised a laugh out of me. “Yeah. It looked pretty gnarly. I’ll do my best not to let it happen again.”

Brian inclined his head. “Fair. I’ll do my best not to deserve it, then.”

It was an easy truce, but also an unexpected one. An apology from a male wolf was rare, and I basked in the glow of how good it made me feel as Brian walked off. My speech to save him might have been wasted, but at least he appreciated it, if nothing else.