When The Fur Flies (10 page)

“Just how long were you watching us?”

“Long enough, daughter.” Yasmina smiled at Allison’s horrified gasp. “Relax. I didn’t see anything inappropriate between you.” However, a mischievous gleam in the blue eyes made Allison want to die on the spot.

Chapter Eight

Reginald was not a happy Wolf! He’d gone into the conference room, expecting to have to face the six Wolven Council Members who were in the position to advise him on major decisions. Instead the huge table was surrounded by members of the Tri-species Council, minus Vampires who were not allowed on Wolven lands. The Keeper, Alexa Carver, sat beside the High Priest of the Witch’s Coven, Justin O’Mallery.

“Good of you to finally join us Alpha Leclair, especially since this mess is your doing.” The High Priest knotted his wrinkled and age-spotted hands together on the table before him.

“I didn’t realize a TSC meeting was scheduled for this afternoon.” Reginald glanced back at Tray, who raised a red eyebrow before taking a seat at the table. The Alpha placed his hands on his hips and surveyed each and every member of the Wolven Council. Someone had invited trouble to his doors before he was ready to face it head on. Rudolf Blanchard, the one Wolven Council member who looked uncomfortable and a bit guilty, couldn’t hold his gaze. The rotten worm! There was only one way the Witches were able to come onto Wolven lands without his permission. The Wolven Council voted and allowed their presence here. “Rudolf, did you have anything to do with this impromptu meeting?” He met cold gray eyes that wavered and looked away before the worm in question shrugged.

“It does not matter who called us together this day. We have a serious problem that needs to be addressed and amended,” O’Mallery barked out before he pulled a lace handkerchief out and wiped the spittle off the corner of his mouth. Reginald suddenly recalled Allison telling him she’d refused a hand fasting with this old man, and he understood the wisdom of her decision. The very thought of those age-spotted mitts even touching his mate’s delicate skin made him want to taste the old Witch’s blood.

“There isn’t any problem I can help you with.”

“Don’t ignore the facts, Alpha Leclair.” Rudolf stood up in a show of rare defiance. “You’ve mated a Witch. One who has been implicated in the abduction of a Vampire’s intended bride. This will not be allowed to continue. You have placed the entire pack in danger. I’ve questioned your other decisions in silence, but this time you have gone too far! We won’t stand for a Witch as our Alphina!”

“As in my other decisions concerning my pack, you have no say in whom I mate, Blanchard. I’ll tell you once more. If you don’t like my leadership, you have two choices.” Reginald didn’t have to clarify the two choices. Blanchard knew them well. He could leave the pack and travel the world alone as a rogue, or he could stay and challenge Reginald’s leadership. Death with the second option was a given. The worm looked away with a clenched jaw.

“A mating of this kind can’t be allowed.” O’Mallery’s silver eyes narrowed at him with an emotion akin to disgust. “The Witch in question will be taken back to the Coven. We will deal with her punishment as is our right.”

“Over my dead hide—” He was interrupted by Alexa’s raised hand.

“High Priest O’Mallery, the Witch in question is solitary. She was cast out of our Coven over a year ago. She is on her own, without the Coven’s protection to face her fate, as the Goddess wills.” Alexa Carver met the High Priest’s glare with a calm demeanor. Her reputation as the Ice Witch was well earned as far as Reginald was concerned. The Keeper was unmoved by O’Mallery’s disapproval.

“Do not parrot my words back to me, Keeper Carver. This is a different scenario. The Witch in question
must not
be allowed to cavort with Wolves.” Reginald growled at O’Mallery’s daring. The High Priest had some nerve insulting his species on Wolven property.

“This Coven has no power over her,” the Keeper pointed out logically. Her brow rose as she held the High Priest’s glare. O’Mallery’s wrinkled, gray face turned an unnatural shade of red as he opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water.

“Why, this behavior cannot be allowed—”

“Is it against pack law for a Wolven and a Witch to mate, Alpha Leclair?” Alexa asked him softly.

“Not that I’m aware of.” He growled lowly, turning a glare of promised retribution toward the Council members, who sank in their chairs under his anger.

“It has never been allowed before!” Rudolf shouted as he jumped from his seat. The aged Wolven never liked Reginald’s leadership, had in fact verbally challenged his position. Alexa’s dark head swiveled toward him.

“Never been allowed, or just never been done? There is a big difference, Councilman Blanchard.” She turned to the High Priest’s second in command and Holder of the Treaty. “Mistress Verity, is there a law against the binding of these two species...or any species for that matter?”

Mistress Verity was a very small woman who appeared to be in her thirties but could have easily been a few hundred years old. Her blonde hair was piled on her head with curls escaping on the top to hang down in her face. A pair of red-framed glasses sat upon her dainty nose. She lifted the cover of the six-inch book before her, placing it on the table. Pages fanned opened, quickly causing her curls to blow back out of her face as she stared down at them. When the last page flipped over she slammed the book shut just as quickly. Her brown eyes locked with Tray’s before she looked at Alexa over her glasses.

“There is no such decree, Keeper. In truth, the blending of the three main species was never addressed for the odds of it happening were astronomical at the time. We simply did not address it.” She turned a smile at Reginald, who nodded his head at her gratefully.

“It will be addressed now to everyone’s satisfaction—”

“With all due respect, High Priest, you are sitting on Wolven land. There are no laws being broken, no one harmed by the mating of a Wolven and a Solitary Witch. So unless you have other concerns, I will consider this matter of my mating closed.” Reginald folded his arms over a wide chest, his dark blue eyes daring any of them to disagree.

“I agree, this matter is closed.” Alexa nodded. “Please take my sincere congratulations on your union, Alpha Leclair.” Her pretty smile was met with grunts and outright cursing from the men around the table.

“All is not settled!” O’Mallery’s aged fist hit the table with a thump that made him grimace in pain. The room instantly quieted. “Now, you may get away with fornicating with a poor excuse for a Witch, but you won’t get away with harboring that individual when she is implicated in the abduction of Miss Elaina Dunt.” Silver eyes challenged him with a malicious glee. Reginald glared right back at him.

“Perhaps, this council should hear all of the facts before you start slandering my mate.” His warning growl had the older man sitting up in his seat. The High Priest narrowed his eyes and moved in for the kill.

“She has admitted to the deed herself, Alpha Leclair. And you have invited all-out war by taking her into this pack.”

“Who has been whispering into the ears of this council? As far as I know, only two individuals would know who helped Miss Dunt escape. Her and her rescuer.” He pulled out his chair and tipped it back to rest on two feet as he folded his hands behind his head in a posture of ease.

“You deny she is responsible for this deed, then?”

“Who accuses her?” he barked back at the leader of the Witch’s Coven.

“Master Chambers has petitioned the Coven for possession of the Witch, Allison Carver. In his request he stated that she confessed to him. What more evidence do you need, Alpha?” O’Mallery wiped at his mouth to hide his gleeful smile. In his pale gray eyes, Reginald could see the need for revenge. If he had his way, O’Mallery would soon be in possession of the little Witch who rejected him when he would have made her his equal. Unease had Reginald sitting his chair back on all four feet with a loud thump. He’d never let the old devil anywhere near his mate. Possessive rage had his Wolf fighting for dominance.

“I have never put much stock in the words of the undead.” He spoke in a deceptively soft tone. Inside, his animal was chewing at the bit to take the old Witch’s head off his shoulders.

“She’s bewitched our Alpha, High Priest O’Mallery.” Rudolf sliced a hand toward Reginald. “As you can see he is clearly not himself...”

“Hold your tongue, Blanchard,” Tray growled over at him. “I will not permit you to insult my Alpha’s stability or leadership, again.”

“If you wish to challenge my leadership, you may do so tomorrow night with the others. As with the first time, I look forward to it.” Reginald felt satisfied as Rudolf sat back in his chair, clearly intimidated by his leader. He still held the scars from his first challenge to this Alpha and didn’t relish adding to them. He dropped his eyes to the table in a move of submission that was easily recognizable to everyone in the room.

“Elder Chambers’s petition to our Coven is moot.” Alexa sighed. “It is not in the Coven’s power to relinquish Mistress Carver to him.”

“How dare you address her with the respect given to Coven members?” O’Mallery sliced a sharp glance of disapproval at Alexa, who shrugged a slim shoulder at him, clearly not moved by his anger.

“She is still a blood Witch, High Priest. And now, she is also the Alpha’s mate. I would address her with the respect due to one of her social position.” Her green eyes danced as she smiled at Reginald. “In truth I would show her my respect simply because she is my beloved cousin, blood of my blood.” Beside her the High Priest’s face turned the color of an overripe tomato. Reginald smiled back at Alexa and nodded his thanks to her.

“This does not resolve this mess. She must release Miss Dunt into the custody of her fiancé before the rise of the new moon. There will be war the likes of which this pathetic world could not survive! Inevitably, those stupid humans will become involved, and all of us will be discovered. The Dark Ages proved this must not happen! We must not be found out, again!” O’Mallery hit the table gently this time. His big rings clanked against the wood of the table for emphasis.

“Miss Dunt has a right to choose her path in this life. Her will must be taken into account, High Priest,” Alexa calmly stated. “No one knows whether she welcomed escape from her nuptials with the Vampire Elder. We can’t send her back to Wilhelm Chambers, unless that is her wish. As you said, High Priest O’Mallery, we must not revert to the Dark Ages where women were no more than possessions. Miss Dunt has the right to choose her mate.”

“Why, what wouldn’t she find attractive about marrying an immortal, her being a weak human?” O’Mallery wiped a hand through his nonexistent hair and missed the way Alexa rolled her eyes at him in disgust. She clearly did not think highly of her spiritual leader. Reginald could not blame her. He didn’t like the old man’s lust for Allison’s blood. If war was to break out among their two groups, O’Mallery would be the first person on his hit list.

“High Priest, Treaty Law simply states that no individual, regardless of species or station or
sex,
can be forced into wedlock, mate hood, or spiritual binding without their express cooperation and consent.” Mistress Verity blinked over at him innocently. “Miss Dunt’s personal choice must be confirmed before any action is taken to hand her over to the Vampires.” She pushed her glasses up her nose with a small smile that lit her brown eyes with pleasure.

“And just how do you propose we do this, Mistress Verity? Miss Dunt has disappeared, and even our strongest seers are not able to ascertain her exact whereabouts.”

“I will find her,” Alexa volunteered. “I will bear witness to her frame of mind.”

“You? You who makes no secret your love for the woman responsible for Miss Dunt’s disappearance?” O’Mallery’s gravelly voice held cutting sarcasm and derision.

“Are you challenging my ability to be impartial in this circumstance, High Priest?” Green eyes flashed with inner power as Alexa pinned the old man down. “I assure you, I did not earn the position of Keeper without being harshly tested. Perhaps you would like to recant that earlier question?” She held his angry gaze, communicating on a level no other around the room could be a party to. Reginald didn’t know the exact method for testing a potential Keeper. He had heard horror stories of the torture those who had failed the tests experienced.

“I apologize, Keeper.” The High Priest grudgingly dropped his gaze to his hands on the table. “I bring no question of your ability to be impartial in this, or any other matter concerning the Treaty. This situation has gotten out of hand, and the imminent danger to all of us and our families has us all on edge. We shall leave this matter in your hands, for now.” He glared at Reginald from across the table as he stood, his back curved so he didn’t appear to stand straight at all. “This union of Wolven and Witch is doomed to fail, you know this, Alpha Leclair. It is impossible for a Wolven to find happiness with a Witch who can’t even follow the rules and rites of her own people.”

“I’ll worry about my personal affairs, thank you. Safe journey, High Priest.” Reginald watched the man as he simply vanished before him. Mistress Verity shook her head, blonde curls dancing as she scooped up the thick book as if it weighed nothing and held it to her chest. She smiled up at him with an inner peace and beauty that would have moved any other male.

“Please congratulate my dear friend Allison on her mating.” She sighed softly. “So romantic.” She slid her gaze toward Tray. A teasing grin lit up her face before she gave him a wink. Then she too was gone.

“Ah, I’m going to go check in with the security teams. They’ll be changing up soon.” Tray gave Alexa a nod before he left the room. Reginald waited as the Wolven Council members quickly followed Tray out the door without a word. Rudolf hung his head and scurried out quickly, leaving him alone with Alexa.

“Well, that was interesting.” She smiled and tilted her head. “You realize this isn’t over. There will be individuals within both our factions who will see your mating as a slap in the face.”