Your rules? Your. Rules? That settles it. I’m asking Aeric to start putting GPS tracking on Greyson’s phones so I can give his exact location to all visiting werewolf females. Maybe I’ll even start advertising it as a travel package—“Are you the Alpha-bachelor’s mate? Find out over a long weekend trip to picturesque northern Wisconsin!” We could merchandise it and make a killing!
Soothed by my plan of action, I was able to keep a pleasant expression on. “So glad to hear that even though you’re a busy Alpha with a lot of responsibilities, you can take time off to drive me—who is perfectly capable of driving myself.”
“You’ll need the backup,” Greyson said. “I won’t pit you against the entire Curia Cloisters on your own.”
Softened by the explanation, I relaxed. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll call the Quillons while I walk home. They’ll have one of their fancy lawyers waiting at the Cloisters for me. They’re supposedly hunters, but I’m pretty sure the lawyers are part fae—or at least get coaching from fae—because they have a way with words that is terrifying.”
Greyson rubbed the five o’clock shadow that stubbled his jawline. “That’s not good enough. I’ll reach out to my contacts. They’ll keep me updated with the process.” He meaningfully looked at Amos, who was holding a tissue to his nose as he shouted over his cellphone.
“Besides,” Greyson said. “I know why you hit him.” His eyes flicked to the werewolves and humans. “The Pack owes you.”
“Oh. Thanks.” I awkwardly cleared my throat.
Greyson watched me for a moment longer, the intensity of his golden eyes making me want to fidget even though I couldn’t feel his compulsive power behind it.
When he turned away to address the wolves, I sagged a little, grateful the moment was over.
It is not fair at all that I’m told I have dog vibes when Greyson—who can actually turn into a wolf—has enough charisma to choke a person.
I slid my thumbs under the canvas straps of my backpack and hiked them farther up, then turned in the direction of my cottage to make my escape.
Behind me, Amos Fletching railed on his phone. “Yes, a report! I was attacked, by a hunter, and I want full charges to be brought against her!”
*
The car ride down to Magiford—which was placed halfway between Milwaukee and Chicago, straddling the state lines of Wisconsin and Illinois—took roughly four and a half hours.
The solo car time with Greyson wasn’t too bad. We got started at about four in the morning, and he let me doze in the back seat as he phoned in to some werewolf Alpha conference call with some of the top Alphas in North America.
It wasn’t until we stopped to pick up coffee for Greyson and hot cocoa for me around seven that he alternated jostling and swerving the car. I got the hint and woke up.
“You know who your arbiter is?” Greyson asked me.
I juggled my mostly drunk hot cocoa as I wiped sleep from my eyes, then unlocked my phone so I could blearily peer at my screen. “Yep. The paperwork just came through. Arbiter Tanaka. My lawyer from the Quillons—Gigi—will meet us at the Arbiter’s office. She’s checking into something.” I wiped dried drool from the corner of my mouth and batted at the heavy presence of Greyson’s powers that hung in the car.
My hunter powers had already kicked in, so it didn’t physically affect me. I could talk, speak, and move just fine. But I still didn’t like it—it was like he was everywhere, even though I’d dragged myself into the back seat, as far away from him as I could get.
“Just as well,” Greyson said. “Pre-Dominant Harka will be waiting at the Cloisters with some of her people.”
“You have a meeting with her, I take it?” I tipped back the last of my hot cocoa, shaking the empty paper cup.
“Not for me, for you.”
I almost spat out my lukewarm mouthful of cocoa. “What?” I squeezed my empty cup into the cupholder. “Why on earth would the Pre-Dominant be waiting for me?”
“I don’t know, Lady Hunter.” Greyson’s voice was way too smug for my personal wellbeing. “First, we went to the Night Queen’s crowning banquet together, and now I’m going to court for you. Maybe she thinks you and I—”
I thrust my arm up between the front seats of the car and smacked Greyson on the chest. “You! You have a mate! Don’t joke about that sort of thing!”
“Yeah, the mate who’s been so present and helpful in my life.” Greyson glanced back at me and cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t see her around, do you?”