After the coven's proposal was explained, Ryder laughed his particular laugh of contempt for a moment that felt longer than its actual ten seconds. "Talking to my pack about Bites is like teaching a class of immature teenagers about Sex Ed."
"Well you're not wrong considering it's basically the same thing..." Trevor muttered under his breath.
"Okay vampires were a sex figure in the Victorian era, so if you want to talk about sex, Versailles—" Ryder began to threaten. I was just impressed with his recall for literature history, but not shocked because I already knew he was intelligent.
"We just need to make sure your pack knows its boundaries," the witch whose name I learned through Ryder's seriously, Greta? laughs.
"Trust me, they know," Ryder rolled his eyes.
"So that's why Stella got bitten, right?" Stormy persecuted.
"She was bitten out of spite and there's not a sure chance that she'll even phase, okay?"
"Okay, she was bitten in spite. But in the days of Zander's reign, half of the pack was bitten for what, arrogance?" Stormy noted.
"I was going to say social inclusion, but that works too," Ryder crossed his arms.
"You're missing my point."
"I'm not," Ryder said. "The boys in my pack understand their restrictions. It's one of the first thing's they're taught in training."
"Training," Stormy repeated. "Like the training Aaron's gotten? Because in that case, there isn't any—"
As they argued, I wanted to blurt out that Aaron had been training with my brother despite all of this. But I knew it would create a bigger problem and threat in Ryder's eyes, so I fought myself as they fought each other. I think the warlock in the room noticed my discomfort and dared me to speak up at any moment just to see what would happen. To my surprise, I didn't. I listened as Ryder insisted that the werewolves' only job was to preserve human life from vampires and now, they were just a formality for the history of Tyriette. But still, Greta insisted that Ryder should make more of an effort to control his pack or at least be more proactive for people like Preston so a situation like Stella's or Aaron's doesn't happen to anyone else.
"I think this should qualify as information I'm disclosed to," Trevor finally suggested.
"How do you figure? You made it clear that there's no clan here therefore there's no restrictions with my pack. So it's none of your business," Ryder dismissed.
"Well I think I'd want to know if some girl was Bitten and roaming school on a full moon week not knowing if she'll phase or not."
"I don't think so," Ryder replied. "I have seven wolves watching over her."
"Plus my brother," I finally added and thought I saw the warlock's lip twitch.
"Your brother?" Ryder looked over at me and I only nodded, already knowing that the miniscule involvement was enough for his possessiveness to be set off.
"Yeah Andrew's been—"
"Why does it matter?" I heard Stormy ask. I thought she was talking to me and Ryder (because I wanted to ask Ryder the same thing because it shouldn't matter who trains Aaron as long as he's trained) but I discovered that she was gesturing to Trevor. Greta chastised her outburst like she had to anyone not putting in a professional effort. "No, Mom. I want to know why Trevor cares. Stella should be none of your concern. She's part of the werewolves' problem, not yours."
"Like Aaron?" Trevor asked and then I saw Stormy's face relax as she gulped. "Because he's the pack's problem too and you seem to be heavily involved in that situation."
"It's different," Ryder surprisingly voiced, defending their relationship.
"It's not," Trevor said with articulation. "Witches aren't supposed to meddle with other Tiers so directly. We stay with our own—"
"Yet you want involvement in werewolf business?" I finally interrupted. "If you were going to say 'we stay with our own kind,' then you're not proving your point by wanting information on Stella when the pack has it under control."
"And we all know the only reason I'm allowed to be involved is because he's my boyfriend," Stormy reasoned and Greta hissed That's enough! at her. "No, let's be real. If he wasn't my boyfriend before he phased, I wouldn't care about how he ends up."
"Wait, what was that?" Trevor asked.
"I said if he wasn't my boyfriend before—"
"Before," Trevor repeated. "As far as I'm concerned, I think I'm taking an interest in Stella before she has the chance to Turn so why am I not allowed to be involved?"
"Because your interest means nothing," Ryder muttered beneath his breath. Trevor's eyes met Ryder's and narrowed slightly.
"Is that why she agreed to go on a date with me? Because my interest means nothing to her?" Trevor asked. Before he said that, Ryder was leaning back on his seat, balancing it on its hind legs, but as soon as Trevor said that, he dropped to the floor and I saw him begin to lunge, which somehow made my instincts jump out and grab his arm so he wouldn't rip Trevor's throat out in front of me. I heard Ryder growl and after a while, he breathed heavily and lightly removed my hand from his arm while still standing.
"You're an asshole," Ryder named.
"Am I?" Trevor asked. "What I've learned from your whole mating business is that I should go after whoever I want if I want them bad enough. Well I want Stella."
"I don't care what you want—"
"Shit," I heard Stormy cuss beneath her breath as if this was her fault. But if my memory served correct, maybe it was her fault because at school she had asked me where my boyfriend was and where Stella's was without Stella's knowledge of even having a boyfriend. Maybe that only stimulated Stella's willingness to be with Trevor because he was the first person to ask her out after that comment.
"—you're not dating Stella," Ryder finished. The girl within me wanted to believe he spoke out of jealousy, but I knew it was a territorial thing and overall hatred for Trevor. "Because as soon as she phases, there's no way you'll stay together."
"Like Stormy and Aaron?" he questioned, which reminded me of when Aaron admitted Stormy was about to break up with him. "What if she doesn't Turn?"
"Phase," Ryder corrected.
"Phase, whatever," Trevor mimicked. "Then she's human and she's no one's Tier." Ryder stayed silent, even though I thought he'd fight more for Stella. "And we both know that no matter how long you've been friends, she's not a werewolf and not in your control."
"But she's not just a human bystander," I said in place of a suddenly silent Ryder. "She knows about werewolves."
"That can be resolved," Greta said.
"No," Ryder denied. "I'm done letting Stella get hexed."
"Seems to me like I'm her safest option then," Trevor smiled. "I didn't bite her like some filthy mutt and I didn't cast spells on her to alter her memories. I can't even Turn people, so I think it's a win/win for all of us."
"No it isn't," I sneered. "If she phases, this means nothing. And if she doesn't, she'll have more access and information to the werewolf and vampire world than any other human without real cause."'
"It's not like she hasn't assumed other monsters are real by now," Trevor mentioned.
I looked over to Ryder to back me up but he started onto the table with a frown before suddenly looked up.
"Fine," he said. Fine!? Now, I realized just how ticked off I was to such a degree where I had to revert to my mate-mentality in order to not slap him. Even though Stella was his longest friend, she was my friend too and even though Trevor was...okay—he was perfect, but I couldn't believe he was serious about dating her. Stella didn't deserve someone to treat her like that...again.
"What?" Greta even had to ask.
"You can try to date Stella," Ryder allowed. Trevor was astonished and sat back onto his chair just as he did when Ryder voted his parents could visit. "But if she phases, you're over before you began and I don't want to hear about it."
"And if she doesn't?" Trevor challenged.
"Then you don't say shit about being a vampire," Ryder said, sitting up and pointing across the triangle to him. "You don't hint at it, you don't imply you know about werewolves—nothing, got it?"
"And how would you know if it slips out or she overhears one of our conversations?" he asked. "Not that I'm planning on that happening, but it's not like I can take back a moment and since you're against magic on her, neither can you."
"I'll make sure you stay in line," Ryder answered. "And as for conversation, I don't talk to you as it is so I doubt she'll hear us exchange anything out of the ordinary distain."
"And what if it's important?"
"You can talk to my beta and he'll decide its urgency," Ryder suggested, causing me to become confused.
"My enemy's enemy is my friend doesn't apply to us, Ryder. I'm not going to discuss anything with Preston," Trevor scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I may not like you for strictly territorial reasons, but I know he's a disgusting person and I don't trust him—"
"No one trusts him," Ryder assured. "And he hasn't been my beta for two weeks now."
"Are you appointing a new Beta?" the warlock asked, glancing at me.
Ryder nodded and I saw him smirk in a way as if it was a long time coming for him to finally announce: "I'm ranking Colin Bourne as my new beta."
I wrapped my head around the fact that the empty chair beside us would one day seat Colin as Ryder's second-in-command. It wasn't as a far-stretched idea as I thought it'd be because I could see how the role fit Colin. Even though he was rebellious to Ryder, it was fueled by allegiance to Zander and then pressure from Preston until he realized he was wrong. Colin had wronged me and apologized, but unlike how Preston did it, Colin actually tried getting to know me now and I liked being in his company. He treated me like I was part of the werewolf family instead of someone he had to put up with like Preston treated me. I had no problem with him being beta, especially after Zander offered his insight to his capabilities, but Greta and Trevor disagreed.
"No. He's even worse than you," Trevor insulted.
"Doubtful," Ryder muttered, causing me to nudge his leg, but he only shot me a quick smile as if teasing my idea that he wasn't evil.
"He was the former beta to Zander," Greta reminded. "Who's to say he's completely loyal to you and only you? What about his prior allegiance to Zander? That could start another mutiny."
"Colin pledged his allegiance to me and my mate the night of my father's murder, essentially saving my life," Ryder said in a calm voice. "He was Beta of my brother's pack, so he has the experience, not to mention an incredible insight. And more importantly his loyalty—whether it's to me or Zander as Alpha, Colin is committed to the pack not just who's in charge."
"I think with your recommendation of character, I'm willing to respect your decision," Greta responded. We waited for Trevor.
"Fine," Trevor allowed. "You've given me what I wanted tonight, so I'll return the favor."
"That's not all I want tonight," Ryder said and I was truly at a loss in what he could possibly say.
"Well the floor's open," the warlock permitted.
"I want to give my brother an invitation to rejoin the pack," he said first. "And, I want to resign for a coalition."
"Between who?"
"The Ramon and Everton packs," Ryder answered and then all eyes were on me.
***
Ryder's proposal wasn't as shocking to the others as it was to me. Apparently, the whole reason my father's will was in Ramon territory was because our fathers wanted the future of the pack to be strong. And in order for that to happen, there couldn't be a divide. The Obsidian pack was formed because it was the first time the Evertons banded together with the lone wolves in the area. Due to heritage and history, Evertons would always be supreme leaders (considering our entire line was descendants of only bloodline, mate-born wolves) and the extension to the Ramon family provided for a powerful partnership considering both Ramon sons were bloodline and mate-born. Marc's last revised will wanted a coalition because with Ryder and I being mates along with Andrew's reluctance, it'd be perfect.
The decision to combine packs (if you could call me and Andrew a pack) was decided as a passed notion at first. After all, I would eventually be in Ryder's pack and Andrew needed more than just himself no matter his involvement in the werewolf world. It was in that argument that I revealed that maybe Andrew didn't want to surrender his Alpha title because he had done so well leading Aaron in training.
Of course, Ryder was angry I hadn't told him that little secret, but Greta was impressed that Andrew could hide a werewolf secret from even a True Alpha. That's when the conversation intensified because Ryder felt threatened. In any scenario he could think of, it seemed to have unreasonable outcomes of dependence on his pack, but I kept reasoning how Andrew had no intentions of even staying in Tyriette or having responsibility over anyone but himself. Sure, that strengthened Ryder's attitude about Andrew submitting to his pack, but to Greta, she thought the biological factors would cause a rift.
"Why can't you just keep your pack and Andrew can do his own thing unless he absolutely needs your help?" I asked Ryder. For twenty minutes, it was just us arguing with each other and I think it was the most fighting we had ever done. Maybe because his pack was important to him and Andrew was important to me, but mostly because neither of us could just leave without a resolution.
"How am I supposed to know he'll be there for my pack if he'll ever need us to be there for him?" Ryder inquired.
"Andrew is stubborn, but he's just as loyal to his word as you are," I argued. "I've heard him countless of times saying if you needed anything he'd be there. He's yet to not help you when you really need it."
"Because he thinks everything I do is to protect you!" Ryder finally yelled.
"He's my brother; of course he's going to care about my safety with someone who's my mate," I defended.
"I'm not just your mate, though, Ashlynn," Ryder said in a kind voice. "As much as that's all I want to be, that's not how it is. I'm an alpha too—I was an alpha first. If I have some emergency like a clan of nomads coming into town, I'd need to know he's on board with me regardless of you're in the picture or not."
It was hard for my wolf to not be offended, but personally, I could understand what he meant. We were drawn to each other because we were mates, but there was a life outside of each other. And this still made me think back to our tensed non-decision about after high school. It always seemed to come back to that and here we were hashing it out in front of Trevor and the Donahues.
"Then don't combine the packs," Trevor suddenly suggested. Ryder stopped looking at me with soft brown eyes in order to roll them and look at Trevor. "Here me out," he pleaded. "I understand that you wolves have heightened egos and pride issues—"
"Watch it," Ryder grumbled.
"—but just get under an alliance with him," Trevor finished. "I mean, even though you hate me, I'd still help you if vampires—or even other werewolves moved here to cause problems. I'm sure that goes for any of us. That's why we have these meetings, right? So instead of combining packs, we can add him to the Tribe."
I was surprised Trevor made such a big suggestion, but at the same time, maybe he was just going to use his friendship with Andrew to get his proposals passed more often. Either way, I commended him for his politics and thought maybe it'd be a good idea, except I don't know who's table I'd sit at: Ryder's or Andrew's?
"It wouldn't work," Ryder denied and I finally rolled my eyes at him for his stubbornness. "Sure, it'd be enough for now, but in a few years—"
"Things change in a few years, Ryder," Trevor cut-in. "Who's to say I'll still be here? Or Greta? Or even you? If this is something you want out of respect for your late father and Ashlynn's, then you'd consider adding Andrew to the Tribe for the time being."
Trevor stood as if he was ending the meeting with his last statement and then the Donahue coven stood as well. Ryder sighed and reluctantly joined them so I had to as well. Trevor's gaze locked onto Ryder's and I was curious as to whose would falter, but they pulled away at the same time in order for Trevor to snatch his ring, necklace, and folders off the table and for Ryder to collect the box, bag, and folders on ours. He took the knife and pulled up the base of my shirt to store it within my waistband. The Donahue adults left the room without word but I felt the warlock's eyes still watching me and Ryder.
"Thanks for passing what I needed," Trevor said to Ryder and then he nodded to me for knowing I had helped. I was still reluctant on accepting him and Stella though. But then he looked to Ryder once more. "Seriously, think about it."
"Whatever," Ryder breathed and then it was just us in the room with Stormy. I needed to seriously talk to Ryder about this coalition business, but when I opened my mouth and reached out for him, he walked away from the table to approach Stormy. "You think you can handle him tonight or—"
"You can take him," Stormy interrupted after glancing over her shoulder at Aaron who was just now coming back to life after whatever spell Greta had put on him prior to the meeting.
"Then you can take her," Ryder said slightly nodding his head over to me. What?
"No, we need to talk," I insisted as I walked over to him. I grabbed his arm, but he maneuvered a way to break the hold and grab my hand tightly.
"We will, just not tonight," he said. I'm not just your mate played over and over in my head and I figured with the upcoming full moon, he had bigger priorities. "Trust me," he whispered before kissing my forehead. I felt it travel all the way down my body and make me feel that familiar tingling in lower places that weren't helping the situation at all. We all walked out together and he began to hoist Aaron's arm over his shoulder to haul him up from the floor, but he was still mostly out of it.
"Get home safely and I'll be there as soon as I can," Ryder told me before nodding once at Stormy so she could escort me home. As I got in Stormy's car that was parked by a departing Jeep, I watched as Ryder lingered beside Aaron on the porch steps, trying to wake him up. Before we drove off, he suddenly got up and jogged over to the passenger side. I rolled the window down and he passed his leather jacket through the window. "Hold on to this for me," he requested and then kissed my cheek. I prepared myself for the electricity flowing through my body, but it was only delayed to feel extra bliss once Ryder proclaimed: "I love you."
"I love you too," I responded and really just wanted to kiss him, but he stepped back from the car and Stormy rolled up the window. She scoffed and I looked over at her. "What?"
"Even when y'all are fighting, y'all seem to be in a honeymoon stage," she grumbled. I couldn't exactly deny it nor did I want to admit it was as heavenly as it appeared so I just feigned a laugh and let her drive me home.