I know mine are filled with panic. Because I have no idea what she’s about to say and also no idea how this will go. And I no longer have any idea how I evenwantit to go.
Erica stops directly in front of me.
“We’ve got good news and some other news that might not seem as good, I’m… not sure,” she says and bites her lip.
“Okay,” I manage, trying and failing to steel myself.
Jase wraps his arm around the back of my chair. I look at him quizzically and can tell he’s itching to put his arm around me. His arm around the chair… it almost feels like an offer of support.
“Lucinda’s on speaker here. I’ll give her the floor?”
I nod.
“Hello Bailey. Jason,” Lucinda greets as Erica sets her phone on the table.
“Hi,” I say.
Jase doesn’t speak. He’s grinding his teeth and now he’s on the edge of his chair.
“Go ahead, Lucinda. Jase is here,” Grey speaks up.
She says, “I’ve gotten the ball rolling and we have enough agreement in Bailey’s legal request that we are going to move forward and determine a way to accommodate it.”
What?
“On a case-by-case basis… We’ll need a viable process to implement where females can contest mating by an alpha before that happens and a bond is cemented. A task force is being put together to address the best way to do this as we all know alphas can move quickly when they’re overcome with the urge. We’d like to invite you, Bailey, to be part of the task force that maps this out.”
I blink in shock.
The Young sisters are all smiling.
Ronnie gives me an enthusiasticthumbs up.
The males in the room are all quiet and I’m not making eye contact with any of them right now to see what they think of this.
I haven’t looked at Jase. I feel energy emanating from him and I know his posture changed. Now he pulls his arm away from my chair and it feels… odd.
I make myself look at him.
He’s staring at the phone with his lip curled, like he wants to set it on fire.
“However…” Lucinda continues, “In all cases there will need to be a review, a case study – if you will – on the impact of each coupling. If that mating were to be prevented, what will the far-reaching impact be? In certain cases, the SCC might determine it’s just not feasible to allow the cancelation of a mating. A lot of work has to happen here. Our belief in Fate working as it’s supposed to continues to be a core belief for supernaturals globally, however, where females wish to challenge this, there will be a process implemented so that they may do that and be heard. This will apply to not just wolf shifters, but all supernaturals who mate for life.”
My heart is beating too fast. I feel queasy.
“Now, you have not expressly indicated, in your paperwork, whether or not you’re requesting the law change so you can halt a specific mating. Namely yours. It’s assumed you’re planning to request a severance, which you haven’t done. Correct?”
“I… haven’t yet filled out that form. No,” I say, voice scratchy, face flaming. He’s looking at me, I feel it. I can’t look at him. Can’t look at anyone. I’m mortified that I’m even being questioned about this right now. I want to crawl under a rock.
“Well,” Lucinda replies, “in your case, I’m afraid we would not be able to grant that motion. Assessments point to surety that the mating between you and Jason Creed is necessary.”
Her words move around in my head for a second before she continues talking.
“We’ve spent time mapping out potential outcomes if magic was used to remove Jason’s urge to mate you. The ripple effect would be significant. Too significant to not impact the future of your pack, and to the future of generations of supernaturals beyond your own pack and in fact, beyond your supernatural species.”
“So… you’re saying you won’t stop Jase from claiming me,” I shakily ask. “You’re implementing a new law and want me to help you do it, but that new law won’t help me?”
She replies, “If we tried, Fate would intervene and it could cause fallout for others beyond you and Jason. When beings attempt to fight Fate, it fights back harder. But your request to reshape laws for females’ rights is something there’s a majority belief should be accommodated, and I hope that’s a consolation to you, or will be once you’ve had the chance to fully process this news.”