“Yeah… but she wouldn’t say more, and you deflected,” she said.
“Well… time to learn, so buckle up, babe,” I said, then I took a big breath in. “Sometimes wolves are destined to be with people, other wolves, or sometimes mortals.”
“Like destiny?” she asked.
“Yes, like destiny,” I said. “It happens when they meet and lock eyes with each other. Everything in the world stops, except the person in front of them. Their senses hone in, learning the person’s smell, their features, their unique heartbeat.”
“That sounds… intense,” she said.
“If… destiny… has a werewolf and a human together, the human usually doesn’t feel the connection like that. Most often, they fall in love anyway, because destiny tends to find a way. If that happens, for wolves, they commit to each other. If there is a human, then the wolf commits to them regardless,” I said.
Her eyes narrowed. “Why was this a big secret? And why are you telling me this now?”
“The first time I ever met you was on your seventeenth birthday, when you drunkenly ran into me in a line to go to the bathroom. You probably don’t remember because they had you beyond intoxicated, but our eyes locked, and I bound with you,” I said.
Her eyes widened, mouth wide open. Nothing came out. She was silent and still. Too still. The longest minute passed.
“Zay?” I asked.
She blinked her eyes rapidly at me. “Did you just say that you… are like tied to me or bound or…” she stammered.
“It’s not a big deal,” I said, trying to make her feel better about this. It was actually a big deal. It meant she was fundamentally off limits to anyone in the pack.
“Oh… Oh… I think it’s a big deal… like we’re tied forever, forever,” she said.
“You have a choice,” I said.
“Do I really?” she asked.
“Yes, of course. I’d never force you into a relationship, into a marriage, or into anything you didn’t want. Do I want to be with you? Yes, at the core of my fucking being, it revolves around you, and it always will,” I said.
“That’s a lot to process…” she said.
“There’s something else,” I said.
“Shocker,” she deadpanned.
“Once anyone knows what you mean to me, they are not allowed to touch you without declaring war on me. In a normal working pack, every member respects each other, and if there is a human that is bound, they are also treated with respect. Right now, our pack isn’t exactly functioning normally,” I said.
“Why is the pack so… divided?”
“You. What he did to you was unprecedented. Unheard of. We don’t harm humans, unless one of our lives is in actual jeopardy. Some agreed with Ravik, some were indifferent, and some were very upset that he ordered the murder of his grandchild’s mother,” I replied.
Pack politics were complicated. There were so many little rules here and there. All females were supposed to be treated with respect. If a werewolf did bind with a female, then she would be treated as a pack member and nothing less. Every pack had a Novo male, and his female mate was Nova. In order to be a Novo, you had to be married. The only time a full human got a title was if they were mated to the Novo. The two of them led the pack. Below them were Zeniths, which comprised eight members—four couples. They were the trusted advisors for the Novo. If someone had troubles, they would start with a Zenith for help. The Zenith would take the matter to the group or straight to the Novo. Then there were Meridians—what I was. These were high-ranking members of the pack; they could be mated or not. They were trusted with tasks and running operations. Umbras were the last in the hierarchy; everyone else fell here.
Chapter 29
We drove through some of the remote mountain roads before we turned onto a gravel road and pulled into a forestry gravel lot. There were already cars here. Hyder pulled in right behind us, parking next to us. Quinn looked over at me and flashed me a gentle smile. The kind that told me he was worried but was trying to make me feel better.
We both got out of the car and walked toward the gathering group in a small open field. I counted eight of them already standing there. Some of them must have carpooled. Only two of them were females.
“About time we get rid of this prick,” one of them said.
“Glad to actually see you alive and in person, Quinn,” another said, before looking past us at Hyder. Quinn looked over his shoulder at Hyder.
“Ahh, did you not believe my buddy?” Quinn said.
He did a half smile and a quick tilt of his head. “He’s an Umbra… after all.”