“Are you done?” Mr. Dawson asked.
Was I done? I hadn’t a clue if what I’d said had gotten through to anyone, but anything else I could say would be a rehash. “I think so. Yes.”
“Dastien,” Mr. Dawson said.
“Teresa Elizabeth McCaide is my mate.” His voice was strong and clear. Not hint of fear tinted it. “I’d love to hear from one of you who could deny their mate. Who could refuse them anything?” He paused. “And she’s not just my mate. She’s my True Mate. My other half. I don’t think any of you could understand what that means, except Donovan and Meredith. To get between mates is one of the biggest crimes in our world. No one would ever dare. Yet, here I am,” he yelled the last. “Forced to stand here and beg for the chance to keep my other half. Our bonding ceremony was already interrupted. I’ll not stand for one more thing to come between us. Know that before you decide anything.” He sounded cold. Even I was a little scared of him in that moment.
He always said he struggled with control, but I’d only seen him lose it a couple of times, and never like this. Seeing him now… I wasn’t scared for myself, but I was worried for him and the rest of the pack. What would happen to him if we were separated?
You’re kind of intense.
Don’t make me smile. It’ll ruin the effect.
I started to grin, and he narrowed his gaze at me. And don’t you smile either. United front, Tess. It’s all about being together on this.
Dastien hopped down from the rock and reached a hand out to steady me as I followed. “When you have a verdict, send for us at the cabin.”
We made our way through the woods in silence. I was too afraid to talk. I’d already overshared enough for the night and Were hearing was a little too good. They wouldn’t get any more of me. Not if I could help it.
I didn’t open up until we were well out of earshot. “So, what do you think?”
“About?”
I rolled my eyes. “About what just happened.”
Dastien’s eyes glowed amber. “It’s all going to come down to how big of a stink they think the coven will make and how much the pack is willing risk for us.”
I chewed on my lip as I thought. “And? What do you think?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t. But one thing’s for certain, I don’t want to be apart from you. That’s not an option. So, we’ll do what we have to.”
A chill ran up my spine. I knew that Dastien was mega-alpha. Seriously strong. There was no way anyone but me could stop him from getting what he wanted. And there was our dilemma.
What if the pack decided to send me to the coven? What would Dastien do?
Could I stand against my mate for the sake of the pack?
I wasn’t sure, but I had a feeling I was going to have to answer that question soon.
Chapter Eight
We snuggled together on Dastien’s couch to wait for the news. I started working on a tub of Häagen-Dazs pralines and cream and tried to focus on the TV—currently a mom was yelling at her toddler as she teased the shit out of the little girl’s hair. Poor kid. Dastien cuddled me to his side and absently rubbed my shoulder. I’d been pacing his cabin for the first hour, but it started driving him batty; thus, the ice cream and reality TV therapy.
Then the knock came, and all other thoughts vanished from my head.
“Come in,” Dastien said.
I sat up and put the nearly empty container on the coffee table.
Mr. Dawson stepped through the door. “A decision has been reached. It’s time for you to come back outside.”
I reached for Dastien’s hand and he squeezed it. It’s going to be fine, he said through the bond. You’ll see.
The walk back to the bonfire felt like a funeral march. No one said a word. Forest sounds that were usually so peaceful and relaxing suddenly felt suffocating. My breathing was heavy, and it wasn’t because I was walking fast.
A thick silence greeted us as Dastien and I stepped into the circle. Everyone sat completely motionless.
Maybe it was because I was so used to my visions and being flooded with too much information, but all that silence and quiet made me antsy. The calm before a storm.
I hated it.
Dastien jumped back onto the stone and then reached to pull me up. Last thing I needed to do was look like a klutz in front of everyone. They were already here to judge me.
Mr. Dawson stepped forward. “I want to start off by saying that the original calls for the Tribunal—Tessa’s loss of control when confronted by Imogene and Dastien’s breaking of our laws—have been totally dismissed.”