Mine! - 30. Chapter 30

We slept hard, and my head was throbbing when I woke up. The emotional toll and the physical release on top of it left us unable to do more than stumble into bed. It was after noon when the buzzing of my phone woke me up. I had four messages, none of them were good, and the coffee was taking forever to brew.

“What are you doing?” Kraig asked.

I turned. “I thought you were still asleep.”

“The smell woke me up. Is there enough for me?” Kraig yawned.

“Of course.” I interrupted the brewing long enough to pour Kraig a cup. I could wait. “Are you hungry? I’ll make something.”

“Not really.”

“Something light.” I popped a few slices of bread in the toaster. Honestly, my stomach wasn’t up to a full breakfast either. “Jam or butter?”

“Butter.” Kraig sipped his coffee and sighed. “A lot’s going to happen today, isn’t it?”

I nodded once, resisting the urge to rub the back of my neck or my temples. “I have some calls to return, a few more to make, and Christian will be here soon.”

“What do you think they’ll say?” Kraig stirred his coffee, the spoon tinkling against the sides of the cup.

Maybe I didn’t have enough sleep, or maybe it was the headache, but I asked, “Who?”

“The other alphas? You asked Park to call a counsel, remember? To tell them you mated a human werekin, that some doctor was doing crazy experiments, and now you think the human werekin are trying to… I don’t know, become stronger than alphas? Take over?”

“We don’t know why the human werekin had the doctor experiment on you. And, in case you forgot, you’re not a human werekin anymore.”

“Nope,” he muttered. “Went from having no animal soul to being a freak with two.”

The plate dropped down on the table with a thump. I narrowed my eyes and growled. “I thought I told you not to talk about yourself that way.” I sat down beside him and consciously tried to calm down. “I don’t care if you’re human werekin, bonded werekin, or a pink elephant with blue stripes. You’re my mate. I’ve wanted you forever, and you’re mine now, so that means I could give a fuck what anyone else thinks. Our bond is not up for debate.”

Kraig took the hand I offered him across the table and squeezed it. He looked up briefly. “Yeah, okay.” Not exactly the most convincing agreement, but it would work for now. He let go and pulled the plate closer. “Thanks for the toast.”

“No problem.” Mine popped up so I went to get it from the toaster. The coffee pot was finally full so I poured a cup into the biggest mug I could find and sat down at the table again.

“So who called?” Kraig asked between bites.

“Park to let me know he made the counsel request. Christian checking in at nine to say he’d be here by four, at the latest, and two alphas.”

Kraig pulled the crust off one side of his toast. “And?”

“Durant, Alpha of the Eagles will come. Ritch’s former alpha is coming too.” And that was why I had to make another call to Park. I hope he’d gotten some rest.

“Is that wise? He could challenge you.”

I snorted. “He could try.” A fully-mature Tiger alpha, strong with a full clan believing in me? I’d have the edge. “He might have information we need. From what Ritch said, he’d have nothing to do with a plot to elevate human werekin, but it’s better to keep him close.”

“I’m going to go get dressed,” Kraig said. “You could join me.”

That sounded wonderful, and I was very tempted, but our little interlude shutting out the world last night and this morning would have to hold me over. “I really need to call Park,” I said.

Kraig sighed but nodded.

When he was safely out of distance in my suite, I picked up my phone and pressed on the picture of Park flipping me off. Three rings went by before he picked it up. “What, Deke?” he growled.

Another Alpha might punish him for using that tone, but this was Park. He’d just been reunited with his brother, found out his father was a traitor and then dead, and he was playing host to an abused human werekin. He deserved a little leeway. “I only got two calls back from other alphas today.”

“That’s because five of them confirmed they’d already heard rumors and would be arrive for tomorrow’s counsel. Two refused outright, and another four are considering it.”

“Okay. Christian will be back today around four. I need to call my uncle and then we’ll all meet here afterward to lay out everything we know, all the evidence, anything that might make these archaic assholes listen to us. If I can convince enough of them, we can go beyond a regional counsel and call for one country-wide.”

“Good. I want a pound of flesh off whoever started all this shit.”

“Agreed.” I’d have no qualms about taking out anyone who was part of hurting my streak. “Bring Ritch with you.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Park said.

“Obviously, or I wouldn’t have told you to do it. He spent more time with the doctor than anyone but Kraig, and he’s lived in two different groups as a human werekin. His insight could be invaluable.”

Park sighed. “Fine. We’ll be there between three and three-thirty. Make sure there’s food.”

“Your mom is my next call. She deserves to be here too. I’m sure she’ll handle that.” Who knew if we’d have the stomach to eat after going over everything? “Your dad’s body—”

“Burn it and scatter it to the winds,” Park growled. “His soul is in another body anyway.”

I winced. “I understand, but I think that’s your mom’s call.” I wasn’t going to take any decisions away from her.