same. Both had men at their backs, both groups watchful, wary. Ready to fuck each other up. One word from their respective alphas and it’d be all on.
Gabe stayed by the door, where he could hear what was said and still keep an eye outside.
Fletch started things off. ‘You know why we’re here. You’ve had men camped outside our borders preventing Tressa McCray and her cub from returning to her family…’
‘My brother’s cub.’ Lance crossed his arms over his wide chest. ‘Let’s not waste any more time. I’m gonna clarify a few things for you. We don’t do things here like you do in Black Hills, Mr Stone. We aren’t some new-age, hippy commune. We don’t welcome strays or half breeds. We have traditions, we stick to those traditions. When you become pack you stay pack. Females don’t just up and leave, especially when that female belonged to our alpha and had his cub. That’s not how we do things here.’
Gabe held the door frame, clutched it for dear life, and couldn’t decide if he needed it for support after finding out they were both okay, that they hadn’t discovered Sawyer wasn’t Dan’s, or if he was hanging on to stop himself shifting and tearing the son-of-a-bitch’s throat out.
Fletch’s men were tense behind him, pissed at the insult to their alpha, but the man himself remained deceptively calm.
‘We’re willing to negotiate,’ he said with quiet authority. ‘Tressa’s mother wants her daughter and grandchild home after the death of her mate. Would you consider a fixed time frame?’
If he hadn’t known the lie was coming, he would have lost it there and then. At this point their main aim was to get her the hell away from here and deal with the consequences later, when they were on their own land, with the support of their entire pack.
‘Not happening. Tressa’s mother can come and visit her here if she wants to see her so badly.’
Fletch shook his head. ‘Her mother’s unwell. Traveling would be too much for her.’ Another lie, but it rolled off Fletch’s tongue fast and easy.
‘The answer is still no. Tressa is needed here. She’ll be resuming her role as head bitch here at Harlow and we can’t spare her.’
Something slithered down his spine, twisted in his gut.
‘I would’ve thought your own mate would take up the role, Lance.’ Fletch knew it too, Gabe could hear it in his voice. He knew what this meant as well as Gabe did.
‘Tressa is my mate…or will be after a suitable amount of time has passed. She still grieves for my brother, but it’s only a matter of time before she’s mine. There’s no one better to raise my brother’s cub than his own uncle.’
Fletcher nodded.
‘I see.’ He leaned back in his seat. ‘This I didn’t expect.’
Lance shrugged. ‘How could you? Like I said before, we do things differently here.’
‘Can I see her? Give her a message from her mother?’ Fletch asked.
Gabe knew he was biding time so they could come up with a new plan to get her back, but he’d run out of patience. His beast was struggling to break free, to seek revenge, to kill and maim every Harlow male standing in this room.
Lance stood and motioned to the door. Meeting over.
‘I’ll allow a short visit with her in the yard, with me present.’ The asshole moved towards the door and his eyes lifted, locking onto Gabe’s.
‘Guardian, I hope there’s no hard feelings? But after the way you fucked us over at Tressa’s motel, I’m sure you understand why my man was pissed. He might have hit you a little harder than he should.’
Gabe’s fangs elongated, claws pushing and stretching the skin at the ends of his fingers. Fletch shook his head, moved in the goddamned way as Lance exited. Following, he willed his fangs and claws to retract.
Negotiation time was over. As soon as Tressa came out, he was snatching them both. There was no other option. He would not leave here without them.
Lance sent someone to get her, and a few minutes later a
Gabe stayed by the door, where he could hear what was said and still keep an eye outside.
Fletch started things off. ‘You know why we’re here. You’ve had men camped outside our borders preventing Tressa McCray and her cub from returning to her family…’
‘My brother’s cub.’ Lance crossed his arms over his wide chest. ‘Let’s not waste any more time. I’m gonna clarify a few things for you. We don’t do things here like you do in Black Hills, Mr Stone. We aren’t some new-age, hippy commune. We don’t welcome strays or half breeds. We have traditions, we stick to those traditions. When you become pack you stay pack. Females don’t just up and leave, especially when that female belonged to our alpha and had his cub. That’s not how we do things here.’
Gabe held the door frame, clutched it for dear life, and couldn’t decide if he needed it for support after finding out they were both okay, that they hadn’t discovered Sawyer wasn’t Dan’s, or if he was hanging on to stop himself shifting and tearing the son-of-a-bitch’s throat out.
Fletch’s men were tense behind him, pissed at the insult to their alpha, but the man himself remained deceptively calm.
‘We’re willing to negotiate,’ he said with quiet authority. ‘Tressa’s mother wants her daughter and grandchild home after the death of her mate. Would you consider a fixed time frame?’
If he hadn’t known the lie was coming, he would have lost it there and then. At this point their main aim was to get her the hell away from here and deal with the consequences later, when they were on their own land, with the support of their entire pack.
‘Not happening. Tressa’s mother can come and visit her here if she wants to see her so badly.’
Fletch shook his head. ‘Her mother’s unwell. Traveling would be too much for her.’ Another lie, but it rolled off Fletch’s tongue fast and easy.
‘The answer is still no. Tressa is needed here. She’ll be resuming her role as head bitch here at Harlow and we can’t spare her.’
Something slithered down his spine, twisted in his gut.
‘I would’ve thought your own mate would take up the role, Lance.’ Fletch knew it too, Gabe could hear it in his voice. He knew what this meant as well as Gabe did.
‘Tressa is my mate…or will be after a suitable amount of time has passed. She still grieves for my brother, but it’s only a matter of time before she’s mine. There’s no one better to raise my brother’s cub than his own uncle.’
Fletcher nodded.
‘I see.’ He leaned back in his seat. ‘This I didn’t expect.’
Lance shrugged. ‘How could you? Like I said before, we do things differently here.’
‘Can I see her? Give her a message from her mother?’ Fletch asked.
Gabe knew he was biding time so they could come up with a new plan to get her back, but he’d run out of patience. His beast was struggling to break free, to seek revenge, to kill and maim every Harlow male standing in this room.
Lance stood and motioned to the door. Meeting over.
‘I’ll allow a short visit with her in the yard, with me present.’ The asshole moved towards the door and his eyes lifted, locking onto Gabe’s.
‘Guardian, I hope there’s no hard feelings? But after the way you fucked us over at Tressa’s motel, I’m sure you understand why my man was pissed. He might have hit you a little harder than he should.’
Gabe’s fangs elongated, claws pushing and stretching the skin at the ends of his fingers. Fletch shook his head, moved in the goddamned way as Lance exited. Following, he willed his fangs and claws to retract.
Negotiation time was over. As soon as Tressa came out, he was snatching them both. There was no other option. He would not leave here without them.
Lance sent someone to get her, and a few minutes later a
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