Cherished: True Mates Book 5 (BBW Wolf Shifter Romance) (A Craggstone Paranormal Romance) by Olivia Arran Page A
Authors: Olivia Arran
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gave Cole the side-eye, but he just smirked.
“What are you so happy about?” I asked. The man had a spring in his step that hadn’t gone unnoticed.
“As soon as this is over, I’m out of here.”
Giving Bert another shove, I raised an eyebrow in question.
“He’s coming back to the city with Macey and me,” Jason answered for him. “We’ve been giving some serious thought to opening a shifter division, and Cole is going to come help set that up with us.”
It made sense. For a while now Cole had given the impression he was drifting, not really ready to dig in and put down roots. Now he was the only one in the Alpha’s inner circle without a mate.
You don’t have a mate yet. Ana didn’t say yes. I shoved away the inner voice. It was just my demons, trying to make me doubt myself.
Gary tried to make another break for it, swiftly cut off when Cole grappled with him, forcing him back into the makeshift line.
We were here. The trees finished as we stepped into a large, circular clearing. Around us were stone benches forming a ring and facing what had been designated the front. On a large stone platform sat the Shifter Council, or some of them anyway, I noted. The three Councilmembers were among the most powerful shifters alive, each representing a different species. Today we had wolf, bear, and dragon.
All around me the air reeked of power and age, the blood-soaked ground thrumming with life and death.
Giving Bert a final shove that sent him stumbling into the center, I nodded at the Council, then turned to face my pack and Alpha. Where was she? My eyes skipped over the crowd, searching for the now-familiar dark hair, and the curves that made me want to kiss the ground in thanks.
Spotting her, I strode over, ruthlessly elbowing people out of the way until I had claimed my spot. I grunted at their grumbles. They shouldn’t have been standing so close anyway.
Gregg rose from his seat, his blue eyes flashing with power, sparks of silver circling and spiraling. “Who calls this hearing and trial?” His voice rang out over the forest.
James took a step forward. “I do.”
Sean joined him. “As do I.”
Then Amanda took a step forward, cocking her hip and flicking back her long blonde hair while shooting a look of contempt at the prisoners. “So do I.”
Gregg nodded at each one, acknowledging their claim. “And I,” he added.
Before I knew what I was doing, I had lurched forward. “Me too.”
Gregg paused, already halfway back to his seat, then tilted his head.
“What are you doing?” Ana hissed out of the corner of her mouth.
I took a step back, my hand reaching for hers. “Standing for you.”
“What exactly does that mean?”
“It means I have a stake in what happens and that I will have my turn to give evidence, if it’s needed.” That was the simple version anyway.
I felt her stiffen a second before she flung herself forward. “Me too! I call it too...the trial. I want to give evidence!”
“Mom! What are you doing?” The cry came from the far side of the clearing, then Josh erupted from the bushes, his face stark with horror.
“Josh?” Ana whispered, her face stricken.
“Dad!” Josh cried, launching himself into the inner circle, straight toward Bert.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Ana
Josh pelted across the dirt floor, his arms stretched out, reaching toward his dad. The scene played out as if he were moving in slow motion, my scream of denial sticking in my throat.
If Bert got hold of my baby...
Seconds before reaching his dad, Josh was plucked from the ground, his little legs kicking, small fists flying as Oliver tried to restrain him.
“Let me go!” Josh shrieked, doubling up his efforts to squirm free. “Dad!”
“Your father needs to stand trial for his actions. It will be a fair hearing, and if he’s innocent he’ll be free to go.” Oliver tried to reason with him, getting an elbow in the ribs for his trouble.
“No he wouldn’t! You’re lying.”
“What are you so happy about?” I asked. The man had a spring in his step that hadn’t gone unnoticed.
“As soon as this is over, I’m out of here.”
Giving Bert another shove, I raised an eyebrow in question.
“He’s coming back to the city with Macey and me,” Jason answered for him. “We’ve been giving some serious thought to opening a shifter division, and Cole is going to come help set that up with us.”
It made sense. For a while now Cole had given the impression he was drifting, not really ready to dig in and put down roots. Now he was the only one in the Alpha’s inner circle without a mate.
You don’t have a mate yet. Ana didn’t say yes. I shoved away the inner voice. It was just my demons, trying to make me doubt myself.
Gary tried to make another break for it, swiftly cut off when Cole grappled with him, forcing him back into the makeshift line.
We were here. The trees finished as we stepped into a large, circular clearing. Around us were stone benches forming a ring and facing what had been designated the front. On a large stone platform sat the Shifter Council, or some of them anyway, I noted. The three Councilmembers were among the most powerful shifters alive, each representing a different species. Today we had wolf, bear, and dragon.
All around me the air reeked of power and age, the blood-soaked ground thrumming with life and death.
Giving Bert a final shove that sent him stumbling into the center, I nodded at the Council, then turned to face my pack and Alpha. Where was she? My eyes skipped over the crowd, searching for the now-familiar dark hair, and the curves that made me want to kiss the ground in thanks.
Spotting her, I strode over, ruthlessly elbowing people out of the way until I had claimed my spot. I grunted at their grumbles. They shouldn’t have been standing so close anyway.
Gregg rose from his seat, his blue eyes flashing with power, sparks of silver circling and spiraling. “Who calls this hearing and trial?” His voice rang out over the forest.
James took a step forward. “I do.”
Sean joined him. “As do I.”
Then Amanda took a step forward, cocking her hip and flicking back her long blonde hair while shooting a look of contempt at the prisoners. “So do I.”
Gregg nodded at each one, acknowledging their claim. “And I,” he added.
Before I knew what I was doing, I had lurched forward. “Me too.”
Gregg paused, already halfway back to his seat, then tilted his head.
“What are you doing?” Ana hissed out of the corner of her mouth.
I took a step back, my hand reaching for hers. “Standing for you.”
“What exactly does that mean?”
“It means I have a stake in what happens and that I will have my turn to give evidence, if it’s needed.” That was the simple version anyway.
I felt her stiffen a second before she flung herself forward. “Me too! I call it too...the trial. I want to give evidence!”
“Mom! What are you doing?” The cry came from the far side of the clearing, then Josh erupted from the bushes, his face stark with horror.
“Josh?” Ana whispered, her face stricken.
“Dad!” Josh cried, launching himself into the inner circle, straight toward Bert.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Ana
Josh pelted across the dirt floor, his arms stretched out, reaching toward his dad. The scene played out as if he were moving in slow motion, my scream of denial sticking in my throat.
If Bert got hold of my baby...
Seconds before reaching his dad, Josh was plucked from the ground, his little legs kicking, small fists flying as Oliver tried to restrain him.
“Let me go!” Josh shrieked, doubling up his efforts to squirm free. “Dad!”
“Your father needs to stand trial for his actions. It will be a fair hearing, and if he’s innocent he’ll be free to go.” Oliver tried to reason with him, getting an elbow in the ribs for his trouble.
“No he wouldn’t! You’re lying.”
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