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“You got the email,” Hope sighed as she answered.
“Tell me it’s a joke,” Merinus said quietly. “Even Callan was hopeful that this ceremony would take place soon and cement Anya’s position. Without it, her standing
among Del-Rey’s people will be weakened. Their respect for her will erode.”
Hope shook her head. “I’m afraid it’s not a joke.”
“Have Wolfe talk to him,” Merinus urged. “This ceremony is too important, Hope.”
Hope thought about that, she considered it. She sighed. “This is something he’ll have to see for himself, and it’s a fight Anya has to face alone. We can support her if she needs us, Merinus, but there’s little else we can do.”
“Damned stubborn Coyote,” Merinus cursed. “Pain in the ass.”
“For both of us,” Hope said quietly. “Hopefully I can get to the base and talk to her soon. I’ll let you know what I learn.”
Merinus sighed. “I’ll call her soon. That email broke my heart. She needs time I think before talking to me.”
Hope nodded. “I’ll give her a day or so. Until then, we’ll pray.”
“And pray,” Merinus stated. “Poor Anya.”
Poor Anya.
Poor Del-Rey.
Because Hope knew this was going to cause more trouble for the alpha than he could have considered. The mating for an alpha was one thing; acceptance by the men who followed him was another, as she and Wolfe had both learned. For some reason the wedding ceremony that meant so much in the human world meant just as much in Breed society, perhaps more so, especially for an alpha.
If an alpha didn’t accept his mate, then his men wouldn’t accept her either. The past eight months, the order of separation and Anya’s refusal to accept her alpha hadn’t seemed to faze the Coyote soldiers. They had accepted her despite that. Because they had believed the decision was out of Del-Rey’s hands. Once this was learned, Anya’s position at Base would erode, and the problems she faced wouldn’t be easy.
Not for Anya. And most definitely not for Del-Rey.
Hope emailed the only other person she could think of that could help with this particular problem. The one man that might have enough sway to convince his alpha of the error of his ways.
His brother.
Brim.
Brim stared at the email, at the forwarded text plus the lupina’s message, and felt a curl of anger unfold within him. Son of a bitch. Maybe this time they would fight after all.
CHAPTER 20
Del-Rey checked on Anya after she left their rooms. A frown pulled at his brows when he learned she was in the kitchen area. Striding through the base, he moved past the community room and into the kitchen.
With only the sound of movement and four women working in silence, the damned place was eerie. There was an air of heaviness, tension, a subtle scent of pain and anger and an underlying chill that he couldn’t put his finger on.
Anya lifted her head from the bowls and ingredients she was working on. Her eyes were dark, and perhaps there were shadows under them.
“There are cold cuts in the fridge if you need a sandwich,” she told him. “I’ll have egg and assorted meat biscuits in an hour if you’d like to wait.”
“You don’t have kitchen duty.” He hardened his voice.
“No one has kitchen duty.” She shrugged. “Cleanup is a far cry from making certain there’s actually food on base and certain items ready to eat when your teams get hungry, Del-Rey. There are well over sixty soldiers here at last count with several dozen more coming. Someone has to make certain supplies are kept up with.”
“Add it to the duties with rotation,” he ordered her.
He watched her pour milk into a huge bowl of flour and begin working it in. Her head was lowered, her expression calm and composed, when he knew she was anything but.
“Doesn’t work that way.” She shook her head.
