Page 30 of Thrown into the Mob

Flint scoffed at the word “proposal.”

“As the Alpha, any agreement should have been done through me. As such, it wasn’t a proposal but an ultimatum, one I would have refused. I don’t like being taken advantage of.”

Father ignored Flint’s veiled threat.

“The mating between your cousin and my son wasn’t what I intended. But it's done.”

I waited for the “but” because there had to be one or Father could have sent an email or carrier pigeon.

“The bond is legitimate because my son chose it.” He paused. “I’m prepared to recognize it.”

I shivered, and goosebumps paraded over my skin as though a cold wind had slipped into the building. This was unlike Father. He’d never recognized anything I'd done, whether it was my discipline or the years I'd spent proving myself useful. And now with enemies watching, he was recognizing the one thing I'd done that defied him because it was politically convenient.

He’d wriggle out of it when he’d come up with an alternative, but right now, disagreeing with my mating would result in bloodletting. Father was a warmonger, and he loved the smell of blood mingling with burning corpses. So he was thinking long term.

“In exchange,” my father continued, "I expect the following. The conflict between our families ends and trade routes through the corridor that separates our territory are shared.” He looked at me again. “My son maintains contact with his family and is not absorbed into your pack.”

Flint pushed his chair back, and I thought he was going to leave.

“The first two are negotiable, but Conrad’s relationship with you is up to him. As Madd’s mate, he’s under La Luna Noir’s protection. But that doesn’t negate your relationship with your son.”

Father mumbled that no son of his would be part of a wolf pack. That was expected. Dragon shifters in general were a haughty lot, looking down on those without wings and especially shifters who couldn’t produce fire, which was pretty much every other shifter.

Flint shrugged. “Again, it’s up to Conrad and his mate, my cousin.”

My father clenched his fist and his jaw, but he nodded. Madd adjusted his position so his shoulder brushed against mine as my dragon studied my twin, trying to work out what he was thinking.

Evander hadn’t moved or spoken since we arrived. He’d just witnessed our father give away everything he'd been promised. I knew what that looked like. I'd spent my life on the wrong side of my father's dealings, but Evander never had. He’d been the heir and had been told he'd mate Madd. He’d done everything that was asked of him through thirty-one years as the favored son.

And now our father was giving it all away.

“The trade routes require specific terms.” Flint leaned forward. “I want them in writing.”

“No.” Evander's voice was firm.

My dragon murmured that something was wrong, and I told him Evander had found his voice. But what did that mean for me?

My father narrowed his eyes and glared at his beloved son. “Evander.”

“The wolf was promised to me.” Evander hadn't raised his voice. “That was the arrangement, and I fulfilled my part.”

“The circumstances have changed.”

“Because you changed them.” My twin’s voice echoed around the warehouse. “You're negotiating away what you promised because it's easier than fighting for it.”

My father hissed, and his nostrils flared. “Stand down.”

“Conrad defied you. He took what was mine.” Evander's dragon had taken over my brother’s sight. I'd never seen my twin so defiant, and my dragon was preparing to take his scales. I couldn’t fathom what Evander was hoping to get out of this other than to take both Madd and me back to the now-crumbling compound.

He’s going to do something rash.

He would never. But as I spoke those words, a prickle of fear crept over me.

“Conrad should be dealt with as any dragon who defies their Alpha. And the wolf is mine. That was the agreement.”

Why was my twin so adamant about wanting Madd? I understood that we often wanted something we couldn’t have. But they weren’t fated. My brother’s heart hadn’t been torn out, it was just his pride that was hurt.

But in the back of my mind, I worried that the universe had made a mistake. Evander and I shared DNA, we were identical in every way. Surely Madd wasn’t also his fated mate.