Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 116662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“Maybe it’s better if we just forget he exists,” she said.
Isaiah curled his arms around her and held her close, protectiveness filling him at how small she was in comparison. “There’s no need for that. He’s not so important that we need to convince ourselves he never entered your life. The fact is he did, and whatever happened after that placed you on the path that eventually led you to me. I’d like to hear about it.”
A resigned sigh slid out of Quinley. “Okay, fine.” She gently placed her hands on his chest. “When I was fourteen, I got cornered by some male pride members. They wouldn’t really have assaulted me, they just felt confident they could toy with me because I was unranked.”
Fuckers. “What does a lack of status have to do with anything?”
“It has everything to do with it where black-foots are concerned. Only ranked members and their families are considered important. The rest of us live near the perimeter of the territory and don’t really socialize with them.”
Outrage speared through Isaiah yet again. “So, in the event of an attack, you’re the first line of defense?”
“More like sacrificial pawns, but yes. We’re all taught combat, but that’s really only so we can keep intruders at bay long enough for the ranked to get prepared.”
Son of a bitch. “That’s fucked up. The more vulnerable members should be protected.” It infuriated his cat that she’d been so at risk all these years.
“Black-foots don’t really operate that way,” she said with a careless shrug. “My kind have always had an obsession with status. I’ve never really understood it, but that might be because I’m a submissive. Ranks generally only mean something to dominants.”
To black-foot dominants, maybe, but it didn’t apply to all shifters. In Isaiah’s opinion, her breed had serious issues. But then, many would say that same thing about his own. “Anyway, back to your story …”
“Yeah, so, Zaire intervened and chased the boys off. Looking into his eyes, picking up his scent, I just knew in that moment that I was staring at the person who fate had selected for me. It hit me like a brick. The knowing was crystal clear—there’s no mistaking it, is there?”
“No, there isn’t.” It was a realization that hit soul-deep.
“But he didn’t have the same reaction. Just visibly checked I was fine and then walked off. I was so shocked I didn’t say anything to him. I ran home and told my sisters. They suggested I give him time to pick up on what I’d sensed. I think they knew he would have rejected me if I said anything. I followed their advice.”
“But giving him time didn’t amount to anything,” Isaiah guessed.
“I would have held out longer, but when I was sixteen I overheard that he might sign a mating contract. I knew Harlan hoped to pair him with Nazra, and I knew Zaire was ambitious enough to go along with it if it meant being Alpha. He also cared about her, I could see that. So I panicked.”
“And you told him.”
“Picture it. There I was, an unranked submissive, telling a born-alpha who was also the son of an Alpha pair—someone who’d therefore be considered way above my reach—that we were fated; insisting he couldn’t sign a mating agreement that would grant him both Nazra and the right to one day rule my pride.” She shook her head, sighing.
He personally didn’t see how Zaire being a born-alpha or the son of Alphas should place him out of Quinley’s reach. He was about to say as much, but then she spoke again.
“Maybe he just thought I was ridiculous, maybe he just cared so much for her, or maybe he was so focused on his becoming-an-Alpha-goal that it was to the exclusion of all else. But he wouldn’t consider that I might be right.”
“Was he harsh in his rejection?”
“At first, he tried letting me down gently; tried convincing me I was just crushing on him. I insisted he was wrong. I wouldn’t let it go. He got pissed at me and, in a bid to make me really listen, he hit me with what he thought were ‘hard truths.’ Said he didn’t feel the slightest pull toward me; that his cat had no interest in me; that he wasn’t attracted to submissives so it made no sense he’d be paired with one.” She puffed out a breath. “I wasn’t hopeful that he’d later change his mind, which is good because he never did.”
“Did he tell Nazra what you said?”
“No. But her friend did. Fila overheard it all. She told everyone but twisted it—said I threw myself at him, tried to force a claiming bite on him, and even made an attempt to strip. None of it was true, I swear.”
He palmed the back of her head, pinning her with a reassuring look. “I believe you.”