CHAPTER 17

Relief washed over Angelina as she saw many of the wolves around them nodding their agreement with Richie.

"No!" insisted Leon. He pointed hard at her. "You're doing this just to spite me, you little bitch!"

"Hey," snapped Jasson as he advanced a step toward Leon. "Be very, very careful. Paper thin fucking ice."

Angelina almost shivered. The words had been delivered in such a lethal, authoritative tone that her dad had actually resisted the urge to snap back at him. "The decision was taken out of anyone's hands by nature itself, Dad."

"Nature? If you're talking about your rebellious nature, then yeah, nature is what caused this. You're doing it to get out of mating with Reynald. We both know that Jolie was your true mate."

"I thought so too, but as unbelievable as it might seem, I was wrong." God, it hurt to say that.

"No. I remember the way you were when he died. You wouldn't talk, barely ate, never left the house. You were like that for over six months."

"That was probably a lot to do with me having lost my mom in the very same accident."

He went to take a step toward her but Jasson's growl halted his advance. He snarled at Jasson. "Even if the kid wasn't her true mate it makes no difference, she's already mated! She's mated to Reynald Willyam."

"As I said to your enforcer, if that had been true, I wouldn't have been able to claim her."

"Well I think you'll find Reynald will disagree with you on that. And so do I. She's coming home with me." He signalled to Prily and Oscar to grab her.

"Try it," bit out Jasson, his face like thunder and his eyes flashing with anger. "I can guarantee you won't like what happens." Wisely, the enforcers didn't try it.

"What are you waiting for?" Leon growled at Prily and Oscar.

Oscar shrugged. "It's like Richie said. We saw what happened, it sure looked like true mates -"

Leon shook his head. "There's something I'm missing here."

Angelina used his own words against him. "With your view of the world, I would have thought you'd have found this easy enough to accept. According to you, a wolf wouldn't want a latent for a mate unless he had no choice in the matter."

"That's true," said Leon with a snicker. "I don't even know why Reynald wants you, why anyone would."

A second later he was pressed against the wall with Jasson's hand around his neck. "It's almost as though you want me to rip your throat out," he growled, fighting his wolf from surfacing and doing just that. He hadn't wanted there to be any violence, but Angelina had been right. Although they weren't true mates and this whole thing was to be temporary, his wolf wasn't hung up on those details, wasn't held back by them. His wolf was an elemental being who acted mostly on instinct, and since he'd marked Angelina Wilgoz, his wolf regarded her as his. His to protect, to comfort, to shelter, to possess. And Jasson agreed.

This whole thing hit too close to home, making Jasson think of his own father. His dad had been pretty attentive and protective…right up until the Seer within the pack, when Jasson was just five, had told his dad that Jasson would one day usurp his position as Guardian. After that, his father had pretty much disowned him and left his care to his maternal grandmother – when he wasn't busy taunting him or using him as a punchbag. His mom had tried to fix the divide between them, but she was too much of a submissive wolf to have had any influence on his father.

"Get the hell off me!"

"But I'm comfortable here." Watching Leon try to glance around, Jasson smiled. "No one's going to help you. Unlike you, they know better than to try to get between mates. Says a lot about you as an Guardian if no one is willing to offer their life for yours."

"She's my daughter -"

"And she's my mate. She's mine. No one keeps her from me. No one insults her. And no one – and I mean no one – talks to her the way you just did, understand me?"

"Just tell me what it is you really want," snarled Leon. "You just that desperate for a pack healer that you'd tie yourself to a latent?"

Tightening his hold on Leon's throat, Jasson smacked his head against the wall. "Didn't I just tell you no one insults my mate? Not very bright, are you?" He gave Angelina a baffled look. "You sure you two are related?"

She shrugged one shoulder delicately. "I do look a lot like the maintenance guy." Going to stand beside Jasson, she cocked her head at Leon. "I don't know what your problem is, Daddy Dearest. You can't stand the sight of me. You should be pleased that I'm leaving the pack. Oh and you should also stop insulting me if you expect Jasson to release you anytime soon."

Leon stared at her with a disbelieving look on his red/purple face. "You honestly believe he isn't playing some kind of game? He's using you, Angelina. When you realize that for yourself, don't think you'll be welcome back in my pack."

She gave him a sad smile. "I stopped being welcome the day you realized I was latent. But then, you always were an ass, weren't you."

"Is that what this is? Revenge? You know how bad I want that alliance."

Jasson snickered. "What, an alliance with me wouldn't mean anything to you?"

Leon's gaze shot to Jasson. It was obvious he hadn't thought of it that way and she could almost see the wheels turning in his head.

She released a bored sigh. "Jasson, just leave him." But Jasson didn't. He seemed to be having too much fun watching her dad struggle to breathe. "Come on, he's a waste of skin and fur."

After a deep, calming breath, Jasson ever so slowly released him and stepped back. "This is what the situation is, Wilgoz. Angelina is my mate, she is now part of my pack, and Reynald Willyam will not touch her ever again. If he has any kind of issue with that, he is free to come to my territory. I'll be waiting." He held his hand out to Angelina. "Come on, baby."

Shooting her dad a withering look, Angelina took Jasson's hand and he pulled her against him. His warmth seeped into her body and calmed her wolf even despite the tension. As she looked at Joel and Jase and saw the concern and horror on their faces she felt a stab of guilt.

It's this or being Reynald's little sex slave! a voice in her head reminded her.

Mouthing 'bye' at Joel and Jase, she allowed Jasson to lead her out of the club.