Two

Zazriel had Gatrie find her something so she could follow the other alpha without seeming too weak. If not for the pack, then she had to be strong for herself as to not be intimidated by Mourgent. Luckily, Gatrie had a wheelchair that was spared from the fire and she used it to follow Mourgent into his territory and his office where they could have a private conversation. Both Gatrie and Jasmine followed, but she wouldn't allow them to listen in on their discussion. This was between two alphas.

Mourgent's man slowed down so he walked beside her. "I can carry you if that'd—"

"I'm fine."

He raised his hands in surrender. "Just being polite."

She glared at him. "I'm not some weakling!"

The male looked away from her and went back to his alpha's side. Jasmine glanced at her warily. "No need to snap, Z. He was only offering."

Zazriel glared at him as they approached Mourgent's pack house. "Stay here. I will return as soon as I can."

"Zazriel, you don't have to do this," Gatrie whispered.

She continued forward, but paused to respond to her friend. "If he is true to his word, and it will make this pack happy, then I will. I won't let all of you suffer because of my pride."

The door closed behind her as she entered the large building, and she saw Mourgent watching her with narrowed eyes. She glared back and he shook his head, turning down a hallway without waiting for her.

His office was large and dark, dark wood for walls and the desk, black curtains covering what little light from the windows could shine inside, and mahogany bookshelves lining the walls. She sat in front of his desk and waited for him to talk to his man before he shut the door and sat behind his desk. They stared at each other for a long minute. "I do not make false promises, Alpha Zazriel," he said as a way of starting the conversation.

"I never said you did. I just want my pack safe."

"As do I, which means you must revoke your title if you are to stay here. The highest position you could hold is being a warrior for me as well as my advisor. Alpha to alpha."

She snorted. "You seriously think I'd believe you'd make me a warrior?" He raised a brow. She gestured down to herself. "I am sure you haven't ignored the fact that my legs are useless, which would make most people assume I'm weak. A liability. Useless."

"You aren't useless."

Zazriel paused, wondering if she heard him right. "How would you know?"

Mourgent crossed his arms. "You wouldn't be alpha if you were weak. Were you chosen or born into it?"

"Both. I was born with the alpha instincts, but I wasn't first choice." Her voice softened as she said, "But I haven't done well."

"Your pack is not deciding to join me because of your lack of keeping them safe and whether or not you're weak, Alpha Zazriel. They are joining me because they worry for you. I know you aren't going to give up your pack willingly. You know it. No alpha does. But it is up to the people to decide if they've had enough disaster."

Zazriel didn't think his words were supposed to be so painful, but it felt like salt being rubbed into an open wound. "If you know I won't give up my pack, then what am I doing here?"

Mourgent stood and walked around the desk to lean against it, no more than a couple feet away from her. "Do you know what happened back by the river? What it was that was between us?"

"I know it's important," she said simply.

The male stared at her for a moment. Then he said, "We're mates, Zazriel. That symbol, fire, bonded us together."

Zazriel shook her head. "Impossible! I would know if you were my mate! I'd be drawn to you! And I'm not!"

Mourgent narrowed his eyes. "Yet."

"What?"

"You're not drawn to me, yet." He leaned down closer to her. "I know at least a few of your people understand what we are and with that understanding, they are more convinced to join my pack." Zazriel was silent, agreeing with him inside her head. Mourgent straightened again and said, "You will begin to feel the pull towards me in hours, if not minutes. When that happens, you won't be able to resist it."

"We aren't mates!" Zazriel growled. "I'm not going to believe that you, a male with his own agenda, is my mate. I know what my mate is and he isn't you!"

Zazriel could have sworn his jaw clenched. But his expression didn't change before he said, "Who is he then, if he isn't me?"

She had no answer for him. She had her dreams of what her mate might be, but none of them were as male as him. None of them as dominant. They were kinder, pleasant, less cruel. And they weren't alpha. "I will know him when I see him."

He gave a short nod, turning his head so she could only see his profile. "If I am not your mate, then you will never feel a pull. So, you shouldn't worry." When his eyes returned to hers, they held nothing that could give away his emotions or thoughts. "So, are you going to revoke your title or go rogue?"

"You would make your mate into a rogue?" she asked incredulously.

"I thought you said we weren't mates?" he raised a brow.

"I'm not revoking my title."

"Zazriel, may I recommend—"

Before Mourgent could finish, there was a clicking sound from behind a pair of curtains. The alpha snapped his head in the direction, then strode over and pulled the curtains open. "Nyx!" Zazriel called excitedly, using the wheelchair to move over to the window. She unlocked it and slid it open, holding her arm out to the large eagle. Those golden eyes stared back at her as she petted the bird gently.

"Is this a pet?" Mourgent asked, sounding annoyed.

"Companion," she answered, looking up at him with a soft smile. "I found her injured in some hunter's trap when she was a juvenile. Ever since, she's stayed close."

"Nyx?" he asked, and took in the brown and white bird with a bright yellow beak.

"She nicks people when they have food or if she wants attention." Mougent caught the play on words and nodded. Zazriel went back to the desk and waited, keeping Nyx on her arm and running a finger down her feathers.

Mourgent watched the female and her bird, fascinated by the interaction between the two. He had never seen a falcon so up close before and found the bird's eyes entrancing. But he also didn't want shit in his office. "The bird needs to go outside before I make you clean up her mess."

Zazriel gave a harsh laugh and glanced at him with hard eyes. "First of all, you can't chase Nyx off and you can't make her go where she doesn't want to go. You also can't make her stay if she wants to go somewhere. Second of all, she knows all the house rules. She just doesn't always have manners when it comes to someone's head outside."

"I'm not taking chances. Take her outside or I will."

Zazriel raised a brow this time. "You can try, Alpha Mourgent. I promise you, she will make you dance and will be laughing about along with me. Do you honestly want to make a fool of yourself?"

Mourgent sighed. "Rogue, then?"

She stiffened. Zazriel didn't take stepping down from her title so easily. She knew becoming a rogue was always a recipe for disaster, but she couldn't leave her pack to him, no matter his oath. "I won't let my pack join yours. We'll be heading back to our land and rebuild what is lost."

"it is October, Zazriel. You won't be able to—"

"Don't tell me what I'm able or unable to do!" she snarled. Nyx flapped her wings anxiously. "I know my limits! I know my pack's limits! So I don't want to hear it!"

Mourgent scowled. "What do you think your people will do when you tell them your decision. They may be loyal to you, but that only lasts for so long before they can't handle it anymore." He stepped close and knelt, his eyes level with hers. "I maybe be unfair to you and sound like a royal ass, but I won't stand by while you make your people suffer!"

She swallowed. Looked away. "Jasmine said you made an oath."

"And every person signed it in blood, including myself. I stand by my oath. I won't treat them as outcasts and they, and you, will be sheltered and fed. Everyone will have work who is old enough. The children will be well taken care of at school. And after a month of watching you, I will give you a permanent position depending on your level of strength and intelligence."

"No one gets left behind," she whispered.

He made her look at him and she saw his eyes blaze. "Not even the lowest ranking members. Give me a chance as I have promised to give you."