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member of the Montana Mountain Pack, daughter of Katherine Akara
and the late Connor McDonald, former Prime of the Anglo-Celtic
Pack and Alpha of the Scots Pack. Yuri and Vladimir Volkov have
claimed that Joanna is their mate. I do not dispute their claim, but as
her Alpha I give her my protection. I invited her here with the
promise that she would be safe and free to leave at any time. The
choice is hers.
There was a collective rumble of disapproval from all the males in
the room because they knew it wasn t true, not really, because there
was no choice in wild nature. Just as surely as spring buds open to the
sun, the blooming reaction of her body to the Siberians proclaimed it.
She was their mate. To a werewolf that was everything, but he
guessed that because she d been raised outside of the Pack, by a
mother who fought for her freedom and independence, she might need
to believe that she did have a choice, that her decision was freely
given and not preordained by biology or dictated by the Lore.
Two such strong mates for a female! Such a thing was very rare,
but he couldn t help thinking that the young werewolf woman could
do a lot worse. On his own each twin was formidable, and together
they would be able to protect her better than any Alpha alive, except
for him. On the other hand, they had found themselves mated to one
of the few females alive who could take on two such dominant
Alphas. Often the moon-fated were fortunate like that.
 I am Paul Kaiteke, Alpha of the Maori Pack. I m surprised but
very pleased to meet you, Joanna Akara, daughter of my Pack. How is
your mother? We have all been very worried about her, particularly
Alphas Prize 79
your grandparents. A heavily muscled Maori with traditional facial
and body tattoos addressed Joanna gently.
 I am honored to meet you, she said, following protocol. At least
her mother had taught her that.  She is in danger, and I am here to
seek help.
Will admired that she kept her voice strong and clear when she
must have been very nervous. All eyes looked with concern at Joanna
and then at him.
 There is an urgent matter that Joanna and I must attend to and
things that we will discuss at full Council when the unmated members
return. The mating claim by the Siberian Pack Alphas is good but
very unexpected. Please excuse us so that I can properly address you
all as soon as possible.
He guided Joanna out of the room toward his study. She was
clearly agitated at being apart from her mates and seemed confused.
He wondered how much she knew about her heritage and Pack life.
* * * *
It took every bit of discipline, forged by love for her mother, to
stop herself from sprinting from the Hall, pouncing on the twins, and
shredding the leather between them. It was frightening how she was
reacting. She fervently wanted things that she d never had before,
such as physical intimacy, loving, and a good fucking. It had been just
under two months since she had sexually matured and  become.
Before then she hadn t been interested in men for sex. Since then
she d felt hot and horny but not attracted to any of the men she knew,
and then, of course, she d had to run. There really hadn t been the
opportunity to take these new urges for a test drive. Well, she had a
sneaking suspicion she d soon be screeching around a trial track, and
she couldn t wait.
She reluctantly followed Hawke down a corridor to a thick
wooden door. He opened it and stepped back, giving her plenty of
80 Dawn Forrest
room to pass through and avoid contact. The man was trying to honor
his word, and she could see the effort it cost him.
 Bloody hell, what s that lovely smell? said a deep Australian
voice.
She stopped dead, and Hawke almost crashed into her. Sitting at a
desk was a man with a woman on his lap. He was obviously a
werewolf, but she couldn t distinguish if he was mated or not. What
struck Jo was the woman s aroma. Her scent was strangely similar to
Lynne s.
The young woman batted the man with her hand.
 Ah, love, she doesn t smell as good as you, and no one ever will
after Thursday night, he said to placate her as he caught her hand and
kissed it.
They both looked at Joanna with surprised curiosity.
 I was wondering what all the ruckus was about, the woman said
with a friendly smile.
Hawke made the formal introductions.
 Angela and Mike will be bound at the full-moon run on
Thursday. You can scent that they are mates but not yet permanently
bound.
There was so much she didn t know about her own kind, this
whole experience was more a learning vertical straight line than a
curve.
 It s nice to meet you both, she said automatically as she
wondered if her scent would change due to the twins, and what would
be the catalyst.
 Please, let s quickly talk about my mother, she implored Hawke
through gritted teeth. She was finding it hard to think of anything
except the two gorgeous men with long, straight, snow-white hair and
a scent to live for.
 Do you mind if they stay? he asked, indicating to the couple
about to get up.  They can be trusted.
Alphas Prize 81
She knew that he didn t want to be alone with her, and the fact
that he was fighting his attraction was reassuring. She shook her head.
He quickly explained what had happened since they last spoke.
 When Khan gets here tomorrow we will question him. It looks as
if your mother escaped from him.
Her heartbeat faltered at the news. If her mother wasn t with Khan
it could mean one of two things.
 Either that or he killed her. Her voice quavered with worry.
 The werewolf that attacked us last night was Indian looking, tall and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]