hair to the side. Ox held him back.
“Easy, Alpha, they need to check her mark. They’re not hurting her.”
One by one the councilmembers came to lean over Diana, inspecting her mark and smelling her. The enforcers helped her to stand back up again. Once all of the council members were seated again, Shamos was the one to make the announcement.
“There is an older mark that scents of Kilian, but a newer claiming mark is present, Lucas’s. There is also scent of sex on the girl mixed with Lucas, so they have bred.”
“What? That’s impossible!” Kilian shoved forward and grabbed Diana, moving her hair out of the way. “You slut!” he spat and his claws came out, cutting into Diana’s arm.
“Ow! Let me go!” Diana yanked free of his hold and clutched her bleeding arm.
The enforcers dragged Kilian off of her and Lucas pulled her into his arms. He would kill the other male for touching his mate.
“Settle down!” Councilman Dolf yelled. Once everyone stopped and was focused again on the council, Dolf continued. “We will take a vote of the validity of the second mate bite.”
Lucas pulled her further away. “Are you okay?” He checked her arms and the cuts. They weren’t too deep. He wiped off the trail of blood and put pressure on the ones that were still bleeding.
“I’m fine, Lucas. You didn’t have to do that, you know.”
He cupped her cheek and rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip. She had the most amazing mouth. “Of course I have to, you’re my mate, Diana.”
She frowned. “Since when?”
“Since the beginning. I’ve just been an idiot about the whole thing. I won’t be again. You are mine and I won’t let anyone take you from me.”
“You may not have a choice in that.”
“There are always choices.” He let her go and pulled Ox to the side.
“If this doesn’t go my way, you take Diana and head to Alpha Ric’s.”
“Alpha, I can’t leave you unprotected.” Ox shook his head.
“She’s your alpha female to protect. I am entrusting you to see her safely away from here.”
“Alpha—”
“Step forward, Diana Rhapsody, Lucas Danvers, and Kilian Dorn,” Councilman Dolf ordered.
Lucas held Diana’s hand as they stepped forward to hear the council’s verdict.
*****
Diana was shaking, she couldn’t get her breathing under control, and her wolf was growling with desire to tear into Kilian. She held onto Lucas, afraid to let go. If things did not go their way, Lucas would fight Kilian and could get killed. She didn’t want that. She couldn’t imagine anything bad happening to Lucas; it would devastate her.
“The council has voted on whose claim is the more valid. Normally the first claim would be considered the legitimate claim, but there was not sexual component involved with that one. Since the second claim has a sexual element, it is more prominent. Since the two claims are both strong, the tie will be decided by a show of strength. The two challengers will face each other, one on one, no weapons. First you will fight in human form, then you will fight in wolf form. If at any time one of the challengers gives up their claim, the match will end. Avoid death, if possible; we have enough of a population problem without killing one another needlessly. Both challengers have two minutes to prepare.”
“No.” Diana shook her head. “No, Lucas, you don’t have to do this for me.”
He pulled her away from everyone and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I have to. As your mate, I will fight for my claim to hold you.”
“We’re not really—”
“Yes, we are. Ask your wolf, she should know I’m yours.”
Diana sought her inner wolf. “He’s wrong, he has to be.” Her wolf answered, “He’s our mate. We will fight for him like he is about to fight for us. Be strong.”
Lucas started to remove his shirt. She was desperate to keep him safe. “Please don’t do this.”
He leaned down and kissed her deeply, uncaring that others were watching
“Easy, Alpha, they need to check her mark. They’re not hurting her.”
One by one the councilmembers came to lean over Diana, inspecting her mark and smelling her. The enforcers helped her to stand back up again. Once all of the council members were seated again, Shamos was the one to make the announcement.
“There is an older mark that scents of Kilian, but a newer claiming mark is present, Lucas’s. There is also scent of sex on the girl mixed with Lucas, so they have bred.”
“What? That’s impossible!” Kilian shoved forward and grabbed Diana, moving her hair out of the way. “You slut!” he spat and his claws came out, cutting into Diana’s arm.
“Ow! Let me go!” Diana yanked free of his hold and clutched her bleeding arm.
The enforcers dragged Kilian off of her and Lucas pulled her into his arms. He would kill the other male for touching his mate.
“Settle down!” Councilman Dolf yelled. Once everyone stopped and was focused again on the council, Dolf continued. “We will take a vote of the validity of the second mate bite.”
Lucas pulled her further away. “Are you okay?” He checked her arms and the cuts. They weren’t too deep. He wiped off the trail of blood and put pressure on the ones that were still bleeding.
“I’m fine, Lucas. You didn’t have to do that, you know.”
He cupped her cheek and rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip. She had the most amazing mouth. “Of course I have to, you’re my mate, Diana.”
She frowned. “Since when?”
“Since the beginning. I’ve just been an idiot about the whole thing. I won’t be again. You are mine and I won’t let anyone take you from me.”
“You may not have a choice in that.”
“There are always choices.” He let her go and pulled Ox to the side.
“If this doesn’t go my way, you take Diana and head to Alpha Ric’s.”
“Alpha, I can’t leave you unprotected.” Ox shook his head.
“She’s your alpha female to protect. I am entrusting you to see her safely away from here.”
“Alpha—”
“Step forward, Diana Rhapsody, Lucas Danvers, and Kilian Dorn,” Councilman Dolf ordered.
Lucas held Diana’s hand as they stepped forward to hear the council’s verdict.
*****
Diana was shaking, she couldn’t get her breathing under control, and her wolf was growling with desire to tear into Kilian. She held onto Lucas, afraid to let go. If things did not go their way, Lucas would fight Kilian and could get killed. She didn’t want that. She couldn’t imagine anything bad happening to Lucas; it would devastate her.
“The council has voted on whose claim is the more valid. Normally the first claim would be considered the legitimate claim, but there was not sexual component involved with that one. Since the second claim has a sexual element, it is more prominent. Since the two claims are both strong, the tie will be decided by a show of strength. The two challengers will face each other, one on one, no weapons. First you will fight in human form, then you will fight in wolf form. If at any time one of the challengers gives up their claim, the match will end. Avoid death, if possible; we have enough of a population problem without killing one another needlessly. Both challengers have two minutes to prepare.”
“No.” Diana shook her head. “No, Lucas, you don’t have to do this for me.”
He pulled her away from everyone and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I have to. As your mate, I will fight for my claim to hold you.”
“We’re not really—”
“Yes, we are. Ask your wolf, she should know I’m yours.”
Diana sought her inner wolf. “He’s wrong, he has to be.” Her wolf answered, “He’s our mate. We will fight for him like he is about to fight for us. Be strong.”
Lucas started to remove his shirt. She was desperate to keep him safe. “Please don’t do this.”
He leaned down and kissed her deeply, uncaring that others were watching
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