heavily. "Damn, woman, stop panicking every time we look at you. We're not going to throw you down and . . ." He stopped as he looked at Trace. "Do what you think we're going to do. Yes, we know what's going on with you. And no, we don't do that to women."
Bride took Trace back from Fury. She handed him a roll to eat while she directed her attention to Angelia. "I know you don't know Katagaria customs. When a woman is . . ." She paused and looked at the baby before she continued, "in your condition, she selects the male she wants. If she can't decide, they fight and she usually picks the winner, and if he doesn't satisfy her, she picks another. But it's always the woman's choice. The males give their lives and their loyalty to their women. Since their survival hinges on their ability to procreate, that is hardwired into their beings."
As Bride started to rise, Keegan took Trace from her arms to hold. "Do you need something?" he asked her.
"Just going to the restroom, sweetie." She patted him on his arm as she walked past him.
Angelia looked at Fury as he ignored her presence.
Was that why he'd never touched her? Thinking back, she remembered how he'd always been more respectful to his mother, sister and her than Dare had been. Always worried about them and their well-being. If they'd ever needed anything, he'd been there for them.
"Why did you bring me here?" she asked him.
He swallowed his food before he answered. "I want to know what that weapon is."
Everyone's attention focused on her and every hair on her body stood on full alert. They were poised to attack and she had a hard time controlling her panic.
"We've already had this discussion," she said between clenched teeth. "You can torture me all you want, but I will tell you nothing."
Vane laughed. " Katagaria don't torture . . . they kill."
Two of the older wolves stood up. "So we kill her?" they asked in unison without even a hint of emotion in their voices.
"No," Fury said. "I've given her my protection."
"Oh." The younger one who'd spoken picked up his plate and carried it into the kitchen.
Bride returned to the table and retook her chair.
One by one, all the men left except for Vane, Fury, Fang, and Trace.
"What happened to Zarek ?" Fury asked.
Fang swirled his wine in his glass, something that struck her as very human. "He and Sasha are hunting down Dare."
"I hope they don't kill him before I do."
"He's your brother," Angelia reminded him.
Fury cut a harsh glare at her. "Let me explain something to you, babe. When Fang and Anya found out Vane was human, they protected him from our father. If he was wounded or sleeping, they'd take turns guarding his human form to make sure no one learned his secret. The instant Dare found out I was a wolf, he called out the patria to kill me. I think I should return that favor to him tenfold. At least he's a grown man, not an adolescent who had no real way to protect himself from the stronger, older warriors."
"He also has an unfair weapon. I think we should take it and . . ." Fang paused as he looked at Trace. "Put it someplace really uncomfortable."
Fury's gaze didn't leave hers. "I'd like to put it in the same place he wanted to drive that hot poker."
Angelia shook her head at his brutality. "All of you do realize that holding me here is an act of war."
Fury arched one brow. "How so?"
"You are wolves holding a patria member."
Vane snorted. "And I'm the Regis of your patria. Absent, true, but I am the head of the Kattalakis Arcadian Lykos . As such, you fall under my governance. To declare war on Fury and his Katagaria pack would require my edict, which I'd never give."
"So you condone his behavior?"
"For the first time in our relationship, and as scary as that thought is . . . yes. And as the Regis, I want to know what that weapon is that you used on the lion. Failure to give it to me will result in a trial and I think you know what the Katagaria council members will demand as punishment."
Her life.
Bride took Trace back from Fury. She handed him a roll to eat while she directed her attention to Angelia. "I know you don't know Katagaria customs. When a woman is . . ." She paused and looked at the baby before she continued, "in your condition, she selects the male she wants. If she can't decide, they fight and she usually picks the winner, and if he doesn't satisfy her, she picks another. But it's always the woman's choice. The males give their lives and their loyalty to their women. Since their survival hinges on their ability to procreate, that is hardwired into their beings."
As Bride started to rise, Keegan took Trace from her arms to hold. "Do you need something?" he asked her.
"Just going to the restroom, sweetie." She patted him on his arm as she walked past him.
Angelia looked at Fury as he ignored her presence.
Was that why he'd never touched her? Thinking back, she remembered how he'd always been more respectful to his mother, sister and her than Dare had been. Always worried about them and their well-being. If they'd ever needed anything, he'd been there for them.
"Why did you bring me here?" she asked him.
He swallowed his food before he answered. "I want to know what that weapon is."
Everyone's attention focused on her and every hair on her body stood on full alert. They were poised to attack and she had a hard time controlling her panic.
"We've already had this discussion," she said between clenched teeth. "You can torture me all you want, but I will tell you nothing."
Vane laughed. " Katagaria don't torture . . . they kill."
Two of the older wolves stood up. "So we kill her?" they asked in unison without even a hint of emotion in their voices.
"No," Fury said. "I've given her my protection."
"Oh." The younger one who'd spoken picked up his plate and carried it into the kitchen.
Bride returned to the table and retook her chair.
One by one, all the men left except for Vane, Fury, Fang, and Trace.
"What happened to Zarek ?" Fury asked.
Fang swirled his wine in his glass, something that struck her as very human. "He and Sasha are hunting down Dare."
"I hope they don't kill him before I do."
"He's your brother," Angelia reminded him.
Fury cut a harsh glare at her. "Let me explain something to you, babe. When Fang and Anya found out Vane was human, they protected him from our father. If he was wounded or sleeping, they'd take turns guarding his human form to make sure no one learned his secret. The instant Dare found out I was a wolf, he called out the patria to kill me. I think I should return that favor to him tenfold. At least he's a grown man, not an adolescent who had no real way to protect himself from the stronger, older warriors."
"He also has an unfair weapon. I think we should take it and . . ." Fang paused as he looked at Trace. "Put it someplace really uncomfortable."
Fury's gaze didn't leave hers. "I'd like to put it in the same place he wanted to drive that hot poker."
Angelia shook her head at his brutality. "All of you do realize that holding me here is an act of war."
Fury arched one brow. "How so?"
"You are wolves holding a patria member."
Vane snorted. "And I'm the Regis of your patria. Absent, true, but I am the head of the Kattalakis Arcadian Lykos . As such, you fall under my governance. To declare war on Fury and his Katagaria pack would require my edict, which I'd never give."
"So you condone his behavior?"
"For the first time in our relationship, and as scary as that thought is . . . yes. And as the Regis, I want to know what that weapon is that you used on the lion. Failure to give it to me will result in a trial and I think you know what the Katagaria council members will demand as punishment."
Her life.
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