Grayson rubbed the stem of his wine glass and lifted his gaze back to Aurora. “After that encounter, their enforcer developed a vendetta toward Damon. He kidnapped Damon’s mate, Sophie, and when he tracked her, it led to another fight—this time to the death. Fortunately, it was the Sacco enforcer.”
As she listened to the story, she couldn’t help but lean closer, captivated by the tale. Damon risking all for his mate had a romantic aspect to it.
She shook her head, snapping out of it. As a mediator, she’d listen to both sides and help them come to an agreement.
“You mentioned that your attempts to settle this dispute with them haven’t yielded any progress?”
“Right. They accused us of spying in order to scope out their lands and continue to expand development of the resort.”
“Is that true?” she asked.
His eyes widened, as if offended. “Of course not. That’s a complete fabrication from them.”
She nodded. “Got it. Well, I hope to be able to help you both come to a compromise you can both live with.”
Grayson searched her eyes with his intense look once more. “So do I. My talks with them have gotten nowhere. They’ve demanded Damon’s head as retribution.”
His head? Perhaps Aurora had gotten herself into a more complicated mess with these wolf packs than she’d anticipated. She swallowed and resolved to handle the task as a professional. “That is quite a demand.”
Grayson’s lips tightened into a grim line. He stared off into the distance, and his eyes glowed with a fierce, golden hue. “I’ll never let that happen.” After a few slow breaths, his expression softened, and he returned his gaze to her. “Damon is like a younger brother to me. Will you help me save him?”
Chapter 3
Grayson
Grayson paced over the hardwood floors of his office the next morning. Where was Aurora? Had she already gone over to talk to the Sacco pack? An uncomfortable shiver curled up his spine. He shouldn’t have let her go alone. He should have gone with her. Yet, she’d insisted that it was better for her to hear each side of the story first before bringing the tense packs together.
He could have said that it wasn’t safe. But why? He had no reason to back that claim. He’d spoken to Lars, the Sacco beta, and had made arrangements for Aurora to visit. Why would they hurt a witch who came to them to help them keep peace?
Unless one of their wolves tried to seduce her.
The discomfort twisted with a renewed force.
He stopped pacing and stared at the mountain peak. They’d had a few inches of powder overnight, which meant the trails were packed. The chairlifts were all running smoothly. Everything on his morning checklist was done, so he could head out for a few runs before an afternoon meeting.
That was a good idea. It would help get his mind off his worries.
Only it didn’t work.
On his third ascent up the chairlift, he tried to keep up the conversation with the couple on the lift. He liked to talk to patrons. Not only was it a friendly part of ski culture but also a way for him to keep the pulse on what visitors liked and what they wanted. Yet, Grayson found it difficult to focus.
He wished them a good day before they skied in different directions. He navigated over to a more difficult trail, waiting for the trio ahead of them to drop in, and then followed suit soon after.
As he cut into tight turns, he slipped into a brief period of skiing and nothing else. The steepness of the trail required his full concentration. Once he steered off onto a winding cruiser, his thoughts returned to Aurora.
Talking to her about the concept of mates during dinner last night had to be one of the oddest conversations in his life, considering she was his mate. At least as a witch, she was familiar with the idea, unlike what Damon had gone through in explaining the connection to his human mate.
Did it make the situation any easier, though? Not one bit. He shouldn’t reveal the truth to her, at least not until the issues with the Sacco pack were resolved.
After he completed the run, he removed his skis and returned to the lodge. Before returning to his office, he headed to Rafe’s to see if he was in.
Rafe sat behind his desk, staring at his computer monitor. He glanced up when Grayson approached.
After initial greetings and a quick run-down of operations, Rafe asked, “How was dinner?”
Grayson’s mouth twitched. He had to admit the snafu in his attempt for mediation to his alpha, but first, he summarized getting Aurora up-to-speed with the situation. After a heavy exhale, he added, “There was a bit of a surprise when I met her.”
“How so?”
“My wolf thinks she’s my mate.”
“What?” Rafe’s eyes widened. “Your mate?”
Grayson exhaled. “Yes.”
Rafe rubbed his beard. “Are you sure?”
Grayson nodded. “Without a doubt.”
“Oh.” Rafe’s jaw twitched. “That complicates matters.”
“Indeed.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
Grayson glanced out of the window to the trail he’d just skied. He returned his gaze to Rafe. “Ignore it, at least for now. I can’t let my feelings interfere with what’s best for the pack.”
“Will you be able to do so? She is your mate, after all.”
“I will.” As he returned to face his alpha, Grayson raised his chin, resolved to ignore the call of his mate. He’d lived without one for over thirty years. What was another week or two?
A week or two of what? She could book it back to Salem once she was done here.
He’d have to think about that. Right now, he could only worry about so much. And his primary concern was how Aurora fared over with the Sacco shifters.
“That might be difficult, but I appreciate you putting pack first,” Rafe said. “Although I haven’t been fortunate enough to find my mate, I know it won’t be easy for you to ignore what your wolf wants. With shifters on both sides itching to fight, we can’t add anymore complications or delays.”
“I understand.” Grayson bowed his head. “My duty and loyalty remain with the pack.”
Aurora
What a pain in the ass. The Sacco wolves were stubborn as hell.
Aurora took deep breaths to stay calm as she stood in the Sacco pack’s meeting house set in a log cabin. This wasn’t her fight, and there was no way she should let their complaints get to her. She’d dealt with arguments like this in the past and had always been able to maintain a smooth veneer. That’s why she was good at her job.
“All of this trouble is because of the Franconia pack,” Lars, the Sacco beta wolf, said. “We lived peacefully for years abiding by the terms of the treaty, and one of their wolves broke it when he trespassed onto our lands.”
“Yes, but I understand he had a reason for doing so,” Aurora said. “He thought his mate was in trouble and was trying to make sure she was safe—”
The beta snorted, cutting her off. “Bullshit. That’s a pathetic excuse that allowed them to spy on us.”
“Spy?” She arched her brows. “And why do you think they’d want to do that?”
His eyes widened. “To scout our land to expand their resort.” He gestured to the surrounding forest. “More land they can destroy by developing.”
Aurora pursed her lips. Grayson had warned her about the Sacco’s belief. She preferred to deal with betas. The alphas were too, well—alpha. They wouldn’t budge on negotiations. At least, betas understood that negotiations involved some give and take, but even this one was temperamental. No wonder they needed a mediator. Grayson had mentioned how each time the packs had tried to discuss the situation, tempers had flared.
As she listened to Lars’s grievances with how the Franconia pack was destroying natural lands, she sympathized, yet couldn’t help but compare him to Grayson. While Lars was rather scruffy in appearance, Grayson was well groomed. His hair and beard were trimmed and clothes clean. Although she understood that the Sac
cos preferred to live in the wilderness of the forest, it was difficult not to note how one took more care than the other, not just of themselves, but of others. Grayson had treated her well, ensuring she was well-fed and had a comfortable place to sleep. Lars hadn’t even offered her a seat or a glass of water.
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Do you have any indication to believe that they were looking to expand onto your lands?”
The beta scowled. “As in proof?” He raised both arms to each side. “You’re looking at it.” He motioned out the window back toward the village. “Look at how much they’ve developed in the valley. They’ve exploited every inch of land since they moved in.” He pointed at Aurora. “They are not going to take our lands, too.”
Aurora nodded. She took an instant dislike to this shifter, but reminded herself that she had to remain neutral. She glanced outside the window, scanning the landscape. The Franconia pack had developed their land with numerous residential and commercial structures. She’d learned from Grayson at dinner last night that all of the shifters contributed in some way to keep the resort functional. The Sacco land remained mostly untouched aside from their modest log cabins. Most of their territory was blanketed by trees. Since they appeared to live off-the-grid, did they survive solely by what was on the land?
Even where they stood was quite basic. The open room had little more than a fireplace and scattered chairs.
“Thank you for letting me understand your feelings on the matter,” she acknowledged.
“Ha, I haven’t even started! We haven’t gotten to the murder yet. Their enforcer killed one of ours.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the fight was the fallout after Alex kidnapped Damon’s mate.”
The betas lips twitched. “A consequence of the Franconia pack starting this conflict.”
When it came to explanations, it was also difficult not to take sides. Sure, the Franconia wolf, Damon, had entered Sacco territory, but was it that much of a big deal that it contributed to a fight to the death? According to Grayson, he was just making sure his mate was safe.
Maybe she wasn’t giving the Saccos a fair deal. After all, Grayson had taken her out to dinner last night, and if she dared admit it to herself, she was a bit taken by him. Just a bit. Nothing to jeopardize her assignment over. She had to remain impartial.
“It’s unfortunate that a misunderstanding led to the loss of life. I’m sure you’d like to avoid more unnecessary death and come to an arrangement to keep peace between the packs.”
“Not until the scales are balanced once more.”
She furrowed her brows. “Meaning?”
“We lost an enforcer. So should they.” He raised his chin and crossed his arms. “We want the head of the Franconia shifter responsible.”
Aurora blinked twice. She shouldn’t be surprised since Grayson had told her about their demand, yet hearing it uttered still sounded drastic. She took a deep breath, an attempt to remain cool and unbiased in her negotiations. Often, each side started with an outrageous demand, yet murder was typically not one of them. Still, these were wolves with their temperamental attitudes, and she had to keep that in mind.
Grayson, however, seemed nothing like these shifters. He was sweet, considerate, kind, sexy. She wanted to return to him with good news from her discussion with the Sacco beta and to witness the joy and relief on his face.
No, she couldn’t let attraction to him get in the way.
“That seems to be an unreasonable request,” she replied to Lars. “You’re talking about more bloodshed, which is what I thought we’re all trying to avoid.”
“We’re talking about making things even,” Lars said.
Kane, the Sacco’s gruff alpha who she’d met earlier, stepped into the cabin. “I don’t just want their enforcer’s head—I want their alpha to deliver it.”
Chapter 4
Grayson
Grayson had grown increasingly restless throughout the day, knowing that Aurora was on Sacco ground. Only when she sat safely across from him at a table at Kelly’s Pub, and he breathed in her feminine fragrance, did the air begin to flow through his lungs without restriction once more.
Our mate is here, his wolf declared.
When she started to give him an update about her visit, he stopped her. “Let’s order some drinks before we discuss business.”
Although the reason for their meeting was the mediation, he wanted to spend a few peaceful minutes with her. Just the two of them talking and not worrying about the outside world. An intimate moment with his mate in one of his favorite places to unwind. The dark-paneled pub was one that staff often went to after shifts for their après-ski specials. Nothing like a frosty beer and a quick bite with friends after a day at work and some runs down the mountain.
“All right,” she agreed. “Typically, my clients want to get right to business, but it’s your call.”
The problems would press on him soon enough. Since he couldn’t woo his mate, he could at least bask in the comfort of being near her.
“What I’ve learned in all my years of running this resort and serving as beta of this pack is that dealing with struggles is a part of life. Nothing will change whether you tell me how the visit went now or after we enjoy a drink together.”
She appraised him with a slow nod. “I suppose you’re right.”
She ordered a glass of white wine and he selected a winter lager on tap from their server, Matt. They spoke about innocuous topics for a few minutes until Matt returned with their drinks and took their order. Then they selected an appetizer sampler, so she could sample the different tastes, and they ordered a plate of chicken nachos.
After he left, Grayson noted, “In some ways, my responsibilities are like yours.”
“How so?”
“I spend much of my time fixing things, including negotiations.” He grinned. “Although, my affairs are often with outside vendors or pack members.”
“I wish I had your patience.” She sipped her wine.
“I’m sure you do. You deal with heated emotions on each side. Patience must be an essential skill for your job, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” She exhaled and frowned. “Sometimes it can be frustrating.”
Since her most recent assignment involved him, his skin prickled. He wanted a chance to get to know her better, but that didn’t seem to be a suitable option.
“All right. From experience with the Saccos, I’m guessing this is one of those times.” Despite his disdain for their pack, somehow he managed to keep his voice level.
Aurora sighed. “They were quite stubborn.” She summarized the conversation and their demands.
The muscles in Grayson’s neck corded to steel. “They actually said they want Rafe to present Damon’s head?” His eyes bulged. “Are they insane?”
“It isn’t a reasonable request. I’m hoping this is just them making an extreme demand right from the start, so they project the image that they are being agreeable when they compromise.” She shrugged. “Or, maybe it’s a matter of saving face to the pack.”
Grayson nodded. That somewhat made sense. A shifter’s pride was notorious and often led to trouble. Still, the demand for Damon’s head filled him with rage. How could they even go there? He clenched his hands into fists under the table. “We will absolutely not agree to that request. The death of one of our pack mates is off the table.”
“Of course.” Aurora gave him a sympathetic glance. “The good news is that they’ve agreed to a mediator, which means they are open to negotiation. My job is to work with both packs to find a more reasonable settlement that both parties will accept.”
Grayson gulped some beer. “I hope so.” He ground his jaw. When he glanced across the pub, he spotted Rafe entering. Rafe caught his eye and Grayson motioned him over, inviting him to join them.
“That’s all right,” Rafe said. “I’m sure you both have plenty to talk about.”
He exchanged a glance with Grayso
n, all but communicating that he wouldn’t interfere with the limited time Grayson had with his mate.
“Can you fill me in on how it went today?” Rafe asked.
This time, Grayson locked eyes with Aurora. “I’ll tell him,” he told her.
He communicated telepathically. Aurora was just filling me in on the conversation. They’re playing hardball. They’re still requesting Damon’s head in exchange for the loss of their enforcer, only now Kane added that he wants you to give it to him.
“He what?” Rafe barked out loud. His features twisted with fury, and his eyes narrowed.
Aurora blinked at each of them and lowered her voice. “Are you two communicating in that silent shifter way?”
“Yes,” Grayson acknowledged.
She nodded. “We won’t accept it,” she addressed both of them. “We can make a counteroffer.”
The way she said “we” warmed Grayson. It indicated that she was on their side, although she couldn’t be. Maybe she used that option with all her clients.
“That’s what we’ll need to discuss,” Grayson addressed Rafe. “Your office tomorrow morning?”
“Yes,” Rafe replied through clenched teeth as his body seemed to vibrate with his fury.
Grayson said, “It is probably safer that Damon and Sophie leave until this matter is settled. No matter how many enforcers we have on watch, they’ll be the first targeted if negotiations fail. They’re like sitting ducks here.”
“Agreed,” Rafe muttered.
“I’ll go to his cabin after we’re finished here. It will take some convincing to get Damon to agree.”
“Tell him it’s an order. It’s what’s best for the pack.” Rafe put his hands on Grayson’s shoulder. “Good luck. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
The Wolf and His Forbidden Witch: A Howls Romance (White Mountain Shifters Book 2) Page 3
