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.Maurice and his partner David chatted on one end of the room with Lana’s parents and a vibrant blonde Greg hadn’t expected to see.Greg stopped in his tracks on his path toward his grandfather and whipped his head around toward George and Jase who’d come up beside Fee.“What’s she doing here?”George shrugged and darted a glare at the old man.As a show of support, he took Fee’s other hand and walked with them up to where the Prime sat on his leather throne.Greg shot him a look of thanks behind Fee’s head.Lana fell back with Jase.“Grandmother.” Greg tipped his head and gave Marja a smile.“Allow me to present my fiancée, Fianna Meadows, recently of the Seelie Court.Fianna, meet my grandmother, Marja Novak.”“Delighted.” Fee held her head high and extended one hand toward the older woman.“Your grandchildren speak well of you, Mrs.Novak.It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”If Marja’s spine hadn’t already been as straight as a ramrod, Greg was sure it would have stiffened further.Her dark eyes studied Fee with blatant disrespect.“You were exiled from the Faerie Court and stripped of your powers.How does that make you a fit mate for the future Prime alpha?”Fee’s smile was brittle as an icicle.“It doesn’t.However, Greg has chosen me, despite my previous failings.My apologies if he failed to ask your permission.”“Their permission was never a requirement,” Greg said from beside her.He let go of her arm so he could slip his around her waist.God, but she was magnificent.“You’re my intended mate.They can choose to be polite or to kick us both out.I don’t much care which.” Except he’d really rather not be evicted from the entire region.“The Prime has never had the authority to choose or deny mates,” George pointed out in a soft, reasonable tone.“Fianna is a lovely woman, who didn’t knowingly commit any crimes.She was exiled for her loyalty to the only family she’d ever known.I’d trust her at my back any day of the week.For what it’s worth, I support my brother’s choice and welcome her to our family and pack.”Fee bit her lip in a motion so subtle Greg doubted anyone saw it but him.She blinked rapidly, no doubt having teared up at George’s words, but her proud carriage didn’t waver.“So do I,” said Lana from behind them.“I would prefer my heirs not be of mixed blood,” the old man growled.“Your children would be in line to be Prime—they must be lupine.”Greg shook his head.“Now you’re reaching for excuses.You had me genetically tested when I was six.You know I have the double dominant allele.All my children will be lupines, regardless of their mother’s race.If anything, adding Fae to the bloodline will only strengthen it.Extended life spans and magic are both possibilities.”“Magical werewolves.Think about it, grandson.Would that be a good idea? Or an alpha who doesn’t age? That goes against the natural order of the pack.”“Since my powers have been stripped, it’s a moot point.” Fianna kept her gaze on a point slightly above the Prime’s left shoulder.Greg thought it was disdain, rather than respect or fear that kept her from meeting the old man’s gaze.“I’m human, and any children I bear will carry that heritage, not my former elven one.”“Sure about that, princess?” His whisper was for her ears alone.He’d already considered everything his grandfather mentioned, and each of those points helped confirm one fact.Greg was an idiot.However, since it was probably too late to change his mind, he brazened it out.“It doesn’t matter.My decision is made, and the mating process has begun.” He turned Fee to the side a few inches so the light from the sconces above the fire shone right on her throat.As if she’d read his mind, she tipped her head, to better display his mark.The old man’s nostrils flared, but before he could speak, Marja laid a hand, only slightly veined with age, on his arm.“Enough.Miss Meadows is a guest in our home and our grandson’s intended mate.This is a social visit, not a pack meeting.”Greg leaned down and kissed the air above her perfectly made-up cheek.“Thank you, Grandmother.”“You’re welcome.Now introduce your fiancée to your cousin Katy, who’s bouncing like a basketball on her toes behind you, trying to see.Dinner will be served in thirty minutes.You know where the bar is located.”With that, they were dismissed.Stepping backward first, as if they were leaving the presence of royalty, Greg and Fianna turned to greet the others.Katy was indeed bouncing.She was average height and build, with hazel eyes and her russet-brown hair cut in a sleek chin-length bob.She clutched both of Fee’s hands in hers and grinned.“I’m so glad to finally meet you.I’ve heard so much about you I feel like we’re old friends.” She wrapped the taller Fee in an exuberant hug.“Oh, congratulations and welcome.”“Thank you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Maurice and his partner David chatted on one end of the room with Lana’s parents and a vibrant blonde Greg hadn’t expected to see.Greg stopped in his tracks on his path toward his grandfather and whipped his head around toward George and Jase who’d come up beside Fee.“What’s she doing here?”George shrugged and darted a glare at the old man.As a show of support, he took Fee’s other hand and walked with them up to where the Prime sat on his leather throne.Greg shot him a look of thanks behind Fee’s head.Lana fell back with Jase.“Grandmother.” Greg tipped his head and gave Marja a smile.“Allow me to present my fiancée, Fianna Meadows, recently of the Seelie Court.Fianna, meet my grandmother, Marja Novak.”“Delighted.” Fee held her head high and extended one hand toward the older woman.“Your grandchildren speak well of you, Mrs.Novak.It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”If Marja’s spine hadn’t already been as straight as a ramrod, Greg was sure it would have stiffened further.Her dark eyes studied Fee with blatant disrespect.“You were exiled from the Faerie Court and stripped of your powers.How does that make you a fit mate for the future Prime alpha?”Fee’s smile was brittle as an icicle.“It doesn’t.However, Greg has chosen me, despite my previous failings.My apologies if he failed to ask your permission.”“Their permission was never a requirement,” Greg said from beside her.He let go of her arm so he could slip his around her waist.God, but she was magnificent.“You’re my intended mate.They can choose to be polite or to kick us both out.I don’t much care which.” Except he’d really rather not be evicted from the entire region.“The Prime has never had the authority to choose or deny mates,” George pointed out in a soft, reasonable tone.“Fianna is a lovely woman, who didn’t knowingly commit any crimes.She was exiled for her loyalty to the only family she’d ever known.I’d trust her at my back any day of the week.For what it’s worth, I support my brother’s choice and welcome her to our family and pack.”Fee bit her lip in a motion so subtle Greg doubted anyone saw it but him.She blinked rapidly, no doubt having teared up at George’s words, but her proud carriage didn’t waver.“So do I,” said Lana from behind them.“I would prefer my heirs not be of mixed blood,” the old man growled.“Your children would be in line to be Prime—they must be lupine.”Greg shook his head.“Now you’re reaching for excuses.You had me genetically tested when I was six.You know I have the double dominant allele.All my children will be lupines, regardless of their mother’s race.If anything, adding Fae to the bloodline will only strengthen it.Extended life spans and magic are both possibilities.”“Magical werewolves.Think about it, grandson.Would that be a good idea? Or an alpha who doesn’t age? That goes against the natural order of the pack.”“Since my powers have been stripped, it’s a moot point.” Fianna kept her gaze on a point slightly above the Prime’s left shoulder.Greg thought it was disdain, rather than respect or fear that kept her from meeting the old man’s gaze.“I’m human, and any children I bear will carry that heritage, not my former elven one.”“Sure about that, princess?” His whisper was for her ears alone.He’d already considered everything his grandfather mentioned, and each of those points helped confirm one fact.Greg was an idiot.However, since it was probably too late to change his mind, he brazened it out.“It doesn’t matter.My decision is made, and the mating process has begun.” He turned Fee to the side a few inches so the light from the sconces above the fire shone right on her throat.As if she’d read his mind, she tipped her head, to better display his mark.The old man’s nostrils flared, but before he could speak, Marja laid a hand, only slightly veined with age, on his arm.“Enough.Miss Meadows is a guest in our home and our grandson’s intended mate.This is a social visit, not a pack meeting.”Greg leaned down and kissed the air above her perfectly made-up cheek.“Thank you, Grandmother.”“You’re welcome.Now introduce your fiancée to your cousin Katy, who’s bouncing like a basketball on her toes behind you, trying to see.Dinner will be served in thirty minutes.You know where the bar is located.”With that, they were dismissed.Stepping backward first, as if they were leaving the presence of royalty, Greg and Fianna turned to greet the others.Katy was indeed bouncing.She was average height and build, with hazel eyes and her russet-brown hair cut in a sleek chin-length bob.She clutched both of Fee’s hands in hers and grinned.“I’m so glad to finally meet you.I’ve heard so much about you I feel like we’re old friends.” She wrapped the taller Fee in an exuberant hug.“Oh, congratulations and welcome.”“Thank you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]