Untamed (Rejected Mate Academy #1) - E. M. Moore Page 0,90

talking.”

My wolf pulls her lips into a snarl. He knows how I feel about this, but I also know Jonah is in that territorial part of mating, and he won’t be able to stop himself if he feels I’m being threatened.

Well, he can thank the Greystones for making our introductory mating period even rockier than it would have been. I can’t believe I ever used to fantasize that I was one of them. Now that it’s true, it’s the last thing I want.

The rear door of the SUV opens. Jonah hops in first, and my wolf follows, settling next to him. Johnathan Livestrong sits in the driver’s seat. He meets my wolf’s gaze in the rearview mirror and nods. His sharp jaw feathers, and like his son, he’s in complete security mode. My wolf howls at the feeling of warmth and family surrounding us. I’ve gone from believing everyone is against me to having a select few put themselves on the line for me. I mistakenly thought the whole pack was rotten just because of a few, but I was wrong.

“We’ll have to be careful,” Mr. Livestrong states, locking eyes with his son.

Jonah tangles his hands in my wolf’s fur. “I can’t let anything happen to her.”

“Understood. I’m behind you both one hundred percent. Lydia isn’t dumb. She won’t want to ruin the Greystone name.”

My wolf growls, and Jonah scratches behind her ear. Both of us need this to be over with soon.

Mr. Livestrong smiles. “We have to get her to listen. Like the rest of that family, she’s stubborn as hell.” He slows the SUV as we approach the Council building. Stopping by the side of the road, he puts the car in park.

His walkie-talkie chirps, and a crackling voice comes over the line. “Lydia arriving now.”

My wolf stands, tail swishing. Lydia Greystone is threatening my family, me, and my mate. My animal instinct wants retaliation. Now.

Johnathan picks up the walkie-talkie and presses a side button. “Lead her to the meeting room and watch from the outside.”

Jonah lowers his voice and leans toward my wolf. “Since we run security for her as well, Dad’s getting her alone so we can talk privately. None of our team knows what we’re about to do.”

Well, that’s useful. I was envisioning us running in and having to take the guards out, but I forgot that I’m literally paired with a member of alpha security. The less people who get hurt, the better. Hope starts to build inside me, and my wolf’s tongue lolls out of her mouth in anticipation.

Mr. Livestrong pops the rear door open. “Five minutes,” he says to Jonah.

My mate nods, then hops out. My wolf follows after him, and they make their way into the tree line. Instead of shifting like I assumed he would, he leads her further into the woods. He jumps down an embankment, moves some branches, and uncovers a steel door hidden in a rock wall. He grins over his shoulder. “Emergency exit for the alpha. It leads straight to a secret door in the meeting room.”

Holy shit. Did he and his father figure all this out when they were on the phone earlier? I’m impressed.

The tunnel has a dank, dirt floor with concrete walls and ceilings. Jonah jogs down it, and my wolf is on his heels. They get to a wooden door, and Jonah holds his ear to it. With my sensitive wolf hearing, I can tell it’s quiet on the other side until hinges creak and voices rise up. One of them is most definitely Johnathan Livestrong’s while the other has to be Lydia.

Jonah peers down with a strained face. His muscles ripple as if he’s one step away from turning. “Please,” he begs, “stay behind me.”

My wolf nods, stomach in knots, and he pushes the secret door open. She slips out after him, sticking to his side like he said.

Lydia turns, jumping at our intrusion. When she sees Jonah and then finds my wolf at his hip, she growls, fur rippling down her arms. “What is this?”

Jonah’s dad reaches his arms out in a placating gesture. “Calm yourself, Lydia. We’re here to talk.”

She sneers, backing into the desk. Her gaze darts around at the three intruders until she focuses on my wolf. “You are a shame to our race.”

A snarl rips from my wolf’s throat.

Jonah moves in front of her. “You will speak to my mate with respect.”

“She threatens your line, and yet you would stick up for her?” She turns from