He lifted his lashes enough to watch her pick up the dirty clothes he had left on the floor the night before. Her expression was calm, composed. Okay, she should be all right. The vivid scent of pain wasn’t overpowering his senses. Perhaps it had simply been hormones.
He waited, listened as she took the dirty clothes to the bathroom. Perhaps he’d join her in the shower.
Dresser drawers opened as she collected clean clothes, then he heard the door to her office open, close. Lock. She was using the shower in the other room and had ensured he wouldn’t be following her without her knowledge.
Hell. He didn’t like this. This distance that suddenly seemed to separate them, this feeling that made him cold and irritable, made him wonder what the hell he was doing where his mate was concerned.
Son of a bitch, he’d rather he use in a fistfight than face her this morning, because God only knew what he would do if he saw that pain in her eyes again. He just might end up crying for her.
Hope Bainesmith Gunnar stared at the message in her inbox. The email was surprising, saddening.
Lupina Gunnar. Prima Lyons. It has been decided that there is no need for the official ceremony of status. Anya Kobrin, mate to Alpha Delgado.
So much in such a simple email. So much pain and such a loss of dreams. Hope knew this ceremony was one Anya had looked forward to since accepting her place at Del-Rey’s side, but this decision was perhaps not surprising after the discussion she’d had with Dr. Armani first thing that morning.
Hope wasn’t surprised either when the satellite phone she had laid on her desk rang. Caller ID showed Merinus’s number.
“You got the email,” Hope sighed as she answered.
“Tell me it’s a joke,” Merinus said quietly. “Even Callan was hopeful that this ceremony would take place soon and cement Anya’s position. Without it, her standing among Del-Rey’s people will be weakened. Their respect for her will erode.”
Hope shook her head. “I’m afraid it’s not a joke.”
“Have Wolfe talk to him,” Merinus urged. “This ceremony is too important, Hope.”
Hope thought about that, she considered it. She sighed. “This is something he’ll have to see for himself, and it’s a fight Anya has to face alone. We can support her if she needs us, Merinus, but there’s little else we can do.”
“Damned stubborn Coyote,” Merinus cursed. “Pain in the ass.”
“For both of us,” Hope said quietly. “Hopefully I can get to the base and talk to her soon. I’ll let you know what I learn.”
Merinus sighed. “I’ll call her soon. That email broke my heart. She needs time I think before talking to me.”
Hope nodded. “I’ll give her a day or so. Until then, we’ll pray.”
“And pray,” Merinus stated. “Poor Anya.”
Poor Anya.
Poor Del-Rey.
Because Hope knew this was going to cause more trouble for the alpha than he could have considered. The mating for an alpha was one thing; acceptance by the men who followed him was another, as she and Wolfe had both learned. For some reason the wedding ceremony that meant so much in the human world meant just as much in Breed society, perhaps more so, especially for an alpha.
If an alpha didn’t accept his mate, then his men wouldn’t accept her either. The past eight months, the order of separation and Anya’s refusal to accept her alpha hadn’t seemed to faze the Coyote soldiers. They had accepted her despite that. Because they had believed the decision was out of Del-Rey’s hands. Once this was learned, Anya’s position at Base would erode, and the problems she faced wouldn’t be easy.
Not for Anya. And most definitely not for Del-Rey.
Hope emailed the only other person she could think of that could help with this particular problem. The one man that might have enough sway to convince his alpha of the error of his ways.
His brother.
Brim.
Brim stared at the email, at the forwarded text plus the lupina’s message, and felt a curl of anger unfold within him. Son of a bitch. Maybe this time they would fight after all.
CHAPTER 20
Del-Rey checked on Anya after she left their rooms. A frown pulled at his brows when he learned she was in the kitchen area. Striding through the base, he moved past the community room and into the kitchen.