35. Tension

Sona wanted to collapse, but Taos kept her standing, kept her steady, as despair made her muscles weak. “You bastard,” she hissed.
Eldor gave a strangled laugh. “What the hell?”
Rand blinked out of his shock and shook his head. “I feel like we are all very behind on events. Let’s get inside and rationalize.”
Conri was staring at Sona; she curled her lip. Gods, she had no idea she was capable of such *hate*. Especially at the former love of her life. “Let’s,” he growled.
Accompanied by their Gammas, the Alphas entered the meeting hall—Conri tucking Vallea under his arm while Taos did the same. But as they separated in different directions around the large circular table, Sona felt his arm drift lower and his hand give her ass a light squeeze. In her annoyance at the Redbone alpha, she looked at Conri first; he looked furious.
Something dark stirred in her. She knew exactly what Taos was doing with that simple act and…she wanted to play along. Even if it included yielding her body to Taos.
Making sure Conri and Vallea were watching, she looked up at Taos and smiled, placing her hand on his chest. His returning grin was fanged. He leaned down to hide his face in her hair to make it look like he was kissing her there. His other hand skated down her torso, hovering over her lower abdomen.
It was a collection of things a male could do to prove his claim of a female. Touching her in intimate places—considered scandalous if he *almost* touched them—holding her tightly, all while making eye contact with someone else, especially with another male. Not only was it extremely possessive and a brazen announcement—*she is mine, don’t even think about going after her*—but it could be incitement of jealousy.
Sona’s heart started to race as she slowly realized what she was enabling Taos to do. His scruff was tickling her cheek when he murmured in her ear, “I told you we could show him what he’s missing.”
Vallea was trying to pull Conri away, but he was glaring at Taos as if he wanted to tear across the room and rip him to shreds. When his gray eyes snapped to Sona, that darkness that she was beginning to think was actually pettiness started to roil. She smiled wider and pressed herself against Taos. “Don’t be so possessive,” she giggled coyly.
Conri’s growl was heard by the entire room. “Disregard for common decency,” he spat.
“Oh, is that what you’re upset about?” Taos asked innocently, one hand sliding along the hem of the slit on Sona’s dress at her upper thigh. Gooseflesh rose on her skin induced by the shiver that shuddered through her. “Not the fact that your former mate smells like…” He inhaled deeply. “Honey soap and herbs and…hmm, the sense that she’s over your shit.”
“Love, please,” Vallea whimpered, “please just sit.”
Sona internally recoiled at Vallea’s simpering. What a pathetic performance. She’d never once been anything but scheming. If she was to give her any credit, it was that she thought it would somehow protect her and her unborn pups. Either way, she was not qualified to be anyone’s Luna.
Conri sat down hard, pulling her into the seat next to him, his Gamma on his other side. “Stop fucking violating my—”
Taos rested his chin on Sona’s shoulder so they were cheek-to-cheek. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. “Your what?” he challenged lightly. “Your shitty ass cut ties with her. You break someone’s heart, they don’t belong to you anymore. You dislodge their soul piece, you mean nothing to them.”
Sona remained utterly still when Taos’ hands paused just under her breasts, thumbs teasing her low neckline. Conri’s teeth were grating again as he watched, helpless and furious. “Sona Mai has agreed to be *mine* now. As you can all see,” Taos added, glancing about the room at each Alpha lingering uncomfortably. Sona noticed they’d all brought their Lunas, too, standing as equals beside their mates.
Taos’ next words would define the rest of Sona’s life.
“Sona Mai of the Goldwater pack has accepted my marriage proposal to become the wife and Luna to the Alpha of the Redbone pack—the devilishly bloody handsome me, Taos Redbone.”
Silence and shock were palpable in the small meeting hall. The walls and floor were stone laced with creeping foliage; Sona could hear critters hiding in cracks and tiny holes; the circular table and chairs were nibbled by them and bugs. It smelled earthy and abandoned, and werewolf scents were faded. How long ago was the last gathering of egos?
No one spoke. Taking a deep breath, Sona slipped out of Taos’ arms as he murmured, “Get ’em, trinket.”
To Conri and Vallea she said, “It’s true. And it’s because of you two. Feel pity or satisfaction that you’ve driven me to do something you think is drastic.”
Without giving the chance to speak, she turned to her former Alpha Eldor, whose expression was a faint disappointment. “Alpha, I know it’s been years, and I’ve changed more than you know in that time. I’m Goldwater through and through, my loyalty undying, but unless my wrongly-accused crime is pardoned, I will follow through.”
Eldor swallowed, glancing around as if he would be pressured to make a certain choice. Then he sighed. “I wish I could, dear. I find it hard to believe that you would be willing in the slightest to betray your oath not to harm. But I’m bound to the law, and our packmates have backed the accusation.”
“We need to hear explanations,” Rand said, him, his Luna, and his Gamma taking their seats. “Starting with the accusations—there’s poison involved, apparently?”
Taos pulled out Sona’s chair for her. But she didn’t feel like sitting. “Almost two weeks ago, we were celebrating Luna Amaris Roshan’s birthday. Me, my son, my grandfather, Alpha Artem, and Beta Arden Roshan. Vallea Koray”—she couldn’t keep the venom out of her tone—“was attending. The next thing we know, she was dying from poisoned tea. As a healer, I knew the scent.”
Sona continued their tumultuous tale: her and Arden escaping, captured by Taos, her agreeing to stay—she omitted why and anything to do with Cerise—and the face-off between her and Conri at the border.
“In short,” she finished, feeling burnt out from the intensity of many stares, “I will do anything to survive for my son and grandfather. Even marry an enemy.”
“Supposed,” Taos added brightly. “Having accused me of heinous crimes as well, I think we fit well together. Redbone has been lacking a Luna since I inherited my title.”
For the first time, Sona realized Taos slipped up in his words.
Rand growled. “When Serkin attacked Leto, killed and orphaned my packmates, burned my city, and left *me* to inherit the title. I was twelve years old.”
Taos lifted a shoulder. “I was nine.”
“That doesn’t fucking matter!” Rand roared, standing and slamming his palms on the table. “Did you hear what I said? You *razed* my home! You *murdered* my friends and family!”
Sona sat down then because Taos rose to his feet and it was a terryfingly slow, predatory movement. “I am not my father, Cardinal Alphas,” he said, dark and low. “I do not raze and murder by the dozens. But if you continue to make me a villain, then do not be surprised if I become one.”