Intent on His claim (Beauty and the Beast #3)

Chapter 66

Warren strode into the empty kitchen and took his time taking a pitcher of juice out of the fridge. He then considered putting together a small snack for himself, if only to keep his hands busy.

He was glad to have this time to himself where he could reflect on the council meeting. It had been quite tasking to spend three hours with the alphas, listening to both their words and their thoughts as he navigated the delicate waters of urging them on to war.

The Consulate's lack of response towards the growing threat had given them ample reason to distrust his intentions, which is why he'd turned to unsavoury methods to assure them of the dangers they were facing and secure their support.

Not that it truly mattered. If necessary his pack alone could attain victory although he would prefer to protect his people. On the other hand, leading this expedition would place a heavy burden upon him. He would be responsible for every shifter that stepped onto that battlefield.

Warren calculated that the allies were close to leaving. Ashley and Axle were playing excellent hosts as always while the alphas talked without his influence. Warren had tactfully removed himself from the gathering to allow the alphas freedom, and he fully trusted them to make the right choice.

He loaded his glass and plate onto a tray and had just turned to the breakfast bar when a young woman with long sable hair bounded into the room. She jumped up onto the counter and turned topaz eyes to him even as she gifted him with a grin. "Hey. Can I get one of those?"

Warren smiled indulgently at his Gamma and handed her the tray, then turned back to grab another glass.

"Thanks." She took a bite, sighed in bliss and looked up at his raven head. "Been a while."

"I take it you have missed me?" he teased, sipping his juice while he contemplated putting another plate together.

"Please, who'd miss you?" she scoffed. "Leena still has nightmares over you."

"Leena?" Warren queried with a small frown, then he laughed softly. "Ah, Madrid. I have no recollection of the events in Madrid."

"Of course not, you went on a rampage," she muttered, then crossed her arms and bit the bullet. "I half expected you to keep me out of all this, you know. I thought you weren't talking to me after Caitlin."

Warren's jaw clenched. His Gamma ran one of the biggest packs under him and he'd turned to her when he needed a fake girlfriend. He'd expected that Caitlin would be loyal to him as a member of his pack and so had let his guard down initially – an oversight that had nearly cost him his mate. "Did she return safely to you?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "I got her remains," she replied.

Warren nodded. Had Caitlin been alive, he wouldn't have minded doing a more thorough job of ending her. He was feeling quite vicious concerning any threat towards Belle at the moment.

"Why did you destroy her though? I mean, I know she could be really annoying but you've never killed an ally before."

Warren's jaw was granite by now and he placed his glass back on the counter. "She crossed a line," he ground out while crossing his arms, then he turned to his third-in-command –

– and she crashed her lips to his.

Warren froze, his eyes widening in surprise. When her arms came around his neck, the beast bristled and he barely managed to calm the creature down. He caught her shoulders and pushed her back, holding her a full arm's length away.

"Nina Maria!" he growled.

Her eyes were sad but she refused to back down. "I needed to know that it's true," she said quietly. "You've really found your mate?"