Because Alerac had made a choice. Track Liam or follow Jane’s scent. He’d followed Jane.

More murmurs and whispers swept through the group.

Did they doubt what he was telling them?

Yes.

Fuck, yes, they did.

Finn stepped forward. “We don’t like having vampires in our midst!”

There were nods. Growls of agreement. They growled, even when in the form of men and women.

Suspicious stares were cast toward Jane and Ryan.

“Maybe Ben and Saul were the ones attacked,” Finn added. “Maybe your vamp was the one to—”

Alerac had him by the throat before he could say anything more. “You question my word? The word of your alpha?”

Finn couldn’t speak to respond, mostly because Alerac was crushing the guy’s windpipe.

But Finn did manage to shake his head—no.

“No one threatens Jane and lives.” Simple. His word—his pack law. He released Finn. The guy sucked in a deep breath.

Suspicion churned within Alerac. He’d been blind to Liam’s betrayal. Was he still being blind now? “If there are others helping Liam, siding with him, I will learn the truth.”

There weren’t any murmurs then. Just considering glances. No, those were suspicious glances. The wolves seemed to weigh each other.

“I brought you here,” Alerac said, voice strong and cold. “I created this pack. If any of you think to turn on me—then challenge me, now. Come at me. See if you have what it takes to be alpha.” Because he was sure ready to kick the shit out of someone.

Only none of the wolves approached him.

Their heads lowered in submission.

He’d found these wolves over the years. They’d been alone, lost. He’d brought them together.

No, not just me. Liam was at my side. Would the wolves feel they owed their allegiance to him?

Or to Liam?

His gaze swept the group once more. Stopped on a pair of angry brown eyes.

Zoe. She and Finn were the two newest members of the pack. Finn had seemed to fit in with the others instantly, but Zoe had remained aloof.

Zoe wasn’t like the others. She was a werewolf who couldn’t shift. The beast within her had never been able to push its way out, not completely.

Zoe’s dark hair was still wet from the storm. The rain had stopped just minutes ago. “You called her your mate!” A faint southern accent whispered beneath Zoe’s words. “Is that what she is?”

To Alerac, Jane had been his mate for centuries. But he glanced back at Jane.

She was staring at him in confusion.

“Vampires make us nervous,” another werewolf called out. “We follow your orders, but, alpha, we need to know just who you are bringing into our pack.”

He should have known that it would come to this. Fear could live in the heart of any man. Or beast.

“Is she your mate?” Zoe pressed. “Because I don’t remember a claiming.”

“Maybe that’s why Liam went after her.” The words came from another werewolf. Denton. “Maybe he wanted a claim. I can smell him on her.”

Claws burst from Alerac’s hands. In an instant, he’d slashed that jerk. Denton had always been a mouthy SOB. “The only scent on her is mine. Just because Liam attacked her, it doesn’t give him a claim.”

“Alerac…” Jane’s voice was soft, worried.

But it was Zoe’s hand that reached out to Alerac. She touched his shoulder. That light touch stopped him from killing Denton. “Maybe you should make a claim them,” she told him quietly. Her eyes were worried. “A claim would reassure…” Zoe swallowed, and said, “all of us.” Her eyes sent him the message that he needed to heed her words. “A public claiming is the way of the pack.”

It was.

But he couldn’t claim an unwilling bride.

“Oh, the hell, no,” Ryan snarled, leaping toward them. “This dog isn’t mating with my—”

Four werewolves closed in on him.

Alerac lifted his hand. “Stop.”

They stopped.

Dammit. He should have seen this problem before. Zoe was trying to help him. He got that. To reassure his pack—the pack that remained in the middle of this freakin’ mutiny—he needed to claim his vampire. Then the others wouldn’t be so worried that she was going to turn on them.

Or…um, feed on them.

She only drinks from me.

“Jane.” He hadn’t meant to shout her name but this wasn’t exactly the time for endearments and soft promises.

He wasn’t the type for those promises anyway.

Jane didn’t step toward him. She just stared back at him. Hell, if she rejected him in front of his pack, what would he do then?

He turned his back on the wolves. Then hesitated. “Don’t kill the male vampire. Not yet.”

“Don’t worry.” Zoe pushed through the crowd that had surrounded Ryan. “I’ll keep him alive.” She positioned herself in front of a frowning Ryan.

“I don’t need your protection,” Ryan muttered.

“Right, Drac. Whatever you say.”

Satisfied that Ryan would keep living—for the moment—Alerac eliminated the distance between him and Jane.

“What’s going on?” Jane asked him. Her neck had healed, but Zoe was right. Liam’s scent was on her.

Bastard. You will suffer for this.

Liam had gone right after the one thing that Alerac valued most. Why?

“I called you my mate in front of the pack.” He wasn’t even sure that had been an accident. Maybe he’d realized, deep down, exactly what he was doing. “The wolves are nervous about having a vampire here.”

“Two vampires,” she said, voice soft.

He nodded. “And with three of their own dead, they need reassurance.”

Her lashes lowered, concealing her gaze.

“If you accept my claim, then you’re part of the pack. You’re part of me.”

“And if I don’t?”

He’d look like a fool. He’d also have to fight all of the werewolves who wanted to go for her throat and for Ryan’s. “Then I’ll make sure you get a safe escort to wherever you want to go.” There was no need for her to know the rest.

Her lashes lifted. “What is a werewolf claiming? Does it mean we’re—we’re dating?”