Page 51 of Alpha Claimed

"You brought us food earlier, remember?"

"Thank you," said River. "Why don't you put it on the table so Apollo and I can eat together."

"I'm sure there's not enough for both of us."

She smiled. "Says who? Besides, if we are still hungry, we can send Silas to get more while we watch your next favorite old horror movie."

* * *

ARES

Ares paced the cabin,waiting for Lachlan to return. When the door to the cabin opened, he raced to it.

"What happened?"

Lachlan looked up at him. "I gave her the food like you asked."

"What were they doing when you went in?"

Lachlan's eyes shifted away.

"What?" he demanded.

"Kissing."

Ares growled and slammed his fist into the cabin wall, splitting the wooden log. He was getting to her. His River. Once again, Apollo saw what Ares had and wanted to take it for himself.

Despair replaced his rage as he sank into the oversized chair he'd spent the last two hours in.

All he'd ever wanted was to find his true mate and raise a family with her. He didn't care about being Alpha. He didn't care about keeping the peace between the Lycans and shifters. He didn't even care about the estate. All he wanted was her. If she told him that she wanted to return to Soho the next day, he'd take her. If she said she wanted to elope, he'd do it. Whatever she wanted, he wanted to give it to her. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Nothing except for River.

CHAPTERTWELVE

RIVER

The next morning, River awoke to hushed voices speaking angrily in the front room. She got up feeling much better than in the past twenty-four hours.

She peeked under her bandage to find her wound mostly healed and now only bright red, so she removed the tape and dressings and threw them in the trash.

She grabbed a blanket and walked to the door. She pulled it open and heard Apollo arguing. She stepped into the hallway to find him talking to a man in a well-dressed suit, several inches shorter. The man's hands stayed clasped in front of him, and his face remained impassive. His gaze drifted to her as he noticed her and inclined his head.

Apollo turned to her.

"What's going on?"

He sighed and turned to the other man. "We'll be out in thirty minutes."

The man nodded and left.

"Who is that?"

Apollo ran his hands through his hair. "He's an emissary of the Council. They've ordered us to return to the estate."

"Why?"

"Because they want to hear what happened the other night from your lips. And because apparently…"

"Apparently, what?" Her heartbeat quickened.