“I thank you for that,” Jericho said, smiling. “We’re all going to have to pitch in and turn the last few years around.”
“Exactly what I was thinking,” Marcus said. “I have a few ideas I can run by you tomorrow, if you have the time.”
“Perfect. Want me to come by the house? Will Payton be there?”
Marcus frowned. “Payton? I suppose, but what does she have to do with anything?”
Jericho cocked his head. “Because she’s my mate. Didn’t she tell you?”
“Your mate?” Marcus shook his head. “Impossible. She can’t be anybody’s mate.”
“I’m not following.”
Marcus gave a mournful sigh. “She’s not … a complete wolf. I’m afraid you’ll have to find a mate in someone else.”
Jericho folded his arms across his chest. “What do you mean by not complete?”
Marcus looked around, then spoke in a low tone. “She can’t shift. Her wolf is recessive. I’m afraid she’s not fit to be anyone’s mate.”
Jericho waited for more info, but it was clear Marcusthought that was enough explanation. “And what makes her an unfit mate?”
Marcus blinked. “Did you not hear what I just said?”
“Oh, I heard some nonsense about her being unfit, but none of that is true.”
“Alpha,” Marcus said slowly, as if Jericho didn’t understand. “She can’t shift, which means if you have children with her, they could have the recessive gene as well. Your lineage would be damaged, and as alpha, you can’t afford to have her deformity passed down.”
Jericho had to bite his tongue so he wouldn’t lash out at his soon-to-be father-in-law. He took a deep breath and organized his thoughts. “Be careful what you say from here on out,” he warned, part of his wolf coming through to turn his voice deep and rumbling.
Marcus took a step back.
“You are talking about my mate. The future mother of my children, who will be perfect no matter their genetic makeup. I don’t give a shit about her inability to shift. I don’t give a shit about your prejudice against her. Payton is my fated mate, and that’s all that fucking matters. Doyouunderstand?”
Marcus hesitated. “I don’t think you’ve thought this through—”
“The next words out of your mouth better beyes, Alpha.”
He stared at Marcus Jones hard, daring him to defy him. He wouldn’t allow his mate’s name to be smeared, especially from her own kin.
“Yes, Alpha,” Marcus said, a bit stiffly.
Jericho reined in his wolf. “I’ll be over this evening to talk with her.”
“She works nights at the diner.”
“Very well,” Jericho said. “I’ll see her there. You can write up your ideas for the community, and I’ll meet you tomorrow atyour office. Good day, Marcus.”
He didn’t wait for Marcus Jones to say goodbye in return. He turned and marched away, and the rest of the lingering pack was wise enough to move out of his way. Which was a good thing because he seriously thought he might hit someone if they dare said a bad word against Payton. He’d wondered why she was in the back of the room, close to the door. Now he knew.
He had caught her scent before he’d seen her, and it was like no time had passed. Except it had. She was no longer prison bait. His conscience had been scrubbed clean knowing she was an adult and ready for his possession. There wasn’t one thing anyone could say that would sway him from claiming his female.
****
Payton didn’t think as she began separating her belongings into two piles. One to keep. One to toss. She didn’t need much if she was going to start her life over. Once she was content with the decisions she made, she went to shower and dress for her shift.
The one good thing about living so close to town was being able to walk to work. She didn’t have to waste money on a car or insurance. Of course, she now had to make plans on how she was going to drive out of Sheridan, and those thoughts consumed her as she punched the time clock. Not many locals were there, and she figured they were still at the meeting. The diner was the only place to eat along the long stretch of Interstate Seventy, so they usually had quite a few drivers stopping by on their way through to Denver.
A couple of hours into her shift, the bell over the door jingled, and an awareness traveled down her spine. She wasn’t facing the door, but she didn’t need to see to confirm that Jericho had just entered the diner.