Mira: Her Alpha, Her Ruin Chapter 36: Sink Into Her Soul

(MIRA)

I could barely focus on what Shiloh was saying as we walked ho. An alpha was already here.

Irving , no doubt. Trying to throw Shiloh off guard. Trying to throw off guard.

I wasn’t going to let him. I was not the sa scared little girl that he used to tornt, and I was not now nor ever going to be his.

"Why did you walk?" I asked suddenly. Too late, I realized that Shiloh was saying sothing to , and I’d interrupted. "Sorry."

The muscle in his jaw ticked while he stared straight ahead. "I walked because I do not need to scramble to rearrange my day simply because soone decided to show up early. We’re still prepping, and that cos first."

"Right. It’s all about appearances," I echoed hollowly. I was still a little surprised that he wasn’t going to lock away if appearances mattered so much. "I interrupted you earlier. What were you saying?"

"I was asking about Kenzi’s visit. Did it upset you?"

"You an when your little blonde bombshell walked in boasting about how you’ve been fucking her and grooming her to be your mate and how I should do the right thing and slink away?" I asked casually. "Not at all."

"Neither of those things is true," Shiloh growled as he stopped and put a hand on my waist.

Caught off guard, I squeaked a little and stumbled, but he easily held up. "You understand that, right?"

"You serve the best interest of your pack," I said softly as I averted my eyes from his intense gaze. "I’m not deaf, Shiloh. I know the pack wants her to be your mate, at least in na if not for real. They expect you to marry her. When this is over, I’m leaving."

His eyes glowed gold, and for a second, I thought he was going to growl at . Instead, he blinked, and his gaze was human again. "The pack doesn’t always know what is in their best interest. Kenzi won’t be a problem again."

"Kenzi isn’t a problem," I muttered. "I don’t really understand how she feels because I’ve never been in her position, but she had sothing taken away from her, and she’s trying to hold on to it. I can handle her without your interference."

"Fine, but not until the alphas are gone. I don’t need any more distractions."

We started walking again, and I drew in my breath. "Just tell who’s waiting for us at the house."

"Maeve Frost."

Oh. That wasn’t so bad, but then I rembered soone else who would be unhappy that Maeve was here. "Did you tell Finn?"

"I’ve grounded him until I speak to Maeve. I suspect that she will demand to see him, but ultimately, that’s not my decision to make. It will be up to him."

My heart went out to Finn. He had to have mixed feelings. Maeve murdered his father and exiled him, but his father had been a traitor.

"What do you want from ? Should I shower and change?" We’d talked a little about the etiquette of having the other alphas over, but it hadn’t occurred to to ask what the hell I was supposed to wear. Did it matter?

"No. She’s the imposition. We’re going to et her and find out exactly why she’s early. I’ll make a decision about what to do with you from there."

Oh, nice. Like I was also the imposition. Where was he going to put today?

"I didn’t an it like that," he said quietly. "Right. Tell what you know of Kelly."

Shiloh was silent for so long that I didn’t think he was going to answer. Finally, he cleared his throat. "Phineas lost his mate when Kelly was still young. It was right before I took over as alpha, and my brother ignored the situation. Then, when I beca alpha, I was busy dealing with challenges. By the ti I realized how withdrawn Phineas had beco, it was too late to reverse the damage. Kelly was a good wolf. He wasn’t all that strong or powerful. He would have made a good educator or even a good healer, had Phineas or I allowed him the training, but Phineas wanted him to be a guard. They fought over it. Phineas realized he was pushing his son away and decided the best course of action was to push him right out the door. He kicked him out when he was sixteen."

"Is that unusual?" A sixteen-year-old male would have already been considered an adult among the rogues.

"We tend to coddle juveniles in packs," Shiloh admitted. "And I think Kelly needed it. I found him housing and gave him the options that would have suited him, but he was set to leave.

He didn’t want to be near his father, so on his eighteenth birthday, I released him from the pack. Phineas was furious, although he never said anything. He nearly drank himself to death until you ca along."

Sothing still didn’t fit, but I filed the information away as we neared the house. "Maeve was detained in guest quarters," Shiloh said in a low voice. "She’ll be pissed that she wasn’t imdiately shown to her room, so be prepared."

"Was it not ready?"

"No, it was, but I don’t allow other alphas into my ho when I’m not there." Shiloh flashed his teeth. "And they know it."

Always playing gas. The politics were too damn hard to untangle. I wasn’t sure I would ever understand.

And maybe I wouldn’t get the chance. The realization didn’t do anything to settle .

As we walked up, one of the SUVs pulled into the drive. One of the guards stationed at the house stepped forward and opened the door. A slender woman and an older woman exited first. She seed almost too dainty to be an alpha. Salt and pepper hair curled at the top of her head, and she was dressed in a red pantsuit that fit her smartly.

Damn. Was it too late for to say that I wished I could be like her when I got older? She was sophisticated elegance, but there was no mistaking the power that simred below the skin.

Violence neatly contained in a glamorous package.

This was the woman who’d threatened to murder a child. And then was unable to go through with it.

"Shiloh," she said coldly. "You kept waiting."

"You arrived unscheduled and without warning. We don’t just wait around for you, Maeve," Shiloh said calmly. "This is Mira, my mate."

Her gaze turned to , and her gaze looked up and down. "Mira Phoenix. The daughter of a serial killer."

"That’s ." I nodded my head in respect, but only once. She was a superior, but she was not mine. As Shiloh’s mate, I shared his status, but I wasn’t stupid enough to try and abuse it. It was for show, and everyone knew it.

"My, this will be an interesting trip. May I present Cam Lee, my pack witch."

A young woman with her black hair, creamy skin, and eyes as dark as night looked around nervously. "Alpha Shiloh," she whispered. "Alpha Shiloh mate."

Shiloh had told that her father had recently been murdered. My heart went out to her, but before I could say anything, Maeve cleared her throat. "Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, you will take to my room, and I demand to see Finn."

"I will see you to your room, but your request to see Finn will have to be put on hold. That’s his decision to make."

Maeve sighed. "I had such high hopes for you when you took power," she sighed. "But perhaps you don’t have the control I think you do."

"You won’t be able to manipulate , Maeve, but I do love to see you work."

"Excuse ," Cam said in a low voice. "I am anxious to see Irene. Is that possible?"

The witches were why we were all here. I looked at Shiloh who nodded. "We can make that happen."

Cam flashed a smile, and I felt ice prickling up my neck. Maybe I was just being paranoid but that smile looked positively hostile.

Then, before I could even take a breath, I felt her magic lash out around and squeeze.