A Mate For Christmas

Chapter 15

Evie woke late the next morning to find Delilah sitting in the chair by the fire, reading a book.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Delilah said with a knowing smile. "Gideon asked me to stay with you while he deals with pack business."

Evie sat up, pushing hair out of her face. "What time is it?"

"Almost noon," Delilah said. "You needed the sleep after last night's excitement."

Evie touched her throat. The bruises were still there, tender and dark. "Where is Gideon?"

"Interrogating the prisoners with Maxwell and Jayden," Delilah said. "They have been at it for hours. Whatever those rogues told them, it was bad. Gideon looked furious when he left your room this morning."

"Do you know what they said?"

"Not yet," Delilah admitted. "But Victoria called an emergency council meeting for this afternoon. All senior pack members have to attend." She paused. "Including you. As Gideon's mate, you are considered senior pack now."

Evie's stomach dropped. "I do not know anything about pack politics."

"You will learn," Delilah said. "Come on, let me help you get ready. Victoria wants you to look the part."

An hour later, Evie sat in a large meeting room at a long table with fifteen other wolves. Victoria sat at one end, Gideon at the other. Evie was beside Gideon, feeling completely out of place.

Jayden, Maxwell, Julian, and others she did not know filled the rest of the seats. Everyone looked grim.

"Thank you all for coming," Gideon began. "Last night's attack was not random. The prisoners have given us information about Raphael's true plans, and it is worse than we thought."

He nodded to Maxwell, who stood and pulled out several maps.

"Raphael has been building an alliance for the past year," Maxwell explained, spreading the maps across the table. "At least six other packs have agreed to support him in a territorial war against us. They believe that with a human Luna, we are weak and vulnerable."

Murmurs ran around the table.

"That is insane," Julian said. "Six packs? That would be open war. The council would never allow it."

"The council is divided," Maxwell said. "Half of them support Raphael's position that human mates endanger werewolf society. They will not stop him if he moves against us."

"What does he want?" Victoria asked quietly.

"Our territory," Gideon said. "Our pack. And Evie's death."

Evie felt all eyes turn to her. She kept her face calm, even though inside she was screaming.

"The prisoners confirmed that Raphael plans to kidnap Evie before the council hearing," Gideon continued. "He will use her to force me to surrender. And if I do not, he will kill her publicly to prove that human mates are too weak to survive in our world."

"We cannot let that happen," Jayden said.

"We will not," Gideon said. "But we need to be smart about this. Raphael is watching us, waiting for us to make a mistake. We cannot give him an opening."

"What about the council hearing?" an older woman asked. "Can we not appeal to them for protection?"

"The hearing is three weeks away," Maxwell said. "Raphael will move before then. The prisoners said the k********g is planned for within the next ten days."

"Then we lock down the estate," Victoria said. "No one in or out. We guard Evie every second of every day."

"That makes us look weak," Jayden argued. "Like we are hiding."

"I would rather look weak than lose our Luna," Victoria shot back.

The word hung in the air. Luna. Victoria had just called Evie their Luna. Not Gideon's mate. Not the human. Their Luna.

"There is another option," Evie heard herself say.

Everyone looked at her. Gideon's hand found hers under the table, squeezing gently.

"What option?" he asked.

"We use me as bait," Evie said.

"Absolutely not," Gideon said immediately.

"Hear me out," Evie said. "Raphael wants to kidnap me, right? So let him think he can. Set a trap. Make it look like I am vulnerable. When he or his wolves come for me, you will be ready."

"That is too dangerous," Victoria said.

"Everything is dangerous," Evie countered. "Hiding will not stop him. He will just find another way. At least this way, we control the situation."

"She has a point," Jayden said slowly.

"No," Gideon said. "I will not use my mate as bait. Find another way."

"There is no other way," Maxwell said quietly. "Evie is right. This is the best chance we have to catch Raphael off guard."

"I said no," Gideon's voice carried Alpha command. The other wolves flinched, their heads bowing automatically.

But Evie did not flinch. She turned to face Gideon. "You cannot protect me forever. Eventually, I will have to face danger on my own. Let me do this. Let me prove I am strong enough to be Luna."

Gideon's jaw clenched. Through the bond, she felt his war between wanting to keep her safe and knowing she was right.

"If we do this," Gideon said slowly, "we do it my way. You are never actually alone. Guards hidden nearby at all times. Multiple escape routes. And if anything goes wrong, we pull you out immediately."

"Agreed," Evie said.

"I do not like this," Victoria said.

"Neither do I," Gideon admitted. "But it is the best option we have."

They spent the next hour planning. The trap would be set three days from now. Evie would go into the city, supposedly to shop for clothes for the council hearing. Guards would follow at a distance, but she would appear vulnerable.

Raphael's spies would report back to him. He would see an opportunity. And when his wolves came for her, the pack would be ready.

It was a good plan. A solid plan.

Evie was terrified.

After the meeting, Gideon pulled her aside. "Are you sure about this? You can still back out."

"I am sure," Evie lied.

Gideon saw through it. "You are scared."

"Of course I am scared," Evie said. "But I am also tired of being the weak link. If this works, if we catch Raphael's wolves trying to kidnap me, the council will see that I am not just hiding behind you. That I am willing to take risks for the pack."

"You do not have to prove anything to anyone," Gideon said.

"Yes, I do," Evie said. "And you know it."

Gideon pulled her into his arms. "I hate that you are right."

That night, Evie could not sleep again. She went down to the kitchen for water and found Treasure sitting at the table, also unable to sleep.

"Hi," Treasure said quietly. "I heard about the plan. Using you as bait."

"News travels fast," Evie said.

"In a pack, everything travels fast," Treasure said. She hesitated, then said, "I want to help."

"How?"

"My father is careful, but I know how he thinks. I grew up watching him plan and scheme. I can help you predict what he will do."

Evie sat down across from Treasure. "Why are you really helping us? You could have stayed with your father, been safe."

Treasure's violet eyes filled with tears. "Because I am tired of being afraid. Tired of watching him hurt people. My mother tried to leave him, and he killed her. I do not want to become like him. And I do not want to watch him destroy more lives."

"I am sorry about your mother," Evie said softly.

"Me too," Treasure whispered. "She was kind. Gentle. Everything my father hates. He used to tell her she was weak, that kindness was a flaw." She looked at Evie. "He will say the same things to you. Try to break you down. Make you doubt yourself."

"He already has," Evie admitted.

"Do not let him," Treasure said fiercely. "That is his power. Making people feel small. But you are not small, Evie. I have seen you stand up to him. Seen you survive a rogue attack. You are stronger than he thinks."

"I hope you are right," Evie said.

Over the next three days, Evie trained harder than she ever had. Victoria put her through brutal combat sessions. Julian taught her escape techniques. Delilah taught her how to read pack dynamics and spot danger.

Even Jayden helped, teaching her dirty fighting tricks that had saved his life over the years.

"Wolves fight with honor," Jayden explained. "But rogues do not. If you get grabbed, go for the eyes. The throat. Anything vulnerable. Do not fight fair, because they will not."

By the third day, Evie was covered in bruises but felt stronger. More confident. Ready.

The night before the trap was set, Gideon came to her room.

"I need you to wear this," he said, holding out a small silver bracelet.

"It is beautiful," Evie said, taking it.

"It is a tracker," Gideon explained. "If anything goes wrong tomorrow, we will be able to find you anywhere. And there is a panic button hidden in the clasp. Press it twice fast and every guard within five miles will come running."

Evie put on the bracelet. "You really think Raphael will take the bait?"

"I think he is desperate enough to try anything," Gideon said. He cupped her face gently. "Promise me you will be careful tomorrow. Promise me you will run if I tell you to."

"I promise," Evie said.

Gideon kissed her, slow and deep. When he pulled back, his eyes were glowing.

"I love you," he said. "I should have said it before, but I am saying it now. I love you, Evie Price. You are my mate, my other half, my everything."

Evie's heart swelled. "I love you too."

They spent that night together, holding each other, making promises they hoped they could keep.