Her expression softened. “In his eyes, he signed the alliance with my father, so there’s no question about who I belong to,” Willow said.
“Fated mates always trump alliances. He won’t have a case,” Ulric started.
“But we haven’t bonded.” Her voice was quiet.
“And we won’t be pressured into it, either.” I was firm about that. “Willow has the right to choose. I won’t strip it away from her the way her father and Keith are trying to.” I took a breath. “And given my circumstances, I don’t want to rush into a bond, either.”
Ulric was there five years ago. He knew exactly what my first fated bond had cost.
“What are you asking of me, Alpha?”
“I want you to get the rest of the elders on board with letting me make the choice. That means the candidate they’ve selected leaves the pack, and
