Page 2 of His Sold Fated Mate

Mostly because I didn’t want the extra drama, I had no issue with the guys, but I liked my space. I liked my privacy. And I didn’t need anyone in my business.

“Klaus, you like to think you’re separate from the others, but you’re not. The river might divide you, but that is it. You are more alike the others than you think.”

And I didn’t have time for this. I had a budget to finish up. I had a spreadsheet I needed to update and 10 other tasks to get done this week. “And I think this meeting wasn’t as important as you’re thinking it is. I think you’re wasting my time.”

Jasmine frowned. “Klaus, this is a serious matter. The packs are all being affected, and you need…”

I sighed while I leaned back in my chair. “Not this again. I already told you that this pack doesn’t have any issues. We’ve been fine this entire time. There is no dark magic here.”

“And we’ve told you that just because you’re fine now doesn’t mean you will be moving forward. The others were fine until they weren’t.”

I felt like we were talking in circles. We’d had this discussion before, many times, actually. They brought it up every time they were here. “I don’t have time for this. I have budgets to review and a schedule to glance over for next week. I don’t have time to sit here and bicker with you guys about something that isn’t concerning to my pack.”

“It is!” Dean snapped, slamming his fist onto the table. “And we are telling you that we found your mate.”

“Fine.” I snapped back. “Where is this woman I am supposedly mated to?”

Laura pulled a paper from her pocket and slid it toward me. “She lives in a small town west of here. It’s a bit of a drive, but that shouldn’t be an issue. The address to her location is on the paper.”

I frowned. “Why isn’t she with you?”

Laura made a face. “She’s never seen a shifter before. So, rather than us going and scaring her, we figured you could bring her here.”

I laughed. “You have got to be kidding me!”

They all shook their heads. “No, we aren’t.”

“So, you’re not only here to be telling me that I’m to be the next Alpha that gets mated, even though I’ve told you repeatedly that I don’t have time for that. But you want me to find this woman and drag her back to the pack and force her into a marriage?”

They all remained neutral like they weren’t asking something completely insane.

The council had always been set in their ways, saying they were doing things because it was best for the pack. Most of the time, I could understand, maybe even get behind them if I was in the right mood. But this… this was insane.

I crossed my arms. “You’ve got to be kidding me right now.”

“You have a week to get your bond created.”

“I have a pack to run,” I growled back. “I don’t have time for this.”

“Your Beta looks like he has free time on his hands.”

I could hear Cal growling at them now, insulted. I ground my teeth together, looking at each of them for a moment. I didn’t understand the urgency in their tone. Why did they think these needed to happen as soon as possible?

“And if I don’t agree?”

Kelly tilted his head. “It would be in your best interest to do what you’re told, Klaus. We want what is best for the packs.”

I inhaled slowly, grinding my teeth together. I gripped the chair, waiting to tell them no. But I knew that they were capable of. I couldn’t refuse them. I’d worked too hard for things to get ripped away from me right now. This pack needed me, and I couldn’t let my emotions get in the way of it.

So, I guess I was going to find this woman. “Do you at least have a name?”

“Her name is Aubrey.”

I ground my teeth together and looked down at the paper. I read the address and knew that this would take a couple of days.

“Cal, you’re going to have to push the budget meeting back a couple of days.”

“Great,” Jasmine popped up. “Now that everything is settled, we are good to go. We will see you for our scheduled meeting on the fifteenth, along with your bride. Don’t disappoint us, Klaus.”