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  Since I had fretted over my wardrobe for longer than I anticipated, by the time I arrived inside the tent, I heard the clanking of a bell signaling that it was time for the opening remarks. Even with my heels on, I could hardly see the front of the room.

  “Wouldn’t kill these clans to have at least a few short people in them,” I grumbled to myself as I stood on my tiptoes and strained to see over the shoulders in front of me. I knew that Lukas was likely on the stage up front because he would have to say something in greeting to the assembled crowd. The Greyelf Grizzly clan was the host of this year’s Summit.

  I winced as I heard the echo of the microphone pop. I began my slow progress of squeezing around people to move closer to the front.

  Doc Walden’s voice over the microphone was easily recognizable. “Thank you all for coming this evening. As the remaining original council member of the Greyelf Grizzly clan, I want to welcome all of you to the third gathering of the shifter Summit. I know that many of you traveled many miles from across the country to be here in our little end of the world. There are representatives from forty-four different clans represented this evening with another dozen expected to join us tomorrow as discussions get underway.”

  My eyes widened. I was fairly certain that my dad knew more about shifters than any human out there. To the best of his knowledge, he thought that were a dozen shifter clans. It just went to show how secretive the clans were in general. I had a feeling I was going to be surprised a lot over the next few days.

  I kept weaving through the crowd gaining inches toward the front with each move. Finally, I managed to push through and find a small opening right in front of the stage. Doc Walden stood at the podium and was gesturing in the air as he described all the turmoil of the past several years. I knew that I should be paying attention and taking note of what he was saying, but my eyes searched for Lukas. I found him sitting in a chair on the other side of Doc Walden. He leaned back in his chair with an air of slightly feigned boredom, but I knew that his eyes were sweeping the crowd looking for anything amiss.

  I knew the minute he spotted me by the slight twinge of a smile that played across his lips. His eyebrows rose as his eyes traveled down my body, and I couldn’t stop my blush. I was as hungry for him as he appeared to be for me, and I couldn’t wait until we had time to continue what we had started that afternoon.

  My eyes were drawn back to Doc Walden when I heard him say Lukas’s name.

  “…terrible tragedy with the loss of Markus Kasper, but Lukas has stepped into his alpha role with strength and wisdom well beyond his years.” I rolled my eyes. I figured that it wasn’t going to be public knowledge how close it had been to Lukas not becoming the alpha.

  Lukas stood up then and straightened his jacket clearly expecting to take over the microphone. I had to admire that he didn’t appear the least bit nervous about addressing the crowd of almost five hundred shifters.

  “It is also with great pleasure that I am able to announce an additional reason for celebration this evening,” Doc Walden continued. I saw Lukas frown at him. “It is well-known that there has long been a dispute regarding the treaty between the Grizzlies and our neighbors to the north, the Loper clan. Some of those disagreements have resulted in scrimmages and misunderstandings that claimed lives on both sides.”

  That was something I did know. There wasn’t any love lost between the two clans, but I had always chalked it up to bears and lions not getting along. Even though myth and legend would say that lions were the ultimate kings of the animal realm, in reality it was the grizzly that held the upper hand. That had never sat well with the lions. I knew that there had been a few brawls along their shared border that had ended in bloodshed. The feud was long-standing and ran deep.

  “It was Markus’s sincerest wish that during this Summit we find a way to put the scars of the past behind us and truly all come together as one. After long conversations with Paul Reddon, the Loper alpha, I am pleased to say that we have at long last agreed on terms that end the feud once and for all.”

  The crowd erupted in applause and hollers of delight. I started clapping as well because it seemed appropriate, but I saw the look on Lukas’s face as his eyes darted between me and Doc Walden. I felt a pit of dread form in the pit of my stomach as Doc Walden put up his arms to wave for everyone to quiet down.

  “So it is with great pleasure to say it is my honor to introduce you to Lukas Kasper, the Greyelf Grizzly clan’s alpha along with his intended mate, Vivian Reddon from the Loper Clan. Come on up here, sweetheart.”

  It felt as if my heart dropped into my stomach as I watched a curvy blond with legs a mile long step onto the stage and approach Lukas with a wide smile. Doc Walden stepped back from the podium clapping and gesturing for Lukas to join him. I couldn’t believe it.

  It all hit me then. Marilee told me that the council had chosen the alpha’s mate and there wouldn’t be any way that he’d be able to refuse. Lukas had known the council had arranged for his mate, but he never told me it was a deal that had been done to end the blood feud between his clan and their most hated enemy.

  I stared at him with tears forming in my eyes. He stepped to the podium and the gorgeous Vivian Reddon joined him. He kissed her on the cheek, and then she smiled and waved the crowd. They looked sickeningly perfect together. Lukas didn’t look at me as he moved to the microphone.

  He told me that he wanted to be with me, but he was the alpha. I had told him that taking on the job meant he’d have to accept the responsibility that came with it. That responsibility apparently came in the form of a six-foot blond goddess who had the ability to phase into a lioness.

  I felt sick.

  “Friends, welcome to Greyelf.” Lukas’s voice boomed through the microphone. It was even and unemotional.

  I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t watch it happen. I turned and began to shove my way back through the crowd. I refused to cry until I was outside the tent. I blocked out his voice. I had to forget him. I had to forget everything because the vision of the future that he had built up for me that afternoon had been quashed to nothing.

  At the last minute, I remembered to veer toward the slit at the back of the tent. There was no way I could face my dad or the assembled paparazzi outside the tent. I had no words to explain how stupid I was to think that anything could ever be different between me and Lukas.

  I stumbled out of the tent and was grateful to see that the security guards must have stepped inside. I kicked my heels off and ran into the tree line of woods so that I was out of sight of any prying eyes. I felt the huge push of a sob building in my core, and I put my hand against my stomach in a useless attempt to stop it.

  I took as many deep breaths as my dress would allow. Although I tried to block it out, the reel of Lukas kissing Vivian’s cheek played over and over again in my mind. My senses had dulled, and I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I never heard any indication that I was no longer alone.

  As the hand slipped over my mouth, I felt an arm roughly circle my waist. I was trapped.

  “You sure about this?” The voice of the man holding me was low and unfamiliar. It sounded like he had marbles in his mouth. I tried to squirm, but he held me tight. I couldn’t see anyone else around us.

  “That’s the one.” The other voice was confident and assured, but I couldn’t place it. “The alpha’s high school sweetheart or something like that.”

  “She’s not his mate.”

  The other man stepped into my view. I had never seen him before. He forced my head to the side and pulled on the neckline of my dress. I struggled harder now, but it didn’t make any difference. I knew what he was looking for. Even though I had tried to put some make-up on the bite, it was still clearly visible.

  “No, but judging by this, she could be, and that’s leverage enough. Bring her.”

  I barely registered the blow on the back of my head before my world went dark. The last thing I remembered was wondering if Lukas would really care at
all if I disappeared. Wouldn’t that solve all of his problems?

  To be continued…

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  About Ivy Sinclair

  Ivy Sinclair cut her romance teeth on classics like Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, and Sabrina. She is a firm believer in true love, a happily ever after ending, and the medicinal use of chocolate to cure any ailment of the heart. Ivy's guilty pleasures include sushi, endless Starbucks lattes, and wine. Readers of Ivy's stories can expect smoldering sweet stories of romance that tug at the heartstrings.

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  Titles by Ivy Sinclair:

  Bittersweet Junction

  Where My Heart Breaks

  Grounded By You

  Cupid’s Cupcake

  Protect Her: Part One

  Protect Her: Part Two

  Protect Her: Part Three

  Protect Her: Part Four

  Protect Her: Part Five

  Protect Her: Part Six

  Protect Her: Part Seven

  Protect Her: Part Eight

  Protect Her: Part Nine

  The Protect Her Box Set: Parts 1-3

  The Protect Her Box Set: Parts 4-6

  The Protect Her Box Set: Parts 7-9