Marissa lowered herself into the wingback chair with her back to the window.
“Out,” he ordered the two men.
Gage nodded at Elizabeth to sit. Once she was settled back on the couch, he sat behind his desk. Elizabeth tried to catch her sister’s eyes but Marissa wouldn’t look at her.
She really should have handled the situation better, but she was scared Gage wouldn’t let her mate with Greg now. She’d almost lost her position once in a Pack because of her sister. Of course, that hadn’t been Marissa’s fault. She’d been young and in love, and Elizabeth couldn’t blame her for what had been out of her control.
“Explain,” Gage looked at her, speaking quietly.
Elizabeth ran her sweaty hands over her pants. “I believe it best if Marissa leaves.”
“Because of what happened earlier between her and me?”
“She doesn’t belong in Pack territory.” Her heart almost broke at the sound of Marissa’s breath catching. She didn’t want to hurt her sister, but she didn’t have much of a choice.
“Yet you asked permission for me to let her come. Now you want her to go?”
“Well, I didn’t know… I mean, I…”
Gage nodded before looking at Marissa. “How do you feel?”
Marissa’s face was blank and her eyes had turned cold. It was an expression Elizabeth hadn’t seen on her sister’s face since she left their former Pack.
“I was leaving, wasn’t I?” Marissa told him, her face and tone not giving away any feelings.
“Just like that?” Gage continued to speak calmly. When Marissa didn’t answer him, he looked back at Elizabeth. “I’m beginning to think I have missed some important information about your old Pack.”
“I told you everything, Alpha. I didn’t hide anything!” This was it. He was going to kick her out. Tell her she can’t mate with Greg.
Instead he looked back at Marissa. “In the woods, you said you were trying to protect me.”
Marissa glared at him. ”Yeah, so?”
“Protect me from what?”
She didn’t answer. Elizabeth was used to her sister’s attitude but could see Gage was losing patience. She opened her mouth to answer, but Gage cut his gaze to her and shook his head. Elizabeth closed her mouth and looked at her sister. Marissa still wouldn’t look at her.
“And you will harm me, Marissa?” Gage asked as they both watched her sister.
Marissa only shrugged. Elizabeth wanted to come to her sister’s defence, but knew she couldn’t help her. It broke her heart that once again Marissa would be thrown out of Pack territory.
“Answer the question,” Gage said louder, making Marissa press back into the chair.
“The law,” she finally told him.
“What law?” Gage looked from Marissa to Elizabeth with a confused look.
Marissa crossed her arms over her chest in response.
Gage looked over at Elizabeth.
“The one against mating with a non-shifter,” Elizabeth answered.
“The law against mating with a non-shifter,” Gage repeated.
Marissa jumped up from her seat. “Can I leave now?”
“Sit down!” he snapped though he didn’t raise his voice.
Elizabeth almost fell over in shock when her sister dropped back down in her chair.
“Who told you about this law?”
“Our Alpha,” Elizabeth answered.
His gaze never left her sister’s face. “And what did he tell you would happen?”
“Because she…she was…”
“Because I fucked his son not only could I be kicked out of the Pack but so could my entire family,” Marissa exploded, jumping up and smashing her hand onto his desk. Elizabeth jumped, but Gage didn’t show any reaction.
“And were you all?” Gage asked, even though he knew the answer.
“I agreed to leave and never return so my sister still had a Pack to protect her,” Marissa answered, anger burning in her eyes.
He stood and came around the desk. She didn’t step back but stood straight when he stepped in front of her.
“Marissa.” He wanted to hold her. To comfort her.
“And I’m willing to go now so you don’t have to kick her out. No one else needs to know. I’ll leave quietly,” she told him.
Gage gently cupped her cheek, but she jerked away from him. “I’m sorry for everything you have been through.”
Marissa remained stiff so he turned back towards Elizabeth. “While it may have been that Pack’s rule, it is in no way a law. I have never heard of anything more ridiculous.”
“If that’s true, then…” Elizabeth trailed off, and Gage knew she was piecing together that they had been lied to.
“It’s true,” he assured her, then looked back at Marissa. Reaching for her, he drew her to his side.
“Then Marissa didn’t have to leave.”
He watched the play of emotions on Marissa’s face before her eyes chilled again and she pulled away. “You don’t know what you are talking about.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Gage shook his head. “Why do you think we have a council of former Alphas to police the Packs? It’s to protect the members, not to hurt them.” He could see Marissa started to shake in front of him. “My father is one of the council members and I can assure you that, whether you can shift or not, he would have never allowed you to be mistreated. There is no such law.”
“It is a law!” Marissa yelled.
He knew she wasn’t trying to convince him but had come to terms with it.
Her eyes started to swim with tears and Gage’s heart broke for her.
“Oh, Marissa, I’m so sorry,” Elizabeth moved towards her.
Marissa held up a hand to stop her. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter.”
Elizabeth looked at him and he nodded. “Go out and find Greg. We’ll finish up here and I’ll drive Marissa back to your house.”
“Marissa has her own car. And it’s already packed,” Marissa interjected.
Gage didn’t even look back at her but kept his gaze on her sister. “She’ll be okay here with me.”
“Okay…I’ll…see you both later.” Elizabeth quickly made her exit.
“Come here, baby,” Gage said once his office door closed.
“I want to leave.”
Gage closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her. “Yes. I think you do. But not yet,” he told her gently.
“No.” Marissa tried to pull away. “Now. I want to leave now.”
“It’s okay, baby.” Gage held her tight as the tears she’d been fighting started to fall.
As she cried in his arms, anger swelled inside him at the Alpha who had pledged to take care of her then turned her out without a Pack, without her family.
Tears streaming down her face she looked up and him and pressed her lips to his in a desperate kiss. Glad to be able to take some of the pain away, he let her kiss him and tightened his hold around her.
Chapter Five
Marissa pressed herself against Gage. His body was strong, solid, and everything she needed right now.
Gage’s arms tightened around her as he kissed her back. When he pulled away and looked at her, Marissa felt her heart skip. She could get used to this man being there for her. And that was scary.
“Upstairs. I want you in my bed,” he whispered in her ear.
Marissa shivered at his declaration. No more hiding. No shame in being with a wolf. She didn’t have to hold back her needs with him. “Okay, upstairs.”
Gage took her mouth again, this time with more force. Marissa gave herself to him willingly. He lifted her off her feet easily and she wrapped her arms and legs around him.
“We’ll also talk about your punishment for talking back to me. Again.”
Marissa scraped her teeth over his neck. “Maybe later.”