Yvonne spent the rest of the night inviting every girl to a brunch the next day. She hinted with a smile that it would be to discuss mates. Then gave a dreamy sigh. The girls ate it up. The few who didn't she found other ways to convince. One she had to outright threaten. But she made them each give her word to come. By the time she made it back to their tent she was exhausted. And nowhere near done.
She pushed inside to find her brothers still awake. Looking more like lazy lions than wolfs. Their golden hair gleaming softly. André was busy typing away on his laptop, probably working, knowing him, and Luc was reading. They both looked up with abstracted smiles. Neither really even seeing her. She sighed and settled on the floor between them and began braiding her hair.
André's eyes sharpened to attention and he slowly closed and put aside his laptop. "Yvonne?"
Luc looked up at the tone of his voice and, seeing her at his feet, snapped his book closed and straightened. "Did something happen? I thought you were enjoying yourself?"
"Tell me about Alpha Mitchell, André. You were very rude to him earlier? That's not like you."
André shrugged, his face going cold. "I don't agree with how he runs his pack. He believes only the strong are worthy and treats anyone else with contempt or worse. I've recently brought charges of abuse and neglect against him with the council."
"That explains it then."
"Explains what?"
"The law still exists and he plans to use it to claim me, a strong Alpha female who won a fight against an Alpha male last year. And he'll win." She rubbed the tips of her fingers on both sided of her temple. "Because, let's admit it, Scott wasn't prepared or at the top of his game. Or, and this is what he's hoping, I'm told, he'll kill you then claim me." She leaned her head back and stared at the fabric of their tent. She looked sideways at her brother. His wolf stared back, but with a blink, was controlled. He stood and stocked to the front of the tent, thrusting at the tent door flap. "André, now is not the time for that. You need to keep doing exactly what you're doing with him. The council is the right answer. He's not truly the problem this time. The problem is that damn law. That's what we need to fight. Come sit back down, please."
He slowly released his hold on the fabric and turned to her. "He threatens you and me and he's not the problem?"
"I'm sure he's a problem. And I'm sure you'll have to deal with him. But he's not 'The Problem'. The law that allows him to claim me against my will is 'The Problem'. And we need to get rid of it. Not just for me, but for every female out there and every mate waiting to meet them. We need to do it for Celeste."
He settled back in his chair, "How do you know he plans to kill me and claim you?"
"The same person who told me how to say 'no' last year, came to warn me."
His eyes narrowed. "The one who taught you to fight?"
Yvonne sighed her exhaustion deepening. That had been the only bone of contention they had ever had. He had recognized another teacher in how she took down Alpha Scott last year and wanted the details. He hadn't taken it well when Yvonne wouldn't give any. It was only after she had told him that she had given her word of honor not to that he had backed off. To a Belcourt, honor was everything. So he would never ask her to go against her word. But since he still wanted to know, they had both learned to not touch on the subject. "Yes."
His jaw clenched. "And you can't tell me anything else?"
Yvonne glared back before taking a deep breath and telling him what she knew of Phoenix's plan so far.
He slowly nodded. "That we can do."
***
Yvonne looked at the shocked faces of the females before her.
One of the girls, who had found her mate last night, shook her head. "You have to be wrong." Her face crumpled. "But you're not, are you? It does still exist. Oh, Goddess. Davis, our Beta's son, wants me. He's higher ranked then Josh. He'll kill him. No. I can't let him die." Her tears rolled down her cheeks, but her face settled into a determined expression. "We've just been pretending. 'Happily Ever After' doesn't really happen. We should have known. I won't let him die." The sorrow in her eyes deepened. "But I don't like Davis. How can I stand his clammy touch after knowing Josh's?" Deep sobs overtook her. The others rushed to comfort her while the doubters slowly lost their militant expressions.
Yvonne stared at her in shock, thinking over Phoenix's words last night. She would be willing to bet good money Phoenix had known about Davis' obsession. She took a deep breath. "I have another Alpha after me, who's touch freezes me to the bone, and I don't want him either. But this time I'm not going to be fighting alone. The law I used last year was made because females stood together and demanded it. I'm not sure how yet, but I know we need to stand together to change this as well. Will you stand with me? And tell them: 'no, this is enough'?" She gave them a grim, determined smile.
Slowly every female smiled back.