“She’s a cat. A leopard to be exact.” Jaylon’s gaze didn’t waver from the old man.

Matheus took the information in stride. He didn’t nod or balk, just kept a steady gaze toward the head of the council’s table.

“Neither of you seem surprised.” Jaylon’s eyes shifted from his father and the old counselor, ignoring the others in the room.

“Gerri Wilder is an old friend, Jaylon,” his father began. “She matched your mother and me decades ago, so if she matched you with this feline, then I’m fine with it. In the end, who you mate is your decision.” Wyatt turned from his son to the elder. “Matheus, don’t you agree?”

“No, I don’t.” The old council member inhaled before continuing. “Nevertheless, the council didn’t stipulate species, so I have no choice but to honor Jaylon’s choice. You are our Alpha, and if you feel this cat can take her place as your Alpha Female even though she has no clue about us or our ways, then so be it.”

Jaylon’s eyes widened at the man’s glib answer. “Our ways? Since when was that an issue considering we have NO ways? Not anymore. Wasn’t that the whole point behind this request?”

“Yes, but—”

The Alpha lifted one hand, cutting the elder off. “There is no but, Matheus. Becca Duran is a shifter, as the council required, but she is also the Prowl Leader of her Leap. My equal. As to her taking her place with us, the same argument could be asked with regard to me joining her clan. It cuts both ways.”

Matheus nodded. “As well it should.”

“Yes, but for you and the rest of the council, you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. You can’t give me the right to choose my own mate and then take it away with trumped up excuses, like the small size of her Leap.” He eyed the other elders. “I’ve heard the whispers, gentlemen. Gossip is a two-way street, especially in a large pack.”

“Her Leap is not our concern,” Matheus countered.

“It should be.” All eyes turned toward the lilting voice as a woman stood from her seat in the gallery.

“This doesn’t concern you, Giselle.” Jaylon’s gaze narrowed her way.

“No, Jay. You’re wrong. This concerns me and every other female in this pack. Is it true this girl is the daughter of the former Prowl Leader of the Pineland Leap?”

He nodded. “Yes. What of it?”

“Then she’s also the one who bolted from the scenting ceremony that resulted in the death of her father.” Giselle’s voice rose for effect.

“Giselle, what are you talking about?”

“She didn’t tell you, then.” She moved from her seat and walked toward the council table, dropping a file in front of Matheus. “Looks like you bagged yourself a secretive little pussy.”

Jaylon growled and took a step toward the woman but Wyatt put a staying hand on his son’s shoulder.

“What’s all this about, Giselle? I’m not going to put up with your manipulative shenanigans.” Matheus pointed at the woman. “Hell, the scent of self-pity and angry jealousy are wafting from you in waves.”

Giselle shook her head. “I’m not playing games, Matheus, but neither will I stand by and allow this slit in a skirt take her place over the women in this pack simply because she’s a full shifter. Look at the facts.” She pointed to the folder in front of him.

“As soon as I heard the girl’s name, I did a little research on her and her Leap. On paper, the Pineland Leap is perfect. They have tremendous territory that any pack-owned business would love to sink their teeth into, but as far as her personally, Becca Duran is damaged goods.”

Jaylon pulled away from his father’s hold and stared down his old lover. “You are on very thin ice, Giselle.”

“I don’t blame you, Jaylon.” Giselle crooned, “Everyone knows how cunning cats can be. She needs our money and our connections, but the fact remains she’s not free.”

“Explain yourself!” Matheus demanded.

Giselle kept greedy eyes on Jaylon, ignoring the old man’s outburst. “You spent three days with this woman, and you didn’t happen to notice markings on her?”

Jaylon balked. “What are you talking about?”

Giselle lifted one telling hand to her shoulder.

“Oh, come on! You’re grasping at straws, Giselle. I have intimate knowledge of that woman’s entire body and there were no mating marks, anywhere. Especially not on her shoulder.”

Giselle laughed. “Jaylon, she’s got her claws into you so deeply, you can’t see straight. Cats don’t mark the shoulder. Sorry. My bad. They mark the nape of the neck, close to the hairline.”

Jaylon blinked, trying to remember.

“Seems our Alpha is not so sure anymore, is he now?” Giselle asked, fingering the edge of the folder on the table.

Matheus shoved the makeshift dossier away. “That’s enough, Giselle. I want no part of this kind of innuendo. There is no place for interspecies gossip in this council room. We do not subscribe to pack purity. Yes, it’s gone too far in the opposite direction, but that is what we are trying to rectify. No one cares if the young lady is a cat.”

Jaylon nodded. “Thank you, Matheus.”

The old man looked at him over the top of his glasses, lifting one hand. “Nevertheless, I want this prior claim investigated, Jaylon. Do you understand? Pineland is a traditional Leap, much more so than we have been for ages. I will not allow us to become embroiled in legalities or worse over something like this.”

He continued. “Regardless of their vast property, we cannot allow our Alpha to enter into mating negotiations until we are sure there are no previous claims on her or her position. Deep Water has too much to lose.”

Jaw tight, Jaylon stared at them, Giselle especially. “This is nothing more than spite on the part of a woman who covets Becca’s rightful place as my Alpha Female. NO ONE can tell me not to take her as my mate except me. You allowed thirty days for me to find an acceptable candidate and it took me less than thirty hours. My wolf is certain Becca Duran is the one, even if she doesn’t yet wear my mark—and I stress, YET.”

“Jaylon—” Matheus began only to have his comment cut short.

“I hear your concerns, Matheus. I planned to bring Becca here to meet my father and the rest of the pack, but that will have to wait until this gossip is settled. I’ll head to the Pine Barrens in the morning and get to the bottom of this. My father will accompany me as our former Alpha and my second.” He scanned the gallery. “Any objections?”

Matheus banged his gavel. “Done. You have seventy-two hours to report back with an acceptable account or I will personally choose your mate.”

Jaylon shook his head. “Not going to happen, Matheus. If I don’t have a satisfactory answer within seventy-two hours, I will forfeit my right as Alpha and take whatever holdings I have with me.”

A collective gasp rippled through the gallery “The Ross family owns more than half of our commercial enterprise. You’ll ruin us,” one of the males called out.

Matheus frowned. “And what of you, Wyatt? Do you feel the same as your son?”

Wyatt spread his hands. “Jaylon is all I have, Matheus. If you want to prevent this from coming to pass, I suggest you swing your gavel at the jealous troublemakers bent on causing a fuss.” He spared a look for Giselle and then moved to flank his son. “Who Jaylon chooses as a mate should never have become a council matter, and I’m sorry I complied.”

Jaylon slipped his hand onto his father’s shoulder. “I’ll be back in three days and I hope it will be to introduce Becca Duran as our new Alpha Female. The decision will be mine and mine alone, and I expect Deep Water to welcome her with open arms if that’s what’s meant to be, otherwise the Ross family will have a lot to think about.”