The human delegation went white. The lawyer sputtered, "Mate? This is insane! We will contact the police."
"The police have no jurisdiction here," Kaelan replied, the threat clear. He took a predatory step forward, the visible effort of protecting Anya fueling his dominance. "Leave now, or face the consequences of challenging the Alpha."
The three men fled in panicked retreat.
Silence dropped back into the room, thick with residual tension. Anya, still trembling from the fear and the intense exposure, was furious.
"You didn't need to say that!" she whispered, pulling her hand from his. "You just dragged me into your pathetic politics! I am not your Mate!"
"You are," Kaelan said, his voice dropping to a low rumble that resonated through the bond. He didn't look at her; he was staring at the retreating delegation. "And that public claim just protected this pack, your life, and my authority."
As the adrenaline faded, the Mate Bond surged—a powerful sense of validation and relief flooded her system, a horrifying, unwanted physiological response to his protection.
Anya sank back against the desk, her knees weak. Her body registered his dominance as safety. The Mate Bond didn't care about her hatred; it only cared that the Alpha had claimed and defended her.