AARYN
Inwardly, he winced at the position he'd put his mate in. He knew she'd see this more clearly when she was calm. She knew Gar's value, even if she found his attitude frustrating.
What had been a surprise was the lack of surprise amongst the elders.
That bore further investigation.
But in that moment, his mate was wrestling with herself as surely as she'd ever wrestled with her beast for control. Her scent was shot through with red-hot rage, with indignation, and with a healthy thread of fear as well.
Aaryn's heart went out to her. She'd always been sensitive about the assumptions made about her and her brother—how everyone had assumed he would be the future heir, merely because he was male. He'd teased her with it when they'd been younger. But of course, once he'd rebelled and wanted nothing to do with Reth, he'd found the entire situation even more uncomfortable than her.