Claiming Their Mate by Morganna Williams

result. As a member of my pack, you answer to me! I do not answer to you, second!” Gage snarled down at the grieving man.
    Simon closed his eyes briefly and shook his head as he stood with his mate’s lifeless body in his arms. “I should have resisted you and listened to her when she told me she couldn’t stand the thought of your touch. It’s my fault as much as yours. I was weak. I am no longer your second.”
    “That is not your choice to make,” Gage said, raising his hand to strike Simon.
    Jared caught the other man’s hand before it could reach its target and looked at Simon. “Do you wish sanctuary?”
    “Yes, Alpha,” Simon said softly.
    “Go and find Jeremy. He will assist you with your relocation.” Jared watched as the defeated wolf returned to the dining hall with Winter still in his arms. “Ethan, I don’t think we have much time to find Madison. Go and call the Seattle compound and find out why we were not notified Selena had escaped.”
    His second nodded and rushed into the building.
    Jared turned to the other alpha. “Simon will be allowed sanctuary within my pack. You will be placed before the ruling council to answer for your crimes.”
    Hate filled the other man’s eyes as he glared at Jared, refusing to break eye contact. “I am alpha of my pack!”
    “Your position of alpha is suspended pending the council’s decision,” Jared informed him succinctly.
    “You can’t do such a thing! I don’t answer to you!” Gage snarled at Jared.
    “I am the ruling alpha of this region and I will be obeyed,” Jared told him in no uncertain terms.
    Gage growled threateningly deep in his throat.
    “You want to react as an animal rather than face your punishment as a man? Fine.” Jared focused on Gage and waved his hand at him before growling low in his throat. “Change.”
    Gage’s back immediately bowed as Jared pulled his wolf from him, Jared’s power washing over the other man as smoothly as water pouring from a spout. Gage tried to fight the change, causing his body to contort violently before he finally stood before Jared as a large silver wolf.
    Jared leaned down and snarled in the wolf’s face, never breaking eye contact until the large silver wolf whined and lowered his head submissively.
    “Leif!” Jared barked, calling one of his guards.
    Leif sprang forward immediately. “Yes, Alpha?”
    “Collar and leash this mongrel,” Jared instructed, watching dispassionately as Leif brought forward a silver collar, buckled it around the throat of the large wolf, and attached a silver chain, effectively binding Gage in wolf form until it was removed. “The council will decide what’s to be done with him, but he will be delivered in a cage.”
    “Yes, Alpha, it will be done.” Leif bowed slightly before leading the leashed wolf away.
    Jared left the alley to find his second and hopefully some idea of where Selena had taken their mate.
     
    * * *
     
    Madison awoke with a pounding headache to find herself dangling over a thin shoulder. It took a minute to remember everything, and then she realized she was slung over Selena’s shoulder.
    Madison shuddered as she thought of poor Winter, so very unhappy and now left dead in an alley like so much trash.
    Why hadn’t Selena killed her?
    “I know you’re awake,” Selena said conversationally. “Your heart rate sped up when you came to.”
    “Where are you taking me?” Madison asked, trying hard to keep her tone even and ignore the threatening slide of claws up and down the backs of her legs.
    She swallowed against the bile coming up in her throat. Selena would kill her; it was only a matter of when and where. The deranged woman just wanted to play with her first, to torture her.
    “Don’t you worry, you’ll get yours. I have a very full evening planned, you’ll be begging for death by the time we’re through.”
    “Why? What did I do to you?” Madison wanted to understand.
    Selena suddenly threw Madison off her shoulder so