AGThanksgiving_JCSmith by Jessica Coulter Smith

didn’t look pleased with
her answer. “That’s not a good thing right now.”
    “Why?” Gabriel asked.
    “If she’s not mated, the
leader of the outcasts could gain control of the throne by marrying her. With
her people, her consent is not necessary. They could kidnap her and do a ritual
that would bind her to the new king.” Eric frowned. “That’s not even the worst
of it. Once crowned, the king would no longer need her. She isn’t necessary for
him to hold his position once he’s in possession of the throne.”
    “So he could kill her.” A
growl rumbled in Gabriel’s chest and up through his throat.
    “Yes.”
    “And if I’m mated?” Autumn
asked.
    “It’s possible they would come
after your mate first. Marrying you would be far easier for them than killing
you. As a royal descendent, you aren’t exactly easy to kill. Not even with your
Halfling status.”
    “But all the other royals…”
She looked perplexed.
    “It takes a long time to kill
a royal,” Eric said. “It’s a long, slow process, but it can be done. You don’t
want them to capture you. I know about your past. That was a cake walk compared
to what they would do to you.”
    “So even if she’s mated she
isn’t safe?” Gabriel asked.
    “Not unless she’s expecting.
The fae love babies, any babies. Even an outcast wouldn’t think of harming a
child. For as long as the child needed her, she would be safe.”
    “Giving us time to defeat
them, but only if they come to our territory. We can’t exactly enter their
realm to wipe them out.” Gabriel frowned. “So the trick would be to lure them
here, without them knowing she was expecting?”
    Autumn cleared her throat.
“I’m not mated, much less carrying a baby. Aren’t we putting the cart before
the horse? These things take time.”
    “I guess after your past
experience you would be opposed to an arranged mating,” Eric said.
    “It wouldn’t be my first
choice.” Autumn frowned. “Not to mention, I’m not about to jump into bed with
someone I don’t know, whether they’re my mate or not.”
    “We’ll go with the first plan
for now. I’ll contact the high mage and seek his help.” Eric rose. “I’ll try to
return in a few days, but it may take longer.”
    The sorcerer disappeared
without another word, leaving Gabriel and Autumn alone.
    “You need a mate,” he said.
    “Why don’t we wait and see
what he says when he returns? I’d rather fight than end up in another loveless
relationship.”
    “Fine. We’ll wait. But you’re
not leaving this house on your own anymore. It isn’t safe. If I’m not with you,
I want one of my brothers or cousins around.”
    “Gabriel, I…”
    He held up a hand. “It isn’t
negotiable, Autumn. Your safety is my priority. You heard him. They could come
for you at any time. Even without a blessed blade, a wolf would have a better
time fighting one off than you would.”
    “You’re right. Until I fall in
love, I won’t receive my powers.”
    “We’re going to assume the
outcasts know you don’t have a way to defend yourself. I don’t like this,
Autumn. You’re vulnerable.”
    “I won’t mate someone I’m not
in love with, Gabriel. I want what Kiera and you had.
Please understand that. I don’t want to go my whole life wondering what it
would be like to find the kind of love I write about in my books. I’m tired of
dreaming about it. Is it so wrong that I want to experience that?”
    He sighed. “No, it isn’t. But
if your mate isn’t in this pack, I don’t know what we’ll do. What if you’re
meant to be paired with another fae? Or another Halfling?”
    “I don’t think Grandfather
would have sent me to live with wolves if that were the case. He must have
believed my mate was part of a pack. I just chose the wrong one before.”
    “Then I guess you’ll have to
meet the males in the pack.” For some reason, Gabriel didn’t like that idea too
much. He’d only met Autumn yesterday, but he already liked