Rowan's Pov

The council room felt too small. All their faces were looking at me. Old man Finn was the one who spoke. His voice was scratchy and mean. "Rowan, you have forty-eight hours," he said. "You will agree to bond with Alpha Tala from the mountain pack. It is a strong alliance, it is good for our pack. If you refuse, you will step down as Alpha."

I felt my hands make fists under the table. I looked at their faces, and they were all serious. They thought they could tell me what to do. They thought they could make me choose a mate. "I will consider your proposal,"...