That was impossible. I had to be a part of Donovan’s pack. He was my mate. Unless he decided to leave his own pack, I had no choice. But I needed to know what her reasons were. Especially after Cosette’s warnings.

I braced myself before I spoke again. “I know there are reasons we stayed away—Dad always said the Irish pack wasn’t friendly—but everyone in it can’t be bad. Can they?”

“Aye. It’s bad.” Ciara shook her head. “Some wolves are okay enough, but others… Donovan’s gone too often with his Council work, and when he’s there he forgives too much.”

Leather creaked as I shifted in my chair. “That doesn’t sound good.”

“Aye. ’Tisn’t.”

I grew cold as I thought about the implications of what that meant.

“He might be your mate, but you’ll have to watch your back. There are people in the pack who want to control it. They won’t like you intruding. They’ll also know that taking you out will weaken Donovan, and for some of them, that’s a heady temptation.” Ciara paused. “Are you sure you want to do this? It’s not too late to back out.”

I blew out a breath. “There’s no backing out. We’re true mates.” Whatever problems his pack had with me—or him for that matter—I’d have to deal with them.

“Just be on the lookout. If it’s anything like it was when I left, Vivian runs the whole show, and she’s been in Donovan’s bed.”

Okay. So that stung more than I wanted it to. I knew in theory that Donovan had been with other women, but theory was different than having a name. A real person who had occupied his bed, possibly for decades.

I leaned back in my chair. “How can Vivian run the pack? She’s his third, right? With an Alpha like Donovan, that doesn’t seem possible.”

“One would think, but…” She trailed off, lost in thought.

I had to ask. I’d always promised myself I’d leave Ciara’s secrets alone, but I had to know what brought her to America. “What happened to you? What did the Irish pack do to drive you away?” Especially if she was the weakest Were in the pack, she should’ve been protected. For her to seek refuge with our pack yet be allowed to avoid joining, it had to have been bad.

She fidgeted with the papers on her desk before releasing a sigh. “You cannot tell anyone what I’m about to tell you.”

“Of course.” I wouldn’t betray her. Not ever. She was the reason I’d made it through childhood with my self-esteem intact.

Ciara was quiet for so long that I wondered if she’d decided against answering my question after all. Finally, she cleared her throat and started her story. “I thought Vivian was great at first. She was very charming, and I looked up to her. When I was growing up, she was kind to me. I never did figure out what caused her to change…” She paused. “The first time I realized we weren’t true friends was… I guess it was during sparring practice.” She looked up, and it was almost like I was watching a lightbulb go on in her head. “Vivian didn’t like to spar. She didn’t like any of the fighting. To be honest, neither did I.”