“Mr. and Mrs. Matthews are mated? But I thought you said mates can’t get divorced?”

“They can’t.” He leaned in and lowered his voice. “Apparently, Mr. Matthews was really abusive. When Mrs. Matthews found out she was pregnant with Talley she got scared and petitioned the Alphas, asking them to cull Mr. Matthews from the Pack.”

“Cull?”

Charlie slid a finger across his throat. Of course, cull. Shouldn’t I have already figured out that was how Shifters dealt with all issues?

“They refused, but they did allow her to leave her Pack. They placed her in a Lexington Pack at first, but he was still able to mess with her through their connection, so they sent her here to watch over Jase.”

Poor Talley. I knew her parents were screwed up, but this was reality TV bad.

“Have you ever noticed how Mrs. Matthews never dates?”

Well, it never occurred to me she should, but… “Yeah.”

“It’s because she’s still mated. Mates can only be with each other. Although, I’m not sure if there’s an issue,” he tilted his head down and raised his eyebrows, “or what.”

“But there is a ceremony, right? To make people mates? Jase and Talley just won’t do that. We’ll think of a new solution, and then they can fake break off their fake relationship.”

“Except Jase said he swore an oath.”

“Yeah, but he was just calling Mr. Matthews’ bluff.”

I knew Charlie’s response from the grim line of his mouth before he ever said anything. “His motivation doesn’t matter. Once he’s claimed her, it’s set in stone. By this time next year there will be a ceremony, and then they’re mated. Forever.”

If my heart made it through the day without actually exploding it would be a miracle. “A year? But Jase just turned eighteen last month. They can’t get married or whatever it is mates do.”

“They have to.”

“Or what? They get whacked?”

“Not killed. Banished.”

“Banished from…?”

“Shifter culture. They can’t be a part of a Pack and can’t hold territory.”

My shoulders slumped in relief. I really thought they’d be as good as severely punished. “That doesn’t sound so bad. It’s not like anyone could force us to kick them out.”

“Actually, they would.”

Of course they would. “How exactly would they do that?”

Charlie cocked an eyebrow.

“Let me guess,” I said, “this where the getting killed part comes in.”

“Harboring a banished Seer or Shifter is considered an act of treason.”

“Charlie, either I don’t understand the definition of ‘treason’, or that makes no sense whatsoever.”

“In a way, it does,” Charlie said, leaning back in his chair once more. “Anyone banished is considered an enemy of the Alpha Pack. Helping your government’s enemy is pretty much frowned upon in any society. What do you think the charges would be if we were housing a known member of Al Queda?”

I hated it when he made sense. “So, what? They have to go all lone wolf?”

“You do know we’re coyotes, right?”

I tossed the salt shaker at his head, but he just plucked it from the air.

“Yes, they go all lone Shifter,” he said, placing the salt shaker back in the center of the table. “And it’s not exactly easy. Most reasonable spots for a Shifter to live are already claimed. I’ve heard some parts of major cities have even been claimed as territory for business reasons. That means there isn’t anywhere really for a Shifter to go without being Challenged.”

Which would mean a life of fighting since they couldn’t claim the territory as their own, even if they won. No matter how strong you are, you can’t survive long like that.

“And the Seers?” I asked.

Charlie looked at the table.

“Charlie, tell me what happens to the Seers.”

“In one aspect, it’s easier, because they can’t be formally challenged…”

“But?”

“But they’re seen as tainted. Dirty. Other Shifters and Seers will go out of their way to pull the usual Mean Girl and Asshole routine until she leaves their territory.” He picked at an imaginary something or another on the table. “Gramma Hagan once told me a lot of them commit suicide.”

“This is ridiculous!” My knowledge of blood pressure is fairly basic, but I’m pretty sure mine was through the roof. “The whole freakin’ Shifter world is freakin’ ridiculous!”

“I know it seems extreme, but Shifter customs—”

I held up a hand. “Stop right there. I don’t want to hear about your traditions and customs and how sacred they are, because you know what? They’re misogynistic, fear-mongering crap.”

“Gee, Scout, why don’t you tell me how you really feel?”

“What I don’t understand is why the Seers haven’t revolted,” I continued on, gaining steam. “I mean, you say you revere them and couldn’t exist without them. You tell them they’re second in command, and then you treat like cattle or slaves or enslaved cattle. That whole ‘most respected member of the Pack’ crock is just to keep them in line so they’ll do whatever you want them to do.”

“Hey, wait. I never—”

“Talley is the very definition of innocence, and look what your stupid Shifter rules have done to her. First, she gets tossed aside and sold to the Hagan Pack by her father because he thought she was broken, unable to See anything. Then, once she becomes Senorita Sees A Lot, she has to worry about being spirited away by a bunch of men who think they own her somehow. And now, just because I don’t know when to shut my mouth, she’s going to be forced into an unbreakable mating with Jase. What the hell is wrong with you people?”

“Did you just cuss?”

“Answer the damn question!” I said so loud all movement in the house stopped.

“Scout,” Charlie said slowly, his voice soft and calming as if he was talking to a skittish animal. “I didn’t make the rules. None of us did. I don’t know who made them - George Washington, Napoleon, old Mrs. Faye from down the street, or someone equally ancient I’m sure - but it wasn’t me or Jase or any member of the Hagan Pack. Heck, we’re coyotes. No one asks our opinion on anything, so you can tone down the righteous anger a couple of notches.