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Lucia Novak was asking if she was okay. Kru, her mate, was standing next to her, making sure no one had interfered with her challenge against Sasha. And she’d seen Lucas and Jenna warring. Willa and Landon had battled to give her time.
And when a roar rattled the trees, she recognized that grizzly. Gunner was here too, and he was pissed.
She strode to the door and stood between Lucia and Kru, and looked up as smoke rolled across the sky. The blue dragon was in the air.
She was okay.
All of Sasha’s people were fleeing. Her bears were on the run. Sasha was on the run.
Cadence wasn’t filler, or useless, or valueless.
Damon’s Mountains had come for her.
And more importantly—so much more importantly—the Warlanders had come for her.
If she knew how to cry in this body, she would, but the tiger only knew war.
She looked up at Kru, and he was watching her.
In control.
In control.
Her mate was in control.
He ran his face against her suddenly, and she could understand this so clearly. He might not have said the L-word yet, but his animal was taking care of that for him.
He ran his face down one side of hers, and then the other.
She could feel the relief coming off him in waves.
He’d come for her.
She’d said the code word, and he’d come and brought backup, not even knowing what she was up against.
This was Crew.
This was having a mate.
She’d always loved the Boarlanders she’d grown up with and the bonds they’d built, but she hadn’t understood how deep those bonds went.
Now she did.
Her people would have her back with two texted words.
There was power in that.
Lucia rested her hand on Cadence’s back, and Kru stood so close, she could feel his warmth and power. Outside, in the woods, Lucas and Gunner and Jenna were making sure Sasha’s people left the territory. There were gorillas, and grizzlies, and a flash of white said Cadence’s mother was here.
Good fucking luck to anyone who came into Damon’s territory picking a fight. She’d never been more proud to be from this place. From this sanctuary.
Willa and Landon stood near the door, and Matt Barns had shown up too. He stood protectively in front of Willa. His ear was nearly ripped off and he was matted with crimson, but he showed no pain. She’d heard stories about the Gray Backs, but hadn’t understood until now. He’d come charging through the woods for his mate, and for the first time ever, Cadence understood.
She would do the same for Kru, and he had done the same for her.
Jenna had been right.
Everything had happened just how it was supposed to happen.
