“Warrick.” Cade’s loud voice bounced off the walls of his study, the command clear in his tone.
I sighed and raised my gaze from the spot on the floor I’d been staring at, as if I could see down to Rynn’s room where Ryker was on her balcony, still in his wolf form. Rynn had wrapped her body around his, and they had both passed out in a healing slumber. I hated leaving them alone together, but Cade had made it abundantly clear that he wanted to chat.
The full moon would help Ryker heal faster. It was the reason we’d left him on the balcony bathed in moonlight and not in a bed where he’d be more comfortable.
Rynn had been left with him because Bas had pointed out that they’d heal faster together on account of the mating bond.
A fucking mating bond.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” Cade growled. “You fucking stabbed her!”
“What the fuck was I thinking?” I arched a brow at Cade, who took up the space of two people on the settee. “What the fuck were you thinking letting a potential mating bond form between them? How the fuck did the two of you let this happen? I’ve only been gone for a couple of months.”
“Four months, actually, but who’s counting?” Bas drawled while pouring himself and Cade a drink.
You. You’re counting, I wanted to say. Instead, I acted like he hadn’t spoken because that would piss him off more.
“They can’t accept that bond,” I said firmly. Bas’ jaw hardened at being ignored, and a sharp pain shot through my chest. I smiled.
“Bastian and I already told Ryker that.” Cade shot Bas an annoyed look. “Although it could have been handled better.”
“I know, I know.” Bas strolled over to Cade and handed him a glass before perching on the arm of the settee. “I’ll apologize to him when I’m back.”
For the first time that night, I saw the signs of strain on his face. The faint creases at the corners of his eyes and the way he held himself just a little too rigidly.
The way I wanted to close the distance between us and demand he tell me how I could fix it had nothing to do with the unrealized mating bond between us and everything to do with the fact that I loved this man beyond measure. All I could really offer was killing someone or fixing up his favorite dessert, baked apples in a flakey crust, two things he used to always appreciate.
But if I did that now, he would just laugh in my face and make some cruel remark that would have both our souls screaming while the bond between them wailed in agony.
Cade’s experience with mating bonds had almost resulted in his death—twice. Mine and Bas’ only brought us pain. And now Ryker was trying to form one with someone who was very likely trying to take down our pack from the inside. Even if she wasn’t, Rynn would never be a member of this pack; therefore, there could be no mating bond.
Because I’d slit Rynn’s throat before I let Ryker leave us for her.
Clearly, mating bonds were not something the Alpha pack was meant to have.
“Told you the bet was a stupid fucking idea.” Cade grimaced. “I need to speak with Rynn before the two of you leave tomorrow, assuming that’s still the plan?”
“It is.” Bas took a long drink. “She’ll be fine by morning, and I suspect she’ll be feeling even more motivated to get this done.”
A dull ache rolled through me, and I gritted my teeth against the sorrow that remained after it passed. This was part of the reason I stayed away. Even though we hadn’t accepted the bond, whenever we were together, I’d get flashes of whatever Bas was feeling. I assumed he did as well, but considering we’d never acknowledged the bond existed, I couldn’t exactly ask him about it.
Why try to have a healthy relationship when you could just be toxic to each other for decades?
I pushed off the bookshelf I’d been leaning against and set about fixing myself a drink. “Someone care to fill me in on whatever this bet is and where Bas and the traitor are going tomorrow?”
“Do you think you’ll die if you say her name?” Bas asked curiously.
“I don’t know.” I gave him a flat look. “Do you think you’ll die if you stop being a smartass for five minutes and just answer the fucking question?”
“Yeah, I’ve really missed this.” Cade sighed and finished off the rest of his drink. “The bet . . .”
He trailed off, and all three of us looked to the door as light footsteps sounded. Rynn was likely still with Ryker, and even if she wasn’t, she tended to move a lot quieter. This must be Selene, the new addition to our household who Cade had agreed to take in while I’d been away.
As if having one traitor living amongst us wasn’t bad enough, now we had a Fervis one too.
Seconds later, quite possibly the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on stopped in the doorway. Her golden hair spilt down over her shoulder in waves. I felt Bas burning a hole in the side of my face.
I had a thing for blondes.
