“He’s kidding, my friends.” Bastian gave them a dazzling smile. “We’re here for the party. Would you mind letting us in before we become some monster’s meal?”
“Of course!” Both guards sprung forward at the same time, nearly running into each other before catching themselves. The one on the right with shaggy blond hair stood back and gave me a sheepish grin while the other opened the gate.
“Thank you both.” Bastian strode through the gate, tugging me and therefore Warrick after him. “I hope to see you both at the festivities later.”
“You will!” the one who’d opened the gate called after us.
My heart started to beat faster with excitement as we walked through the stronghold full of Velesians, who had clearly started the party early based on their flushed faces and swaying bodies.
Tonight I might find a significant piece of the puzzle I needed to free myself of the Alpha pack. That in itself was exciting, but really, I just loved that I almost had an answer I’d been searching for after all this time. My face was going to hurt from all the smiling I’d be doing over the next couple of hours, but it’d be worth it.
Hopefully.
We made our way deeper into the stronghold, to where multiple bonfires were burning and hundreds of Velesians were gathered. People were already dancing, and I could smell meat cooking over open flames. At least a few hunting parties had been successful then. Even more reason for celebration.
“Rynn!” someone called out, and then I was torn away from Bastian and Warrick. Both of them let out deep growls, which I’m sure were just for show.
A familiar scent wrapped around me.
“Remy.” I laughed. “Put me down.”
He spun me around several more times before settling me on my feet. “You should have told me you were coming,” he chided before flicking me on the nose. “I would have met you at the gate.”
Translation: he would have made sure Alexis couldn’t have gotten to me.
“I think being escorted by those two worked well,” I replied dryly while jerking my thumb over my shoulder.
Remy’s eyes danced with mischief as he eyed Bastian and Warrick. “No RyRy? Marie is going to be so disappointed.”
“RyRy?” I choked out, and I was fairly certain I heard Bastian laugh behind me.
“Rynn. Ryker.” Remy grinned at me. “RyRy.”
Some of my amusement died. The last time I’d seen Ryker, he had been passed out on my balcony. The mating bond between us had felt oddly quiet. There were moments when I felt . . . something. But it was there and gone too quickly for me to figure out what. That told me his injuries had been really serious. Like bad enough that, without the potential bond between us, he might not have survived.
And tonight was going to bring me that much closer to breaking that bond.
Sensing the shift in my mood, Remy stepped closer to me. “You okay?”
Between one breath and the next, Bastian and Warrick were there. “She’s fine,” Bas said lightly, even as he tugged me into his side.
Remy arched an eyebrow at where Bastian slung his arm across my shoulders. “Right,” he drawled. “My Rynn is always fine.”
Tension filled the air, and I wanted to roll my eyes at the ridiculousness of it all. Warrick hated me. Bastian was helping me leave the pack. And Remy was my friend, nothing more.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to say anything because Remy yelped as a barely five-foot woman with long wavy red hair came up next to him and smacked him on the back of the head. “Stop being an ass,” she snapped.
“Marie!” I gaped at her. “Should you be out of bed?”
She glared at me and pointed a finger. “Don’t you start. I’m pregnant, not on my death bed. Remy is just overreacting to what happened and making everyone else worry for no reason.”
“Yes.” My friend rolled his eyes. “How dare I care about my beloved after she passed out on me and didn’t wake up for two days.”
Alarm slammed through me. I hadn’t known those specific details.
“As long as you acknowledge you’re wrong,” Marie said solemnly before giving me a reassuring smile. “I’m fine, I promise.”
“Okay,” I breathed. Marie wasn’t one to bullshit. If she said she was fine, I believed her. “I’ve missed you both!”
