Seven
Daphne
“Can you stand?” The Viking offered me his hand, and I took hold of it, letting him pull me to my feet.
“Pretty sure. I’ve been doing it all my life,” I replied as I pulled myself up, using Killian’s powerful arm. I was a little bit sore, but more “long day at work” sore and less “thrashed by an angry giant wolf” sore.
“Good. I don’t want any more harm to come your way, Daphne.” He spoke in such an assertive, powerful tone. And a totally sincere one at that. I’d had guys try to pull the white knight thing on me before, but I’d always seen through them in an instant. “We’re going back to my pack’s compound now.”
I gave him a suspicious side-eye. “Back to your compound? Is your pack also a cult or something?”
He laughed, a deep, rich sound. “Shifter packs frequently scrap over territory. Our pack territory is fortified. It will be the safest place for you.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
His hand tightened subtly on my forearm. “You absolutely are. You’ll be safe with me. You’re not safe here.”
I shook my head vigorously. “I need to go get my car. And my purse. And to go home. And a bunch of other things I need to do. Like my job.” If I even still had one—but if I didn’t have a job at the restaurant, I needed to find another one. My rent wasn’t going to pay itself. “And I don’t want to worry my mother either.” Despite all our troubles, I still believed she loved me and would be worried if I disappeared.
“This is not up for negotiation, Daphne.”
“Why would they keep coming after me after you just handed them their furry tails?” I said in exasperation. “They wouldn’t be that stupid.”
“Royal, Duke and Earl? You just need to get to know them a little better. Then you’ll realize they’re dumber than you could ever give them credit for.” Killian’s face twisted in disgust as he said it. Then he shrugged and smiled at me. “We’ll send a messenger and let your mother and anyone else you’re concerned about know that you’re safe, Daphne.”
I frowned. “Thanks, but I don’t think my mother and friends are going to accept some random guy coming up and telling them that I’m being taken care of by some hot guys who can turn into wolves.”
“Yes, well, there’s this little thing called lying.” Killian shrugged. “We’ll tell them you just needed to get away for a while. We live under a veil that people like your mother are in the dark about.”
“And what about my job? I have bills to pay.”
“You don’t need to worry about that anymore. You’re my mate, Daphne. I will see to it that you want for nothing.”
“Your mate? Tell the voices in your head I said hello.”
Killian just grinned at me. “Feisty. I like it.”
Well, that was infuriating. Why did he have to be so damned charming?
“You know,” Fionnulla said, coming out to the door and leaning on it. She must have been eavesdropping on us. “You’re free to come with me and stay with our coven. I think you’ll fit in a whole lot better with us.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Oh, you’d be surprised.”
“Trust me, I’m at maximum surprise for the day. I’ll pass on any more.”
“You need to learn about your true nature,” Fionnulla protested.
Killian growled. “Don’t test me, Fi. She’s a shifter and she’s none of your business.”
“Yet the magic inside her screams witch to me,” she replied in a singsongy tone.”So she belongs with us.”
Killian didn’t bother answering. He just swept me off my feet like I was as light as a feather pillow and carried me away. A car was waiting on the corner, someone stepping out of the driver’s side and dangling its keys at Killian. The Viking set me down on the passenger side before closing the door for me.
“Don’t go anywhere,” Killian growled.
I mean, where would I go? I couldn’t outrun him, and apparently, everybody wanted me right now for reasons I couldn’t understand. He seemed like the lesser of multiple evils.
