Page 91 of Binding His Fated Mates

I considered telling her to go away again, that I still wanted to be alone. But that seemed wrong, suddenly. After all, how much longer would I have with her? The quality of light through the windows told me twilight was fast approaching. And then my family would force me to leave the commune and the pack.

I wasn’t sure what they’d do if I refused, but I was certain it was nothing good.

After only a moment longer spent hesitating, I waved my hand in the direction of the door and let the barrier fall.

Lacey barged in a moment later, her expression going from angry to concerned in a heartbeat as she crossed the cabin, bolted up the ladder, and took in the sight of me in bed.

To be fair to her, I probably looked just as awful as I felt—my eyes red-rimmed and swollen, my hair disheveled from lying too long in one place, my body curled into a fetal position.

“Holy shit, you’re a mess.” She finished climbing the ladder and raised her eyebrows, giving me a pointed look. “I’m joining you.”

I scooted over to give her room on the bed. She collapsed onto the mattress next to me.

“So, I’m pretty sure I’m going to murder your brother,” she said in a matter-of-fact way. “Right after I finish off the wonder twins. Just so you know.”

I halfway wanted to smile, but I couldn’t make myself do it. “Thanks for the heads-up.”

“I might let Lee live,” she amended, rolling on her side to face me. “He, at least, gives a shit about what happens to you.”

“They both do.” I paused and the enormity of it hit me all over again, causing a fresh bout of tears to burn and prickle in my eyes. I looked away sharply, locking my eyes onto the wooden ceiling above me. “Or they did.”

“C’mon, Daniel. Are you really going to let your family drag you back there?”

“I don’t know.”

It was a lie, of course. But admitting the truth was even worse. I couldn’t let them do the awful things they were capable of doing to the pack. I’d sworn an oath to protect my people, and this was the only way I could do that. Because I wasn’t strong enough to fight them all.

Individually, they’d always been more powerful than me.

Collectively, it wasn’t even close.

“Daniel, look at me.”

I shook my head, swallowing down the searing lump in my throat. I was afraid that if I did, I’d lose it.

“C’mon, Daniel. I’m your friend. I always have been. You can trust me. You know that.”

“Why?” I demanded, before I could censor myself. “It’s like you took one look and decided to adopt me. Before you knew the first thing about me. Did you feel sorry for me?”

“Yeah, I did,” Lacey said. “And I would’ve done the same thing, even if you weren’t you. When you first came here, you were a wounded bird with a broken wing. And yeah, I felt bad for you.”

“Gee, thanks for being honest.”

“But that’s not why I’m here now! It’s not why I still give a shit!”

“You’re only here now because Lee asked you to keep an eye on me.”

The moment those words left my lips, I wanted to take them back. Because they felt just as awful as they sounded. And I knew they weren’t true.

“Daniel.”

The way she said my name, entirely without anger, wasn’t at all what I would’ve expected from her. I did turn and look at her then.

She was watching me steadily and there wasn’t even a trace of hostility on her face. Instead, the obvious concern in her eyes—the naked understanding and care I saw there—sent me over the edge.

The tears finally came, hot and sudden.

I wanted to hold them back, to stop the humiliating sobs wracking through my body, tearing out of me in gasps. But I couldn’t.