Page 65 of Colton’s Mate

“Bad Blood,” he said, as if that were an explanation. Maybe it was—his childhood crew were legendary brawlers. “Not on myself, though.” He moved the arm and winced. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to fly for a day or two.”

He looked up. “Which is probably why they left me in here with you.”

Callie looked up too. Now that she wasn’t distracted by his wounds, she realized this was less like a room and more like a shaft—and one not meant for crow prisoners. There were grated openings at the top, and from the smell of the air coming in, they led to the outside.

A crow—or Remy as an owl—could have flown up there and possibly ripped the gratings out, but not with an injured wing. The smooth walls were unclimbable. They were stuck.

“Where’s Jason?” Remy asked.

Callie shrugged, looking away. That betrayal still hurt. “He disappeared during the fight. As Jason often does.”

Remy snorted. “Of course he did. Any idea how long it’s been since they took us?”

Callie shook her head. They both checked automatically for their phones, but Callie’s was in her car and Remy’s was probably in the pocket of whatever he’d been wearing before he Changed in the parking lot.

“It’s still light out,” she said. “Not long.” He nodded. She added, “Thank you. For looking out for me. I’m sorry it got you captured.”

He lifted one hand in a gesture of negation. “You’re Colt’s mate. That makes you family.”

That makes you family. Guilt hit her in the stomach. He’d totally accepted her, willing to fight and even maybe die for her.

While she hadn’t accepted Colt. Not completely.

And Colt did believe she was his mate. He hadn’t said, straight out, but she knew it. Really she’d always known it, since the day he came over and told her he wanted a relationship with her. Maybe even since the first time they made love.

Remy was watching her face. “He didn’t tell you? I mean, he told us not to say anything, but I thought…”

“He was going slow,” she said softly. “For me. Because of my lynx.”

Remy just shook his head with a little snort.

“I love him,” she said. She did. She really, really did, and it shouldn’t have taken this to make her realize it.

“Tell him, not me,” Remy said.

“Should I?” she asked. “Because him being with me is making your animals worse. Isn’t it? Your leopard. Your owl. Even his owl.”

He didn’t answer.

She pressed on. Suddenly it was important to talk about this, even though they were in a dungeon with Cruella de Crow about to come back any minute and probe her brain for something she didn’t even know.

Maybe this was the last chance she’d have to talk about it.

“Colt’s owl hates me,” she said to Remy. “I can tell. It fights him all the time. Sometimes he has to leave because of it. I can’t be with Colt if it’s going to hurt him.” She added, “Or if it’s going to hurt you. Because that’s the same thing.”

Remy sighed and shifted position, wincing as he moved his injured shoulder. “It’s not that simple. If you’re his mate, then he needs you. He’s only going to get worse without you.”

“He’s with me, and he’s getting worse. So maybe I’m not his mate.”

Those words tore at her heart. They made her realize how much she wished she could be his mate, and how the idea of him belonging with someone else made her chest feel like there were shards of glass embedded in it.

“Yes you are.” Remy’s eyes crinkled just the way Colt’s did. “Squatch says so. I mean, Titan.”

“Oh, Squatch says so. Because he’s sane and sober and never says anything weird.”

“Stop it. You know Colt doesn’t want anyone but you.”

“Then why isn’t it working?” she said in frustration. “Why can’t I fix this? Why does his owl hate me so much?”