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Clearing my throat, I go on. “I don’t think it’s anyone’s place to tell Sable what she can or can’t do when it comes to her own past and the trauma she must live with.”
Even as I speak up, knowing I’m doing the right thing in supporting her, my wolf rebels against the idea of Sable being anywhere near her sadistic uncle. It’s dangerous, and God knows I never want this woman to be in danger again.
But our mate isn’t a wilting flower. Over these past few weeks, I’ve come to know her—she’s got a well of hidden strength and resilience inside her, more than even she understands. And now, her wolf has finally made an appearance. She’s complete in a way.
She can do this, especially with all four of us beside her.
Ridge is the first to crack, which isn’t surprising. The two of us seem to be the biggest pushovers when it comes to her. “Fine. But you listen to us and follow our lead. If it gets hot and we tell you to run, you run.”
Sable nods, her eyes big and round. “Deal.”
Dare’s face his hard, a muscle twitching in his jaw. I’m almost certain he’ll side with Trystan on this, but he surprises the h
ell out of me by nodding suddenly. “You should come with us. You deserve to be there.”
“Are you all for real right now?” Trystan throws his hands up, frustration and anger tightening his expression. “You’re just going to lead her right into the lion’s den.”
Sable stands and shoves her chair back, looking down her nose at him. “I’m going. I have to. If you can’t handle that, you’re welcome to stay behind.”
Trystan is on his feet too a second later, his chair scraping over the hardwood. “Yeah, right. Never gonna fucking happen.”
“Then come with us,” she shoots back, emphasizing the word us. “Help keep me safe by being there and having my back.”
“You’d be safer at home. Here.”
“Yes, I would. But I’m still not staying.”
She takes a step closer to him, tilting her chin up defiantly. His turquoise eyes glitter as he stares down at her, and I can see the worry lurking in their depths. Hell, I recognize it as the same emotion that twists in my heart. But I hope he can see why worry isn’t enough to keep her out of this.
As if reading the expression on his face, Sable’s brows unknot a little as she reaches up and cups his cheek.
“Trystan,” she says softly. “I love that you care about me so much. That you want so badly to keep me safe. But I spent too much of my life locked away from the world. I’m not going back to that, not even if it would keep me out of harm’s way. And especially not while the four men I love go up against a potential threat without me. I’m your mate. Your partner. So let me be there for you.”
His jaw muscles jump as his teeth clench. His lips press together in a tight line. Then he lets out a breath, his shoulders dropping a little before he pulls her into his arms.
“Goddammit,” he mutters. “I hate that you’re right. I don’t know what fate was thinking, giving me a mate who’s so damn strong-willed.”
“Fate was thinking I’m just what you need. And you’re just what I need,” she whispers, hugging him back. “That’s why we have to stick together.”
He kisses the top of her head, smoothing down her blond hair. Then his chest rises and falls as he lets out a sigh. “All right, sweetheart. You win.”
I catch Ridge’s gaze, and the two of us share a knowing look. Trystan used to be the type of guy who would go round and round in an argument, making the same points over and over just because he refused to back down. Sable’s brought out a new side of him, and we can all see it.
She’s good for him. For all of us.
Back in the bedroom, we get fully dressed and prepare to leave. Even though I’m anxious to get this over with, I consider suggesting we wait. We could sleep on it, head out early tomorrow morning with fresher eyes and minds. But Amora came over this late at night because she felt like something was boiling over. If she didn’t think it was important, she wouldn’t have disturbed us. The longer we wait, the more chance we have of coming up against a real rebellion within the pack.
The sooner we can discover the secrets of Sable’s past, the better.
I find Sable standing with Amora in the living room, the two of them chatting easily. A small smile tugs at my lips. It’s nice of Ridge’s childhood friend to go out of her way to get to know Sable.
As I’m shoving some supplies in a backpack, I hear Amora say, “One month after Ridge earned alpha, he set his pants on fire. At a funeral.”
“No!” Sable exclaims, bursting into laughter that raises warmth within me.
“Yup. He so did.” Amora smirks. “We have this ritual where the alpha lights a large candle in remembrance. He dropped the match, and his pants must have been wildly flammable. Next thing you knew, he was dancing across the room, batting at the flames, while the mourning family watched in horror. It was all anyone talked about for weeks. He was so embarrassed.”
“When we get back, you have to tell me all your cringey stories about him,” Sable says. “Promise?”
