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His eyes moved from me to Kai, then back to me as he said, "My name is Mordred. A pleasure to finally meet you."
Mordred. The name rang one of the many bells in my head. The sense of warning had the other bells going crazy. "You're the one working with my stepbrother."
"Hm, so you've heard of me. My guess is from that gentleman that Pierce divulged to."
"His name is Byron, and you'd be correct," I said.
"I see. Well, Mr. Santiago, as much as I would like to continue this discussion, I do have more pressing matters to get to. Starting with extracting the gifts from both of you."
I growled, my eyes shifting, and my claws extended. Kai brought the top half of his body lower, ready to pounce at the first sign of danger. It was amazing how he was able to resist charging first and asking questions later, but I was glad he wasn't acting reckless. I hated fighting enemies I knew nothing about, and judging from the mere presence of Mordred, I'd say the lack of knowledge would be our downfall if we move without a plan.
"So, I was right. This was a trap set by Pierce."
Mordred's eyes crinkled with amusement. "Pierce has drive, but he's a fool. Why wait to attack you all at once, when it's so much easier to kill you and take your Wolf Moon's gift one at a time? Actually, my real goal for this evening was meant to be the Berserker Wolf beside you. What a marvelous and intelligent creature of destruction."
I snarled, stepping closer to block Mordred's line of sight towards Kai. "I won't let you get your hands on Kai. Not while I'm here."
And certainly not when our backup arrived. I mentally prayed that Byron and the others get here soon.
"Oh?" Mordred tilted his head. "Well then, I guess you'll have to die first. But before we get started, how about we give ourselves a little privacy. We wouldn't want your rescue party to interfere, now would we?Caligo!"
I gasped in horror as the swirling darkness that loomed above Mordred reacted, expanding and threatening to swallow Kai and me. Before I could react, Kai swerved around me before ramming into my gut. The powerful hit had me flying back, crashing onto the ground and rolling right out of the darkness' reach, leaving only Kai to be consumed.
"N-No!" I got out in a weak voice, struggling to catch my breath after getting it knocked out of me. The darkness formed a black bubble the size of a building. Forcing myself to my feet I ran towards it, hoping I could get through, but the second I made contact, I was pushed back by an electrical force. I fell hard on my shoulder, wincing as fire roared across my arm from the pain. I looked up at the bubble, unable to get in. Unable to go after Kai. His Berserker Wolf pushed me out the way. He saved me, and now he was going to suffer for being on his own to face Mordred.
"Kai!"
17
ROSIE
"I can't believe I said that to him!" I shouted for the fifth time since Rowan escorted me out of the lodge and walked through the rows of rose bushes so we could train in peace. I barely paid attention to the walk, haunted by the destroyed look on Kao's face when I said he cared more about hookups than he did about his own twin. What was I thinking? I knew that was bullshit the minute I said it, and yet I didn't stop myself from saying it, frustrated by having to leave Kai locked in a cellar for the night and needing to assert my anger elsewhere. Now I hurt one of the men I loved. I was a shitty person.
I kicked a clump of dirt off the ground and roared out my fury. "I'm such an asshole!"
"Rosie," Rowan barked out my name. "That's enough! Everything's going to be okay. Once everyone cools down, you can make up with Kao."
"But what if he doesn't forgive me?" I asked, panic riding up my throat. "What if... what if he ends up hating me? What if he doesn't want to be my mate anymore?"
Rowan huffed out a breath before walking up to me and pinching my chin with his thumb and pointer finger. He turned my head up so I could look him in the eyes. His beautiful, chocolate brown eyes. "First of all, the mating is permanent. Even if he was regretting it, he's in it for life. Second of all, I highly doubt the love and affection you two have together would fall apart over a fight. I may not know your men that well, but they don't seem like the type of people to give up so easily, which includes you. I don't think he'll never forgive you, nor do I think he'll hate you. Yes, he's angry, and rightfully so, but that doesn't mean it can't be fixed."
My body relaxed the more Rowan spoke. "You're right," I said lightly.
"You can't expect every day to be a pleasant one, milady. When it comes to mates, there will always be times where you will fight, and where you will say things at the heat of the moment you don't mean. It's bound to happen, but what makes all the difference in the world is how you choose to act after the damage has been done. If you guys truly love each other, it will work itself out. Have faith in your love for Kao."
"Did you and Marissa fight?" I hesitantly asked. It'd been a while since Rowan brought up his former mate, or his old pack. I was worried that asking about her would open old wounds.
Rather than looking somber, Rowan smiled. "All the time. Marissa and I were the hot heads of our group. My mated brothers used to tease that it was how she and I showed our love; by yelling at one another, then have explosive make up sex. It would always be for the most ridiculous of things too, like if someone put the dishes in the wrong place, and I would say it didn't matter where they were put as long as they weren't in the sink."
I giggled at that, my nose crinkling. "Um, wrong. Sorry, but I have to agree with her that there's a place where dishes should go. Not just anywhere."
He shrugged nonchalantly. "Or if there was something we needed to do, and Marissa would completely forget about it. She would then get mad when we accused her of forgetting. Like I said, ridiculous things to be mad about, but that was us."
Listening to Rowan share his stories of Marissa and his mated brothers, imagining what his life was like with them, had my heart tightening in my chest. I didn't know these people, yet I found myself wanting to cry for their loss. "She sounds amazing."
"She was," he said, his eyes going distant. "I miss her every day. Her, my brothers, my pack. Being here with you and your pack, it brings back fond memories of what it means to be part of a pack."
"This could be your pack too, Rowan." I reached out and rested a hand on his broad chest. The feel of his muscles through the thin fabric of his white T-shirt had me imagining what he could do to me with that muscular body of his. I shook the lust-filled fantasy out of my head. Not the time for it. I looked up at him with all the sincerity in the world. "I know it isn't the pack you grew up with, or the one you fought tooth and nail to defend when you were the former queen's mate, but this is still a home. It can be your home too."
