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“They won’t go away, trust me,” I muttered, letting him help me to my feet as he chuckled.
Turning, I found the four of them on their feet, watching us warily from beside the cold ashes of the fire. Strong arms folded around me as Noah pressed up against my back, making a shiver run down my spine.
“Noah,” Spencer said in a gruff greeting.
I frowned at the tension radiating from them all as Noah straightened up to his full height behind me.
“Hey Spencer, it’s good to see you guys,” Noah replied evenly.
“You’re Noah, huh?” Briar called, tipping her chin at him with narrowed eyes.
Curiosity rippled down the bond as he gave her his attention. “Yup, and you are?”
“Not impressed,” she sniffed haughtily. “And not convinced that you deserve to be touching my little sister right now.”
He drew back in surprise, looking down at me with questioning eyes. “Sister?”
“Uh, yeh, this is Briar,” I confirmed quickly, holding onto his arm as he tensed. “It’s a long story, but she’s on our side.”
He raised a disbelieving brow. “The sister who’s in line for the throne. The sister who treats you like shit and stopped you escaping before. The sister who your mother trained. That sister?”
Briar scoffed. “I’m not the one who abandoned her in another world, asshat. In fact, I’m the one who saved her.”
Anger surged through the bond as he released a low growl, glaring at my sister as his eyes flashed wolf.
“I did not abandon her,” he rasped, his voice colder than I had ever heard it.
Guilt, rage and frustration poured between us, his hands shaking with the intensity of his reaction to Briar’s accusation. I reached for him instinctively, pressing my palms to his back in an effort to soothe him as he pulled me behind him protectively.
“Cor,” Spencer said in a quiet but firm tone. “Come and stand over here.”
I blinked at him, not fully understanding as Linc reiterated. “Doll, step away from the pissed off shifter, yeh?”
Noah snarled at him as he went to step towards us, but I shoved my mate aside as I glowered at the rest of them.
“You had better not be suggesting that he would hurt me,” I snapped, letting power spark between my fingers.
Linc held up his hands placatingly. “Woah, down girl. We only want you to be safe.”
“And we have no idea if he betrayed you,” Briar chirped, giving Noah a taunting smile when he growled at her.
I sighed. “Briar, shut the fuck up.”
She drew back at my harsh words. “Well that’s nice.”
I ignored her sarcastic mutter and caught Spencer’s eye. “It doesn’t matter whether he played a part in it or not. He’s my mate. He will never put me in danger, and you should know that.”
Spence ran a hand over his jaw, darting a look at Noah before giving me a nod. “Yeh, I hear you.”
“So did you?” Linc asked, giving Noah a pointed look. “Did you betray her? Because I’d be happy to kick your ass on her behalf. Not that she’d need the help.”
I held up a hand. “Stop, Linc. All of you. I appreciate what you’re doing, but can you just leave it?”
Noah grabbed my arm and spun me to face him, a look of desperation on his face now. “Do you think I was part of it?”
My chest tightened as I looked into the bright blue of his eyes.
“I don’t know what happened,” I whispered, letting him see everything I was feeling as he instinctively reached for me in our bond as well. “One second we were going home, everything was good, and the next second Zeke is shoving me to the ground and telling me I’m not worth it.”
