Page 55 of Wolf's Endgame

Royce rubbed his hand over his face, as if the very idea of repeating it caused him distress. “We’d been arguing,” he began. “Doc wanted more surgery. Hannah knew it wouldn’t make a difference. Nikan…well, Nikan was…busy looking for answers. Cannon was in a bad way. Barely conscious. The pain he was in was a lot. Then when I thought it was really it, I was going to lose my alpha, I heard her.” Royce took a deep breath. “The door burst open, and you stood there. I didn’t know what to do; we were so sure you’d had a hand in it. I almost killed you there and then, and then Moonstar spoke. I knew it was her. She told us she could help. Doc refused to let her near him. She told us you were dying, like we didn’t fucking know that. Then she just walked past us, through us, and told Cannon it would hurt. He screamed and blacked out and…” Royce shook his head as if he still didn’t believe what he had seen. “This light, this ball of light she created from nothing spread out over his body and sunk into him, and his whole body arched off the bed, and he screamed again, and then…she pushed us out of the room, and when she was done, she was gone.”

I gaped at him. “She was gone?”

Royce gave me a flat look. “You’re giving me attitude?”

“I can’t believe you let her go.”

“You say it like I had a choice.” Royce sniffed.

My head was reeling, but one thing hurt me more than anything they had said. I looked over at Cannon. “How could you ever think I would do this?” I looked between him and Royce. “I know you didn’t trust me to begin with, but I thought we were past that.” I felt both sad that they thought so little of me and happy that Cannon was saved, and I knew I was going to start crying again.

“My alpha was struck down. The male who struck him told him ‘Kezia says fuck you.’ You had already fled. We got a condolence message for our loss sent from you.”

“You got what?” I asked in outrage.

“A card.”

“A card!” I was gawking. “You believed a fucking card?” I was furious. “He’s my mate. I was heartbroken.”

“Don’t give me attitude,” Royce growled. “If it walks like a duck, it’s a duck.”

“If it… What? Why are you talking about ducks?” I asked in confusion.

Cannon’s rumble of laughter startled me. Turning to him, I saw him watching us, and at the expression on my face, he laughed harder. “It’s a duck,” he said through his laughter.

Royce started laughing too, and I was sure they’d both lost their minds. “Why are you laughing? What’s funny?” My hands rested on my hips as I glared at them both. “Why is there a duck?” Turning to my brother, I glared at him too, but he simply shrugged.

Cannon had seen the exchange, and that caused him to laugh harder, and it was so good to see him alive, laughing, that I found myself smiling, and then I was laughing too.

Luna, it was so good to laugh again.

CHAPTER 14

Kezia

Cannon sobered the quickest, crossing the small space to me. Bending his knees, he came down to my eye level. “I’m going to kill them all.” His stare was so intense it made my mouth dry, and I licked my bottom lip. Seeing his fury turned molten, I itched to reach for him.

“My heat,” I blurted. “I remember when I was aware…”

“When you were aware?” Kris asked. “Did you really let her take control?”

My eyes wouldn’t leave Cannon’s, but I needed to be honest. “I didn’t let her… I gave her control.” I saw the question in his eyes. “I had thought you were gone.”

Cannon took a step back, confusion on his face. “You gave up?”

“I thought you were gone…” I remembered the fear I felt when Bale held me down. “So I was weakened. I had no strength,” I whispered, avoiding his look. “She told me you may live. I knew I couldn’t fight him.” I drew in a shuddering breath. “I made her promise if you were alive and needed help, she would give it.”

“And I would lose you in the process?” Cannon’s voice was as hard as the look in his eye. “What good would that do?” He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “Sacrificing yourself isn’t the answer. Have you learned nothing? You run off to save Kris, giving yourself up to that fucker, Landon. You give yourself up to Moonstar for me—why do you continuously make the stupid choice?”

My anger flared. “Fuck you!” I pointed wildly at my brother. “Landon told me they were going to kill him. Sever his bond with Cass—what would you have me do? Sit back and make a plan?” I sneered.

“Yes!” Cannon roared, his temper breaking. “I want you to come to me and let me help you.”

“You want to control me!” I snapped back.

“If it means I keep you alive, then yes, I’ll control you.”

My lungs expanded as I sucked in air, and I knew I was going to explode. “You may be my mate, but you are not in charge!” I snarled in fury. “You don’t own me!”

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