Page 83 of Tangled Fates

“Think again, asshole, you won't be alone with her ever again,” Soren snarled.

“That’s what you think,” Tay smirked.

“Tay, she’s never needed you and she will never choose you,” Soren clipped. “You were just a means to an end by getting rid of her virginity to the first asshole she knew. You are nothing to her.”

I glanced at my mate, expecting her to say something, but her silence was an admission to whatever Soren was saying. I spun the scythe in my hand, liking this weapon way too much.

Tay and Soren stared at each other. Tay’s power saturated the air, I could taste it and feel it along my skin. Ryder and I shifted. ready for anything. I slipped my hand into my pocket to pull out an artifact, ready for anything.

It was so slight, I almost missed it. Tay flicked his hand as a jolt of energy crashed into Soren. I expected for him to be thrown back, but Sunshine had weakened him. Tay growled in frustration running to Soren.

Oria sat up and walked to me. Ryder had gotten closer to us, still on alert. I smiled when I realized he had called her his mate, and he was protecting her.

“Please don’t hurt him.” I raised my brow at her. “Ok, maybe not too bad, we need to find out how he planned to get me out,” she said, looking a little worried for Soren and Tay.

“Ok, Sunshine, I’ll try to keep us in line.” I looked over to see Soren holding him by his neck, trying to pin him down.

“I’m gonna go make that potion again just in case. I’ll be right down,” she kissed my cheek.

“Pack a bag just in case,” I said, running my nose along her cheek. “We might have to make a quick getaway and it is best to be prepared.”

The snapping of bone made me flinch, but only for the sake of Oria. They could break all his bones and I wouldn’t care one bit. As long as he could talk, that's all I cared about.

I walked toward the guys, seeing Tay laying on the ground with his leg at a weird angle.

“Fuck you guys,” he said through clenched teeth. “If you love her or care for her then you need to let her leave with me.”

“That’s awfully convenient.” Soren stepped on his chest as Tay turned red from anger or the amount of pain he was in.

“You don’t understand, if her mother has an inkling of your existence, she will kill you and make Ria believe that it was her fault,” he panted. “She’s off trying to help her sister’s son who made a mess of this situation with the Belladonnas, and this is maybe the only time we may have to set her free.”

“Wait, what did you say about the Belladonnas?” Ryder grabbed him by the throat. “What the hell do you know about the Belladonna’s?”

Tay stayed quiet as they stared off.

“Ok, can we, for five minutes, forget about everything outside of this mountain?” I snapped, pushing Ryder so he let go of Tay. “Look, we all want what’s best for Oria, but that also means we need details about the Belladonnas and why the hell her mother is there.”

“Are you really her mates?” Tay looked at each of us as we nodded until he looked at Ryder who hadn’t confirmed.

I stared at Ryder hoping he could feel my stare.

You know she is your mate.

Ryder looked at Soren and then at me before he nodded.

“It doesn’t seem like you’re her mate.” Tay glared at Ryder. “She needs someone who is willing to die for her and if that’s not you, then stay away from her so that someone?—”

“I was willing to die for her when you showed up, but it's not that simple,” Ryder snapped. “You don’t know shit about me.”

“I know you’re a fucking coward,” he spat.

“Fuck you.” Ryder lunged for him, shifting mid-air when I tried to intervene.

He landed on me instead, his claws dug into my side as I gritted my teeth against the pain, throwing him off me.

“We can’t kill him,” I snarled, feeling the blood ooze out of my side. “Yet. We can’t kill him yet.”

Ryder growled at me.

---