Page 58 of Into the Night

I shift my body, blocking her from his sleazy perusal as much as possible. I know she wouldn’t want him to see the fading scars that she can barely look at herself.

With an evil smirk, he licks his lips and holds her eye. “It’s a shame she didn’t finish the job and save us all this hassle.”

The two men standing with Jed laugh, signing their own death warrants, as my beast slams against my insides, fighting to get out.

Kali grinds her teeth but doesn’t rise to the bait.

I, on the other hand, can no longer control the vicious snarl that erupts from me. Only Kali’s fingers gripping mine stop me from launching myself at him this second.

Jed smiles cruelly, knowing his words have hit their mark.

“I’m sorry to have to do this, but we can’t let you mate her.” Jed’s declaration is matter of fact, like this is just the way it is. That he gets to decide our future, or, lack thereof.

Kali gasps and her fingers find the back of my shirt, gripping the material tightly.

Allowing my senses to reach out into the surrounding forest, I find what I was looking for.

“All of us had the good sense to stay away, even if I was tempted to have a taste. But when you went to find her folks… the town got nervous. That tells us things are serious, and well, that’s a problem. We can’t allow the prophecy to come true, which means no breeding. This was all decided a long time ago, we just never thought it would happen.”

Finding his stride now with his ridiculous monologue, I remain silent, waiting to see what else he wants to get off his chest. He’s cocky and confident, especially for a man I tossed off a porch with ease not that long ago.

“It’s none of your business, Jed.” Kali hisses. “How dare you come to my cabin and talk about me and who I mate, like you have some say in what I do with my life? I’m done. Done with entitled men telling me what to do.”

I get the impression that’s a barb at me as much as Jed, but right now, the focus of her ire is the sneering man in front of us. She’s enraged, and rightfully so, but Jed doesn’t even respond.

Instead, he keeps his attention fixed firmly on me while she continues to talk, as if she truly doesn’t matter. It’s beyond rude, and my beast bristles, finding the disrespect toward his mate to be another reason to kill this man.

“You can’t allow it? Go home right now, Jed, and I won’t tell Evan and Ben about this little visit. We’ll pretend it never happened.” Kali keeps her grip on me, her touch against my back reassuring both me and her, even as she pretends not to be taking his threats seriously. “Red, Eddie, I can’t believe you’re going along with this. What’s wrong with you? Is his Daddy threatening your jobs if you don’t help him?”

The way they shift awkwardly on the spot, and how Jed’s eyes flash tells me she might not be too far off the mark.

“It’s not just me. Everyone agrees, Kali. There can be no children. And if this guy here is your mate… which he is, judging by the way you’re drowning in his scent, we can’t let it happen.”

Kali shifts, displeased at the reference to my scent being all over her, whereas I love it.

“And nobody’s looking for you anymore, Kali. Evan is still in jail, and Ben thinks you're staying with friends to recover. They won’t be coming to your rescue.”

Shit. I feel Kali tense. She didn’t know about Evan.

“You’re all on your own.” Shoving his thumbs through the belt loops of his combat trousers, Jed shrugs. “I’m genuinely sorry you found him, Kali, because we didn’t want to ever have to do this.”

Jed is a coward. Without this posse he’s gathered, he’d never challenge me, because he knows exactly what would happen if we fought, one on one: He’d die.

He still might, if he doesn’t back down.

The beast is incensed. He’s not interested in one word this man has to say. And he’s not interested in showing him any mercy.

“It’s time for you to leave. Last chance.” My voice is surprisingly steady and even. Despite the fury burning in my veins, I sound almost reasonable.

Almost.

The beginnings of a growl deep within my chest hint at my simmering anger, and every muscle in my body is coiled tight, ready to attack. The only reason I haven’t is because Kali is still vulnerable, and I don’t want to leave her side.

Jed scoffs and turns to look at his buddies, his stringy brown hair swinging around his face as he laughs. When he turns back, his eyes are narrowed and mean, and the glow within tells me his beast is prepared to fight.

All pretence of being here to warn me off Kali is gone. It’s not a discussion anymore, because he knows I’ll never walk away from my mate.

Bloodshed is inevitable, and I’m not naive enough to think it will end with mine. Kali could always find another mate if I die. Not everyone is as closed-minded as her neighbours. Getting rid of her too eliminates the problem entirely.

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