Page 44 of Moon Fated

“Justin! I swear, if you don’t open this damn door, I’ll?—”

Rowan was there, throwing the door wide. I’d recognized Blake’s voice, and so had Rowan.

Blake stood in the doorway, heaving like he’d just sprinted through the woods. “What are you doing here?”

Rowan moved, giving Blake a better view of the scene in the kitchen. Blake rushed in, holding out his arms to hug me when Rowan snapped, “Don’t touch her, Ash.”

Blake froze. “I’m just glad she’s okay.”

“Be glad on the other side of the counter.”

Blake’s nostrils flared, but he nodded once and did as he said.

I swallowed hard. “Blake, I think?—”

“Nathan has Callista,” he finished, throwing his arm out and clamping his hand around Justin’s throat. “If anything happens to her, I’ll kill you both.”

Rowan didn’t stop him. Even when Justin’s face turned purple and he made a sound that made my insides twist. Finally, Blake dropped his hand. “Where is he.”

Justin’s eyes were bloodshot. He coughed, trying to drag air into his lungs.

Blake barely let him recover before slamming his fist into Justin’s stomach. “I asked you a question!”

“Blake, stop.” I took a step toward him. “For all we know, Nathan’s forced his pack to comply with whatever this is.” I didn’t know if I believed Justin was only obeying orders, but I’d had enough experience with Nathan’s manipulation to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Plus, we didn’t need him. I knew where Nathan would be.

“He’ll be at Whiteswan,” I said. The place that Nathan would seek out was a geothermal pool nestled in the Rockies. It was known for its healing properties. Nathan had talked about it obsessively, how the magic pulsed through the earth, alive and breathing, how the veil grew thin there.

I thought he’d been speaking in hypotheticals.

Until he’d tried to haul me there against my will. Until he’d tried to force me to bond with him under the full moon.

That was the last night I’d spent with Kitimat Pack.

"Lyra spoke of blood and sacrifice," I whispered, recalling the witch's words. “It has to be there, Rowan.”

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Rowan

Ihated every second I had to be away from her. Especially knowing that someone had been in my damn house. I needed to seal our bond, but more than that, my wolf wanted blood. I would let him have it as soon as we figured out who the hell was behind this mess. I had my guesses, but couldn’t decide if I wanted to be right.

Nathan Black would pay for what he did to Evelyn and for his involvement with the dagger. But was he following orders? Was he so blinded by power he’d gotten wrapped up in dark magic himself? Would he put his entire pack at risk for his own gain? The idea made my stomach twist.

Lana nudged my shoulder. “You good?”

“What do you think?”

She nodded, and I leaned over the sturdy oak table, arms crossed, eyes scanning my most trusted allies. I hated that after the dagger had gone missing, I questioned whether that trust was misplaced.

Evelyn didn’t recognize the scent, I reminded myself. Even though it was masked, she would’ve known if it were someone in my pack, wouldn’t she? I had to make a choice, and for better or worse, I was choosing them.

“Whiteswan Lake.” I watched their expressions as they took in the words.

Tori’s lips pursed. “That place is sacred.”

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