Page 21 of Soul Fated

Kael growled, his forearm snapping out to block Lana's next attack. She was a blur of motion, her fists and feet flying. I'd seen her in action before, but never like this. She was a force of nature, and for a moment, I thought Kael would be overwhelmed.

But then, with a snarl, Kael's body shifted. He moved with a fluid grace, his muscles rippling under his skin. His eyes glowed, his wolf pressing so close to the surface, I thought he might burst forth.

Lana didn't back down. She pressed forward, her movements a dance of calculated strikes and feints. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the fight, even as my mind screamed to run. To get as far away from this madness as possible.

Kael wasn’t fighting. He was…but he wasn’t. Not the way he should be if he were a hired killer. He was on the defensive, but he wasn’t striking back. Lana stumbled, her back hitting a tree with a sickening thud.

Kael pulled me up from the ground as she stood there panting, her breath visible in the cold night air. I wanted to scream, but the gag still made it impossible for me to do more than grunt.

"Leave us if you want her safe." He held me effortlessly. I didn’t have the strength to fight him after I saw how useless it had been.

Lana laughed. "You fought the dagger in the tent. I saw it. You're not going to hurt her."

Kael's jaw clenched, his breath hot against my cheek. "You don't know what I'm capable of." He shifted his weight, his body pressing against mine.

Lana didn't flinch. "You think I won't call your bluff?" She took another step, her voice steady. "Let her go."

Kael's grip tightened. "The dagger has a claim on her. I need to break it.”

“Why?”

“It will help both of us. Callista will be free, and you won’t see me again.”

My wolf stood at attention when my name came out of his mouth. I’d forgotten he knew it.

“How do you plan to do that, considering we have no leads on this?” Lana pulled the dagger from her boot. She’d had it there pressed against her skin and didn’t once reach for it.

So. They were both holding back.

Lana's voice was like steel. "I don't care what you think you have to do. You touch her, and I will end you."

Kael's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought he was going to snap. But then he exhaled, his body relaxing slightly. "I know someone who understands the relics. But I take her alone.”

Lana's eyes narrowed. "And why should I trust you? You came here with the dagger knowing as much as we do."

Kael's eyes darted to the darkness behind Lana. He flinched at a distant snap of a branch. "Because I have no choice. I allowed you to keep the dagger. That should be all the proof you need.”

Lana didn't move, her expression unreadable.

Kael's grip tightened, and I winced. His breath was hot against my skin. "I don't have time to convince you."

I’d barely processed the words before being yanked deeper into the forest. The last thing I saw was Lana, her eyes wide as she cursed under her breath and followed after us.

Chapter

Eleven

Kael

Once I was sure we were far enough into the woods, I stopped, the pine needles crunching under my boots. I reached into my pack for a knife but decided against it. I didn't want to scare Callista, so I opted to untie the knot without tools.

My fingers slipped between Callista's skin and the fabric of the gag, and I unfastened it from the back of her neck. I pulled the fabric from between her lips. She gasped, her eyes snapping up to meet mine just as Lana stormed through the trees to stand next to us.

I didn’t want her there, but I knew she’d go straight to Rowan if I forced her back. She’d probably already contacted him through their pack bond, but since he hadn’t arrived with guns blazing, she must have sent some kind of a message to keep him away. That was good enough for now.

"Sorry, I—" I cleared my throat and rubbed the back of my neck. "We need to shift."

Lana worked to catch her breath. "Shift?"

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