Page 52 of Soul Fated

Kael cleared his throat. "Destin was like a father to me. He's the one the Alliance got their hands on."

"Alliance?"

Kael looked up. "You don't know about them?" I shook my head. "It's a group of three, maybe four alphas up north. They work together to maintain their packs, share resources, get through the winter. It's tougher up there."

"And they're the ones who hired you." Pieces were starting to click together. "Did you work with Nathan?"

Kael shook his head. "I was just there to clean up his mess."

That stung like a slap. Kael was hired to do what Nathan couldn't. Because he'd tried to kill me, tried to control Evelyn, and Rowan had ripped out his throat. This wasn't a game, and Kael, though he sat relaxed next to me, wasn't innocent. "I'm Nathan's mess," I whispered.

"That's not what I meant."

My eyes flashed. "But it's the truth." He didn't argue, and words bubbled up my throat before I could stop them. "Why didn't you kill me, Kael? In the tent. Why didn't you let me take the dagger and finish what Nathan started?"

“You heard me answer Rowan.” Kael pushed up, standing in the water.

“Right. You said you needed to be sure.”

“Exactly.” He turned and pressed his hand on the rock, readying himself to get out, but I wasn’t done with this conversation.

“Why can we talk? In wolf form?”

Kael hoisted himself up onto the rocks. “That’s a great question.”

“Kael.” I struggled up to the bank, storming after him back into the trees. “You don’t have any thoughts on that?” He didn’t turn. Didn’t answer. “Kael?—”

He spun and pulled me against his chest, his hand snapping around my waist like a bracelet. “You want to know my thoughts?” His head bowed toward me, his body rock hard against my stomach.

“Mmhmm.” I wet my lips, and his eyes turned liquid as he tracked the motion.

“I can’t take a mate.”

My breath caught as his hips rocked into mine. “I never said I wanted?—”

“I don’t have a pack. Zero stability. I don’t even have a home base.”

“Kael, I didn’t?—”

He brushed his lips over my jaw, and my eyelids closed involuntarily. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, then took my hand and walked me to the river.

Chapter

Twenty-Five

Callista

We ran as wolves through the woods in silence. When we got closer to the house, I dropped back and found my clothes. Kael didn’t have that option. His were next to the house, and by the time I saw why he shouldn’t rush out into the yard, it was too late to stop him.

“Taking a mid-day stroll?” Lana stood next to the backdoor, her hands on her hips.

Kael hesitated, then walked to his clothes and started dressing.

“Where is she,” Lana barked.

Kael didn’t answer, and I rushed to pull on my underwear.

“Answer me, asshole.”

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