Page 89 of Owning His Mate

“Where is your sister now?” Callum asks.

“I don’t know. Freya isn’t like me. She was soft, gentle, and she could not stand constantly fighting for survival. She was tired, and she asked me to wipe her mind clear so she could start again somewhere away from him. So that’s what I did. I bound her powers, and I sent her out into the world to live normally. Even if I met her in the street, she wouldn’t know me.”

“I don’t understand what any of this has to do with Apryle,” I grumble, getting frustrated.

We don’t need all the background information. It doesn’t help us understand whatever vision Hester had.

“My brother was a very accomplished hunter. He killed many tau over the years. As each generation grew, so did hisdesperation. He could see the writing on the wall. My mother’s offspring were going to populate every corner of the globe. He couldn’t have that. So he created the Order of the Crescent Moon. It was made up of his sons and daughters, their sons and daughters, and their only job was to hunt down hybrids. My mother saw her family die day after day, her bloodline diminishing.” She takes a deep breath before continuing.

“We were fighting so hard for our survival, but ultimately our father drove her to insanity, and even after he died, that madness grew. But my mother was a good person. She gave herself up in exchange for Erik, allowing her children to exist. He agreed, but when she got to the meeting point, he double-crossed her. His Seidh witches trapped her in a space that exists between time and nothing.”

She drags her fingers through her hair, her distress evident. It helps lend credence to her story. “Those witches had their own children and at some point crossed paths with wolves, and another tau line was created. There are a handful of that Seidh’s descendants still alive today.”

“I’m one of them, aren’t I?” Apryle whispers. “Savannah too.”

My throat tightens as new fear mixes with my existing worry. I don’t care who she is, I will not allow anyone to harm my mate. I will die for her.

“I believe so.” Hester’s expression is a little sad as she adds, “Your ancestors’ blood was used to trap Revna using blood magic. It’s a horrible, terrible spell, and only the blood of the witch who created it can undo it. Revna’s supporters think they can use the Seidh’s descendants’ blood instead.”

“That’s what you saw, wasn’t it? You saw my blood being used to free her.”

Fuck no.

No one is using Apryle’s blood for anything. My wolf growls, and I snarl at this female, ready to defend my mate.

Easy,big guy,Apryle murmurs in my head.

I will killher before I let her near you,I warn, meaning every word of it.

I’m so distractedby our conversation that I almost miss Hester saying, “I’m sorry, Apryle, but you’re going to kill us all.”

And then she launches at my mate, and the last thing I see is a glint of metal coming toward Apryle’s heart.

Chapter 23

Apryle

Isee the knife as it comes toward me. Instinctively, I reach for my magic at the last second, deflecting the blade away from my heart and pushing it at Hester at the same time. Pain flashes through my shoulder as it slices through the skin near my armpit before it flies backward, as if being dragged by an imaginary rope.

“Apryle!” Savannah’s voice splits the air, and as desperate as I am to check on her, I have to focus on survival. “Get away from her!”

A piercing scream has my hands covering my ears, not caring that I’m covered in blood. It’s Savannah. It’s Savannah screaming. Power is gathering momentum around her, and I can tell she’s about to direct that magic at Hester. Before she can unleash it, I wrap my arms around her, pulling her against my chest and effectively cutting off her scream.

“Savannah, stop! I’m okay.”

As I stumble back holding her, the males subdue Hester quickly and my wolf surges to the surface, roaring her anger.

Now you choose to turn up…

Give me control.The order fills my mind, but I ignore it. There is no point in giving her control because we have nevermanaged to shift and that isn’t suddenly about to change. Like most tau, I am latent.

When I don’t do as she commands, she retreats back into my mind, leaving me alone with only the mating bond. Kye doesn’t try to mask either his fear or fury, and I don’t send reassuring vibes through the bond. Nothing I do is going to make this situation better.

Holding Savannah against me with one hand, I press the other to the wound on my shoulder. Blood trickles between my fingers, warm and viscous, staining my shirt. My mate approaches me cautiously—not because he’s afraid of me, but because of Savannah.

“Sav, Kye’s going to come to us.”

“Okay,” she whispers.

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