Page 39 of Owning His Mate

Her chin lifts slightly to accommodate the way she swallows. “I can’t let you do that. They’ll be here soon.”

“Who will?” I inch further around the edge of the bed, in movements small enough not to cause alarm, putting myself closer to the human. It’s then I notice a little girl pressed against the wall. How the fuck did I not see her?

You’re barely standing. Cut yourself some slack.

My vision chooses that moment to wobble, forcing me to blink to clear it. I’m running on pure adrenaline and fueled by my anger right now.

“You have no idea what she can do. Apryle is a rare jewel, you see, and that’s why I can’t let you leave with her. We were lucky that you crossed our path today. We weren’t looking for you, but for another one of the children.”

I have no idea what this crazy female is talking about, and I don’t care. This ends now. Considering my size, I’m surprisingly fast as I round the bed and slam my hand around her throat. In a move I would never pull with any other woman, I force her down onto the ground, her small frame disappearing beneath my far larger one.

The panicked scream that tears out of her throat is not fake. I squeeze her neck, watching her eyes bulge as she realizes her life is about to end in this small, sterile room. Her fingers claw at my hands, trying to stop me from killing her, but I’m not losing my mate.

My wolf howls his excitement as our prey slackens her jaw and red lines spiderweb through her irises before the light vanishes from them.

Panting, my chest heaving, I sink back onto my heels. I don’t feel remorse for ending her life. It was her or us, and I’ll chooseus every time. Slowly, mindful of my injuries, which are flaring up as my adrenaline fades, I climb back to my feet.

As I turn back to the bed, the little girl I hadn’t seen as a threat is standing in front of Apryle, her hard gaze fixed on me. She looks truly pitiful, her skin tight across her emaciated bones, and yet she’s facing me down as if she’s planning to fight me.

“It’s okay, Savannah,” Apryle slurs the words a little. “He’s friendly.”

The little girl, Savannah apparently, pulls her gaze away from me to look at Apryle. “Who is he?”

Apryle’s eyes meet mine, hers softening in a way they never have before, and the bond flares and pulses between us, warming every cell in my body.

“He’s my mate.”

Chapter 10

Apryle

As much as I hate to admit it, there is something super sexy about the way Kye rolled in here like a damn action hero to save my life. That feeling fades pretty fast when I realize he’s barely keeping himself upright. My stomach twists as he leans heavily on the edge of the gurney I’m lying on, and I don’t miss the way he sways as he starts undoing my bindings.

“Hey,” I say softly, wishing my arms were free so I could touch him. “Are you okay?”

He blinks, as if trying to clear his head. “Are you hurt?” he rasps, dodging my question as he reaches for the buckles holding my arms down.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

“I’m fine,” he grinds out, freeing my left arm first.

“Sure you are.” I roll my eyes, and the motion makes my vision wink out momentarily. “Is being a stubborn asshole part of your persona?” I ask as I blink to bring things back into focus. I’m so tired, I just want to sleep, but we have to get out of here, and I’m not sure how the three of us are going to handle that.

He moves to the right, ignoring my words, but his lips twitch in what I’ve come to understand is amusement. I study every inch of his face as our bond pulses between us, growing instrength every second. I thought we were connected before, but this is deeper than I could have ever imagined. I don’t know where he starts and where I end.

And I don’t hate it.

In fact, I feel whole for the first time in my life. Kye has given me something I never expected—a sense of belonging. More than that, he makes me feel like I’m part of something.

As soon as my arm is free, I sit up—or try to. My body is sluggish, my movements awkward, but I pull him against me, crushing my face to his chest, and I hold on to him as if he is my salvation.

His arms wrap around me instantly, cocooning me in his warmth as his fingers trail through the hair at the back of my neck. It is as if all the rotten pieces of my life are replaced with shiny new ones—and they are Kye-shaped.

I cling to him, my body light for the first time since I woke in that room. “I was so scared,” I admit.

“I was too. Do you have any idea where we are?”

I shake my head. “These lunatics aren’t with the Order, though. They have something to do with Revna.”

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