Page 74 of Owning His Mate

“We all are. I think you’d be weird if you weren’t.”

He squeezes my shoulder in a rare show of support.

“Every day we get closer to freedom, Kye. We just have to keep fighting a little longer.”

I glance back at the door. “What do you think will happen if they free Revna?”

Beck blows out a breath. “I don’t know.”

Irritation flares through me. I have never been so helpless. I can’t make this better for Apryle or Savannah, and that makes me useless. It is my job to protect them, to keep them safe, and I still don’t know what side we’re meant to be fighting on.

Chapter 18

Apryle

Two days after Savannah conjured the female, Callum orders the compound to get ready for war.

Kye’s mood, which was already sour, becomes positively hostile to everyone apart from me and Savannah. Nothing I say improves his mood, and I’m not sure I should try. His feelings about this are valid.

It sucks.

I don’t want to be preparing for war any more than he does, but here we either fight or we die—there is no in between.

I keep close to his side as we enter the main hall. Every training mat is occupied, and the smell of magic is thick in the air as tau practice using their powers over and over.

Cold fills my stomach as I glance around the space. This is really happening. We’re going to fight for our kind, we’re going to reclaim our lives, and I don’t know how we do that without huge casualties.

I tighten my grip on Savannah’s hand as Kye wraps his fingers around my nape, kneading the tight muscles. I don’t want to scare Savannah, but he can feel my apprehension through the bond.

“I’ll take care of you,” he whispers softly, the cloud of anger that has followed him the past few days lifting for a moment.

“I know,” I assure him, because I do.

Kye is never going to let anything happen to me. Against all the odds and all the dangers, my mate will protect me, just as I will protect him. I’m not losing anyone.

“Let’s find the others,” I say.

It takes some searching, but my coven and pack are tucked away at the top end of the hall. Halle slides off the picnic table where she’s sitting to come to us.

“Hey, kid.” She ruffles Savannah’s hair before giving me her attention. “Callum’s moving the female tomorrow.”

“Where?” Kye growls.

“Easy,” Halle says, and I don’t miss Cade coming off the mat where he’s sparring with his brother. “I’m not the enemy.”

“Yeah, easy, Kye. Don’t get into a fight with the pack,” I chastise.

He rolls his eyes, but he does calm his anger. “Where are they taking her?”

“I don’t know. He wouldn’t say—probably because he knew you’d react like this.”

“I want her dead,” Kye growls.

“Hey, Savannah, why don’t you go and see your aunt Tessa?” I give her a gentle nudge in the direction of Tessa and the others.

She glances up at me, as if saying she knows I’m getting her out of the way so we can talk, but she still wanders over to Tessa, climbing onto the bench next to her. She’s taken a real shine to the moon-touched wolf, and when Tessa meets my gaze, I give her a look that she understands immediately.

I watch as she stands so she and Abel can lead Savannah over to the food counter.

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