Page 53 of Loki's Enemy Mate

“I think it’s our best chance at survival.”

My bottom lip quivered, fear still flooding my system. “Not everyone is going to live through this. You know that.”

“I know,” he nodded. “And as awful as it is, sometimes being a leader means you bring home as many as you can instead of everyone. Our only other choice is to kill your father now and hope the pack follows us because neither of us are strong enough to take on Thor and Baldr alone, I can promise you that.”

I stared at Loki for a long moment, my hands shaking as I held him. “I want to try to save him,” I said at last. “I know he might not be worth it, and he probably won’t ever give up his ideals. But I have to try, right? I can’t just give up on him.”

Loki nodded, a note of sadness in his expression. I didn’t need to ask to understand what it meant. We both knew that the reason other wolves were going to die in this war was because I wasn’t strong enough to kill my own father. I couldn’t destroy the monster he’d become because all I saw when I looked at him was the man I’d looked up to as a boy. Somewhere, deep under that extremist insanity that had overtaken him was the man that took me fishing for the first time, taught me how to hunt, and took care of me when it felt like my own mother abandoned me.

As much as I knew I should hate him, I couldn’t. So yes, wolves were going to get caught up in this war and some of themwould die. I just hoped that when it was all said and done, the future would be worth the sacrifice. And even though I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Loki in my arms, I wasn’t a coward. I was willing to lay down my own life if that’s what it took to get the job done.

“You’re a good son,” Loki said, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Any father would be lucky to have you.”

“You are too,” I replied. “I didn’t know your father but from what you’ve told me… I think he’d be proud of you for trying to save your people.”

Loki’s eyes glistened, but tears didn’t fall. Instead, he just nodded.

“I love you, Hamball.”

“I love you too, Dinky.” With one last deep breath I took his hand and pulled him toward the treeline. “Stay close to me.”

“Always.”

Hand in hand, we stepped into the bright sunlight. There was a light dusting of snow in the village, although the majority of it clung to the rooftops where the sun seemed to have less effect. The forest was naked now, all those beautiful golden leaves rotting on the ground under the snow. The air was crisp, and I could see our breath fogging in front of us as we walked. Loki kept his fingers laced in mine as we went, always in step with me.

The Skoll pack was small, but it didn’t take long for someone to notice us. First was a woman, one of the few with cubs in the pack. She scooped up both her children and ran inside one of the dilapidated houses. A few seconds later, her mate appeared, a loaded shotgun in his hands. However, the moment he saw me, his jaw fell open and the gun swung down to face the porch. A moment later we were spotted again, then again. But this time, one of them ran for my father’s house.

It seemed like my moment to return to the land of the living had come. In a matter of seconds, my father was going to walk through that front door, and he was going to see Loki. I hoped against hope that he’d be so overwhelmed with joy at my being alive that he’d hardly notice the man at my side or the fact that his scent proved we were mated.

However, as the front door swung open and my father stepped out onto the front porch, there was no change in his expression. He wore the same look of apathetic disgust that he always wore these days. Even when I was too close to doubt who I was, he didn’t budge. But the moment his gaze went to Loki, his thin lips curled into a snarl of disgust.

“What thefuckis this?!” he spat, using his only hand to point at Loki. “You know we don’t take prisoners here, boy!”

“He’s not my prisoner,” I replied, my heart sinking as I realized the truth. He’d become such a monster that he didn’t even see me anymore. He didn’t give a shit that I was still alive. So, I supposed there was no reason to beat around the bush. “He’s my mate.”

My father’s face turned from white, to red, to purple in a matter of seconds. I heard the deep growl in his chest and watched his muscles swell. Fangs filled his mouth as claws extended from his fingertips. My proclamation had made him so angry that he’d spontaneously shifted into his Alpha form. I wasn’t sure if I was terrified or proud of myself. Still, I knew I at least had his attention.

“How dare you shame this family with your…deviance,” he growled, the sound shaking the very stones.

“Mates are determined by the gods,” I replied, doing everything I could to keep my cool. “Who are you to question them?”

“I’m the leader of this pack!”

“And we are werewolves,” I said calmly. “And we have to follow our instincts when it comes to matters of mate bonding.”

“Just because we’re werewolves doesn’t mean we’re not mountain people too!” my father roared, pointing a threatening finger at Loki. “Hisfamily was disloyal! They broke us all apart with their welcoming of strangers and new ways! They put all of us in danger! And now their Alpha is dating a human!” He turned his gaze on me, his eyes burning with golden light. “We take care of our own!”

“Take care of our own?” I scoffed, anger getting the better of me. “Was that what you were doing when you abandoned me at the bottom of that cavern with a man that you’ve labeled theenemy?”

His rage faltered. But it wasn’t sadness that filled his voice, it was concern. His Alpha form slowly began to fade as he formulated a response.

“I… I thought you were dead.”

“Yeah, but did you even fuckingcheck?! NO! You just walked away like you always do, letting others take the fall for your decisions!” I gestured to the small Skoll pack that had now surrounded us. “Not to mention all the others you’ve sacrificed along the way. Tell me, what part of our pack has remained unbroken thanks to yourcare?”

“You better watch your fucking mouth, boy,” he growled, his brows furrowed.

“Or what? You’ll drop me down a hole again and leave me to rot?! I’m your SON! You need me to lead this pack when you’re gone!”

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