Page 46 of Fated to the Feral Wolf

“But why would a Drakenia killer be here in Alaska? Do you think they were after Kane, trying to wipe out Alpha Kosta’s entire line?”

“He was running straight toward Bri,” I said.

“And you paid for my life with yours,” she whispered, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. “If it weren’t for you, Kane and I wouldbothbe dead.”

Oh yeah. They’d bonded, which meant when she died, he would too. Shit. My best friend was going to have an even larger target on her back now that they were bonded. It was way easier to take out the high alpha’s weaker mate than the most powerful male shifter in the entire world. But knowing that intellectually and watching it happen was very different.

“But I’m okay, Bri. And so are you.” I brushed off her tearful appreciation, which wasn’t usual for me, but the discomfort I had was growing by the minute, as everyone stared at me as if I were some sort of miracle. I was no miracle, just the same messed-up, shy female they knew and loved despite my idiosyncrasies. And I wanted to keep it that way.

I looked up at Dirge, a silent cry for help in my eyes.

Goddess’s hem, he was human. Full, rock-hard abs, stunning eyes, chin-length hair,human. Real, solid, and not a dream.

I mean, he might have been a wet dream, but he was not a figment of my imagination.

“You shifted,” I whispered, not wanting to have the conversation publicly, but nobody was moving, and I had to say it.

“I did,” he murmured against my hair, tucking me closer and holding me right under his chin. He stroked my back soothingly, as if I were a spooked fawn about to bolt.

Which was fairly accurate, so, wise on his part.

“But the vision?—”

“The vision came true before my eyes, Shay. You, collapsing under the clouds, life force draining away in my arms. Down to the light, every detail was as I saw three years ago.”

“Except I’m alive.”

“Except that,” he said with a nod.

“So that’s it? We’re free?”

He tensed beneath me and didn’t answer. But I didn’t have the chance to push further, because the pilots came jogging over.

“Alpha Kane, sir, I’m sorry to interrupt, but we’ve got a small window in which to get off the ground with this weather. I recommend we load everyone up—including, err, the body—and get back to Pack Blackwater territory to sort this out.”

“So not the Kodiak? But they’re waiting for us,” I murmured.

Dirge shook his head against my hair. “No, it’s not safe. You need to be surrounded by pack until we figure this out.”

I shoved back from his chest so I could see him better. “We don’t have that luxury, Dirge. We need to figure out what’s going on with Bri, and heck, I’d like to know what’s going on with me too. If Jada can tell us, we still need to go.”

Brielle pushed to her feet on shaking legs, but her gaze was firm when she leveled it on me. “No. I’ve put you in enough danger. You two are going home. Kane can take me to see Jada once you’re settled safely back on pack grounds.”

Anger burned through me, pushing away the last of the groggy confusion. I moved to stand, and this time, Dirge let me. He was on his feet a half second later, hand on my waist as he stood at my back. He was solid and comforting, and I resisted the urge to lean back into him. I had to stand on my own two feet right now.

“No. You don’t get to just shut us out, not now, not ever. We are your pack, yourfamily, and you’re not going through this alone. Leigh and I knew this would be dangerous,” I said, surprising myself with my own vehemence. But damn it, she wasn’t allowed to martyr herself. I’d been scared and alone, and I would wrap myself around her like a rabid spider monkey before I’d let her go off into danger alone.

“Youdied, Shay. Dead. No pulse, I checked. You didn’t sign up to die for me! And you shouldn’t have to!” She was yelling, backing away as if she was about to bolt for the plane, as if that would stop us. But Leigh, with her infinite near-mind-reading senses, was there first.

Leigh wrapped her in a hug, taking the spot Kane had vacated to speak with the pilot and deal with the assassin’s body. “It’s okay, Bri. She’s not dead. Goddess knows howanyof this works right now, but she’s alive.”

I crossed the distance, adding myself to the hug ball. Brielle sniffled into our shoulders, shaking with sobs. When she finally spoke again, her voice was small, terrified.

“I couldn’t save her, though, Leigh. I couldn’t save her. Her blood is onmyhands.”

The words made me suddenly aware of my own bloody, sticky clothes. But I’d already hugged her, so I just stayed where I was.

“Her blood is not on your hands. It’s on that asshole assassin over there.” Leigh jerked her thumb toward the corpse, which was being carried to the plane like a sack of potatoes. “Whoever sent him? Also responsible. You? Not responsible.You’re the victim here. Do you hear me? Doctors—even omega ones—can’t save everybody. And trying to will drive you crazy.”

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