Page 50 of Fated to the Feral Wolf

“It was our fault, Jada. We have failed you and submit ourselves to your hand for punishment.” Finn’s chagrined voice spoke into the silence, and I turned halfway so I could see both them and Shay as the thuds of knees hitting rock echoed through the chamber. Finn and Hudson held Dax between them, his shoulders bowed as if with great effort to stay down before the leader of the Kodiaks.

“Explain yourselves.” Her eyes were cold, with no hint of softness in them for the errant males. I placed myself in front of Shay when I realized threemoregiant bears loomed behind Jada.

They were older, with none of the youthful vigor the three cubs who’d been sent to greet us had, and I relaxed a fraction when I realized that they were her sleuth—her three mates. They stood guard much as I did and had no interest in harming Shay.

“It’s strange, Jada. I just shook her hand, and it was like she zapped me,” Hudson said, sounding apologetic.

I stiffened, shocked at the assertion. She’d zapped him? How the heck had that happened, and what did it mean?

“I mentioned it to my sleuth mates, and they agreed that we should all shake her hand, to see if she responded to all of us.”

Fury built in my chest, scalding me like acid. These fools thought that my mate was theirs. What else could be the purpose of all of them touching her? Now I wanted to ripalltheir heads off, not just the handsy one’s.

“These are our honored guests, come to seek my counsel.” Jada’s voice rang with indignation, and Hudson ducked his head. “And I sincerely hope that the rest of this explanationinvolves you being respectful and speaking with the girl about your suspicions rather than doing something asinine.”

“It’s my fault, Jada.” Dax’s voice was heavy with his bear when he met her eyes, and I noted with concern that fur had sprouted along both his forearms, thick and golden brown as the bear fought to break free. “I was just going to stand next to her, try to catch her scent without risking the touch. You know I have poor control.”

The woman nodded, eyes narrowing.

“But when I got a whiff, I couldn’t stop. She smells like heaven, like home. I— I touched her. Grabbed her. If there is any shame brought to my sleuth, and to you, I bear the burden of it.” His head dropped, hanging off his shoulders with the weight of it.

Meanwhile, my wolf was clawing at me even harder. She smelled like heaven? I’d give him a piece of hell for daring to take liberties with my female. Shay wasnothis. Gael sidled up to my side.

“Easy, friend. They are not going to take her from you. Jada is reputed to be a fair, wise leader, and she will deal with him appropriately. You got your licks in. Now it’s time to let it go.”

My head swiveled toward him as my lip lifted, the snarl right there on the edge, fangs fully descended in my mouth.

He held up both hands in a placating gesture. “You’ve come so far in a short amount of time. I’d hate to see you slip back because of this.”

The words struck me like a battering ram. Was I slipping backward? My vision was still red tinged, my wolf on a hair trigger.

Shit, shit, shit.

I couldn’t let myself go feral again, not now, not ever. The mocking voice in the back of my head taunted me, eager to watch me fall.

You’re a feral wolf. Finding your mate isn’t going to change that.

Once a loose cannon, always a loose cannon.

You skirted the Fetya’s prophecy. Going feral again and killing her yourself would be a solid punishment for that.

Oh, Goddess save me from my own critical thoughts. But once I’d thought them, they wouldn’t let me go. Wehadskirted the Fetya’s vision. Shay, my beautiful Shay, was alive and whole. Smiling at me and looking up at me like I hung the stars to shine on her.

She was supposed to be dead, and they would exact that price. But would it be me who killed her, with my own lack of control? Or would they strike in some other, unexpected way?

I didn’t know, and the fear that took hold of me then was worse than anything I’d ever felt, except the pain of her lying limp and bloody in my arms.

I never wanted to live through that again.

“Is she not mated to the one who guards her? It’s extremely unusual for a wolf to mate with a bear sleuth. It’s not in their nature to live as we do.” She gestured lightly to the three men bracketing her, then to the clustered youths kneeling before her.

“We don’t know, Jada.” The last one spoke up. Finn, the leader of our star-crossed welcoming party. “We’ve never felt anything like it. I have not touched her, and even so, I feel the pull.”

The woman’s brows drew down as she peered past me to where Shay now stood more solidly, still hanging on to Leigh.

Jada paced forward, her complement of mates flowing behind her like water. Before I could move to intercept, Gael grabbed me by the biceps.

“Hold tight. She’s not going to hurt Shailene, and she might know what’s going on.”

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