Page 50 of The Blood Moon Oath

She’s quiet for a moment, her gaze lingering on me before she looks away, her lips pressing together like she’s trying to decide if she should say something else. But then, just like that, she’s back to the Sable I’m used to: sharp, confident, maybe a little too curious for her own good.

She starts asking questions, her voice light, casual, like she’s pretending she doesn’t care about the answers. “So, whatexactly are we doing out here? You said perimeter, but what’s the deal with it?”

I glance at her sideways, my grin pulling at the corner of my lips. “Not gonna get any good info out of me, kitten,” I tease, knowing exactly where this is going. “I’m not giving you any details that’ll help you escape.”

She bristles at that, a low laugh escaping her as she elbows me in the ribs. “I’m not looking for an escape, Torin. I just want to know what’s going on.”

I snort, shaking my head. “Sure you are. But that’s not how this works.”

She smirks up at me, the challenge in her eyes making my pulse jump. “I can get it out of you if I really wanted to,” she says, her tone a little too serious.

I’m fighting the urge to laugh, to tease her back, but I elbow her lightly in the side, watching the way her body shifts with the movement. She smiles, just for a second, before turning her attention back to the road ahead.

“I’ll tell you a little bit,” I start, my voice lowering slightly. “The perimeter is there to make sure no unwanted guests slip through. We keep an eye on the barrier, the edge of the warlock realm, making sure nothing gets too close. It’s our job to guard the border between our world and the human realm. Not a whole lot of people know about the barrier, but we keep it tight. Especially now with the Blood Moon truce active.”

She looks at me, eyebrow raised. “So the keep is right on the edge of both realms?”

“Yeah,” I answer, glad she’s keeping up with me. “The barrier isn’t exactly a solid wall—it’s more like... a thinning of the lines between the realms. It’s not easy to pass through unless you know what you’re doing, but when the Blood Moon hits, it becomes easier for others to pass through. So we’ve got to be extra careful.”

She seems to mull that over, but then she hits me with the next question. “Why do you need to do this? Aren’t you and your brothers in charge of the whole place? Why do you waste your time doing something like this?”

I let out a low chuckle, glancing at her. “We are in charge, yeah. But that doesn’t mean we don’t get restless. I’m not much for sitting around all day while others do the boring shit. Helps keep me out of trouble. And you, Sable? You get bored too, don’t you?”

She doesn’t answer right away, but I can see the flicker in her eyes—the truth behind it. She’s more like me than she wants to admit. I’ve seen the way she moves, the way she can’t sit still, how every breath she takes feels like she’s on the edge of something. She’s got that same need for action, for excitement.

We keep walking in silence for a moment, the only sound being the crunch of snow beneath our boots. Then, she looks up at me again. “What about Finn? Kael?”

I feel the question before it hits me. She’s been dying to ask about them, to know more. She’s not stupid. She knows something’s off with those two.

“Finn’s got issues,” I say with a shrug, not really wanting to dive too deep, but knowing she’s not going to let it go. “He’s got a temper, and he doesn’t do well with people who try to get close. Especially women. He trusts people about as much as I trust a snake in my boot. He’s a pain in the ass, but he knows how to get shit done when it matters.”

I can see her digesting that, thinking it over, but she doesn’t say anything. Instead, she asks about Kael.

“Kael’s different,” I continue, the words slipping easily out of me. “He’s colder, more controlled. He’s the one who runs things when the rest of us are too busy with other shit. He’snot... easy to read. But if you’ve got a problem, he’ll fix it. No questions asked.”

She looks at me with something like understanding, but she doesn’t press further.

Finally, we reach the edge of the warlock realm, the air feeling different here. Thinner. There’s a faint hum in the air, a pulse that resonates just under my skin, and I know we’re crossing into the human realm.

I stop and turn to face her. She’s watching me with those sharp eyes, waiting for something.

“You ready?” I ask, my grin widening.

“For what?” she asks, looking confused.

I step forward, too close, and lean in just enough to catch her off guard.

Then, without warning, I shift. My bones crack, my body stretching, and within seconds, I’m no longer standing in front of her as Torin.

I’m a goddamn sabertooth.

The world shifts around me as I crouch, massive paws landing in the snow, my fangs glistening in the moonlight. I growl low, the sound rumbling through the air, feeling the power surge through me.

Sable steps back, eyes wide, her body tense with shock.

“Don’t worry, kitten.”I use my power to push my voice into her mind, a deep growl, still very much me despite the shift.“It’s just a little show of strength. We’re crossing into the human realm. You’re gonna need to keep up.”

Her eyes narrow, but she’s not scared—no, she’s intrigued. “You’re really doing this now?” she asks, half-amused.

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