Page 40 of The Highseer's Mate

The leathers hanging across the opening of our chamber ruffle and I flinch. I’m buck naked. I scramble to grab a fur to cover myself when Varek’s eyes pop open.

He springs up, shoving me behind his body with a harsh growl.

It’s Draxel.

Draxel hangs his head, not looking at either of us. “I wouldn’t have interrupted but it’s important.”

I wrap an arm around Varek’s middle as his shoulders relax. He lets out a ragged breath and places his hand over mine, giving me a tight squeeze. My heart clenches.

“Go on,” Varek rasps.

“They can’t wait any longer.”

Varek’s jaw tightens and he eyes me quickly before returning his attention to the other male. “Dead?”

“If not, then close to it.”

An uncomfortable feeling forms in my belly. Like a hard rock telling me something isn’t right. They are speaking too vaguely and when Varek shifts away from me to stand, I know something is wrong.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

Varek reaches for his leathers and slides them on. “The humans,” he murmurs.

I squeeze the furs in my hand, clutching them to my chest as my heart rate picks up. I look between Varek and Draxel who is still looking down at the floor.

“What do you mean? Not dead but close to it?” I stand, tugging the furs around my body and following my mate. I pull him by the arm, forcing him to look at me. “What’s going on?”

“Draxel has been watching them. They haven’t taken our provisions and something is wrong. He can smell a sickness in their blood.”

My eyes go wide. “And you’re just telling me this now?”

“You were unconscious. You needed to take our bond or else you would—”

“Die like they might!” I shout at him, pushing him back. I toss aside the furs and reach for my leathers. “We have to go get them.”

Varek growls, a sound so possessive and deep it sends a shiver down my spine. He yanks me behind him, covering my body with his own.

“Draxel, eyes down,” my mate barks.

I quickly drag on the soft leathers, settling them in place over my body that still feels a little sore. All I can think about is the work sickness.

What kind of sickness?

I finish tying my leathers and Varek relaxes. “Come on. We’ve waited long enough.”

“No,” Varek barks. He turns to Draxel and opens his mouth like he’s about to give out another order, but I’m not having it.

“Yes. We can help them. Bring them back here.”

“We can’t,” he answers. “All we can do now is keep their existence a secret. It’s too late. They don’t belong here.”

I shake my head, tossing my hair out of my face and huffing. “Yeah, well I didn’t think I did either, but look at us now.”

I look up at him. He appears rested, but the angry pinch of his face reminds me of the way I saw him when he tore open the door to the ship. A stranger.

“We’re going to get them.”

“No, Paige. You’re staying here. I won’t put you at risk.” He reaches for my cheek as if to calm me down but I shove his hand out of the way.

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