Page 34 of Savage Fate

Fane was an apex predator. And he’d just made himself known.

I slammed my hands over my ears, and Saint staggered back. Unease twisted through my gut. My shifter senses told me that was no ordinary roar.

It meant something.

Several howls followed in the distance, only further intensifying my dread.

“What did you do?” I hissed.

“What needed to be done.”

Saint’s teeth bared as his irises went from silver to gold, glowing like two burning suns. “Challenge accepted, Maverick.”

Oh, hell no.

“Absolutely not!” I shoved my way between them, getting slammed with heat and power on both sides. Challenging someone in the shifter world meant a fight. Challenging an alpha meant taking his or her pack and a possible fight to the death.

Neither of those things was happening because of me. Enough blood stained my hands, and I wasn’t about to let these two add to it.

“I will wring both your necks for this idiotic bullshit.” Why the hell did fate suddenly feel the need to add another damn love triangle in my life? I’d already been through this with Hawk. “Fane and I are mated. End of story.” I lifted my hand to Saint’s face, pointing out the tattoos that appeared when the demon shifter claimed me.

Footsteps hit the ground nearby, and several figures burst through the trees. Ephraim, Camus, and Preston headed toward us, taking in the decapitated demon bodies while a blond guy darted toward Saint.

“Will someone talk some sense into these two before I have to—” The air fled my lungs as Preston grabbed me around the waist, lifted me, and dragged me away from Fane and Saint.

“You shouldn’t be standing between two male wolves on the verge of a serious fight.” Preston set me on my feet while his father and the Mohan alpha flanked Fane’s sides.

The other wolf stood by Saint. “What the hell is going on? I’m your beta. You need to start talking.”

“Did you really challenge him, Fane?” Worry lines developed across Ephraim’s forehead beneath his copper hair.

Fane rolled his thick shoulders, taking so much effort to keep his wolf beast from erupting out. “Yeah, I did.”

I wriggled out of Preston’s hold and marched toward them, but he blocked my path.

“I’m serious, Tate.” He lifted his palms. “Please, stay back. Let my dad and Camus figure out what’s going on.”

“I’ll tell you what’s going on.” Fane jerked his head toward Saint. “He thinks he can steal my mate.”

Saint scoffed. “I think you’re leaving a very important fact out, Fane.” His gaze, still burning gold, darted toward me. “Tate was just revealed as my fated mate.”

Curses ricocheted around the small group, and heat pooled in my cheeks as they stared at me. Why did I feel like this was somehow my fault?

“Are you serious?” Saint’s beta scrutinized me and then Saint. “It finally happened?”

“Yeah, but she’s already taken.” Fane tried to step closer to the young alpha, but Camus and Ephram held him back. “And your alpha thinks he can just waltz in here and take what’s mine. I had no choice but to challenge him.”

Saint pulled out of his beta’s grip. “No one’s planning on stealing anyone, Maverick. I just deserve a chance to talk to Tate, at the very least.”

“That seems reasonable.” The beta shrugged.

Fane glared daggers at the guy. “Keep your opinion to yourself, Avery. And any mated male faced with this wouldn’t be reasonable, especially me.”

“Isn’t anyone the least bit curious as to why there are a bunch of dead demons lying around?” I motioned my hand at the mess of pale bodies covered in glistening black blood. “A group of skalae sub-demons was slinking right outside the territory lines.”

Preston nudged a corpse with his boot. “You and Fane obviously got them.”

“But there could be more.” I gave Camus a pointed look. “Aren’t you worried?”

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