Page 75 of Savage Fate

This was not who I pictured as Saint’s dad or the former alpha. “We wouldn’t want that. Youarevery pretty.”

“Thank you. I’m delighted you think so.” He elbowed Saint. “I like her. Let’s keep her around for a while. Maybe she can teach your sister the art of compliments.”

Saint attempted to smooth the hair his father had ruffled, but the black waves remained tousled and wild. “If we keep her, I’m pretty sure we’d have to make room for Fane Maverick. He wouldn’t be too happy without his mate.”

Ryland winced. “I’ve heard he’s quite grumpy. It’s probably best not to poke the bear.” He pursed his lips, tapping his chin. “Then again, I’d be willing to make room for Grumpy if we got to keep Tate around.”

“You are trouble, aren’t you?” A genuine smile crossed my mouth. “I bet you keep this guy on his toes.” I tilted my head toward his son.

“I sure as hell do.” Ryland playfully smacked Saint’s chest. “Got to keep the big bad alpha of Blackwater Falls sharp. Can’t let him get lazy and slow.”

“I think you have a little too much fun with it. You should—” Saint’s words suddenly cut off, and his head cocked to the side as a commotion reached my ears.

Josh, the healer who had cared for Hailey, burst into the room. “We have a problem, Saint.” His gaze flickered toward me. “I think her?—”

A fiery tingle erupted across my neck tattoo and then down my arm to my hand.

Yep. Fane was here. And he was most likely at the center of this problem.

I bolted out of the room and ran for the stairs. Even though I had no idea where they were in this maze of a house, I followed the invisible string pulling me toward my mate.

Saint, Ryland, and Josh trailed me, and before the stairs even came into view, a deep, threatening voice resonated.

“If you don’t get out of my way, Iwillmove you by any means necessary.”

Chapter

Twenty-Three

My pulse skyrocketed,and electricity simmered across my body as Fane came into view at the open front door, icy air drifting in. His mismatched irises—one gold and the other vibrant blue—glowed as his demon wolf paced just under the surface.

All the moisture zapped from my mouth. The dangerous atmosphere around him had my blood pumping.

“Fane.”

His head swiveled in my direction, sending a bolt of fire right to my gut.

“Fiera mika.”

His voice in my mind was a soft, sensual caress. If he didn’t touch me soon, I might explode.

But Xavier and two other male shifters blocked him from entering the house.

Fane’s nostrils flared. “This pack is about to be down a few members.”

It wasn’t a threat. He was dead serious.

Saint cursed as he followed me down the stairs. “Let him inside.Now.” His alpha power leaked into the room, and the three wolves moved aside.

Fane unnecessarily shoved Xavier out of the way and met me in the foyer, yanking me into his chest. Since he felt every bump, bruise, and cut, he knew exactly how to hug me without igniting even one flare of pain.

I inhaled his warm scent and buried myself against him. My neck tattoo crackled, shooting tingles down the ones on my arm and hand.

“Why do you insist on worrying me to death, Teague?” Fane growled in my ear, making me shiver. “Is it your mission to torment me?”

“You got me. I was put on this Earth for the sheer purpose of torturing you.” I kissed his throat, his pulse thundering against my lips. “That’s why I’m so good at it.”

Fane finally pulled back and brushed the hair out of my face, his nostrils flaring at the sight of the cuts and bruises marring the side. “Those bastards in the van got off lucky. If I’d been the one to kill them, they would have endured slow, painful deaths where I broke every bone in their bodies before ripping them apart limb by limb.”

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