Page 82 of Shadow Bound

Wiping the blood from my knives on my leather pants, I look at the blonde alpha female. She stares back at me with shock and confusion in her pale green eyes. “Ryker said you were here, but I honestly didn’t believe him until now,” she stammers. “Never thought I’d be allies with the woman whoshotme.”

Sheathing the knives in their holsters on my thigh, I say, “I never thought I’d have allies, but clearly things change.”Everything has changed.

“Clearly,” Pruitt drawls.

“Come on, we need to get you home.” I nudge my head in the direction of the waiting car. “It’s not safe out here in the open.”

Jax, who’s been standing over the vampire he’d taken care of, gives me a knowing look. “Figured out how to be the good guy, didn’t you?”

“I’m still learning, but yes.” My lips tug, remembering our conversation in the parking garage over a year ago. The conversation that started all of this. The conversation that gave me the push I needed to change. I don’t like owing people, but I owe Jax. “You were right, it feels good to not be the villain in the story.”

* * *

Anxiety pooledin my stomach like liquid fire on the drive back to pack territory. I knew going tonight was the right thing to do, but trying to convince Ransom of that is going to suck. He’s still pissed I left with Winslow the other day. He said he’d punish me if I did it again, I believe him. There was nothing but truth in his eyes and voice when he threatened me. Granted, I found the whole exchange hot as hell, but I’m not in the mood to fight tonight.

I’m tired and I’m hungry. The desire to crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head is strong.

The happy, practically giddy energy coming off of Pruitt in the car was almost suffocating, but I’m happy for her. I can’t imagine how hard it’s been to be away from her mate—her other half—for so long. Their small visits here and there aren’t enough. Mates aren’t supposed to be apart like they were. She called him from the car, her face lighting up with pure joy when she heard his voice.

Jax, who drove, seemed almost… nervous? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like that before. Like me, he was trained to perform under pressure, to not show any stress. Which is why it’s weird he was so blatantly uneasy in the car. His big hands twisted and tapped on the leather steering wheel like he couldn’t sit still.

Even now as he pulls up to Pruitt and Ryker’s white lake house, his eyes frantically search the area. At first, I think he’s looking for more attackers, but when he finds that no one is there, the flash of disappointment on his face informs me that I’m wrong. Who did he want to find standing out here?

The question is quickly forgotten when the front door of the house is ripped open and Ryker comes flying outside. Pruitt is out of the car in a flash, clearing the space with one leap as she flings herself into his waiting tattooed arms. They kiss and hug, whispering sweet nothings to each other. Seeing them reunited makes my heart soar.

For a long time, I thought there was nothing but darkness and ugliness in the world, but this couple is proof that despite the bad, there is still so much good. And together mates can withstand anything. Mate… the word that never meant shit to me before, now plays on repeat in my head. The weight of it crushes my chest.

My eyes search for him of their own accord, but like Jax, I’m disappointed when I don’t find who I’m looking for.

“I never thought I’d see the day,” Jax suddenly says from the front seat, drawing my attention to him. I meet his eyes through the rearview mirror.

“I’m not following.”

“I never thought I’d see the day where the stone-cold Isabeau Claremont allowed herself to havefeelings,” he clarifies. “I always knew you had them, but I figured they were forever stuck behind the walls of ice you’d put up.” He’s not far off, I’ll give him that. “So, when did it happen?” he asks, a knowing look in his violet eyes.

I raise a brow, needing further clarification on his question.

“When did you discover you’re capable of caring—of love?” He continues. “I think I already know who melted the ice, but I want to hear you say it out loud.”

Once more I look around the house and surrounding woods for the source of the man who melted my icy heart. The warm, complex man I’m drawn to like a moth to a flame. Still not finding him I return my attention to Jax. My heart squeezes in my chest painfully as I make my admission for the first time. “Ransom.” My voice is a hoarse whisper. “I care about Ransom.”

“I’d bet money that you more than care.”

“You’d win that bet,” I sigh. “He’s umm...”Fuck. “He’s my bloodmate.”

Jax’s dark brows shoot up. “No shit? That’s unexpected, but now it makes sense why you were willing to let him in so fast. Blood calls to blood.” He turns in his seat so we aren’t looking at each other through the mirror. “Does he know?”

“No.” I shake my head. “I don’t know how to tell him and I’m not sure I want him to know. I might kill him.”

“Beau, you might be one of the strongest people I know,” Jax says. “If you truly love him, you’ll find the willpower to stop before you go too far.” His eyes dart to the window when two more people walk up to Ryker and Pruitt. Remington and Gage. Jax’s eyes swirl with annoyance, maybe even anger, as he watches them. Jax doesn’t like Remington? Upon further inspection, I realize I’m wrong. It’s not Remi he’s glaring at. It’s Gage.

Interesting.

“Doessheknow?” I fire his words back at him.

Jax’s only response is to clear his face of any and all emotion and climb from the car. Remington’s blue eyes never leave him as he approaches the group.

When I follow behind, Ryker casts me a look. I’m used to finding hostility in his eyes, but this time I only find granite. “Thank you for going out there.”

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