Page 64 of Destined Mate

Of course they were. Asshats. But Charles shouldn’t have been surprised. When he, Pearl, and the other wolves attacked me in Hells Canyon, I’d given a good fight. They hadn’t taken me down right away, and I’d been more outnumbered.

“They were watching me.” The words came more easily, but the room still spun. I took in a ragged breath and focused. They needed to know this, so I had to get this out for their interrogation. “I sensed them, but I pretended I didn’t. I pretended to rest and texted you and Stevie.” I paused, needing to center myself.

Theo’s brows creased. “But they remained even after that? You’d think they’d have realized you were aware of them.”

Now that I thought about it, they probably had. Scouts had gotten caught on Bodey’s uncle’s pack land, so they weren’t cautious. Maybe they’d wanted me to know they were there. From what Bodey had said, when the scouts had run away from his uncle’s pack, I’d been alone.

“Maybe they did, but I was acting like I didn’t, and they kept getting closer.” I closed my eyes, but the swirling sensation intensified, so I opened them again. “Maybe they were testing me because they couldn’t sense my power and wanted to see how close they could get before I was aware. I don’t know.”

“Hey, we don’t have to talk about this,” he replied, squeezing my hand. “You’re still very injured.”

It was either lie here in silence or talk. I blew out a breath, thankful it wasn’t complete torture to breathe. “It’s fine. I want to focus on something other than my injuries.”

He bit his bottom lip. “Why do you think they attacked you?”

I paused, trying to clear my mind to answer the question. I’d never understood brain fog until this moment. “I decided to head back because they kept getting closer. I’d hoped they were just curious and would leave, so I grabbed the wood I’d chopped and started to walk but too briskly. Then they knew I was aware of them.”

Tensing, Theo scratched the back of his neck with his free hand. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

That was something he’d said to me hundreds of times growing up.

The bedroom door opened, making it so I could smell Zeke’s scent even more.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Tina’s signature stench of cotton candy and musk followed right after. The combination made me want to gag even when my stomach wasn’t upset. I couldn’t believe she thought the smell was nice.

“You’re awake.” Tina strolled past Theo to the other side of the bed. Her carrot-red hair hung loose around her face, which made the look in her onyx eyes more malicious. “We’ve been so worried. Luckily, I was working at the clinic, so I stitched you up in the nick of time. Any longer, and you would’ve lost too much blood.” Though her words were kind, her eyes held no warmth. In fact, they looked rather dead.

For whatever reason, she was pretending to care, and I’d take fake nice over cruelty.

Zeke stood next to the door with his arms crossed. “You won’t be attacked again. I’ve already questioned the wolf.”

I turned my head toward him, focusing on his face so the world didn’t tilt again. “Did you learn anything? Who sent them?” I suspected they were either Queen Kel’s scouts or people Charles had hired, but I was smart enough to know not to name them. Zeke would ask more questions if he realized Bodey and the others had talked pack stuff around me.

“Scouts for Queen Kel.” Zeke pursed his lips.

Theo gasped. “What? They’re now up here?”

His response indicated that Zeke had informed him about the incident involving the pack an hour south of Bodey’s home.

“Clearly, they are.” Zeke scowled.

“What are we going to do about it?” Tina asked, wrapping her arms around her waist. She still wore her blue nursing scrubs, which had splotches of my blood on the top.

Squinting, Zeke exhaled. “Keep an eye out and make sure everyone takes the threat seriously. No one goes out alone anymore. We need to stay in groups.”

They were getting closer to the advisers’ homes, almost making a show of it. The advisers had to be right—Queen Kel wanted to distract them from the coronation and focus their energy on her random scout attacks. That way, striking at Samuel before he could be crowned or right afterward would be easier. Attention would be divided.

“What about the wolf downstairs?” I cleared my throat. “Won’t he tell the queen his location?” She could send more of her shifters here to free her man.

Zeketsked. “You let the men worry about matters like these. You and Tina don’t need to worry your pretty heads.”

Lovely.Asshole.“I’m sure you and the other advisers will figure things out.”

There was only silence, which told me everything. He hadn’t told them.

I needed to get out of here. I rose, trying to sit up, and groaned when my shoulder burned as if it were being ripped apart.

“You need to rest,” Tina said as she leaned over me. “Especially with the amount of blood you lost. You need to wait until morning to get up.”

---