Page 43 of Betrayed Mate

I shook my head, trying to get my thoughts back on track. “Why wouldn’t you be worried about that? He’s a vampire, and we’re at the queen’s mansion. If she learns what we did—”

The hard edges returned to his expression. “I’m telling you—Simon isn’t who you think he is. It will be fine.”

“You—” I started, but Ryker opened the door and jumped out.

When Ryker extended a hand toward me, I shut my mouth and crossed my arms, tempted to refuse to get out of the vehicle.

“Rebel, I need you to trust me.” His expression softened, and there was an urgency in his stare as he continued to hold out his hand toward me, asking me to take it…to have faith in him.

Xander, Kendric, Raven, and Gage stood there, watching us, along with a group of four vampires who’d stepped out of the front door.

The last thing I wanted to do was insult the vampires. They could kill me with no repercussions if they chose. I was on their lands, after all, and had been involved in the torture of one of their species.

I forced myself to climb through the middle row. Without meaning to, I took his hand, and a buzz hummed between us. I gasped as the golden flecks of his eyes seemed to sync with the faint electricity that flowed between us.

All of a sudden, that sheen covered his irises once more, and the pleasant sensation vanished, leaving my hand in his warm, tight grasp.

My knees almost gave out, but I managed to keep moving without missing another beat. I needed to let go of his hand and fast; before something else strange happened between us.What the hell is wrong with me?

It had to be effects from the loss of my pack and being cut off from my sister. I was basically rogue.

Raven sniffled and stepped between Kendric and Xander so that she stood in front of me. A tear trailed down her cheek, but she smiled and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I promise you’ll be safe here. You have my word. Anyone the Grimstone pack brings to the mansion is welcome at any time, per Queen Ambrosia’s orders.”

“Really, babe? It’s not because you trust us?” Kendric teased gently, hooking an arm around her waist.

The easy, romantic affection between them caused my spine to straighten, and I hated that my heart flared with jealousy over it.

Reid and I were supposed to have something like they did.

She rolled her eyes and wiped the stray tear away. “Of course I do, but the queen’s decision has a bigger impact than my own.”

Even though I could tell she was trying to tease, her eyes looked haunted, and I suspected it had nothing to do with her being a vampire. “I’m sorry for your loss.” I felt something tugging at me, making me want to comfort her.

She pressed her crimson lips together and squeezed my shoulder comfortingly. “Thank you. One of the vampires there was a close friend of mine, so forgive me for being overly emotional. From what I hear, I should be saying the same to you as well. All of us here have lost so many people important to us.”

The lack of sulfur and the way her bottom lip trembled made me realize that she did, in fact, understand my pain. Adira must have been the friend and why Kendric had been so upset to tell her the details. A sob built in my chest, but I’d be damned if I cried now. Not in front of Ryker and a bunch of bloodthirsty vampires.

She dropped her hand and took a step back like she could sense my turmoil. “Come inside; the queen has been waiting for an official update. You can give it to her chief guard.” She spun around, taking Kendric’s hand in hers, and the two of them headed to the door where the four vampires were waiting.

Ryker stepped to my side while Gage flanked the other, and when my gaze drifted to the left and right of the house where the oak trees thickened, I realized why. About ten guards were watching us from afar, five on each side.

I swallowed and muttered so softly that only the two of them and Xander could hear me, “I thought you said we were safe here.” With the way they’d surrounded me, I wasn’t quite sure anymore.

“We are, but we need to make sure you don’t do anything rash and change their minds about allowing you to stay here with us,” Ryker replied as he took my hand and looped it through his arm.

Thankfully, there were no strange sensations this time, but I still resented the way my hand naturally curved into his arm like I wasn’t revolted by him. He wasn’t someone I’d ever like; he’d tormented an innocent vampire, alpha-willed his pack members into submission, and Fate knew what else.

The way the vampires stared at me made my skin crawl—granted, that was likely their intention. Instead of cowering, I lifted my head and looked straight ahead, pretending their attention didn’t affect me.

Strangely, Ryker’s touch seemed to calm my turmoil enough that I could pull my act together.

Three men and a young woman stood by the door. They all had similar brown skin, eyes of varying shades of green, and dark, tight, curly hair that many people would die for. The young woman was about five foot two, about half a foot shorter than me. The other men were like stairsteps, with the youngest-looking being the tallest of the three.

The woman lowered her head at our approach and lifted the edge of her long dress to curtsey. “I didn’t realize we had an extra visitor—the four of us will prepare another room for her.”

My stomach dropped, thinking about being alone in a room with a house full of vampires. The words sounded like the punchline to a joke at a shifter bar.

“No need.” Ryker slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me into him. “She’ll be sharing a room with us.”

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