Page 7 of Betrayed Mate

I went straight to the firepit and tossed the dress and flowers into the center. Then I snagged the long-stick matches we kept underneath the side, lit one, and tossed it on the pile.

“Uh… Are you sure you want to do this?” Briar asked. “I mean, what if Reid comes back and apologizes tomorrow? You’ll—”

I snorted loudly, not trying to hold back my bitterness. My throat ached. “Fuck him. After what he did to me, there’s no going back. Fated mate or not, I refuse to be insulted and tossed aside like that. He treated me worse than garbage.”

During my crying bout, I’d come to one conclusion. I would never put myself in a position to be humiliated like that ever again. Our pack stayed away from the spotlight—it was ournatural inclination—and the one time I’d gone against it, our entire pack and my family were shamed.

Tonight had proven one thing, I could trust only my family and pack. No one else. Maybe interacting with only them from now on would limit my options, but that was a risk I was okay taking.

The fire took over and devoured the flowers and dress. As the orangish-red blaze grew taller, licking the air around it, it seemed to reflect my inner turmoil; my insides scraped raw and throbbing like the sensation of flames searing skin.

Briar remained silent. She knew me better than to try to get me to talk when I wasn’t ready, just as I knew this scene was making her even more worried about me.

A chill ran down my spine, startling me, especially with the fire sparking in front of us.

This sensation wasn’t from the cold.

Someone was watching us.

My gaze went tentatively to some thick brush at the tree line…and dark eyes met mine.

Eyes that seemed familiar but belonged to no one in our pack.

My breath caught, and I braced for an attack.

CHAPTER THREE

My heart sputtered and I blinked. As soon as I opened my own eyes again, the mystery eyes had disappeared like a figment of my imagination.

Had the flames made me see something that wasn’t there?

Briar linked,What’s wrong?

I inhaled deeply, but all I smelled was smoke and overtones of musk. With all the people traveling in for the ceremony, wolves that normally didn’t enter our territory had needed to pass through it to reach the cliff, which was located on the property line that divided the Blackwood and Sinclair packs. Many had come in their animal form.

I thought I saw someone watching us.Knowing it was foolish to just stand here and hope the person would leave, I strolled to the brush and pulled it back. The space was empty, but the tantalizing scent of musky amber and pine hit my nose, overpowering the ash and tugging at the back of my mind.

My gaze darted to the woods, but I didn’t see anyone there. The scent had already begun to dissipate, indicating they’d left.

If they’d planned to attack us, there wouldn’t be just one. Still, they could be scoping out the area in preparation for an assault. I linked to Dad,The scouts need to keep an eye out closeto the pack houses. Someone was watching us from the woods, and…A lump formed in my throat, and I inhaled sharply, the identity of the person crashing into my core.And I’m pretty sure it was Ryker Grimstone.

After a pause, Dad responded by looping Briar into our link,Both of you, get your asses in here now.

The firepit—I started.

I’ll handle it, Em. For the love of Fate, the two of you get in this house now,he reiterated just as the back door opened and he came outside. Dark copper fur was already sprouting all over his body, and his clothes began to rip as the shift overtook him.

His eyes glowed bright with his readiness to alpha-will us if we didn’t move.

I grabbed Briar’s arm and hurried toward the house. I wanted to scout the area with Dad, but if I tried to do it right now, Briar would demand to come along too. Though her wolf wasn’t weak, she had a milder nature than Dad and I did.

Dad remained in place, watching the two of us. I knew he wouldn’t move until we were inside, but howls informed me he’d already alerted the scouts and everyone else in the neighborhood.

As soon as the door shut, I heard Dad’s paws hit the ground, quickly growing farther away as he headed into the woods.

Mom stood in the kitchen, eyes wide and chest heaving. “Are you two okay?”

Normally, I’d say something funny or sarcastic to try to cut the tension, but not today. That simple question shattered the anger that had fueled me, and my heart twisted painfully once again. The drastic change in emotions unsettled me—like I wasn’t quite the same person.

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