Page 4 of Fated Exile

Niall actually looks flustered. A younger, stronger, alpha werewolf didn't knock him off his feet, but four-feet-something of emotional human sure has. When Cat digs her finger into his chest, he actually winces, even though he couldn't feel it anymore than a lion feels the flapping of a bee's wings.

If I weren't currently hog-tied and cuffed, I'd find the situation more amusing. But the blood flow is no longer going to my extremities, so I shoot them both a pleading look. "Can we go inside? And maybe... rearrange things. I feel like I'm about to fall over."

Niall hastily grabs my shoulder and sets me right. At Cat's further frown, he says, "I'll tell you all about it inside."

"Trust me," I reassure her, as I take tiny, six inch steps towards the house, "it's for the best. I deserve to be tied up."

She arches a brow and quips, "Sure, just not inthatway."

I don't even have the energy to respond.

The voice in my head is cackling, full of pleasure and anticipation.

Finally. Finally!There's a crowing sound, and a growl that's deep enough to be male, though the voice often swoops into a female's dulcet tones.We're about to get exactly what we want.

I'm too scared to ask what that is, but truthfully, I don't have to ask. I've never spoken about the voice, have never been able to mention it aloud without my lips twisting up and my throat closing down. The words just won't leave me. But in my darkest moments, I've known its greatest desires, which are echoed by other, smaller voices in my head.

It wants to be free.

And it'll do nothing good with that freedom.

Just before I take my last, inching step into the house, I cast my eyes upwards and beyond, towards the mountains in the distance. I send up a little fervent hope, like a prayer but bigger.

I hope Delilah is safe.

And that the voice is very, very wrong.

Three

Delilah

Though the wolves at my heels don't say a single thing, they don't need to. I can feel their unease as we follow the vampire further into the mountain territory, away from our pack lands, our wolves traveling quickly. Their distrust ripples through them like waves across the surface of a still pond.

And it's not the vampire they distrust.

It'sme.

The hybrid, the exile, daughter of the alpha, yet kicked out of the pack. They're wondering if I'm leading them astray. Their paws hesitate as they carry themselves forward. While the others keep up with me—Roarke at my side, Finn just ahead, Kieran taking up the flank, and Lance right behind me—the warrior wolves of the pack are hesitating.

I learned their names before we headed out: Marcus Flint, Barry Oak, Wally Skye, and the youngest, Ian Ocean. Each of them lost a mate, or in Ian's case, never had one. They all have their reasons to distrust magic, and none of them know me. I have to hope that if I lift the curse from the pack, they'll come to trust me.

But right now, they're thinking about turning back.

A thought that becomes a voice in my head.Do we even know where we're going?That's Ian's voice, the nineteen-year-old saying what the others are only thinking.

None of us knows,says Barry, the frustration in his tone sharp and clear.We should turn back before this gets worse.

Lance cuts in.Delilah knows what she's doing. We have to follow this thread to the end.

Wally challenges this.Do we? Because from where I'm standing, it's not clear whether the girl is leading us to our salvation or our doom. No offense, boys, but you're young—you'll learn yet not to let your crotch lead the way.

Kieran growls at this, whipping his head around to bare his teeth at the other wolves. I send a thread of calm towards him, privately urging him,Let them speak their minds. It's good that we know what they're thinking.

Eyeing Ambrosia, I mark her most recent position in my mind, then halt our pursuit and turn to face the wolves behind me. Each of them is a strong warrior, though damaged in their own ways. I can feel the severed mate bonds coming from them. Wally hurts the most, but the others all have their wounds, including Ian, who's two years younger than me and should be enjoying his new mating bond, instead of going alone through the world.

If I can't convince these warriors that I should help lead the pack, then I won't be able to convince anyone else. The only way through the Summit and to the other side with a strong, intact Glass Pack, is by looking these four in the eyes and assuaging their fears.

We don't all have to go forward,I tell them, sweeping the wolves around me into the sound of my voice, linking to their minds with both my hybrid powers and Roarke's instinctual connection to them all.If you want to turn around and go home, I won't blame you. This is a mission only for those who are prepared to face the possible consequences—and fight back against whomever led this attack against us in the first place.

---