Page 3 of Mitchell's Untamed Mate

Jace chuckled.“I was petting Janna earlier.”

Mitchell ducked when Janna threw her brush at her brother.Jace caught the brush and ran it through his hair with a mocking flourish before he threw it back.Janna made a face and tossed the brush aside.

“She’s going to put a scorpion in your bed if you aren’t careful,” he warned.

“She’s already done that.Mom was furious.She made Janna wash all the linens for a month.Janna said it was worth it.”

Jace fell onto his back.Mitchell did the same, putting his hands under his head to act as a pillow.They were both quiet as they listened to the rain.

“Do you think shifters eat humans?”Jace asked, his voice subdued in the dim light cast by the firepit in the center of the hut.

“I don’t know… probably, if they found us.I heard my mom and dad talking.They said the shifters think humans are extinct.”

“What does 'extinct' mean?”

Jace rolled onto his side.Mitchell rolled to face him.They stared at each other.

“It means the shifters think all the humans are dead.”

Jace frowned.“But… we aren’t.There aren’t many of us, but we aren’t all dead.”

“I know that, but the shifters don’t.”

“When I grow up, I’m going to fight the shifters.I’m going to make them extinct so we don’t have to hide anymore,” Jace vowed.

Mitchell frowned.“My dad said humans and shifters will live together again one day.He saw it in a dream.”

Jace actually sneered.Mitchell was surprised at the anger in his eyes.His friend was never mad at anyone.

“He saw it in a dream,” Jace scoffed.“Your dad’s crazy.What’s he going to do, go ask a shifter not to eat us?”

A flash of fury caused Mitchell to sit up.“My dad isnotcrazy.”

Jace sneered again, the expression turning his face ugly.“If he thinks humans and shifters will ever be friends, he is.”

Mitchell rose and stood over Jace with his hands on his hips.Jace’s parents and his sister looked at him with surprise.He glared down at Jace.

“No, he isn’t.If he said he saw it happen, then it’s going to happen.He knows things.”

“He’s stupid,” Jace mocked.

Mitchell clenched his fists and breathed deep.“Take that back.”

Jace stood and glared back at him.“No.”

Mitchell stepped closer until his chest and Jace’s were touching.He was an inch taller, almost two if he stood really straight.Jace shot him a mutinous expression.

“You’re the one who is stupid,” Mitchell finally said.

Jace reacted by punching him in the stomach.Mitchell fell back and grabbed his abdomen.Shock and surprise coursed through him, leaving him wide-eyed and incredulous as he stared at Jace.

“Jace!That is enough,” Jace’s father scolded.

“Mitchell, are you alright?”Jace’s mother asked.

Mitchell nodded, not taking his eyes off of Jace’s face.He backed away from the boy.There was only malice and mocking challenge in Jace's eyes.

“I-I have to go.”

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