Page 14 of The Silent Mate

“That’s what he told me, too.” I gave her a small smile and stepped out of the bedroom.

Emerson instinctively stepped backward in response, as if repelled like a magnet. I frowned and allowed my gaze to sweep over the rest of her body in quick analysis. Her collarbones protruded and her cheekbones stood out a bit more than was natural. Whereas every shifter I’d seen since arriving at theIntonat Noctecompound exuded strength and power, Emerson appeared frail by comparison.

She’s an omega.I blinked back my surprise.

Growing up in my father’s pack, we didn’t have any omegas. With such a small pack, our roles were limited, and excessive rankings weren’t necessary. We survived without the ruthless hierarchy that many larger packs utilized and relied upon.

I bit my lip, discomfort churning in my stomach at her natural submission. I didn’t wantanyoneto have to act that way around me.

Immediately, I offered Emerson my widest smile. “He also told me you’re a friend, and I could use one of those right now.”

Her cheeks reddened, making her freckles turn a shade darker. “The General has always been very kind,” she responded, quieter than before.

My brow furrowed. “General?”

She nodded once, a small dip of her chin. “Alpha Roman’s enforcer. Whereas Roman makes every decision, Malik executes them.”

Enforcer.A shiver skittered down my spine at the insinuation of that word. It reeked of bloodshed and violence. We definitely didn’t havethoseat home. In fact, my father never reallyneededto enforce his rules or dominance. If he did, I was certain he’d do it himself and not dole it out to another male or female.

It seemed I had much to learn about life in theIntonat NoctePack… Something like unease skittered down my spine at the prospect of it all.

Down the hall, a door opened and footsteps sounded, and Emerson stiffened.

“We should get going now,” she murmured, ducking her head before turning on her heel and spearing toward the same staircase that Malik led me up the day before.

I hurried to follow her, glancing one last time down thehallway behind us, where another woman left a room and walked, thank the Moon Goddess, in the other direction. Judging by Emerson’s reaction, I didn’t want to encounter another pack member this morning.

“Uh,” I practically jogged to catch up to her. “Where are we going? To Malik’s house?”To eat,I hoped.

A small nod, but Emerson kept her eyes ahead. “The other pack members will be far less inclined to bother you there. As it stands, you’ve made quite a splash. Everyone wants to see the female that the General snatched from beneath the Alpha’s nose.”

I resisted the urge to flinch at the memory. The wrongness of Alpha Roman’s closeness. My father’s decision to offer me to the brute for the sole purpose ofbreedingwith him. Finding my fated mate had numbed the sharp sting of betrayal, but the pain was still there, deep and waiting to be processed.

Another time,I decided, pushing the ache down again.I’ll ponder my father’s betrayal later. Maybe in a therapy session. Do they even have therapists in this pack?I added that to my ever-growing list of questions.

“I was never Alpha Roman’s to begin with, so Malik didn’tsnatchme away from him,” I muttered, scrunching my nose at the primitive narrative.

We reached the bottom of the stairs and booked it toward the main foyer. If I took a deep enough breath, I could still smell traces of my father’s scent lingering in the air. It comforted me and pained me, all at once.

So far, we hadn’t passed anyone in the halls, but I wondered if that would change once we stepped outside. I glanced sideways at Emerson, who wore her unease like a cloak.

“Emerson, are we… indangeror something?” I asked as we approached the door.

“Danger?” she echoed and quickly shook her head. “No. Noone would dare to hurt you. Malik wouldn’t have left you if that wasn’t the case.”

I didn’t quite believe her. I’d heard enough stories about the beasts in theIntonat NoctePack to know that they were an unforgiving, bloodthirsty group. And, although there was a biological, chemical connection binding me to Malik, no affection or emotion cemented that bond. Why else would he have treated me so coldly?

I frowned. “Then why are we sneaking around like a pair of thieves?”

She paused with her hand on the doorknob and gnawed on her bottom lip.

“Alpha Roman was not happy about the turn of events yesterday. Even he wouldn’t dare to harm you or infringe upon your fated mate bond, but…” She lowered her voice, and her eyes took on a silver gleam. “He’s not the sort to let bygones be bygones.”

She spoke as if she had experience—intimateexperience—with Roman’s inability to let matters go. Pity swelled in my stomach. I couldn’t imagine what she might’ve endured as an omega at the hands of the elite, with Roman as the ringleader.

“Let’s hurry up and get to Malik’s house then,” I offered, unwilling to embarrass her by asking her to explain further. “I’d be happy not to run into Roman again for at least a fortnight.”

One corner of Emerson’s lips curled in a smile that didn’t come close to reaching her eyes, but she seemed grateful for my willingness to believe her.

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