Page 36 of Devon

Devon was terrified, angry, and sad.He’d really thought that Nic was his friend, but instead, he’d been using him.He’d been working for Parrish the entire time.

That didn’t explain why he’d snuck into Devon’s bedroom in the middle of the night to tell him about the attack, but right now, Devon didn’t care about that.He cared that his mate was in Parrish’s hands and that he needed to do something about it.

Thankfully, Parrish got distracted by the sound of footsteps coming toward them.Devon sucked in a breath and moved toward Ryan, but Nic grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

When Devon glared at him, he shook his head.“He’s going to kill you,” Nic whispered.

“And whose fault would that be?”Devon whispered back.He wasn’t eager to get Parrish’s attention again.

He didn’t.Parrish was distracted by someone else.

Clay and Rowan appeared.Rowan’s expression didn’t change when he saw that Parrish had Ryan, but Clay’s eyes widened, and he took a step forward.Rowan stopped him with a raised hand, quietly shaking his head.They both stopped, and even though Devon couldn’t see the wall protecting the village, he knew it was right in front of the two.

“Parrish,” Rowan said.

Parrish’s attention was on the two clan leaders now.It gave Devon a little leeway, and he tried to think of how he could get Ryan away.Parrish was holding onto him so it wouldn’t be easy.

He glanced back at the clan leaders again.They weren’t alone.He winced when he saw that Jonas was keeping Kendrick back.Kendrick wanted to go to his brother, but Jonas would make sure he didn’t get hurt or, worse, killed.

Devon understood better now.After letting Ryan close, he knew how Jonas felt.Devon was falling in love with his mate.It was inevitable, but it wasn’t scary anymore.

Whatwasscary was thinking about something happening to Ryan.Ryan would be pissed if something happened to Devon, but Devon felt he owed it to his mate and to Ryan’s family to save him.After what had happened with Kendrick and Jonas, Devon felt he needed to do this to redeem himself.

Ryan wouldn’t feel the same.He would be angry if anything happened to Devon because he was an idiot and tried to help him, but that wouldn’t stop Devon.Nothing could stop him.

“I see you’re better prepared this time,” Parrish said with a smile.

The sight of his fangs and knowing what he could do with them made Devon shiver.He stepped closer to Nic, then realized that Nic was a Kudlak, too, and that he would probably attack him as soon as Parrish ordered him to.He stepped back, but he couldn’t go far.He didn’t want to get Parrish’s attention before he was ready to do whatever he needed to do to save his mate.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Nic whispered.

“I don’t think I’m the idiot between the two of us.”Although Devon felt like one.He’d trusted Nic.He’d thought that Nic was his friend because he liked him.

“I tried to get you to leave the village.”

“You betrayed the village.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

Devon knew something about feeling like you didn’t have a choice.He wanted to be able to hate Nic, but he knew that he didn’t have the whole story.Parrish was a monster.Devon was pretty sure that even he would’ve done anything Parrish asked if he used the right leverage.

Like threatening his mate.

Parrish was moving closer to Clay and Rowan.He didn’t try stepping through the wall, probably because he knew that he wouldn’t get through it.He had to drag Ryan along, and once they were closer to the shield, Kendrick tried to make a break for it.Jonas almost had to jump on his back to keep him where he was, but thankfully, he wasn’t the only one trying to keep Kendrick safe.A tall man Devon recognized as Boyd grabbed Kendrick’s arm and pulled him close, murmuring something in his ear.

Devon knew that Parrish had seen all of it.He was still smiling, clearly taking pleasure in all of this.He wanted Rowan and Clay to step out of the protection of the shield.He had to know he’d never get to the village now, but maybe it wasn’t the village he wanted to destroy.

Devon had been told about Rowan’s past with Parrish.He hadn’t known if it was true because it was gossip, but maybe therewassome truth to it.Parrish seemed especially focused on Rowan, although Devon was sure that he wouldn’t complain if Clay was to step forward instead.

Parrish was distracted.This was the best opportunity Devon would get.

He didn’t even have a weapon, but he didn’t care.He ran toward Parrish, ignoring Nic when he grabbed for him.He jumped onto Parrish’s back and let his instincts take over.He didn’t have a plan.He just wanted Parrish to let go of Ryan.

He leaned forward and bit hard into Parrish’s neck.Parrish jerked and let go of Ryan.Thankfully, Ryan was facing the other way, so he didn’t see what Devon was doing.As soon as he felt Parrish let go, he ran forward.

Devon watched Jonas pull Ryan toward Kendrick.That was all he could see because the next moment, he was pulled off Parrish’s back.Parrish had grabbed his arm and dragged him forward, and from his expression and the blood spurting from his neck, Devon was pretty sure he was about to die.

He might have if Nic had thrown himself at Parrish.

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