Page 54 of Savagely Mated

Einar

“Those two are…”

“Doing exactly what you’d expect them to,” Rafe says. “Don’t worry about it. He won’t let any harm come to her.”

“He’s young. She’s young. They’re both stupid.”

“They might be young, but neither one of them is stupid. They’ve both been through more than enough to mature in the way that matters. They’ve both lost a lot, and neither one of them responds to cold authoritarianism. You know that. My question is what’s got you off balance?”

“I spent the day teaching a bunch of snot-nosed kids how to hide in bushes,” I say. “Director talked me into taking a position on the faculty again. I don’t like being in the academy. I don’t like pretending to be loyal to a philandering usurper.”

“You mean you talked her into talking you into it,” Rafe says. “This is all part of the plan. It’s working out nicely. Exactly as planned.”

“Not exactly.”

“In what way?”

“Darcy isn’t just some shifter. She’s our mate. She matters. And she’s terrified of killing. Didn’t you see how she reacted when she cut that guard down? I think she’s been acting out ever since. The director says her behavior’s been even worse these last few days.”

“That sounds like a training issue,” Rafe says. “Which you’ll have the chance to correct when she’s back at the academy.”

“She says she won’t go.”

“She’ll go. I’ll take Kirin out tomorrow, and you can take her.”

“That’s what we’re doing now? Babysitting?”

“A little babysitting is inevitable, and you know it. We’re getting closer, Einar. Now is not the time to lose our nerve.”

He’s right. I don’t know how he’s so calm. I know I should be more relaxed, but when I realized Darcy had yet again gone missing from the academy, and then saw those pictures of what she was up to, and who she was up to it with, keeping my cool became impossible. There’s more to lose now. If anything happens to Darcy, I know I will never be the same.

“You’re right. I’m sorry I let my temper get the better of me. It’s not like me.”

“We’re all feeling it,” Rafe says. “The mate bond is a complicating factor. But it’s not the only thing. We’ve all fought long and hard to get to this point, to put all the pieces in place. We’ve infiltrated every corner we need to. We’re going to succeed. And yelling at the kids isn’t going to do anything to help.”

“Right again,” I say. “I’m going to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day.”

CHAPTER 15

Einar

Yesterday was a complete wash. We all ended up going to bed at six in the morning, which resulted in some very poor sleep overnight, but that can’t be helped. It is a new day, and it is time to execute the plan.

Darcy doesn’t want to go to school. I know how she feels. The day I left the academy as a teacher, I felt a lightness I’ve never felt before or since. It was like being let out of prison. I wish I could tell her that, but I don’t want to give her more ammunition to argue against doing as she is told.

The two of us somehow manage to pout over pancakes in mutual silence. Kirin’s butler serves us in polite quiet, which means the only sounds in the room are forks and knives on plates.

“You were lucky Kirin didn’t kick your ass for slapping him like that.” Darcy breaks the silence.

I drop my fork onto my plate in a clattering defeat. She’s not going to let this go. Women don’t. They hold onto things. Little things. Things any man would know don’t matter.

“You should worry less about what I did to Kirin, and more about what I’m going to do to you.”

Her eyes widen. Her mouth falls open.

“What do you mean?”

“You left the academy day before yesterday without permission. You’re going to be dealt with today.”

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