Page 129 of Blade's Battle
“Between Blade and Drake or Damien?”
“Any. All. I don’t know. But you must stay out of it. Even with your ability to heal faster, it’s not as good as a shifter’s. One slice from a claw could kill you if you get in the way.”
“Anna,” Liam called. All eyes were on her now, except Blade, who was glaring at Damien.
Damien ignored Blade, either because he had Frank there to intercede or because he was too focused on Drake and Liam’s guards Griff and Daaven. They’d only just released Blade. The entire group of nine male shifters looked ready to explode; only Liam stood there as calm as if he were in his own camp.
Anna glanced to Griff and caught the hint of a smile, then a nod. Odd timing, or was he trying to tell her something?
“Anna?” Liam called again. “Approach. Now.” Liam’s voice had lost any good humor of moments before. He was all business and sounded rather pissed off.
Anna stepped forward and tilted her head back to look up at Liam square in the eyes.
The corner of his mouth quirked. “Was there a blood-bonding between you and Drake before you blood-bonded Blade?”
“Two shifters held me down while he cut me and bound our hands together. I call that assault.”
“Some would call that foreplay,” Liam said.
“Exactly,” Drake said.
Drake started to approach, but Liam whipped his head around and with a low growl warned Drake back.
“You both agreed my decision here would be final. Now back away, Drake.” Two additional growls, from Griff and Daaven, warned Drake to return to his spot.
Liam faced Anna again. Hard set eyes ran up and down her body, then settled on her face before bending over to whisper in her ear, “Is Drake or Blade watching?”
She glanced over his shoulder, looking at all the shifters.
“Everyone is.”
“Good.”
With that, Liam cupped the back of her head, captured her mouth with his and pressed her body so tightly to his that she could feel every hard plane of his body. That’s when all hell broke loose behind them.
Chapter Twenty-Two
BLADE
Blade had waited for Damien—his supposed brother in arms—to stop this mockery, to tell Drake to fuck off and leave. No matter how Blade glared at Damien or growled, Damien stood there, stoic, as if the outcome didn’t matter to Damien. That’s when Blade realized it didn’t. Blade was not one of Damien’s pack, never had been. He’d lived there, worked for them, but was never truly one of them. If he were, then his alpha would not allow this travesty to occur; Damien would never have agreed to let Liam decide Anna’s fate.
Callen would have spoken up, protested at this atrocity, but Callen wasn’t here. No, Callen would have enforced Damien’s ruling, as he always did. Blade couldn’t count on Frank either, for that matter. He was on his own.
Blade’s head snapped up as he searched the trees. He was sure he’d heard Anna.
“Tess, I know you’re there with Anna. You might as well join us at this point,” Damien said, confirming Blade’s fears. She had promised to stay back in camp, where she’d be safe!
“Damien, I don’t want Anna anywhere near—”
“Quiet, Blade.”
Damien’s growl said it all. Blade’s alpha was not in his corner, or Anna’s. Blade would have to find a way to get her out of here, even if it meant turning on Damien.
As Tess and Anna emerged from their hiding spot, fear traveled the bond he shared with Anna. He didn’t scent any fear from her, not at all, but the bond didn’t lie. Blade turned his attention fully on Damien. His stomach turned sour at the idea of betraying an alpha to whom he’d sworn his allegiance. But Blade had blood-bonded with Anna. She was his priority, over any other oath or being. She was his to protect.
Blade sent a low, steady growl Damien’s way. From the way Damien’s head ticked slightly, Blade knew the alpha had heard him. Anna was saying something soft and low, but he couldn’t hear her, not with his focus on Damien. All he needed was one sign from Damien, a nod, a hand gesture a glare that he understood, that he could count on him, and Blade would back down, but Damien ignored him.
More useless talk between Drake and Liam streamed past Blade. It didn’t matter what preposterous claims Drake made, Anna was Blade’s. Nothing Drake or Liam could say or do would change that.
