Page 94 of Savage Blood
Wouldn’t I do the same for him?
Fane jammed his hand through his hair, his gaze searing into my soul. “Saint should be here soon. Let him heal you, Tate. Dowhateverit takes.”
A giant firecrackled in the distance, orange embers floating up to the ebony, starlit sky. It was far enough from the line of tall pines, oaks, and maples that the sparks wouldn’t reach the foliage. Even if it did, there were plenty of shifters here who could put out a fire.
One shifter in particular was absent, though.
Fane vanished from the house right after we returned from that vision, and I hadn’t seen him all night. The cookie I just crammed into my mouth tasted like sawdust as memories of Barric torturing Hawk replayed through my mind.
Unable to choke the food down, I ambled toward the folding table with drinks to search for lemonade. Fane was still somewhere in Mohan Wilds. I could at least sense that, but neither of us wanted to face the other.
Was he lying about not getting his memories back?
And was he lying about believing our bond wouldn’t break even if I somehow solidified a fated mate bond with Saint?
I wasn’t sure whether that was possible. Saint and I would have to claim each other—intent, sex, and a bite—but I already belonged to Fane. Saint couldn’t claim another shifter’s mate.
Not under normal circumstances, but obviously, I wasn’t normal.
As the full moon climbed higher in the heavens, the energyheightened, especially from the wolf shifters. My animal stirred inside, wanting out to run and play.
I was not in the mood to play.
Saint wasn’t here either. His pack was probably pissed he was gone all the time and had talked him into staying longer.
The lemonade I finally found cascaded over my tongue, washing down the dry cookie. It wasn’t one of Dylan’s. Those were perfect masterpieces, and I’d never needed to force them down.
“I thought I smelled something foul.” Marissa sneered across the refreshments table as she grabbed a small can of cherry cola from the cooler.
“That’s your own stench, Marissa.” I pinched my nostrils together. “Maybe you should have showered.”
She tapped her long fingernail on the can and then popped the top. “Funny. Fane doesn’t seem to mind my smell.”
I choked back the growl building in my chest. Fane’s former fated mate only wanted to goad me into a fight so she could then play the victim. Her long raven locks drifted behind her in the wind while her eyes, the color of emeralds and just as hard, gleamed with a challenge.
Not falling for your bullshit tonight.
Realizing I wasn’t taking the bait, the alpha’s daughter ran her hand down her body, a short black dress hugging every curve. Her cleavage also spilled out of the top, and she had traded her stilettos in for cute pink sneakers.
I resisted the urge to frown at my pair of leggings and cut-off t-shirt.
“Fane will like this dress.” She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. “He always did like me in them. Easy access and all.”
The image of the two of them screwing flashedthrough my mind, forcing my talons to skim the surface of my fingertips. Slicing my claws across her neck would be so easy. It would take hardly any effort at all.
She couldn’t constantly remind me she was Fane’s fated if she was dead.
“Where’s Dorian?” I asked instead of giving in to my dark thoughts.
Her face scrunched into a scowl. “Like I care.”
“He’s your actual mate. Youshouldcare.”
“We didn’t work out.” Marissa gave a lazy shrug. “Fate has a way of correcting things, doesn’t it?”
Camus caught my eye across the field as he helped his catatonic mate into a folding chair, heaving a sigh when he noticed his daughter taunting me—as usual. He was fully aware of his Marissa’s shitty behavior, but he refused to punish her.
If I still had the Infernal Sol, I would have punished her myself.
