Page 40 of Their Mate
Callum moved quickly, resting his hand gently on Aidan’s shoulder, concern radiating from his warm gaze. “Easy, Aidan. We’ll find him.”
The desperate determination in Aidan’s voice tugged uncomfortably at an emotion buried deep in my chest. I forced the feeling down, annoyed at my own weakness. They werewolves. Dangerous, heartless, and unpredictable. Compassion had no place here.
A quiet movement caught my attention, drawing my gaze toward a lean figure in the corner. He was pale-haired, ice-eyed, meticulously carving a small piece of wood with calm precision. Thorne Winchester, SAS-trained, lethal and cold. I’d heard plenty about his skills, the dangerous quietness about him, his painful past etched into every haunted line on his face. I met his icy stare briefly before looking away, suppressing a small shiver. He was quite possibly the most dangerous of them all.
A final wolf, younger, rougher, with unruly reddish-brown hair stepped forward, crossing tattooed arms over his chest, openly studying me with mischievous curiosity. Killian MacDermott. His lips curled into a crooked smile, clearly amused by my discomfort. “Well now, who’s the pretty stranger you’ve dragged home, Logan?”
Logan exhaled audibly, clearly fighting for patience. “Everyone—this is Sera. She’s… with us. For now.” He glanced pointedly at me. “Sera, this is Magnus, Tobias, Callum, Thorne, and Killian.”
I remained mulishly silent, glaring defiantly back at Killian’s mischievous grin. Magnus hummed softly, a traditional Irish melody under his breath, his quick gaze sliding carefully over me.
Edward moved forward quietly, his voice calm and assertive. “Sera’s our mate. She also happens to be an assassin from a secret group called the Watch.”
“The Watch?” Killian cocked an eyebrow.
“We don’t have time for this. If Declan’s been bitten, we have less than twenty-four hours to find him and reverse the bite. Otherwise, he’s lost,” Aidan blurted out.
Thorne’s icy eyes narrowed, his posture visibly sharpening. “How certain are we?”
“Completely certain,” Logan answered firmly, glancing toward me briefly. “Sera’s information is solid. We’ve seen him. He attacked Declan directly.”
Magnus cursed softly, running a hand roughly through his silver-gray hair. “Then we move fast.” He shot a meaningful look around the group. “Gear up quickly, lads.”
Killian cocked his head, curiosity glittering behind his amusement. “So, our Watch lass here—is she friend or foe? Seems risky bringing an assassin into our midst, Logan.”
Logan tensed visibly, and I raised my chin with my characteristic boldness. “I’m standing right here, wolf. You could just ask me yourself.”
Killian laughed, genuinely entertained, eyes dancing. “Fair enough. Friend or foe, then, love?”
I hesitated, torn between persistent defiance and reluctant honesty. Finally, I exhaled slowly, keeping my voice carefully neutral. “Neither. I’m here because right now we’re on the same side.”
“For now,” Tobias rumbled darkly, his piercing gaze fixed intently on me, suspicion clear in his tone.
Callum sighed, nudging his brother gently. “Ease off, Tobias. If she wanted us dead, we’d already be dead. I mean, just look at her.”
Magnus chuckled softly, though his eyes remained cool and calculating. “She certainly looks capable.”
Heat flooded my cheeks, irritation prickling sharply beneath my skin. I was standing in front of nine powerful wolf shifters, naked and recently ravished under just my coat. I probably reeked of them. Fuck. I crossed my arms tighter, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge their blatant scrutiny.
Logan cleared his throat, refocusing attention. “Enough. Declan needs us. Let’s gear up fast and get moving.”
Magnus nodded decisively, authority settling over him easily. “Agreed. We’ll load up, head out in twenty.”
The wolves moved swiftly, scattering to gather weapons and supplies, their ease and familiarity with each other clear. I remained apart from them, my spine rigid, watching quietly as they prepared. My mind raced, carefully assessing my options. I’d cooperate for now, help retrieve Declan, though every instinct screamed at me not to trust them. Afterward, when their guard was down, I’d slip free, report back to the Watch, and complete my mission.
I couldn’t allow these wolves to worm their way deeper into my resolve, couldn’t afford to question who I was or what I’d been trained to do. They were dangerous. They were wolves. No amount of charm, or humor, or stubborn protectiveness would change that. They might be allies today, but tomorrow they’d be targets once more.
And I wouldn’t fail a second time.
I heard quiet footsteps approach me, then Jamie cleared his throat gently, stepping into my line of vision. He held a bundle of clothing out to me, his expression a careful balance betweenwary amusement and genuine respect. “Thought you might like something more comfortable than that oversized jacket, lass.”
Heat surged unwillingly into my cheeks, embarrassment mingling keenly with irritation. I reached quickly for the clothes, refusing to meet his eyes. “Thanks,” I muttered, the word feeling rough and awkward on my tongue.
His voice was gentler now. “The back room’s private enough if you want to change there.”
I nodded once, quickly moving past him without another word. Once inside the cramped, softly lit space, I stripped out of my oversized jacket, pulling on the clean clothes Jamie had given me. There were plain jeans, worn but comfortable, and a faded, loose-fitting shirt. The soft, familiar feel of clothing against my skin calmed me slightly, reinforcing the mental wall I desperately needed. I was an assassin, an operative of the Watch,nota helpless, blushing naked girl.
From the other side of the thin wall, I heard Magnus’s voice, calm and composed. “All right, then. What exactly are we dealing with here? An Elder Lycan isn’t exactly something you find in your average beastie compendium.”
