Page 42 of Their Mate
Thorne methodically sharpened his blade, his movements precise and almost meditative. “Interesting choice, aligning yourself with the very wolves you were tasked to eliminate. I suppose desperation makes strange bedfellows.”
I bristled instantly, my jaw tightening rigidly. “I’m not aligned with anyone. We’re temporarily cooperating, nothing more. The moment this Elder Lycan is dealt with, things will change.”
Thorne raised an eyebrow, studying me with quiet intensity. “We’ll see,” he murmured, returning his attention to the blade.
Logan shifted closer, his voice calm but firm. “We’re wasting time. Everyone set?”
Tobias stepped forward, his brooding presence intense and authoritative. “Ready. Let’s move.”
We filed swiftly from the pub, spilling out into the city streets in tense formation. I fell into step alongside Aidan and Jamie, my knife still held tightly at my side. My heart hammered withcautious anticipation, nerves wound tight beneath my carefully maintained mask.
“Tell me about Declan,” Magnus asked quietly as we moved. “You lads seem close.”
Aidan sighed heavily, clearly struggling beneath his stoic façade. “Declan’s more than just a member of my pack to me. He’s family. He was human first. He got turned in the worst possible way. We lost people we loved deeply, our women. We were… they were… everything.” His voice grew quieter, heavy with shared grief. “We pulled each other back from the edge.”
Killian’s normally mischievous expression softened into something solemn. “Then we’ll get him back. No matter what.”
Callum spoke quietly, optimism clear in his voice. “We’re strongest together. Always have been, always will be.”
Tobias shot his younger brother a look, though the ghost of a smile flickered briefly across his tense features. “We’ll get him back.”
Thorne nodded silently, determination etched firmly into every serious line of his face.
Jamie glanced at me, lips curling slightly into his usual irreverent smirk. “Seems we’re growing on you a bit, lass. Admit it.”
I scowled back at him, schooling what must have been a sympathetic expression on my face. Irritation flared immediately beneath my skin. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m here out of necessity, not choice.”
“Sure,” Jamie drawled, his voice full of teasing skepticism. “You keep telling yourself that.”
Edward glanced sideways at Jamie, amusement briefly flashing in his eyes before returning to quiet vigilance. Logan sighed, long-suffering patience evident. Zara laughed softly, shaking her head at her brother’s barely contained irritation.
“Careful, Jamie,” Zara said lightly. “She might decide to stab you in the back just to prove her point.”
Killian chuckled, clearly entertained. “Wouldn’t blame her a bit.”
My mouth twitched despite my best efforts to remain unaffected.
Damn them all for being so irritatingly likable.
“Quiet,” Tobias growled suddenly, his body stiffening warily. “We’re close.”
Instantly, the casual banter faded, tension snapping tight as we moved cautiously forward. Ahead, the dark silhouette of an old warehouse loomed against the moonlit sky, ominous and silent.
Aidan stepped carefully toward the place, clearly disturbed. “This is where he took him.” He spoke with sudden assurance.
Logan crouched down, studying tracks faintly visible in the dirt. “They moved fast. Dragged Declan south, toward the warehouses, just like you said.”
Edward stepped forward, eyes scanning carefully. “We move slowly from here. The Elder Lycan might have anticipated pursuit.”
My grip tightened involuntarily on the knife Edward had handed me, adrenaline surging through my veins. We were closing in on a terrifying threat. I reminded myself sternly who these wolves were, who I was. Yet, as I watched Logan, Edward, Jamie, and Aidan prepare themselves for the danger facing us, I couldn’tquite silence the treacherous whisper that refused to fade away completely.
Maybe—just maybe—I didn’t want to lose them just yet.
CHAPTER 15
Logan
We reached the edge of the river, the gentle sound of moving water contrasting harshly with the tension floating through the air all around us. Beneath our feet, damp concrete gave way to mud and gravel. Edward scanned the riverbank methodically, as the rest of us remained watchful, senses on high alert to every flicker of movement and whisper of sound.
