Page 9 of Tide Touched

‘She’s one of mine,’ Declan says. ‘She’s not going with him.’

I frown, my gaze snapping to his. Weirdly protective. Possessive, really. Killian steps forward and murmurs something in his father’s ear I can’t hear. Declan gives his son a long look, then juts his chin in a sharp nod. ‘Fine.’ He meets Zarah’s gaze. ‘As you say, blessed witch.’

A scoff escapes my lips. ‘That’s it? I’m supposed to go with him? Leave my pack?’

Moira makes a strangled noise of protest, then wraps her arms around me.

This is all wrong. This is not supposed to happen. I finally give What’s His Face my full attention, need still gripping me. I wonder if he can smell it. Okay, I am attracted as fuck to him. But something still feels weird about this.

My gaze follows the lines of his muscles as he folds his arms across his chest, appraising me. As he moves, I glimpse his pants, tight and straining against his hardness. Yeah, he wants me, too. I glance over his shoulder at the blonde woman who is clearly his girlfriend. Well, that’s got to suck.

Carter looks at me, eyes hard as ice. ‘No.’ He shakes his head. ‘I’m not taking her. This can’t be right.’ He looks over his shoulder at the woman. His girl. ‘This is a mistake.’

Slicing pain sears my chest.

No. Is he…?

Carter looks at me like I’m a bug on the bottom of his shoe. ‘I don’t want her.’ His blue eyes cut into me. ‘I reject you.’

I stagger back, the pain blooming as though someone took a swing at me with an axe. I shudder out a gasp. This can’t be happening. My hands shaking, I slip to my knees, unable to breathe.

Moira is at my side, gently rubbing my back. ‘Alpha, please!’

Declan steps forward. ‘Take her, you little—’

Zarah raises her hands. ‘That won’t be necessary.’ She turns to Carter. ‘Your uncle will do as we bid, young wolf. Katherine is your mate—she would not hurt like this if she were not. You will take her. This is the beginning of a new era for our kind. To grow together, wolves forming new powers, becoming stronger. Accept her. Now.’

My vision blurs as I struggle to breathe, the pain eating me alive, still with the horrible, bitter aftertaste of arousal burning low in my belly. Underneath all that, a simmering rage shakes me. It’s the anger which propels me to my feet, my hands balled into fists at my side.

Carter stares me down, his brow quirked at seeing me rise, as though slightly impressed. He runs a hand through his hair, glancing at the witches once again. ‘Fine.’ He turns to me, resignation all over his face. ‘I accept you as my mate.’

His girlfriend lets out a strangled scream of fury, and I actually sympathize.

‘Right, show’s over,’ Carter calls.

We stand there together, locked in a battle of tense nerves and anger as everyone else disperses, leaving me alone with my… mate.

My bones feel as though they’re vibrating with overwhelming emotions, sensations. My nails dig into my palms. I want to open my mouth, to hurl ugly, sharp words at this person—this stranger—who’s going to take me away from the only home I’ve ever known. From Moira, my sister.

I manage to turn my head slightly. Moira has stalked up to the alpha, she, he, and Killian are in a terse conversation, heads bent low. I hope she doesn’t get herself in trouble. Clearly, my alpha won’t override the Tide Witches, and neither will the Water Pack’s alpha, or Carter wouldn’t have accepted me.

Rejected me first. I won’t be forgetting that. I glare at him, wishing I truly had my fire power, and that I could singe the annoyed curl of his lips right off his stupid face.

Carter reaches out and grasps my upper arm. ‘Come on. We’re leaving.’

A low growl escapes my throat. ‘Get off me.’

Carter turns, his face a breath from mine, his eyes hard as glass. ‘Don’t speak to me like that.’ He shakes me, my teeth rattling. ‘Got it?’

Before I can tell him where to shove it, the girlfriend comes up behind me. ‘Carter—’

Carter shushes her. ‘Courtney, I’m sorry, okay? You know my uncle wouldn’t disobey the witches. I had to.’ He leans over and brushes his lips tenderly across her cheek, softening the anger blazing in her eyes, his fingers still wrapped around my upper arm.

My wolf whines inside, watching my mate kiss her. I jerk him so he breaks away from her. Carter gives me an exasperated look, then keeps moving. I pause, looking over my shoulder. ‘I want to say goodbye to—’

Courtney’s shoulder shoves into me, hard, sending me to my hands and knees, the damp blades of grass slicing into my palms. ‘Blonde bitch,’ I mutter, knowing she’ll hear. She turns, giving me a filthy glare.

One of the other Water Pack shifters hauls me to my feet. ‘Come on,’ he says. This one’s hair is darker blond, not bright like Carter’s. I try to shrug out of his grip, but he’s much too strong. Another shifter takes my other arm, boxing me in.

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