Page 5 of Fire Touched

Carter opens his mouth, then closes it, his gaze fixed on the ground.

I shoot a glare at my mate, but Killian doesn’t appear to notice.

‘It’s okay, we’re nearly done,’ Ella says, trying to dissolve some tension.

It’s been like this all week, and I’m sick of it. I hand Ella our breakfast bowls and quietly thank her, then turn my back on Killian. ‘Come on,’ I murmur to Carter. ‘You can help me and Moira with the last few things.’ I lead him to her and Elijah’s tent.

We’ve been packing lightly, collecting what we need along the way. Cooking utensils that Ella works miracles with. Tents or swaths of cloth which we pin above trees for a little shelter.

Honestly, I don’t care that Carter keeps to himself. It’s not like he uses the tents or any of our things, so why should he have to help pack them up? I’ve watched him help Ella with the dishes before. He’s pulling his weight.

Moira surveys us. ‘Is Killian being an asshole again?’

‘Yes,’ Carter murmurs, making Moira smirk.

I roll my eyes. ‘You’re not helping.’

Moira shrugs. ‘The guy gets as much respect as he deserves, no more, just because he’s banging my bestie.’

Carter makes a face. I’m inclined to agree. ‘Shut up and give us something to carry.’

Moira hands Carter a backpack with some clothes in it. Nothing too heavy for his lean form, I’m glad to see. And me… she hands the rolled up tent. I flip her off for giving me the biggest, heaviest thing to carry.

‘What?’ Moira says innocently. ‘My belly’s been upset. I don’t think I could handle the big tent today.’

‘Lazy bitch,’ I sniff.

Moira links her arm with mine. ‘Love you, too.’

Chapter Three

Killian

We should reach Terran by nightfall. Our last day of travelling together, finally come to an end. I glare ahead at Moira, Ella, Carter and Katherine, my teeth grit.

‘Stop it.’ Elijah elbows me in the side.

I look down. My hands are clenched into flaming fists, sparks showering down to my feet. ‘I can’t help it. I hate this.’ I didn’t ask for this. For any of it. I grew up in a normal pack, groomed to take over when my father retires (or dies). I knew what my future would be. I hoped I would be lucky enough to get a mate. I never saw this coming.

Not that I would trade Katherine for the world. She’s better than I could have ever asked for. My eyes narrow to Carter’s back, right between his thin shoulder blades. He is my problem. After everything he and his uncle put my girl through, she’s too kind to turn her back on him, but she’s mine.

Elijah shakes his head. I don’t know how he can stand to let Moira be around Carter. I don’t buy this whole story that the Water wolf somehow protected her back at the estate. ‘Man, you’re getting in your own way,’ Elijah says. ‘Just shut up and be nice.’

I shoot him an incredulous look. ‘You don’t get it. Katherine belongs to me, not him.’ I point at the back of his ridiculously blond head. ‘He kept her—’

Elijah grabs me by the elbow. Moira turns, brows raised, but he offers a strained smile and nods for her and the others to keep going. ‘Listen to me,’ he hisses. ‘You and I both know that Katie never did anything with Carter that she didn’t want. And believe me, I can imagine how hard it is to picture your mate with someone else. I get that. But you need to realise that Carter’s actually a victim too. It’s not all as black and white as you think, Killian. And in case you hadn’t noticed, you being an asshole about all this isn’t doing your mate any good, so cut it out. I’m not saying you have to become BFFs with the guy, just—’

I rip my arm out of his grasp. ‘I’m to be alpha of the Fire Pack,’ I say, not quite as confidently as I would like. ‘Leave me alone.’

Elijah is too easy-going. Too much of a pushover to see what I see. That there’s a poison spreading between me and Katherine. A blond, water-loving poison currently bumping shoulders with the woman I love.

And I’ve had enough.

Elijah and I walk in silence for several, long minutes. He’s a head shorter than me, and when he looks up, he looks all friendly, as though I haven’t just been a tool and had a go at him.

Finally, I huff a sigh. My insides have been turning since the second I watched Katherine half-carry Carter out of the estate. She went there to rescue Moira, not him. I just can’t get on board with this. ‘He kidnapped Moira. Aren’t you pissed?’ My voice is low, quiet.

Elijah is the picture of calm. He runs a hand through his brown hair with a shrug. ‘Nah. It wasn’t him.’ He nods at the Water wolf. ‘And Moira won’t talk about it much, but she swears he protected her. I believe her. I don’t see the need to be a dick to him.’

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