Page 96 of The Alpha's Mates

“I wonder why she didn’t tell me she’d met you,” Reese mused. “She mentioned you’d never been to the Venat Pack territory, but never that she had actually met you.”

“I was only able to tell her bits and pieces. She probably thought it was easier to avoid the topic of meeting me since she couldn’t tell you everything.”

This whole thing was so convoluted. My grandmother had sent us off on this damn quest with only half the story. Granted, it was probably the smartest move, because it was all so much to take in and we would have had so many questions that she wouldn’t have been able to explain to us at the time. I didn’t know that I would have been willing to go if it sounded too fanciful. I had a pack of shifters depending on me and my cadre to keep them safe, fed, and continuing on life as well as they could under the circumstances. The fact that I left in the first place was a testament to how desperate I was to find answers.

“Please,” Jessu said, bowing his head to Lyas. “Our home is your home. We have a place for you to rest.”

Lyas looped her arm through Relay’s, the man’s eyes widening like he was going to have a heart attack. “Rest sounds wonderful. You should all take the evening to catch up.” With that, she gracefully walked off with Relay toward one of the huts they used for guests.

Reese caught Jessu’s attention. “How’s Emma?”

Jessu winced. “She’s…okay.”

My eyes narrowed at his hesitation. It wasn’t going to be easy to console our mate if something more had happened to her best friend after we left her here.

“What does that mean?” Reese asked, her own eyes narrowed on Jessu.

“She and the others went back home.”

“Home?” Reese tilted her head.

“Well, her mates’ home. Back to your pack,” Jessu said, looking over at me.

“Why would they let her travel?” Reese demanded. “She was comatose when we left.”

“She woke up a few days later. She was…mostly normal. And she wanted to go back to your pack of omegas,” he explained. His words calmed Reese down, she huffed out a breath.

“I’m sorry. I’m just anxious to see her.”

“That’s alright,” Nero told her. “We understand. It’s hard to leave those we love. Even when they have a higher calling that has to be fulfilled.” He was watching Tenala as he spoke.

Tenala’s cheeks went bright pink, but there was sadness written all over her face. She and her fated mates had stumbled upon one another, but she had to leave them. Had to return to an abusive asshole and continue to live with him for years. Died at his hand, knowing there were three shifters right here who would have loved and cherished her. It was almost fucking cruel of Lyas to have asked that of her. It seemed that with this war between Gods, acts of cruelty preceded acts of love. Maybe Elaria had been built that way on purpose.

I understood why she did it. That didn’t mean it was any easier on those affected. I’d felt it when Reese was torn away from us. Had considered just ending everything there on the beach, but I knew, deep down, we had to keep going. At least until the fight was over. So I understood these males’ heartbreak. Just as I understood why Tenala did what she had to do, despite it ripping her heart from her chest.

The fight wasn’t over, but for all our sakes, I vowed to keep all those I cared for safe. Arune wouldn’t fucking take any of them from me again.

I couldn't sleep.Jessu and his village had thrown an amazing feast for Lyas. Seeing the happiness on everyone's faces at her return was inspiring. It helped ease all the grief over everything that had happened while she'd been missing. Now the village was quiet. Almost everyone was sleeping, and I was out wandering the plains alone.

We'd spoken with Lyas for hours about what she would need from us to help her regain her powers. I left the others planning, too restless to sit still any longer. We'd be leaving in the morning, but there was still at least a week of traveling left for us. This feeling would only ease once I had all of the people I was responsible for in one place where I could keep an eye on them. The knowledge that there were gods, good and evil, in this world was much different than seeing in person the shit they could do. Not only what they could do, but that they were fucking thrilled to be causing so much grief. They took pleasure in it. Fuckers.

A rustling sound had my head snapping back. Every muscle tensed as I went on full alert.

"Sorry."

Reese's soft voice forced me to relax as I turned and waited for her to catch up with me. "Where are the others?"

She laughed. "Calder fell asleep about twenty minutes ago. Atlas left him sleeping at the meeting table and went to bed himself."

I grinned. This wasn't unusual. Calder hated politics. Meetings put him to sleep faster than a pup being rocked in a crib. It was why I kept him out of them as much as possible. He hadn't been needed tonight, none of us were except Reese, but he wasn't willing to let her out of his sight. We all felt the same way.

Walking over to a huge boulder embedded in the ground, I sat down on the soft grass, back to the stone. "And what are you doing out here, Little One?"

She was watching me with a steady gaze. "You seem...out of sorts."

My emotions were volatile enough they were leaking through our mind link. "I'm ready to be home."

She came and sat next to me, back to the rock, staring out over the darkened plains. "Have you always taken responsibility for everything?"

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