“How do you—?”
But then I felt something through my mating bond. Panic and anger, and then something soothing, as if Sam was trying to calm me down. To my surprise, I found myself taking comfort in it. Behind that soothing, though, I could sense a primal rage and a need to protect. I could feel Sam’s fury, his desire to destroy whatever it was that was threatening me. It didn’t matter what it was; he couldn’t tell through the mating bond. All that mattered to him was that I was in danger, that I was afraid, and he would slaughter whatever it was that was making me feel this way.
The imps closed in, cackling as they closed the gap. Just as one lunged and wrapped its tiny claws around my wrist, a furious howl screamed out. Several massive wolves charged over the hill, along with other shifters in human form who were clutching heavy iron bars and blades.
The creature gripping me let out a horrified howl as something barreled into it. Sam pinned the demon to the ground and plunged an iron blade into the imp over and over again with a furious snarl. I felt Sam’s rage once more, that protective instinct he felt for me. This thing had touched me, almost hurt me, and Sam was going to make it pay.
He actually did care about me. In his own, weird way.
Drake grabbed my arm and pulled me into motion once more. “Let’s go,” he said.
I turned back to look at Sam, my mate, who was swinging the iron knife toward one of the demons, slicing it across the creature’s throat. It hadn’t even fallen to the ground before another one had taken its place.
“Rachel, come on,” Drake repeated, pulling my arm.
Part of me wanted to argue. Sam was still back there, still fighting. I wanted to help him. I wanted to make sure he stayed safe. Leaving him felt wrong. What if he got hurt?
Through the mating bond, I felt that urgent tug once more, though this one seemed to be begging me to run the other way, to go with Drake. When I turned to find Sam, he wasn’t looking at me. He was still fighting one of the creatures. But I could tell that what I was feeling was coming from him.
I thought back to our conversation earlier today, even as it felt like a lifetime ago. He had said he was always going to be thinking about me, even in a life-or-death situation. I was distracting him. As much as I wanted to stay, if I did, a part of him was going to be worrying about me, and that meant he was more likely to be injured.
I wasn’t going to let that happen. As much as I wanted to stay, I wasn’t going to put him in more jeopardy.
I turned and followed Drake away from the fight.
Chapter 8 - Sam
The demons didn’t go down easy, but one by one, they fell. I slaughtered as many as I could, taking revenge for the terror they had made Rachel feel. I would never be able to get her fear and confusion out of my head, and I was going to make these things pay for doing that to my mate.
Eventually, though, the last demon fell. Those that weren’t on the ground had run off before we could hold them for questioning. Two of the guards charged after them, trying to keep pace.
Rachel and Emma were both waiting just in town, as if they had refused to let Oz take them any further. Exhaustion filled Emma’s entire body, as if using her magic like that had worn her out. Rachel was pacing back and forth, biting her thumbnail as her eyes darted everywhere, searching for us. The second she saw me, relief flooded through her.
“Thank God,” she muttered. Then, to my surprise, she raced forward, wrapping her arms around me. I wrapped my arm around her and held her tight against me. She returned the embrace, nuzzling against my chest as if she had done it a thousand times before.
“Are you all right?” I asked, murmuring into her ear.
She raised her head to shoot me a look. “You’re the one who just fought a bunch of demons,” she said. “I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to be asking you that.”
Her eyes landed on the blood trickling down next to my eye, and she frowned. She reached up and swiped her thumb across the cut on my forehead. I didn’t need the mating bond to sense the guilt and anger radiating off her. I caught her wrist, making sure she was looking in my eyes.
“I’m fine, Rachel,” I said.
Her lips pursed, making a thin line. Though she couldn’t shift, I could see that furious flash of wolf in her eyes. She wanted to tear the world to shreds in that moment. I had to admire it. I stared down, eyes locked on her lips, and for a wild moment, I almost kissed her.
Elias appeared, barely giving Rachel and me a second glance despite the embrace, too preoccupied with finding Emma. He pulled her against him before she even got the chance to take a step toward him.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” he said. “I wanted to tear every last one of those creatures to shreds.”
He pressed his lips to hers, not caring about the onlookers as he held his mate tight. Rachel watched, something inscrutable in her gaze. After a long moment, he pulled away, turning to me with a murderous glint in his eyes.
“I think I figured out what the wraith wants the demons for,” Elias growled.
I nodded. I had come to the same conclusion. “Emma.”
Emma frowned, looking between the two of us. “What do you mean?”
“Think about it. You’re the best weapon we have against the wraith,” Elias said. “You’re the only one who can wield magic in town. He wants you.”
