“It probably is,” Sam said. “But we’re going, anyway, because we have to. We can’t let the wraith hold onto Emma. I don’t know what plans it has for her, but they can’t be good. There’s a reason it didn’t just outright kill her. It wants to use her. We need to get her out of there before it can.”
He was right. They couldn’t sit around and do nothing. I knew this as well as he did. But the idea of them going into the wraith’s lair without any way of combating the wraith sounded like suicide. Unless they found Emma in time, they wouldn’t be able to fight the wraith. Not unless they had someone who could wield magic.
Steeling myself, fully aware of what I was doing, I walked toward Sam, reaching out and grabbing his wrist as I looked up at him. “Let me go with you,” I said.
He blinked, tilting his head as he stared down at me, frowning. “What?”
“Let me go with you,” I repeated. “I can help, and you know it.”
He didn’t even consider it. He shook his head. “No,” he said. “It’s too dangerous.”
Through the mating bond, I could sense the worry that rushed through him the second I offered, and I couldunderstand it. But as much as I wanted to soothe him right now, we didn’t have that sort of time. I had to go, whether he liked it or not.
“You know I’m the only person who can fight the wraith right now,” I pointed out.
“Well aware,” Sam fired back. “But I already told you we’re not going to fight the wraith. We just want to get Emma back.”
“And I can help,” I said. “What? You don’t think a wall of fire between you guys and the enemies wouldn’t help?”
His jaw tightened as he stared down at me. I could see the inner war raging in his eyes. He knew I was right; he knew that having me there would only increase their chance of survival. He knew that he needed me. Except admitting that would put me in harm’s way, something that he’d been trying to avoid for ages.
“It’s too dangerous,” he repeated. “We put Emma in harm’s way, and look what happened to her. I’m not going to let it take you as well.”
I pressed my hand against his chest. “I know you’re trying to protect me, and I appreciate it. But I can help,” I said. “Right now, I’m the best chance you have. Don’t sideline me because you’re worried I’m going to get hurt.”
“You’re pregnant,” he snarled. “If you think I’m willingly letting that wraith within a mile of my unborn cub, then you’re crazy.”
“I’m less than a month pregnant,” I said slowly. “I’m not even showing yet. I can move and run just fine. I have all my mobility. Sam, I can help. Emma is my friend, one of my only friends. I’m not going to let the wraith take her and just sit idlyby when I know I can help. Arguably, I am the only person who can make a serious difference.”
I was right, and he knew it. But he would never admit it, would never accept that I could help, not if it put me in danger. I could see it long before he answered, but I refused to back down. Not when I had a friend in danger. My sister-in-law.
He let out a long, slow breath as he folded his arms and stared down at me. “And what about keeping your powers a secret?”
The words rang in my ears, and I didn’t answer right away. Because the truth was, that was the part that scared me the most. Deep down, I didn’t want anyone to know about my powers. I didn’t want my baby being born already ostracized because of what their mother could do.
I bit my lip as I considered the silence hanging between the two of us. I thought about all the ways revealing my secret could go wrong. Me and my unborn baby might be thrown out of the pack. Elias might refuse to speak with me ever again for keeping it from him. I could become more of an outcast than I already was.
But if I didn’t tell anyone, then Emma and any shifter who went after her were almost certainly going to die. And I knew which of those scenarios I would choose every time.
“We weren’t going to be able to keep it secret forever,” I finally said, trying to keep my expression neutral and my voice even. “And I would rather everyone know my secret but have Emma be safe than keep it a secret, knowing it meant Emma would stay in the wraith’s clutches. If it means I keep being ostracized, then so be it. I’m not going to let that fear keep me from helping my friend. Not anymore.”
He stared down at me, as if stunned that I had said this much. He had actually expected me to concede the second he reminded me of what I would have to do.
“I admire that you would be willing to do that,” he said, “but you’re not coming.”
Frustration welled up in me. This was him being pigheaded again for no reason. “Sam—”
“I’m not letting you help,” he growled. “It’s too dangerous. You’re safer here. We all know it.”
Anger burst out of me, more than I would have expected. “And what about everyone else? They’ll be safer if I’m out there. This is about you, Sam. Not me. You know I can protect myself.”
“Yes, I do. I know that you can hurt anyone who threatens you with a burst of flame. But you could be a trained martial artist with years of skill, and that wouldn’t change my mind on any of this.”
He crouched until he was at eye level with me, his hands gripping my biceps. “No matter what you can do, the second you come with us, you’re putting yourself in harm’s way. There is always going to be the chance that you get hurt. If you come, all I’m going to do is worry about you. I won’t be able to focus on anything else. I know you want to help, but I can’t keep thinking about you and what you’re doing while I’m trying to get Emma out of there.”
Scoffing, I folded my arms, stepping out of his grasp as I craned my neck to look up at him. “That’s an excuse wrapped in a pretty bow,” I said. It was the same one that he had used all that time ago. I understood where he was coming from, but I wasn’t going to let his fear for my safety prevent me from helping. And I wasn’t the meek, useless girl I had been then. Ihad power. I could fend for myself. We both knew it, even if Sam refused to admit it.
His eyes darkened as he stared back at me. “I don’t care,” he said. “That’s my final say on the matter.”
