15
Dante
“Hedidwhat!?”
Ruby didn’t wince at my roar. My dragon rushed to the surface, and I was barely able to keep it down, but I couldn’t hold back the smoke streaming from my mouth and nostrils. It was a miracle I wasn’t alreadyspewingfire.
“Lorenzo took Gabriel back to Stoneheart pack,” Ruby repeated. But despite her calm voice, I noticed the crease of concern in her brow and the slight downturn of her lip. She wasworried,too.
“I can’t fucking believe this,” I muttered. “When? When did youfindout?”
“Only ten minutes ago,” Ruby said. “Lorenzo didn’t have much time. He could only shoot me a quick message while Gabriel wasn’t payingattention.”
“Fuck,” I muttered. “Why did he agree to lethimgo!?”
I couldn’t believe this. Not only did my mate go behind my back and run off, but my brother was an accomplice tothis,too.
Ruby sighed. “I don't think it was quite that simple. From what you’ve told me, Gabriel must have already been quite upset. Lorenzo knew that barring his path - like you did - would have made thingsworse.”
I opened my mouth to argue with her, but I couldn’t. She was right. My shoulders slumped indefeat.
“I did this, didn’t I?” I asked, my voicethick.
Ruby frowned sympathetically but didn’treply.
“Ruby, did I chase him away?” I cried. “Gods, I’m a horrible alpha. I’m supposed toprotecthim!”
“You are not a horrible alpha,” Ruby saidsternly.
“I made himleave.”
She stomped her foot, creating a loud thump that made me payattention.
“Gabriel left of his own free will, to help his pack,” she said. “He would have done this regardless of yourinterference.”
She was right - again. Gabe was the most stubborn omega I’d ever met in my life. That was part of why I loved himsomuch.
I sighed. “I know. I just feel awful that wefought.”
She squeezed my shoulder sympathetically. “It happens to everybody. Love is not always afairytale.”
“He didn’t believe me when I told him we were fated mates,” I muttered. “In fact, I think it upsethimmore.”
She sounded frustrated. “Think, Dante. You saw Stoneheart pack for yourself. They’re a small, closed-off community with plenty of backward ideals. Of course Gabriel wouldn’t believe you. Whyshouldhe?”
I blinked.Why should he?I never thought of it that way before. I was so busy worrying about his safety that I hadn't stopped to think about howhefelt.
“And you can still protect him. Go - now. They left not too long ago. You should be able to catch upwiththem.”
My mind raced with possibilities - both good and bad. I needed to calm down and get my head onstraight.
I growled, asking, “He’s gone to Stoneheart to create a barrier. Is thatright?”
“Yes.” Ruby straightened. “I assume Lorenzo will help him with the magic. Honestly, I wasn’t aware that Gabriel was even capable of performing clearmagic.”
“He is,” I said, feeling proud of him despite the clusterfuck of a situation right now. “And I have no doubt that he can actually pull this off, especially with Lorenzo’s help. But the problem is the human raiders. When I was there fighting them off, I only managed because I took them by surprise. By the end of it, they were trying tofightback.”
I shifted only my wings and stretched them out, showing Ruby the nick I received when a human threw its spear at me. Her browsarched.
