Ryker paused. The rest of the Treachery fell silent in shock. I couldn't read their expressions, though I noticed they seemed a little more hesitant now than they did originally. They must have realized that this was a stupid plan, but they couldn't fly off now without admitting failure.
"He's… what?" Ryker asked quietly.
The utter disbelief on his face would've been funny in any other situation.
"You heard me," I said. "Though I'll gladly repeat it, because I'm proud as hell of him."
Red grinned. "Aww."
I stepped away from Ryker, who seemed to be having a moment of shock, and put my arm around Red. It felt so natural and right. He was my fated mate, the one I was meant to be with the rest of my life. I knew that now. Seeing Ryker in front of me brought back a flood of negative emotions and memories. As uncomfortable as this whole situation was, it was a good reminder of everything I'd left behind, and how much I'd grown. Red had lifted me out of a dark place and I would forever be grateful for that.
"No," Ryker muttered. His eyes went wild. "No, this isn't happening. I won't let this happen!" His voice pitched into a desperate shriek. "You're mine, Orpheus. All this shit is a lie. You're just trying to piss me off. But I can see right through you. I know you. I've known you your whole life and you think you can just walk away from me now?"
I'd grown tired with Ryker's tirade. "Then I guess you didn't know me as well as you thought you did."
"You aremyfated mate," he hissed through gritted teeth. "Get away from that fox. Now."
"You wouldn't know the meaning of that term if it bit you in the ass," I stated, losing my patience. I was sick of him still trying to use it to control me. Now that I knew what real fated mates looked like, I wasn't going to let him poison the term anymore.
"Orpheus, is this guy bothering you?" Red asked with a sigh. "Because we don't have to sit here and listen to this."
"Shut up," Ryker snapped. "This is between me and Orpheus.”
Fire blazed in my blood.
Red was right. We didn't have to subject ourselves to this. We were free stop talking and just walk away. That option was growing particularly enticing as Ryker's face turned red with fury. He was a sad, pathetic man. I only wished I'd seen that sooner.
I turned to the other three members of the Treachery. "We’re leaving. Don't follow us."
There was a vague guilt in all their expressions as they hung their heads and nodded. Unlike Ryker, they seemed to realize what a stupid waste of time this was.
"Come on, angel," I murmured to Red, taking his hand.
Red smiled at me. "Thought you'd never ask."
As we turned to leave, an animalistic shriek cut the air. It happened too fast for me to react. All I felt was the rush of air behind me, as if somebody was clawing at my back.
But Red was ready. He was always faster. A red blur disappeared from my peripheral vision. I twisted my body just in time to see a fox lunging at Ryker, teeth bared and letting out a furious, high-pitched bark. Ryker yelped and stumbled back before his own anger took over. Still in human form, Ryker grabbed Red around the shoulders and fought him off.
Terror seized me. If anything happened to our baby, Ryker would have hell to pay.
"Red!" I yelled.
My mate was a fiery blur of chaos, all teeth and claws. I'd been worried that Ryker might injure him, but that concern soon proved to be baseless. A fox was still a predator, still a beast with jaws full of teeth that human skin provided no match against.
Ryker let out a scream of anger and backed off. Red landed on all four feet, panting, his hackles still raised. He looked ferocious, twice his usual size.
"You attacked me!" Ryker cried, raising his arms. The wounds weren't that bad. Red had barely drawn blood, but there was a flurry of scratches along Ryker's arms that probably came from when Ryker was throttling Red.
"You attacked Orpheus first," Red growled. His voice was deeper and angrier than usual. I wondered with awe if his fluid state had slipped towards being an alpha to protect me.
Ryker was dramatically examining his injuries as if blood was gushing from his arms, which it wasn't. "Is your newmaterabid?"
"No, but I'll turn just as crazy if you try to lay another finger on Orpheus," Red snarled. "Now get lost before I eat you."
Ryker’s face blanched. There was a moment of hesitation before it gave way to a final pissed off scowl. Relief filled me when Ryker and the other members of the Treachery shifted into their raven forms and took to the air.
"Fine!" Ryker spat. "I never want to see you again!"
