“Sameen. That’s all I know. Except…” He buried his nose in her hair, and Eli swore under his breath. Why? She hadn’t heard Peter say anything else, but the wolf he’d called Liam made a questioning sound. “Yes,” Peter snapped. “I’m sure. She’s in pain, Eli. Do something.”
All around her, the wind howled. Rain pelted her cheeks, and the ground under them shook, gently at first, then almost violently. When flames started to crackle close by, she whimpered softly, and Peter stroked her back. “It’s all part of the casting he does. It’s like…this halo of light he holds in his hands.”
Peter’s voice took on a hint of wonder, and Sameen wished she could see. She didn’t much care about the light beyond whatever it could do to shield her from the Thirteen, but she wanted to know what her protector looked like.
“This is going to feel strange,” Peter whispered in her ear. “Like someone just gave you a shot of adrenaline. I won’t let go.”
She sensed the heat approaching, and the brand on her side throbbed with such intensity, she thought Peter might be able to feel it. The jolt shocked her, despite his warning, but after the moment of intense pain, she could breathe again.
The absence of the Thirteen’s compulsion, of the sickening feeling of magic winding its way around her soul and into her mind left her reeling, and she collapsed against Peter’s chest, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks.
“You’re crying. Shit. Tell me it worked,” Peter said.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d smiled. Her lips and cheeks felt strange. Like her body had actuallyforgottenhow to be happy, even for a moment. But when Peter blew out a relieved breath, Sameen figured she must have gotten it right. Exhaustion threatened to drag her under, and when Peter smoothed his hand over her hair and nuzzled her neck, she let herself give in to sleep.
* * *
Peter
It killed him to let Liam carry Sameen back to the mansion. But when he’d tried to stand with her in his arms, his leg had buckled, and he’d almost dropped her.
At least she’d passed out or fallen asleep before the beta wolf had picked her up, and she didn’t stir when he brought her up to the bedroom Peter had claimed as his and laid her in the four-poster bed.
“Who in the feckin’ hell is this?” Farren asked from the doorway as Peter yanked on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. When she took a step closer, her eyes narrowed, and she pressed her hand to her side. “She’s branded. Are all of ya’ daft? She—”
“She’s mine,” Peter growled. “I need Regulus. He’s the only one strong enough to break these cuffs off her.”
“Yers...fuck me. If Tierney finds his mate in the next week, this entire world’s gone batshit sideways. And Regulus went to ground an hour ago. Said he’d be almost impossible to wake until sundown.”
“I can help.” Caitlin stood just behind Farren with a small velvet bag in her hand. “Liam told me she was injured. I brought some healin’ crystals, but I can handle the locks too.”
“How?”
“My air.” Caitlin’s cheeks pinked. “A key is just a way to move the lock tumblers around in a specific pattern. Any teenage air elemental with half a brain learns how.”
Peter moved aside, despite his wolf’s protests, and let Caitlin ease a hip onto the bed. She lifted one of Sameen’s hands and fluttered her fingers over the keyhole. In under a minute, the cuff popped open.
“Shit. That’s—”
“Handy? It is.” Once she’d finished, Caitlin thrust the manacles at Farren. “Get rid of these. I can smell the magic on them. Maybe Eli can bury them?”
“We’ll do it. Do ya’ need anythin’ else?” Farren asked. “I feel like a rubbish alpha at the moment with Tierney retrievin’ the book and all yer notes from Doolin and Ewan...”
“Be with yer mate. The two of ya’ need time alone.” Caitlin offered Farren a weak smile. “It’s been all of twenty-four hours.”
“Doesn’t feel right with Cade hurtin’ like he is.” The only female alpha in the world—that Peter knew of—didn’t look like she wanted the mantle any longer. Though the two of them had butted heads when he’d arrived in Ireland eight weeks ago, that had beenhisfailing. Not hers. She was a good alpha. As good as Cade, if not better. Cade had lost himself with Mara gone, though now that Peter was only a few feet away from his own mate, he understood.
“Do ya’ want help with her?” Caitlin asked. Holding a smoky quartz crystal in her hand, she traced a sigil in the air over Sameen’s forehead, another at her heart, and a third all around the brand on her side.
“Help?” He had no fucking clue what he was supposed todowith her now. Or even if she were asleep or unconscious.
“Peter.” Caitlin’s voice held both patience and exasperation.
They’d never gotten along. When she’d shown up in Seattle months after the woman she used to be had helped Mara’s sister trap Cade as his wolf and torture him, then kidnap Mara to get back at Cade, Peter had been certain her intentions were anything but noble. He’d been so very wrong, and after Caitlin had risked her life to save Liam from a deranged earth elemental, he’d tried to repair the damage he’d done. But he was pretty sure he’d failed miserably.
“She’s been starved, branded, and from the looks of those manacles, a prisoner for years. I count at least six cuts that’ll fester if they’re not cleaned, and she’ll need clothes.” Caitlin snagged a blanket from the foot of the bed and tucked it around his mate. “There’s probably a first aid kit in the bathroom. I can check the closets for a few items that will fit her. Regulus seems to have entertained some female guests over the years. Some even in the last century.”
Peter stared down at the floor, hating that he knew so little about what his own mate needed. “Clothes would be good. And tea? I don’t know what she’ll be able to eat. Or what she likes.”
