He tipped his head toward the garden. In perfect synchronicity, we walked down the stairs. Memories of another time flashed through my mind—Liam, lip bleeding, yelling for me to come home with him while two Pines shackled hiswrists.
I didn’t like that memory. There’d been too much hurt in Liam’s eyes that night, hurt I’d putthere.
I realized then that what had broken Liam and me wasn’t Tamara or my mating link. What had broken us was that we’d spent more time fighting each other than fighting alongside oneanother.
They’re gettingcloser.
The words whispered into my mind made my skin buzz with renewed hope. I became acutely aware of the tether which swelled and effervesced with something dark andsour.
“Something’s wrong,” I whispered toLiam.
Liam frowned, zeroing in on the ring of shifters and then on Cassandra, whose blue lips twitched with asmile.
Remembering her confession, I placed my palm in front of my mouth before murmuring, “With August. He’s angry. Reallyangry.”
A mane of wild blonde curls caught my attention in the first line of shifters. Sarah stood directly ahead of us, her hand clutched in Alex’s, her eyes glistening as though she were crying. Was he hurting her, or were her tears for us? Had she found out something else but not found a way to relay theinformation?
Suddenly, she gasped, and her eyes rounded as they set on a spot over myhead.
I whirledaround.
August, Cole, and Greg burst through the open veranda doors, sweat glossing their flushed cheeks and bruises marbling their jaws. Blood had seeped into the collar of Cole’s gray T-shirt and speckled the oatmeal fabric of August’s tornHenley.
I started in their direction, but Liam clapped his hand over myforearm.
Don’t. They’re fine. They’rehere.
“They’re not fine,” I growled. Then to Cassandra, I yelled, “What did you do tothem?”
“Me? I’m a werewolf, honey, not a magician. I’ve been here waitin’ the whole time. I didn’t do nothin’ to thesemen.”
But someonehad.
I caught Justin exchanging a loaded glance with Alex Morgan.Ofcourse. . .
I searched my intended’s gaze for a hint of what had happened, but all of his features were ironed too tight to read anything besides absolutefury.
I noticed Greg’s empty fingers balling and uncurling at his sides at the same time asLiam.
They took our Sillin,his voice sputtered inside myskull.
That was why they’d been attacked . . . Not to keep August away, but to keep the drugaway.
Doesn’tmatter.
Didn’t it? Could he eat her heart without a Sillininjection?
“For the love of the Wolf God, could we please begin?” Cassandraasked.
“By all means”—Liam yanked off his black V-neck and tossed it to the ground—“let’s get this overwith.”
49
Liam and Cassandra stood naked,shoulders squared, spines taut, muscles twitching. Justin had already shed his clothes, but I hadn’t. I’d take them off at the lastminute.
As I circled the giant Creek Alpha, pretending to inspect her body, she said, “You’re a ruthless little thing, aren’tyou?”
“Wanting what’s right doesn’t make meruthless.”
