She narrows her eyes at me. “You can't tell me what to do, Hunter!” she snaps at me, and I quickly catch the thorn coming to prick me before it stings.
“I'm not telling you what to do, Delilah,” I defend in a firm tone, shaking my head. “But it's dangerous out there. If this dark warlock is targeting your coven, you can't go looking for trouble.”
“He's already rallied mutated rogues against Tyler before,” Delilah objects. “All because Arianna is a witch, and their son is both. He's a child, Hunter. He's only four. If the dark lord is after him, after us, we can't wait around.”
“Delilah is right,” Tyler says as he places a hand on my shoulder when he steps forward. “We're not gonna sit idly by and wait for trouble to come to us. Sean”—he turns to the other man—“Silverfang is the furthest from our vicinity, and they need to be briefed about this. Dom….” He turns to Dominic. “Cecelia will be giving birth today, so you should return to Nightmist and take care of her.”
“Wait,” I stop Tyler, realizing he's taking the lead on this and making the decision. “What's going on right now?”
Tyler turns to me with a stern expression. “We're going on a mission, buddy. We're going after the warlock.”
“We? Who'swe?’” I ask with a frown, my heart steadily beating faster as I realize the team hasn't quite retired from wanting to protect their people, and it's as if we're back in black ops again.
I didn't expect anything less from my group of friends, but the question of Delilah's safety hangs in the balance when she's tied to the very same coven the warlock is after.
It is my responsibility to take care of her now, as her husband and as her fated mate. I might have rejected our bond in the past, but in the face of adversity, I can't deny my natural instincts and inclination of my inner wolf to protect her.
The shift feels natural, and it's what prompted me to take matters into my own hands and sign the marriage license to ensure she isn't married off to someone who isn't her mate.
I clench my fists with that very same determination as I step forward and nod at Tyler.
“Fine,” I concede. “If we're doing this, I think we should form a small group and go after the warlock.”
Tyler agrees with a nod. “Arianna needs to stay in Portland and protect our son,” he says as he glances at his mate, who's still shaken as she nods in agreement. “Dom needs to be with Cecelia, and Sean has to protect Silverfang.”
“I'll join,” Emily says as she stands up from where she'd been sitting beside Sean. “I know I don't have combat skills to offer the group, but you're gonna need a medic around in case of emergencies.”
“Thanks, Em, we'll need you. Especially if Arianna isn't around, I'll need the support if I'm gonna use my magic,” Delilah thanks her, and I frown at the woman I just married.
“You're not coming with us on this mission, Delilah. I told you, it's too dangerous.”
Delilah ensnares me with furious eyes. “And I told you that you can't tell me what to do, Hunter. I'm going on this mission with Tyler, Nick, and Emily; that's final.”
The thorny rose pricks me with her sharp tone, but I'm too invested now to care that I'm bleeding internally. Delilah might think she can do everything on her own, but that's not true anymore.
We have to work as a team, even if she hates me. It's why I married her, despite rejecting our mate bond like a coward.
I was so wrong for feeling undeserving and feeling like I couldn't protect her before. She may be thorny, but her petals are delicate, fragile, and they need protection.
She needs me.
“And me,” I declare as I step forward. “I'll be joining this mission, too.”
“That's not necessary, Hunter,” Delilah protests with a glint of irritation in her eyes. “There are enough of us on this mission. You can accompany Sean to Stowe.”
I huff an equally exasperated breath. Is Delilah trying to get rid of me?
Pfft!
That's not going to happen!
An irritated growl rumbles deep within my chest, and it takes every ounce of self-control to stifle the need to let it out. Holding it in with a gulp, I straighten up, my spine ramrod-straight as I pull out the folded marriage license paper from my pocket. When I meet Delilah's hazel eyes, bewildered and glimmering with confusion, I know she's sensing what I'm about to do.
“Hunter! No!” she exclaims as her eyes widen, a hand reaching up as if she's trying to stop me.
Chuckling lightly under my breath, I unfold the paper and flap it out to straighten it, lifting it and smirking.
“I won't have a choice but to join this mission. I have a duty to protect you, Delilah.”
