“I’m afraid that’s off the table, Silas.” My voice was calm. “My mate doesn’t like you.”
His eyebrows rose, his incredulous stare darting between me and Joanna as he rubbed Latoya’s back. “Did she say that?”
“In not so many words.”
“I meant, has she agreed to be your mate?”
In not so many words.
Silas found my silence amusing. He stopped soothing Latoya and crossed his arms. “Why does it sound like you’ve changed your mind about our… agreement?”
I stiffened.Because I won’t hurt her again.“It isn’t a secret. Joanna knows what I wanted from you, Silas.” Malik and my gamma did not need to know specifics. “And no, I didn’t change my mind; she changed it for me.”
Joanna turned her head, her ear now in my direction, and kept her eyes fixed on the ground. But once I opened my mouth, she looked up to meet my gaze, as if she felt my next words were for her.
“I will do anything to regain your trust.”
Silas sighed, a frown finally appearing on his face. “It seems… that may have to include dying for her.”
Chapter Nineteen
Joanna
Marcus kept glancing over the rogues’ shoulders. When his naked body tensed after I released my second arrow, I thought he was preparing to pounce. But once I took the time to study the cool air blowing from the East, it became clear: More werewolves were on the way—and fast.
“I don’t want to fight you, Silas,” Marcus declared, voice booming over the wolves. “I owe you for saving Joanna. So go home. Let’s end this peacefully.”
Silas shook his head, combing a hand through his hair as if disappointed. “I can’t possibly accept your offer.” He leered at me. “Because I didn’t save her for you.”
Malik cleared his throat, causing all of us to face him. “Have y’all ever seenLord of the Rings?” he asked with a smile.
They looked at him as if he were insane. Even Marcus growled in annoyance.
But Malik’s smile only widened as he glanced around the derelict buildings before his eyes found mine. “This place reminds me of Mordor.”
It happened in a flash.
I pulled Greg’s knife from its sheath and ran toward Silas as Malik did the same, our blades aimed at opposite sides of Silas’s head with one goal: to kill the leader and hope the rest of them fell.
Latoya lunged and shoved Silas out of the way. My arm locked, freezing in midair. Malik hesitated for only a millisecond before allowing his swing to follow through.
I watched, mouth agape, as fear hit the slow-motion button in my brain. But the hesitation was enough time for a rogue to knock Malik on his ass. I sighed with relief while simultaneously feeling horrible.
Malik jumped to his feet as the rogue shifted—as theyallshifted.
The long-haired alpha lunged for Maya, while Jerome had his sights set on Lamar.
Marcus shoved my sister out of his way, charging for Silas. I’d stepped back, but pain shot up from the stab wound in my leg, and I lost my footing. Latoya and I fell to the ground, my knife clattering to the pavement.
Latoya’s eyes landed on the knife the same time mine did. She darted for it, trying to swat it away without touching its blade, but my hand closed around its handle.
I scurried backwards, scrambling to my feet and holding the knife so it pointed down at her.
“What’s your plan here, sis?” Latoya teased. “You’ve already proven you can’t kill me.”
I blinked slowly—angry, yet full of hurt. “What should I do, Latoya?”
She rose from the ground with grace, blood weeping from her arm. She flipped her locs from her face with a flick of her head. “Comehomewith me, Joey,” she insisted.
