We had a fight. That’s all. It’s fine. This one didn’t end in a stabbing, so I’d say that’s improvement, I try to convince myself. But our past fights were on an even playing field. This didn’t seem like just a fight—my displaced anger and Jay’s whiplash made this target practice.
I’ve made so many mistakes with us.
Because of howItreated her, my own people didn’t respect her. They branded her like cattle. I’ve imprisoned her, stabbed her, isolated her.
I look up to the sky. The Moon Goddess is right to turn her back on me. I never deserved a mate—especially someone as incredible as Jay. She deserves so much better than I’ve offered her.
I hate that I reacted the way I did. But she kept talking, time was ticking, and I couldn’tthink. It was the pressure. Still no excuse. I have less than seventy-two hours to find a solution, or I could lose her for good.
If I hadn’t already.
There had to be a way.
I arrive at Taya’s parents’ house, who aren’t there. They often travel during this time of year.
I bang their fancy door knocker and wait. Seconds later, Sam appears shirtless with shorts that hang loosely on his hips, with messy hair and a scowl. “It is four in the morning. What are you doing here?”
“I need an audience.”
“With?”
“Everyone. The crown. The council.”
Sam wipes the corners of his eyes to remove the crust. “This could’ve waited until a more reasonable hour.”
“You know I can’t wait that long,” I plead, not even bothering to hide the desperation in my voice.
For some reason, he takes pity on me. He sighs. “Fine. Dax will be back here for training late-morning. I’ll talk to him about setting up a meeting, then. Goodnight.” Sam goes to shut the door, but I put a hand out to stop it.
He looks at my hand, then at me, questioning my audacity. “What the—”
“I’m sorry, sir. It’s gotta be sooner than that.”
“How soon?”
“Sunrise.”
Sam’s eyes bug. “You’re out of your mind, Waller.”
“Probably.”
“That’s in two hours!”
“I know.”
My body, my entire aura, communicates the message I’m not letting it go. The stakes are too high.
“Do you understand what you’re asking? It will taketwo hoursfor Dax to get here. I would have to wake him upnowand ask him to leave his bed, mate and pup—who he loves more than anyone or anything in this world—to come talk to you, who he doesn’t.”
“I know what I’m asking.”
I don’t care. I’ve lived to see another day following the king’s wrath, but losing Jay is not something I could nor want to survive.
“See,thisis why we call you mutt.”
I also don’t care what anyone calls me, but yesterday proved I’m running out of patience. I snap again. “In less than seventy-two hours I could lose the love of my life, Sam. So fine, call me mutt, call me crazy—hell, I am. People can call me whatever they want, but if I can’t call Jaymine, you’re going to be calling my—and the rest of this realm’s—time of death.
Sam blinks, and for a moment, the ins and outs of my heavy breathing is the only exchange happening between us. The door creaks as Sam opens it up a little wider. “Jay is your mate.”
