Was that resignation in his voice? Did he think the same thing? Even if he didn’t, he was my mate. I wanted to do all I could to keep us on the same page.
After a deep breath, I dropped my gaze and spoke in a rush.‘I think King Declan took advantage of the chaos my bio-dad caused that night … and killed your father to steal the crown.’
There. I’d said it.
The silence in my head was deafening—and then he snarled. I looked up as black pelts of fur rose on his neck. Rage’s eyes flashed yellow, and in a voice that was barely human, he said,‘I think you’re right. And when I see him again, I’m going to enjoy tearing that monster limb from limb.’
Now definitely wasn’t the time to remind him we still had a curse to break so that could happen.
I settled into the car ride, letting the movement rock me as my mind chewed on everything. I was feeling relaxed when Rage let a curse word fly.
“Courage Midnight!” his mother scolded from her seat next to me.
“Sorry.” Rage growled. “But my watch … it’s … I forgot about the time difference between the worlds. We only have a few hours left to bring Honor back.”
I bolted upright. “What? We had like twenty hours!”
Rage met my gaze, sadness and panic filling his. “Well, now we have four.”
Frick. My grandpa had better be waiting for us the second we got to my father’s land.
Lost in our dark thoughts and haunted memories, I felt an eerie stillness pervaded the vehicle. When I started recognizing the landscape, my thoughts derailed, and nervous energy thrummed through me. I hadn’t spoken to my father in months. Phones didn’t work in the magic lands, and no visits were permitted. He wasn’t expecting to see me for another three and a half years…
When Rage pulled onto our land, I stared out the window at the plowed and dried-up cornfields now harvested and covered with a light dusting of snow, the wildflower meadow likewise blanketed in white. Smoke puffed from the chimney of our cabin. I couldn’t breathe as I was suddenly overwhelmed with homesickness, only to be doused with terror as the pack trickled outside, likely brought by the crunch of our tires on the hardened snow.
I sucked in a ragged breath, trying to control the panic clawing through me. As if Rage could feel its hold on me, he reached back and grasped my hand, squeezing it tightly.
‘We’ve got this.’
I scoffed.‘Really? Does my dad know Nolan is dead?’
‘Maybe.’Rage grimaced.‘Usually, the king sends a letter to the family.’
Usually.‘What about fated mates? Does your douchebag uncle send letters about that?’I was85.9% sure no one told my dad about Rage and me.‘Or what about the fact that we’re on the run from the king and maybe the High Mage Council, all of whom I’ve pissed off?’
He winced.‘That’s a lot to catch him up on.’
‘Yeah,’I snorted.‘No one’s got this.’
And because I’d taken the magic oath when I’d boarded the boat for Alpha Academy, I wouldn’t be able to tell him anything. This was going to get interesting with hand gestures and broken words. Would it hurt when I tried to tell him? Or would no sound come out? I didn’t know how the spell worked to keep all that transpired at school a secret…
‘Maybe it would be best if I let you two talk—’
‘Nice try, mate. You’re coming with me.’
Rage nodded and put the car in park as Justice pulled up next to us.
“I’ll wait in the car until you give us the all-clear,” Elaine said. “This is so far away from official business…”
She was a foreign wolf, the wife of the alpha douche who banished my pack … I’d need to get my father’s invite for her to step foot on this dirt.
I nodded, and Rage stepped out of the car and opened my door.
“Shirt!” I whisper-screamed at Rage.
His eyes widened. “What?”
“You’re shirtless!” I gestured to his incredibly yummy washboard abs, but it was too late, my father stepped out on the porch, and his gaze jumped from me to the half-naked man holding my hand.
