Her eyes widened as she looked behind me at the warriors. “Demi, Wolf City … Sawyer. Weneedyou right now.”
Being torn like this, it was awful. I gestured to the blackened grass at my feet, the dying cornfields off in the distance that I could see even from here were tipped with black char. “No. You want me. Buttheyneed me.” I lowered my voice. “I’m going to stay for a few days, talk about next steps with them. I want to earn their trust, do what I can to heal them,” I told her sincerely. She didn’t get it; she didn’t understand these were my people too.
She frowned. “Fine. I’ll stay with you.” She crossed her arms in defiance.
Tears pricked at my eyes as I shook my head. “I need you to lead the warriors to Sawyer. I told him you’re coming.” I tapped my head.
It was early as all hell, we were both exhausted, but war didn’t wait for you to get a good night’s sleep.
“Fine. I’ll drop them off and come right back,” she growled.
“Sage—”
“Stop arguing with me, you stubborn ass. I’m not leaving you here with hotty alphahole over there.” She narrowed her eyes at Rab and I grinned.
Any and all hotness Rab possessed was eaten away by his asshole personality. Besides, I was only interested in Sawyer.
That didn’t mean I couldn’t admire the chiseled bodies every now and then though.
“Alright. See you tonight, then?” I asked.
Her frown grew deeper. “You told Sawyer you’re staying and that I’m going?”
My heart pinched. “It was the worst thing I’d ever had to tell him… But yes. Last night.”
She nodded. “I’ll be back tonight, then, maybe tomorrow.”
We hugged and my throat tightened with emotion. Why did I feel like I wouldn’t see her for a long time? War was ugly, and everything felt so dire on both sides of the border. I hoped I was making the right choice by staying behind with the Paladins. The thing was, the city wolves had Sawyer and these people had no one.
“Be safe,” I told her.
She wiped at her eyes and then walked over to Arrow. “Come on, I’ll show you the way.”
A female warrior stepped up to Arrow, her body nearly as chiseled as his, her breasts covered by a tiny triangle strip of suede that hung from a string that was covered in pretty red beads. She had a deadly grip on her weapon, and I knew instantly that this was Arrow’s mate. He seemed like the type who would go for a warrior woman.
The men started to disperse, and I thought I should say something, give them confidence in my abilities, although I had no idea what would be required of me.
“Iwon’tlet you down,” I said in a strong voice that surprisingly didn’t shake.
The men looked from Astra, back to me, and then nodded, heading off to fight a war they’d never started or believed in.
I stood there, watching every single man and wolf pass by me, and gave them a tight smile. When the last warrior finally turned around the corner, Rab stepped over to me, arms crossed as he pinned me with a glare.
“Three thousand, one hundred and seventy-eight.”
I swallowed hard. “What?”
“That’s how many warriors just left. That’s how many Paladins you have decided to put at risk on your first day as trial alpha.” His eyes flashed yellow.
“Trial alpha?” I crossed my arms and glowered at him. Clearly Arrow was the nice brother. “Last time I checked, I’m theonlyalpha you got.”
He chuckled, looking over at Astra. “You haven’t told her anything, have you?”
Astra squirmed, adjusting her cream linen top with nervous fingers. “I told her what was important at the time.”
My stomach dropped, and my face must have shown it too, because Rab grinned. “You have no idea what you’re in for,city girl.”
He blasted past me, nearly knocking into me, and I was left staring at Astra with what I hoped she interpreted as a stunned expression.
