“Explain,” Koe demanded, but Daemon cut in.
“You sure you wanna make her do that? We just got back from Biter territory, and depending on what she’s about to say, I will turn the fuck around and head straight back.”
“We need to know if we can trust her to be among our pack,” Koe gritted out.
Dameon opened his mouth to argue on her behalf, but Narae beat him to it.
“Don’t want to be trusted, and don’t want to be among your pack. Give me my sister, and we’ll leave.”
That had both Koe and Daemon falling silent and exchanging glances.
In the distance, Jury’s voice cried, “Narae?”
Narae’s attention went to where Jury’s slight frame was stalking toward them from across the field. Eyes instantly welling with tears, Narae breathed out an awed, “Jurusila?” She shovedpast Daemon and Koe and broke into a dead run, as Jury did the same.
Holding back, Koe watched the sisters race toward each other and snarled, “Jury’s not leaving.”
Daemon grunted, “Neither is Narae.”
Behind them, Thrall crooned, “This could be the best week of my life!”
Again, at the same time, Koe and Daemon growled, “Shut the fuck up, Thrall!”
Chapter 23
Jury’s body collided with Narae’s as she hugged her sister hard. God, it felt like decades since she’d seen her last. Shoulder’s shaking as she cried, Jury’s wolf pranced inwardly at the reunion. Narae was crying too as she breathed into Jury’s hair, “I missed you so fucking much!”
Narae pulled back to hold Jury at arm’s length, scanning her from head to toe. “Are you okay?”
Jury smiled and nodded through her tears, pulling Narae back in as she breathed, “I can’t believe you're really here. I missed you…” Her voice hitched, and unable to finish the sentence, she just held Narae tighter.
They stayed like that for a long time before Jury pulled back and swiped at her nose. “Areyoualright?” She looked down at Narae’s clothes, her expression twisting into one of concern. “Whose blood is that?” Her eyes scanned Narae and then stilled on Narae’s throat, her heart stuttering to a halt. “You’re marked,” she breathed, fear filling her. “Who? Sid,” she bit outaccusatorily. Then her face turned ashen, “Oh God, please say it wasn’t Lionel!”
Narae shook her head. “It wasn’t either of them. It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” She tugged the collar of her shirt up in an unsuccessful attempt at hiding the mark. “It doesn’t matter now. We’re together, that’s what’s important.”
But it mattered to Jury. Someone had marked Narae, which meant someone would be coming for her. Bragga would be coming for both of them.
“Who was it?” Jury demanded hysterically. “We have to know so we can prepare, Narae! We have to be…”
“It was me,” Daemon declared stalking toward the woman with a displeased looking Koe at his side.
“What?” Jury breathed in disbelief. She stood frozen a moment before she started shaking her head, delicate brows spearing down as she lunged for Daemon with a shrieked, “How dare you!”
Narae reached out to stop her, but Koe was already there, pulling Jury into his arms and holding her tight against him as she struggled, glaring and cursing at Daemon.
“Shhhh,” Koe breathed in her hair. “It’s okay, baby. It’s gonna be fine.”
“Fine?” she cried, tears breaching her eyes before they turned accusatory and focused on Koe. “How is this fine? She’s not even ten seconds out of Biter territory and she’s attacked by one of your Enforcers!”
Narae tried to calm Jury. “I wasn’t attacked.” She repeated the same lie she’d told Koe. “The only way to save me was to mark me. Daemon did what he had to do to get me out.”
This time Daemon didn’t correct her. Koe said nothing either. There was a pregnant pause as they all waited on Jury’s reaction, which was an angry gaze slicing to Daemon then to Koe as she pushed at his chest. This time Koe released her, and when he did, she held out her hand to Narae.
“Come on.”
Narae took her hand, and Jury led her toward the manor. Jury was livid. How could the only way to rescue Narae be to mark her? Deep down, part of Jury wondered if she should be grateful to Daemon. Any gratitude would have to wait until she got a full report from Narae.
***
