“Nice to meet you.” I offer a hand.
Grip firmer than I was expecting, she shakes my hand and scoffs. “Don’t lie to your elders, dear, we’re far too old to deal with bullshit. From what I heard, Bellamy’s team went rogue and drugged you both. I can’t imagine waking up in a strange place was comforting, no matter what situation those boys pulled the two of you out of. It’s okay to be angry; I certainly would be. Wouldn’t trust me as far as you can throw me either.”
“Grandma,” Bell hisses, but I tilt my head, studying her a little closer and weighing my words.
He introduced her as an Elder like it was a formal title. The supernatural world may not have a council lording over the country according to Arson and Ledger, but I imagine a small compound of mysts thought to be extinct live under strict rules to keep their existence a secret. Without knowing much about this place, it makes sense to play my cards close to the vest. I can either kiss some ass and rub elbows with the people in power to make my life easier until we can get a hold of the guys, or do things the hard way.
Alas, pandering to other people’s egos is the one game I royally suck at.
I’d rather know who my enemies are from the get-go than be caught off guard when they stab me in the back after thinking they were my friend.
“If I want to go home, are you going to stop me?”
Bellamy’s grip on my side tightens, but his grandma throws her head back and cackles. “Oh, I like this one. You really think if you wanted to leave, this old bag of bones could stop you?”
“I think youwantpeople to underestimate you so they’re more likely to show their true colors. And if they prove to be a threat, you’d show them exactly how dangerous a mimic can be. Even if you weren’t borrowing someone’s powers to torch my ass, you could snap your fingers and whatever security you have guarding this place would jump to follow your orders without question, I imagine.”
Hissing at me to back down, Bellamy tries to step between us, but Naomi grins, patting his chest. “I had a feeling the Fates had something good in store for you, but I had no idea how lucky you’d be.” Passing over a bag hanging from her wrist, she offers it my way. “Here, change out of those filthy clothes and we’ll get going.”
Bellamy frowns. “Where?”
Naomi shuffles towards the door. “Now that you’ve finally taken a mate, it’s time you started preparing to take over when I step down. We need fresh blood at the table, and while you may have been stupid to leave without backup and made us all worry, I can spin this as a heroic act of you being willing to dive into danger head-first to rescue your fated. People love a good love story, and they respect everything you’ve done for this community. Hell, a couple hundred of them have you to thank for saving them from shitty situations and giving them a home. You underestimate how many people here would jump ifyou needed so much as a tissue, my sweet Bell. I can’t think of a better person to replace me and continue keeping our family safe.”
Mouth parted, Bellamy stares after her silently, stunned, as she opens the door. Glancing over her shoulder, Naomi raises a silver eyebrow. “Well don’t just stand there. Everyone’s waiting to meet the girl that finally turned Bellamy’s head away from his precious screens. Pretty sure you’ll have to beat some of them off with a stick, Everest dear, because the whispers have already started that you must be something damn special and wondering how many mates you’re open to.”
It’s not until the door slams shut behind her that I realize she never actually answered my question.
Chapter 4
Arson
The last time I trudged through the wilderness, I’d been bleeding profusely and sweating into the hundreds of cuts across my body. I even got hit by a car. But I’d take that a million times over compared to this helpless feeling, rage simmering in my veins and guilt eating away at me.
My mate isgone. I let her be taken right out from under my nose, and now I’m powerless to get her back.
“Motherfucker.” My lone crutch slips on a loose rock of the forest floor, and I’m two seconds away from hurling it at the nearest tree and watching it explode into a million pieces. The only thing stopping me is knowing it would slow me down even more.
My mate’s missing, and I’m stumbling through the forest with a broken leg. My powers are being blocked by whatever bastard kidnapped her. I’museless.
If it wasn’t for Myles, we wouldn’t even know where she is. And as much as I hate to admit it, right now, Ledger is our best chance of rescuing her.
And her boy toy, I guess. My angel would be sad if we left him behind, but Snow White’s on my shitlist right now. How thehell is he able to break my leg, yet lets himself and our girl get snatched off the street?
Fuck Bellamy. Fuck these stupid woods, and fuck everyone that I’m about to tear limb from limb.
My brother suddenly stops, rubbing the heel of his hand over his chest and frowning. “I think… I think Ever’s awake.”
Ledger pauses as he leads us through the dense wilderness. “Is she hurt?”
Myles adjusts his new glasses, having ditched the broken ones for a backup pair when we were regrouping. “I think she’s… angry. And afraid, but she’s squashing that down so it’s only a little flicker. Mostly angry.”
Of course she is, my girl’s amazing. Ever’s been on her own for so long, she knows how to handle shitty situations with a clear head. But she shouldn’thave toanymore.We’resupposed to be there to take care of things for her.
A low snarl vibrates Ledger’s chest, the sound echoing in the suddenly silent forest around us. “I’m going to pull their still-beating hearts out of their chests and string them up by their entrails.”
I knew I kept him around for a reason. Toss up between that being the daddy issues or murder buddy aspect, but whatever, doesn’t matter. Murder daddy is going to help me avenge our girl.
“Stop,” Myles hisses, and we listen without protest. Now isn’t the time for pissing contests, and my brother is the smartest person I’ve met, next to my mate. If he says stop, he must have a damn good reason, even if I don’t see it yet.
