Page 38 of Primal

Lowri, reading the sincerity in her voice, gives a single, stiff nod. The tension in Rhosyn’s shoulders eases, relief flickering across her face as she moves to support Noa.

Then they begin to walk away.

A sudden, gut-wrenching desperation slams into me, yanking something deep in my chest so hard it nearly stops my heart. The sight of them carrying her away, ofthem taking her from me, is unbearable. They make it no more than a yard before my foot lifts to follow, that ingrained instinct overpowering the hard truth my body and mind have yet to accept.

Noa isn’t mine to follow.

The High Priestess must agree because before I can take another step, a powerful rush of air slams down in front of me.The force of it is staggering, forming an invisible wall so solid it might as well be reinforced glass. No amount of effort, no pushing or thrashing, will break through what she has placed between me and Noa. It’s impenetrable.

I’ve heard whispers of the coven leader being an impressive elementalist, but something tells me this is just a taste of what she’s truly capable of.

From the other side of the wall of wind, the witch’s pitch-black eyes lock with mine. They’re the kind of depthless orbs that make you believe she’s capable of seeing more than what’s right in front of her. Her head cocks, the movement reminding me of a bird, as she silently scrutinizes me.

“I…” I begin, not having a clue what I’m about to say.What else is there for me to say at this point? I’m sorry? No. Definitely not that.

But she silences me with a quick flick of her hand.

“Life is nothing more than a series of choices, Alpha Fallamhain.” It takes me a moment to realize her lips aren’t moving. The words aren’t spoken aloud but delivered on the currents of air she commands, carried to me like a whisper on the wind. Another display of her formidable power. “Some choices bring reward, while others carry consequences too heavy to bear. So rarely are we given a means to repair the damage made by these consequences. If granted this kind of gift, I suggest you not be so thoughtless in your decision-making in the future.”

Before I have a chance to respond, or even fully grasp the full meaning of her words, the High Priestess turns away. In measured, unhurried steps she follows the path the others took with Noa.

From the corner of my eye, I catch movement. Canaan strides toward the wind-forged barrier, his posture rigid, his steps deliberate.

“Canaan.”

Disappointment still hardens his features, but beneath it, something colder lingers. Something edged with soundlessdisgust. He looks like he almost hesitates, as if stopping to speak to me is the last thing he wants to do, but after a beat, he does.

His jaw clenches, his shoulders tight with restrained emotion.

“Rhosyn’s with her,” he says, voice sharp and clipped.

“I’m aware.”

In the past eight months, Rhosyn has naturally stepped into a role that hedges into Luna territory. The other females, especially the adolescents, look to her for guidance and comfort. With everything that has been happening to our omegas, many have turned to her for reassurance, seeking the warmth and steadiness she offers so freely. My people trust her. She has a pure heart, akindheart. It doesn’t surprise me in the least that she has chosen to stand by Noa now.

A part of me is even grateful for it. Noa deserves to have as many people in her corner as she can get.

But…

“Go get your mate,” I order without an ounce of tangible dominance behind it. “I’ve done what needed to be done. It’s time to leave.”

His head is already shaking in refusal before I’m done speaking. “You saw her face. She’s not going anywhere until she’s sure Noa’s okay. Or, I guess, as good as shecanbe, given what just happened. You know how Rosie is.”

This has me pausing. “You’re staying? Here?”

Canaan shrugs, utterly unapologetic, making it clear he doesn’t give a damn what I think of his unspoken plan. The message is clear. The only way he’s going to deviate from it is with a bark, and we both know I won’t be doing that. Not to him.

“I’m not leaving my mate here alone, Nick. I doubt she’s in danger with these people, but I’m not about to take that risk.” His gaze flickers over me, unreadable and unyielding. “My mate, she comes first. You know that.”

The implication sits heavy between us, the slight dig something I don’t miss. I doubt I’m meant to.

He tosses me a set of keys, and I catch them on instinct. “Take the other car. You and yourintendedcan squeeze in with the guys. It’ll be a tight fit, but I have faith that you can manage.”

The idea of cramming into a car with Talis makes my stomach churn. My skin crawls at the thought of being trapped beside her for hours, but this is the choice I made. I will have to find a way to tolerate her. It doesn’t matter that the thought of spending time with her feels like a punishment. She is the one I chose, and that means I have to live with it.

Along with all my newly acquired and debilitating regrets.

I consider running the near eighty-some miles home instead, letting the stretch of mountainous terrain serve as both penance and an escape, but the second the idea enters my mind, the cold truth slams into me like a killing blow. I can’t shift.

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