Page 3 of Wicked Fate

Gage and Xander gazed at me, not Ryker.

Ryker’s nostrils flared, but he placed a hand on my neck, and the buzz hummed between us again.

He wasn’t angry with me, thank Fate.

I wasn’t sure what to do. Someone needed to give us direction, but I didn’t want to betray Ryker by stepping up. At the end of the day, Ryker and Briar were the two most important people to me.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Briar flinched.How do you want to respond?

Each second felt like an hour, and I knew I had to answer.Ask Ryker what his thoughts are.

Briar nodded and opened her mouth just as twenty people poured into the clearing, carrying ten stretchers.

Mavis Blackwood, Perry’s fated mate, rushed to his side and fell to her knees. She placed a hand over his heart and reached for one of his hands, looking like she couldn’t believe he was dead.

The woman I’d seen Reid speak to before our mating ceremony ran across the clearing to Reid. Tears streamed down her face as she squatted next to the woman who’d been keeping her hands pressed over his wounds. The woman lifted her hands, and the new girl replaced them with her own to continue the pressure. I hadn’t noticed how pale Reid was until his ghastly appearance contrasted with the new woman’s dark skin.

That had to be Reid’s chosen mate.

Two bulky men rushed over to Reid and laid their stretcher next to his body.

The dark-skinned woman turned to Cassi. “Please, help him.” Desperation rang in her voice.

“I have, Sun.” Cassi moved to her side. “I applied an herbal ointment that will manifest healing if we keep pressure applied. He needs constant pressure until he regains full consciousness.”

“So he’s going to be okay?” Mavis rasped from where she’d remained sitting beside Perry. “I… I can’t lose them both.”

I whimpered, my insides twisting. I hated that I had doubted the Blackwoods and allowed Reid’s rejection to taint my perceptions of all of them. I’d fallen for the illusion the vampires had created. Even though Reid and I hadn’t been super close growing up, we used to respect and trust each other.

“None of us wants to lose Reid.” Cassi pressed her lips into a firm line. “He’ll make it.”

Had she said that because she was certain or so we wouldn’t spiral into more chaos?

“Is there anything we can do to help?” Briar clutched at her shoulder where she had a deep gash.

“Stay with us.” Sun continued to press on Reid’s wound as she studied Ryker’s and my packs. “Though it pains me to ask right now, with enemies that can hide in thin air, we need to be together. Not separated.”

Ryker growled. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Well, we think it is,” Kendric snapped. “So I’m staying with them unless you’re going to alpha-will me to do something I don’t agree withagain.”

“Same,” Gage and then Xander chimed in, making it clear where they stood.

I wanted to shift back into human form and try to calm the rising tension, but if I were naked in front of Reid, Ryker would no doubt come unglued. Though he shouldn’t feel threatened, Reid was my fated mate and had been willing to complete the bond with him.

“I’m not thrilled about my request either, but we can protect each other. You have a small pack, and half of our pack is injured.” Sun kept holding the now crimson cloth on Reid’s neck as the two men gently placed him on the stretcher.

“Half your pack?” Briar squeaked. “But only about a quarter of them came here.”

The Blackwoods had slightly over a hundred pack members, and about thirty of them had been here with Reid and Perry when we’d been attacked.

“You weren’t the only ones under attack.” Sun grimaced. “We were attacked in our homes. Do you think I wouldn’t have raced here as soon as I realized Reid was in danger? I would’ve been here to fight beside him, but Mavis and I had to protect the rest of the pack.”

The entire Blackwood pack had been attacked. And their strongest wolves had been here, separated from the ones remaining behind because they’d thoughtwemight pose a threat.

“What do you think, Ember?” Gage pushed again.

This issue within Ryker’s pack had to be resolved, but now wasn’t the time or place to do it. But I didn’t want to lead Ryker’s pack without his blessing. I lifted my head and bumped into his side, asking him to look away from his pack mates and at me.

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