Page 34 of Fated Exile

Watching Bastian suddenly turn beet red and stiffen as he realizes just what exactly Delilah is telling him they're going to do tonight, I try to be more charitable. He's not the most experienced wolf, but he isgenuine.If his being controlled by some outside forces was an act, it was a damn good one, because he barely seems capable of even the most casual of subterfuge. And he's physically strong, as well as clearly loyal—two great traits in a fellow pack member.

Maybe I could come to see him as a close friend, or dare I think it, even as a brother.

Because I have come to think of the others in that way, especially in these recent, trying times. Kieran has shown himself to have a core of steel when it comes down to it, and he's earned his redemption and healing. While I may often want to smack Finn, I'm just as often grateful for his sense of humor, diffusing tough situations. And Roarke will always be the one I look to for leadership—when I'm not looking within myself. He knows how to right an unsteady ship and steer it home.

I can't be angry at them for caring for Delilah. Hell, I can't eventhinkof demanding that they stop. But I still can't be glad to share.

Because I know what it's like to have torn loyalties, and lose someone you love from making the wrong decision.

"Alright, now that that's settled, let's check the mating threads," Delilah says, raising her voice to include all of us in the conversation. She motions for us to step forward. "Niall, if you don't mind giving us some privacy?"

"Sure." He gives her a good-natured grin. "I'll finish cleaning up inside... and swing by the urgent care center to see how Kerry is doing. If she's ready for discharge, I'll go ahead and bring her home and help Cat set her up."

"Thank you."

Delilah shoots him a look of genuine gratitude. It's funny how far their relationship has come in the matter of days. Another woman would hold a grudge against Niall for the rest of her life because of the part he played in her exile and the secrets he kept from her, all out of misguided loyalty to her father. But Delilah is a warm, generous woman, capable of acknowledging the hurt, moving past it, and even letting someone back into her life, if they earn they place there.

It's why I want to believe that she can understand and forgive me too, once I tell her some of the things that happened in my past. Some of the things Ididthat made them happen.

After Niall leaves, we find ourselves in a loose, connected circle of six. Delilah motions for us to come closer. "Close enough that you can reach out and touch the person next to you."

Kieran frowns at her a little. "Why?"

"For the mating threads." She looks over at me. "You wanted to see them, right?"

"I want to confirm that we really are your fated mates," I tell her, taking a step forward so that Finn, on my left, is closer, while Roarke, on my right, moves in gradually. "It seems like a pretty important thing to figure out before tonight. Since the fate of the pack rests on it."

Finn quips, "Who else would it be? I don't see any fine, strong young men standing around waiting to be mated with her."

"He has a point," Kieran says.

"I've seen threads between me and Delilah." Clearing his throat, Roarke looks around the circle. "And we saw them between Kieran and Delilah. But we haven'tallseen them with each of us."

Shifting back and forth on his feet nervously, Bastian points at himself. "You mean me, don't you? You want to prove that I belong here."

"It's not that," Delilah soothes him, though to a certain extent, he's right. "I just want to try something. When we were reading up on the curse, I stumbled on some research Dad did into mating threads. And I have a little instinct... well, if it doesn't work, I have a backup plan. But I want to see something."

"Okay," Kieran acknowledges. "Whatever you want."

"Yeah, Dollface." Finn throws her a stunning look. "As long as it doesn't involve blood sacrifice, I'm down."

"Good. So just step close in, make sure you're not too far apart. And when I give the signal, reach out to put your hands on each other's... shoulders, or something. Just make a physical connection. First, I want to center myself in the earth."

Delilah closes her eyes, doing some breathing exercises. While she's busy, I eye Bastian. It's hard to tell from the outside if he's any different now. Though Delilah claims she wiped the dark presence from his mind—whatever that truly was—there's no way I can prove it to myself just by looking at him.

He's cleaned himself up a little, sweeping his long black hair behind his shoulders and tying it up. With his back straight and his feet square, I have to admit that we're equal height to each other. He may even have an inch on me. Normally this wouldn't bother me in another male, but I find myself wondering if I could take him, should it come to it.

Because I don't know whether he's capable of betraying us again.

Bastian notices my attention, and his eyes catch mine. They widen a little, the pupil constricting—and he looks away quickly, an expression of panic slipping over his face briefly before disappearing. I study how he looks down and away, notice the fidgeting of his fingers, and take note of his strange body language overall.

He has a secret. One that he's afraid of coming out. I don't know what it is, but Idoknow that I won't let him mate with Delilah until I'm sure it's safe. The growling wolf inside me agrees quite vehemently—and it's all I can do to keep him from leaping out of my skin and attacking the other male right here, right now.

Thankfully we aren't standing next to each other for this exercise Delilah has proposed, because I don't think I'd be able to stand one more minute with him without violence.

"Look to your left and right," Delilah says, opening her eyes and planting her feet on the ground. "I'm going to reach out and place my hand on the shoulder of those on either side of me, and focus on the connection of the mating threads. I want each of you to do the same."

"Darling?" Finn raises a brow. "Pretty sure Lance and I aren't mates."

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