Page 10 of His Bonded Omega Mate
“Pictures?”
“Roan —“
“Blake, I’ll be fine, okay? There’s nothing to be done about it right now. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to have to lie to Kade.”
“Fuck. I can’t lie to Kade.”
“I don’t think anyone can. Forget intuition. I think his superpower is people being unable to lie to him. Chase detects them. Kade stops them in their tracks. How’s Chase?”
“Don’t think I don’t know that you’re changing the subject. I need names of who it was and what the plan is going forward. I can’t protect you right now, and I hate it. Not just because Kade is going to be furious, but because you are supposed to be safe in the pack, Roan. My word is law and you are a trusted member of this pack.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you know why?”
“They don’t like me being next to Kade since I’m his ex.” Goddess, I felt like I was telling tales out of school. “They resent my position since I’m so new and was in Rincoln’s pack.”
“Roan…” Blake sighed at the other end of the line. “You have to know I have you with us because you are useful to the pack. Not just because you are Kade’s friend. You saved me by killing Rincoln. I don’t know how many people know that.”
“They don’t need to —“
“They do if they are questioning your loyalty to the pack. It’s insane to think you are loyal to Rincoln somehow when you were the one that dealt the killing blow.” Blake’s voice was angry. I’d hardly heard him raise his voice in my weeks with the pack. He was always calm and collected.
I winced at the reminder. “Look, there’s nothing that can be done right now. We need to focus on the sick. Kade can’t know because he’ll want to deal with it himself. He can’t come here, Blake.” I heard the fear in my voice.
“Give me names and I’ll get Deke to deal with it.”
“But —“
“No, Roan. It has to be done now.”
Larken’s phone buzzed with a text. “Poppy says it was who she thought it was. The same witch that sold the potions to Jake and Sebastian. The ex High Witch.”
Fuck. My. Life. This complicated things. A witch with a grudge was selling off dangerous spells.
“She’s reported it. He’s tricky to find.”
“Roan?” I turned my attention back to my alpha.
I let out a sigh and tried to resign myself to what was coming. It could go one of two ways. Either it sorted it and the people that did this stopped. Or it made it worse. I didn’t have hope for the former.
“Roan —“ Micah skidded to a halt in front of me. “Oh, you’re on your phone. Melody and Winter are awake!”
“Blake —“
“I heard. Let me deal with what happened. I’ll try to keep it from Kade until it’s handled. Go see our awake betas.”
Awake
Hiroshi
Ittookamonthbefore my betas awoke. A month without the loving caresses, teasing smiles and joy that each of them brought me.
The benefit of it taking so long to see their eyes land on me was that I had time to heal from the ordeal of my heat. Physically, at least.
Jared had left a lasting mark on my psyche and it showed in most of the interactions I had with the pride since. With them, I was quiet and withdrawn as they smiled at me, unwilling to tell the truth of that night, though some must have suspected. My betrothed had told plenty of our pride about our night together. Boasting that it was a sign that we would bring our mating forward.
I’d die before I ended up mated to him.
