Page 47 of Never Tamed
I feel it too.
I clear my throat, trying to devolve the building tension, but Torin ignores me.
“Don’t start, Noble. It’s non-negotiable,” Torin bites out. “You know it too.”
“But she’s not alone, Torin,” I cut in. “We’re here. We’re not letting her walk into this alone. She’s got us.”
He doesn’t answer. He only stiffens and turns away like he’s sick of looking at us.
“We will protect her,” I add. “Together.”
He’s quiet a moment longer, but then says, “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
He spins on his heel and storms off through the trees before the gloom swallows him whole.
“Torin! Don’t leave!” Ren’s voice cracks when she calls out to him but Torin doesn’t turn back.
I can’t even be mad at the prick. Not when I’m feeling it too, the rippling unease, the weight of something inevitable.
“What the fuck isthatsupposed to mean?” I ask, glancing at Noble.
He just lifts a shoulder in a shrug, but we both know why Torin’s lashing out. He’s scared.
We’ve all failed before. Many times. But failing Ren? That means death for her and for us because, as her true mates, her death will destroy us. That’s not something we can let happen.
I won’t lose her, too.
I rake a hand through my hair and let out a breath that fogs the freezing air. Ren’s staring after Torin, arms wrapped around herself like she’s struggling to stay warm.
Noble and I both move on instinct and drop down on either side of her. I wrap my arm around her shoulder to pull her tighter to me. She inhales deeply, drawing in my scent, and instantly, she eases.
“We’re not going anywhere,” I whisper. “We’ll figure it out. All of it.”
Noble places his hand on her thigh. “Together.”
A smile lifting her lips, she peers up toward me. “Okay. Right. Thank you.”
She pulls slightly back and I let her. “Don’t worry about Torin. He’s a big boy even when he throws a tantrum,” I add. “He’s not stupid enough to go far.”
“He has a lot on his mind,” Noble assures her. “He’s never experienced anything like this before, and it’s a lot of emotion really fast. I’m sure it’s fucking with him.”
“He’s terrified of losing you,” I say. “We all are.”
She nods. “I’m scared of losing you guys, too.”
“We shouldn’t be thinking like that, though.” Noble sits up straighter. “What we need to do first is figure out what the fuck happened to Dax out there and make sure it doesn’t happen again. He should be coming around soon. We don’t need him going psycho-wolf and attacking any of us.”
I glance over at my beta. He twitches, the snow melted around his body. “What happened before we got there, sweetheart?”
She shivers again. “Dax found me at the temple. We were walking back down the mountain, everything normal, and then something snapped. He kept talking about a girl—a Gracie—and rocking nothing in his arms.” She swallows. “It was like watching a possession.”
My stomach knots. “Gracie?”
Ren nods. “He kept saying ‘Don’t touch her! Get away from her!’ I think he thought he was holding a child, a baby, like he was remembering something.”
I glance at Noble. He’s frowning, jaw clenched tight.
“And then he attacked the trees,” Ren goes on. “He was seeing things I couldn’t, trying to kill them.” Ren turns to me. “Do you know who Gracie is?”
