Page 74 of Banished Mates
What had I caused?
Hector snarled, blood matting his mocha fur so similar to mine. I’d attacked the pack Alpha—a move punishable by death. But what hurt was I’d brought my dad down with me and that my mates would never know what happened.
I was never more thankful that I hadn’t let Kit or Camden claim me, but Rowan...
Tears leaked from my eyes, seeping into my fur.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
There was a pop and pounding steps accompanied by snarling. The pressure around my throat disappeared as a russet wolf slammed into the pack Alpha.
I gasped, pushing to my knees as Kit shifted in front of me and cupped my face. My brows furrowed and tears pricked my eyes.
“Shh,mo chridhe,” he murmured roughly, pressing my face to his chest. I’d researched what his endearment meant on the plane ride, and it’d taken hours since I couldn’t get the spelling right.My heart... He was my heart too. All of them were.
Sweat slicked his skin and his orange scent filled my nostrils. I sucked in as much as I could.
There was a yelp and I lifted my head. Rowan rounded the area Kit and I knelt, head lowered, blood dripping from his maw.
“Camden,” Britt said roughly.
He ignored her, fur lifted at the back of his neck as he watched Torrin. The dining room was an utter mess. Shattered dishes littered the ground.
“Why are you being aggressive toward your father?” Her eyes flicked to me. “She challenged the pack Alpha, that’s a death sentence. You can’t blame your father!”
Rowan’s teeth flashed and he snarled at her, neck becoming taut.
“Look at how she’s hanging all over that man,” she spat, side-eyeing me, venom spitting from her gaze. Camden shifted, fur slinking back into his skin.
“Enough, Britt,” he snarled. “We’re both her mates.” Her lips smacked together, and she glowered, shaking her head. I could tell her thoughts were going a mile a minute. I shifted into my human form, remaining propped against Kit.
“Impossible. That only happens with Omegas.” Her eyelids widened. “No, no. The selfish bitch. She can’t do that to you, Camden.”
Kit tensed against me and leaned down. His lips pressed against my cheek as I struggled to process. I didn’t even feel him detach from me until he’d neared her.
How could she? She was my substitute mom. She was always kind to me. How could she be saying this right now?
Camden’s mother, the woman I believed cared for me... she had betrayed me. Sold me off like I was trash.
I’d been thrown away by my mother and now this?
My hands shook with barely restrained rage.
Willow
I scowled at her.I would never understand women like her. Willing to do anything for their own gain. She claimed she was looking out for her son, but I couldn’t believe selling me off was her only option.
Rowan twitched at my side, and I gripped his furred arm. The thick appendage jerked, and he growled down at me, so I squeezed it tighter. He huffed but halted his dash forward.
Even if her warped intension was to protect her son, that didn’t make what she did right. And some far-off part of me could understand, but I didn’t want to be nice. I didn’t want to understand. I wanted to not have to go through the trauma. I didn’t want the memories of a dank, cold room, where I didn’t know if I would live or die.
I faced Camden.“She was in on it.”
“You knew Torrin sold her off?” Camden’s eyes flashed, brows furrowing.
“I didn’t sell anyone off,” Torrin snapped. I froze, staring at him. He was an arrogant, willful Alpha with a fuck ton of pride. He wasn’t the type to hide behind his mate.
So that meant... My lips parted. Britt was the one.
