Page 60 of Ember and Eclipse
And she was finished. It would be death or freedom.
But then Devdan’s voice echoed in the divine hall. His tone was cold, his words wrapped in promised violence.
“Don’t touch my mate.”
Chapter XXXVI
Mate.
The word reverberated through her being. It resounded with a haunting truth she couldn’t deny. As if her heart and bones had known the secret all along.
The Lunae holding her whipped around, momentarily setting her on her feet as he did. Devdan was framed between two columns, the moonlight at his back leaving only his silhouette visible.
Her captor wrapped his hand around her throat, his other still around her midriff. “I don’t think you have any room to make demands.”
Rel wasn’t entirely certain, but it sounded like a hint of fear laced his otherwise hard words. She reached for the knives, but she was half-turned, her hip pinned against him, leaving her unable to wrench them free.
“I justfuckingsaid, don’t touch my mate.”
Mate. Hismate.
Devdan stepped forward where neither the light of the moon nor the candles reached him. When he emerged from that momentary darkness, he had changed. This was not his wolf form that she knew—it was some shape between beast and man. A wolf that could walk on two legs, similar to the mals that had hunted her outside of Gavenport. In this form, everything was larger. He was taller, and his longer limbs were wrapped in corded muscles and midnight fur.
The Lunae cursed and pushed her away, but he was too slow. Devdan grabbed an arm in each of his deadly clawed hands as he towered over him. The man’s shoulders stretched and popped as Devdan pulled. Then there was a horrifying pause before his limbs were ripped entirely from his body with a sickening, wet snap. The Lunae’s panicked cry turned into a low groan as he fell back, the blood pouring too fast for him to even process what happened.
His arms hit his downed body, spraying blood as they went.
Blood splattered on her face, but Rel couldn’t tear her eyes away from the mutilation.
“Look at me,” Devdan commanded. Calloused fingertips found her jaw seconds later, turning her head gently back to him. Though he was back in human form, something primitive lingered in those silver eyes. His thumb wiped away the spots of crimson on her cheek—the overly tender gesture at odds with the violence he had just committed.
Mate.
Then he was separating the packs and shoving the smaller of the two into her hands. “There’s money, clothes, and a map in your bag. Follow the route laid out, it’s your safest bet. I’ll lead as many of them away as possible, so it is imperative you get to—”
A voice cut him off. “So, it’s true then.”
Devdan closed his eyes. They’d been found.
“You’ve betrayed the pack. All these years, I vouched for you. I told everyone that a Lunae, aman, couldn’t be judged on the sole act of their mother passing in labor. That it isn’t some curse. I’ve kept your secret too. All for your mother, Drea. And yet, here you are. You dishonor her memory, and you dishonor us.”
“And would you not do the same for Leia?”
“Leia is Lunae. And mymate,” he snapped, but then he stiffened, understanding coming over him. His eyes drifted to her, analyzing. Then he inhaled, his nostrils flaring as he took in the scent. Coming to some conclusion, he nodded slowly.
“I’m grateful for you, Cassius. But though I belong to the pack, I belong to my matefirst.”
“Kneel.” The leader stepped forward, pulling a knife from its sheath at his waist.
Devdan, staring at the approaching male, lowered himself to one knee without question.
“What are you doing?” Rel hissed. “Stand up andfight.” When he didn’t move, she pulled out her dagger and stepped in front of him. Cassius halted only steps away from her, looking her over with what she could only describe as an amused smile.
Devdan’s warm hand pressed against her hip to move her out of the way.
Why wouldn’t he fight? Why give up here?
“Devdan Demaros, last of your name, with Selene as my witness, I reject you from this pack. You will no longer have our protection, our guidance, and must leave our territory or face certain death.”
