Page 123 of Mate
“I don’t know! I don’t know!”
Koen mutters something about a waste of space and tucks me behind him. “Saul! Here!” A brown wolf quickly defeats his gray opponent, then turns to us. He leaps over Jess’s unconscious body and positions himself next to me, snarling at no one in particular. “Do not leave her side.”
“What— Koen?” I grip his wrist. “Where are you going?”
“To find Irene.”
No, I nearly protest. But why? “If you find Human members, please don’t— ”
“Serena.” His forehead briefly touches me. “We do not hurt Humans if we can help it.” Our eyes meet for a split second. I nod. Koen does, too. I feel him take my hand and slip something in it— the pink knife.
A second later, his glossy black fur is in the thick of the fight. He snaps his jaw around the idiot who tries to stop him, then chases Irene’s scent. I don’t take my eyes off him until I hear a sob behind me.
I race to the living room, finding Nele and her family huddled together in a corner with two Human boys. When I rush to kneel in front of her, they all scream in sheer terror.
“It’s just me. Nele, we were together earlier. Alone. I wouldn’t hurt you, would I?” I make a show of putting the knife down. Lift my hands. “It’s okay. They’re not here for you. Saul, can you please look less like you’re craving steak? Thanks.” It breaks my heart, the way Nele glances up at me, eyes brimming with tears and panic.Was it like this for me, too? In that closet? Did Fiona push me in there and tell me that it was going to be okay?“Nele,you and your family will be okay, I swear.” Some of the tension leaves her body. “Just stay out of the Weres’ way.”
“They’re going to kill us,” her mother says. “They are here to— ”
“They only came here to take me back.”
“How can you believe that? You heard what he said— they killed your mother.”
I clench my teeth. “Am I not your prophet’s daughter, too?” Their eyes widen, and I continue, “Trust me.” That seems to do it. They look slightly less like they expect to have their livers chomped on.
“What about Irene?” Nele asks, weakly.
“She’s gone.”Saving her own ass.
“Are they going to . . . to hurt her?”
“I don’t know.” Saul makes a barking noise. “Maybe.”
“But she’s your only family.”
I snort. “You saw that tall guy out there?”
She nods.
“He’s more my family than— ”
“Serena!” Amanda runs inside the room, naked, covered in blood and other unidentifiable fluids that should never be foundoutsidea body.
“Are you okay?” I frantically inspect her limbs.
“Yes.” She grins. Saul bumps her hip with his muzzle, looking just as worried. “Come on, you guys. This shit ain’t mine. Serena, areyouokay?”
“Is the fight out there— ” The cabin has gone quiet. “Are they . . . ?”
“Yup. And the others went after Irene and another Were who escaped. Serena, we were so fucking worried about you. Shit, you’re bleeding. But it’s just a graze. Let me make sure you didn’t break anything.” She gently presses against my jawbone— and instantly pulls back.
“Serena.”
“What?”
Her hand touches my forehead. I’m seized by the sudden temptation to break her wrist. “Did they give you something? You’re burning up.”
“I’m okay.”
