Page 84 of Shifters' Fated Summer
“Hey!” She pushed to her feet awkwardly and crossed to him. He kissed her soundly.
“Go to bed. I’ll help unload and be right up.”
There was tension in his jaw that made my chest tighten. Something was wrong. Elowen nodded and headed up the stairs.
I should have followed her and stayed out of the way, but fear had gripped me. Finn and Jem came in, holding bags of tech. They had been on van duty, surveillance and reporting, and they both looked fine.
As more people came in, Lux and Lana, Rhett, and finally my two mates, I looked for injuries, but everyone seemed untouched.
“What happened?” I asked Luca. His eyes darkened.
Cade rounded on me. “They knew we were coming. Not only was the nest cleared out, but they left booby traps for us. Luckily, we saw them and no one got hurt.”
My hand covered my mouth as it fell open.
“How?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” Cade said, slow and deadly. “The only way they could have known was if someone tipped them off. They had only been gone for a few hours at most. Convenient timing, don’t you think, when every other time we’ve attacked the day after a full moon?”
He stalked closer, and I clung to Luca. Cade looked ready for war, eyes furious, teeth bared. My hands started to shake, and Luca gently moved me completely behind him.
“And what’s worse? They left a message for us.”
Cade pulled an envelope out of his pocket. My heart stuttered as he withdrew crimson stationary and held it out to me.
You have taken the intended mate of my son, Prince Evrin. She has been a part of our family for many years, and we are anxious to have her safely returned. In exchange for her release, we are willing to relocate our nest outside of your territory limits. You have until the full moon to bring her to this nest, and we will come retrieve our beloved Summer.
“I was right to not trust you,” Cade growled. “Youwant to go back to them.”
“You need to cool off. Anger and accusations aren’t going to get us anywhere. We can deal with this tomorrow.” Luca held his chin high, staring down his very angry and dominant mate.
“If I was working with the vampires, why would they request that I be given back to them? All this proves is that Evrin still wants me. But I don’t want him.” My voice shook but I was proud of myself for standing up to him.
With a snarl, Cade stormed off, back out to the trucks to get the rest of the equipment, or maybe punch a tree. It didn’t matter to me.
“It’s okay. He’ll apologize when he calms down. He just needs to think it through.” Luca’s reassurances sounded hollow, and he cringed as he heard them. “Let’s go to bed.”
He half-carried me up the stairs, the letter from the vampires still clutched in my hands. As soon as the bedroom door shut, I turned to him.
“You guys should give me up. You’d clear the territory all at once, war over. And then Cade wouldn’t have to deal with me.”
Luca’s brows furrowed, eyes narrowing and jaw clenching. “You aren’t serious.”
“I bet the venom would suppress the mate bond too, so he wouldn’t be bothered by it.” My inhale turned into a sniffle.
Anger sparked in Luca’seyes. “Do you not have any loyalty to me?”
“Luca,” I squeaked. “I didn’t mean that, but I could solve everybody’s problems at once.”
“I willneverlet you go. I don’t care if I have to personally murder every single vampire on the continent. They’re not getting you. And don’t doubt for a second that Cade wouldn’t either. You belong to us.”
He had backed me up until my calves hit the bedframe. With a gasp, I fell backwards, bringing Luca with me. He pinned me down, nuzzling against my neck, right under my ear.
“I think you need a lesson on who you belong to.”
With an arm across my chest, Luca rolled us until I could see myself in the full length mirror. He yanked the strap of my tank top down, baring the claim scar Cade gave me.
“Do you still want it?”
