Page 23 of The Fated Hunter Wolf
I planted my feet, crossing my arms. “She trespassed. I confronted her. End of story.”
“Bullshit.” Kenza jabbed a finger at me. “I found him pinning her to the ground, and neither of them looked like they were discussing trespassing violations.”
“I had the situation under control. She’s here, alone, and she has information we need,” I said, which wasn’t exactly a lie. “About the twins.”
Logan’s eyes flicked to Sable. “That so? You’d better tell me exactly who you are, especially after our last interaction at the café. And while you’re at it, explain why the fuck are you on my lands.”
Sable didn’t flinch, but her jaw twitched. “You already know my name.” she said simply, her voice giving no sign of the erratic heartbeat I heard in her. Why could I feel her heart in my head? What messed up bond-fuck was going on? “For the others, I’m Sable, former Heraclid. Now unaffiliated.”
“Unaffiliated.” Logan’s gaze darkened. “You know Heraclids are now part of Orion, and yet you keep a distance. Despite yourlack ofaffiliation, you thought it was a good idea to stroll onto my land.”
Sable’s voice was cold and measured. “I wasn’t strolling. I was passing through for?—”
“Bullshit, Sable,” Kenza hissed, taking another step closer. “You don’t ‘pass through’ without ulterior motives. Especially not with our history.”
“Let her finish,” I said, stepping between Kenza and Sable without thinking.
Kenza’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “See? That’s exactly what I’m talking about. Look at you, defending her like she’s one of us. What did she do to you, Rhys? Because this”—she gestured at me, then at Sable—“this isn’t the beta I’ve come to know these past months.”
I bristled, fighting to keep my wolf under control. “She has information we need, and I have reason to believe it’s directly related to Eve’s…” I looked for the right word. “Situation.”
I glanced at Eve, her head cocked and her expression curious as she observed Sable. I turned back to Kenza. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, don’t I?” she shot back. “Your wolf seems to have ideas of his own.”
My wolf was pacing, growling, demanding I protect Sable, keep her close. I didn’t know what he knew, but he had never led me astray before. I had to believe my wolf’s loyalty was to pack and family first, and that he knew Sable held answers… and yet he was so close to submitting to her that I didn’t know what to think.
This was all kinds of awkward.
Raina moved closer to Sable, her elder senses obviously picking up on something the rest of us were missing. “You know this woman,” she said to Anwen, not really a question.
“Indeed.” Anwen’s gaze never left Sable’s face. “One of the most complex wolves I’ve encountered.”
A sardonic smile ghosted across Sable’s lips, one that made my wolf want to either bite her or kiss her senseless. “Complex. That’s one word for it.”
Raina spoke in breath in breathy tones to Anwen. It was an elder way of communicating that prevented others from hearing, and one that reminded me of the looks my parents used to give each other when I’d relentlessly tease the twins. Anwen replied in the same way, not taking her eyes off Sable.
When they finished their silent conversation, Raina turned to Logan.
“She’s not here by accident,” Raina said simply.
“If she’s not here by accident, as you say, then we’d better find out exactly what has brought her to our lands,” Logan said, the alpha in his voice taking over. “We have manysituations, as you said, Rhys. Explain what you intend to do with this trespasser who has her own agenda.”
“I want to question her,” I said, stepping closer to Logan.
“Question her?” Kenza cackled. “This is exactly what she wants—to be brought into the heart of our territory, given access to our people, our secrets. She’s playing you.”
My wolf snarled, which was probably all the proof Kenza needed that I was compromised as hell.
“Look at her,” Kenza continued, gesturing wildly. “She’s not running, not fighting, not trying to explain herself. Because this is her plan. If you had any idea how she treated Eve back in Heraclid, we wouldn’t even be discussing this.”
I had to admit Kenza had a point. Sable stood there with the patience of someone who’d already won, and I didn’t know what the game was.
“It’s okay, Kenza.” Eve gently moved Kenza aside, her oracle power rippling through the clearing like heat waves. When sheapproached Sable, something changed. Sable’s shoulders drew inward, her chin dropping slightly, her whole posture changing in response to Eve’s authority in a way she never did with Logan.
Interesting.
“We bring her home,” Eve said, her voice carrying the tone that meant the decision was final.
