Page 49 of Donovan
I swore. We had to end this now. I surged forward, cutting through the last of the monsters with swift, brutal efficiency.
The remaining shifters followed suit, their shrill cries echoing as they drove the last of the creatures back into the forest. And just like that, the battle was over.
Panting, I turned back to Declan. He was still standing, still tense, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles had gone white.
Blood dripped from his fingers, his chest rising and falling in sharp, shallow breaths. I stepped toward him.
“Declan,” I began.
He didn’t look at me. I moved closer. Slowly. Carefully.
“Declan, its me,” I said.
His head snapped up, his gaze locking onto mine. And for a moment, for just a moment,I wasn’t sure which way this would go.
Then, finally, finally, his shoulders sagged. His fists loosened. And when he blinked a few times, I knew he was back.
Still on edge. Still aching with hunger. But he was Declan.
Lena hurried ahead, dropping to her knees beside the injured man. He was old. His dark, weathered skin lined with age and experience.
Blood streaked down the side of his face, a crude bandage wrapped around his leg.
His breathing was labored, but his eyes, sharp and assessing, tracked her every move as she spoke to him in a hushed, urgent tone.
From our spot beneath the trees, I watched the way his expression shifted. First wary, then confused, then finally accepting. I glanced at Declan.
He was watching too, silent and still, his jaw set in a way that told me exactly what he was thinking.I’m not doing the talking.
Fine. That was on me then. Lena helped the old man to his feet, supporting his weight as they made their way toward us.
His sharp eyes flicked between me and Declan, pausing a beat longer on Declan, who, despite his relaxed stance, still looked like something deadly waiting for an excuse to move.
“This is Elder Jonas,” Lena introduced, shifting slightly under the weight of his arm. “One of our leaders.”
“Elder Jonas,” I said with a nod. “Are you the alpha of your group?”
Jonas let out a low chuckle.
“Alpha?” He shook his head, amusement glinting in his tired gaze. “No, no. We are not like the wolves, the bears, or the great cats. Our people do not follow one sole leader. We have a council of elders, and together we guide our flock.”
Flock. Right. Sparrow shifters.
Jonas studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable.
Then, to my surprise, his face softened into something warm. “You have my deepest thanks, hunters. Without you, many more would have died tonight.”
He turned to Declan.
For a moment, Declan didn’t respond. He just stood there, still as a statue, his gaze locked on the old man’s.
Whatever passed between them in that moment, I couldn’t say, but after a beat, Declan gave the barest nod of acknowledgment.
That was the best we were going to get from him.
Jonas didn’t seem offended. In fact, his smile widened.
“Come,” he said, gesturing toward the village behind him. “Stay with us tonight. Rest. Our flock will want to thank you properly.”
