Page 120 of Untamed

I toss him aside. He hits the forest floor with a heavy thud and is surrounded by wolves a moment later.

Too late. We were all too late.

Gently, as gently as I can, I ease my mate into my arms. The wound on her shoulder is bleeding profusely. I press my palm to it, wishing I could erase the stinging scent of mating venom as easily as I can stop the bleeding.

"Sorry!" Sarj screams as he shifts back to feet. The screams continue, reaching into the sky, shrill, agonizing. "I'm sorry!" Cries are ripped from his throat, his tongue bleeding from sharp canines tearing at the delicate flesh. It drips from the sides of his open mouth and sprays as he chokes on it.

Digging his claws into his hair, Sarj rocks back and forth on his knees, sobbing and screaming. "I didn't mean to hurt her!" He begs me.

I hate him and love him. My wolf rages at what he tried to do, at what hediddo, to my mate. Her pale face and desperate shock make me want to watch the pain die in his eyes - permanently.

But he's still Sarg. My little brother. The pup I saved. And because of that, I can't help him because I will kill him.

Shaking his head, blood flying, Sarg surges to his feet, eyes fixed on the female in my arms. Fury beats black wings at the edge of my consciousness.

"Don't you look at her," I snarl, foaming at the mouth to do damage. My muscles ripple, killing energy.

"Easy now," Elias steps into my line of sight. Cautious, wary, foolhardy. Hands held out to show he means no harm.

"I hurt," Sarg confesses.

"I know, youngling. I know. It's gonna be alright." Elias edges closer to my brother. My betrayer.

"Eli-" one of our wolves interrupts, voice shaking. "He's MateLess. He's gone feral."

Elias’s back stiffens. "He ain’t feral. He's hurting. He'll be fine. He can be fine," he amends.Elias reaches Sarj and gently touches his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Sarj whispers. He's stopped rocking, stopped screaming, thankfully.

"Let's get you out of here, youngling? Before Tall, Dark, and Homicidal makes you into a nice rug," Elias smirks sadly as he puts more pressure on Sarj's shoulder.

Sarj whimpers pathetically. "Let him kill me?" he begs softly.

I shudder with pity and loathing. "Elias. Get him out of here before I kill him. Get him gone."

"Sarj," Elias’s voice changes, becomes stern, deep, unyielding. "C’mon. Now."

Sarj lets the old male pull him away. Feet stumbling like a drunken sailor, my little brother allows him to lead him away from me.

"Mactiir?" her soft voice is filled with tears. I squeeze my eyes shut. I can't look at her, or I'll hunt my brother down.

A soft, trembling hand slides over my arm. "It hurts my neck," she says, sounding bewildered.

A soft, keening sound comes from deep in my gut. "Sorry,Qitsuk. I'm sorry you hurt." I pick her up, cradling her in my arms, tight to my chest.

She smells of Sarj. His Mark is already rotting away, the skin sloughing off because she bears my Mark already, andshe is mine.

"I don't understand?" she asks me.

"He is MateLess," I spit out. "His wolf wanted to Claim you, despite my Mark on your neck."

"I don't understand," she repeats. "He was not our Pup?"

"Don't talk about him," I tell her. Too harshly. I bury my face in her hair, still squeezing my eyes shut. "When I saw your face..." My alpha-wolf claws at my insides. I grunt a little, grasping my mate more tightly to me. "I thought he would kill you. I thought... I don't know what I thought.Goddess, Willa."

"Your goddess abandoned him," she states simply, her voice hushed as if to hide her words from the red moon shining. I feel her press her cold nose into my chest and sniffle. "The old gnome will take care of him?"

I hate that she still cares for him. Goddess, I hate that I still care for him. I hate that I hate him more. And what the fuck does she mean 'my' goddess?

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