Page 29 of Rituals & Runes

CHAPTER12

My mind sifted in and out of consciousness but I couldn’t move my four paws. Men’s voices rumbled through a vehicle discussing our final destination. Somewhere I hadn’t been in years, and where I never wanted to return.

Because they promised they would kill me if I ever returned.

Firebrand Pack Territory.

By the way the car moved, we had to be moving at a great speed. My head ached and my stomach felt woozy. Through the budding fated mate bond, I sensed Kaden’s tension, his rage about my disappearance.

My heat still raged in my body, making me ache with need, but my mind focused on how I could escape from this car. I peered around me but could see nothing but darkness.

A man I didn’t recognize chuckled. “She’s going to have the surprise of her life when she wakes up, Paxton will be there waiting to fuck the daylights out of her at the peak of her heat.”

Disgusting. Paxton rejected me. Now he wanted me? I forced down the urge to wretch since I didn’t want them to know I was awake.

The car lurched and I slid forward onto the floor as the driver braked suddenly. The car doors flung open, and I heard men bellowing followed by bullets popping off.

I remained still, waiting to find out who had come, friend or enemy.

Warm hands lifted me, wrapping me into a blanket and cradling me in strong, protective arms. Kaden’s hands combed through my fur, and he pulled me against his firm, muscular chest. As I shifted into my human body, I let out a long, hard breath, and tears flowed down my cheeks, though my body was on fire.

Ethan and the enforcers stood nearby. I saw they had barricaded the exit of Stone Mountain land. The men had cuts and bruises from the fight.

Still woozy, I blinked at Kaden. “What’s going on? Are we safe?”

Kaden stared after his men as they carted the bodies away. “You were right.”

“About what?” I mumbled.

He gritted his teeth. Waves of anger peeled off him. “One of four people betrayed me. The one I least expected. You warned me, and though I had my enforcers track them, the person snuck away after we gathered outside, to let Firebrand Pack onto our land. Ethan found the person with Firebrand Pack, and he forced the person to confess.”

I frowned at him. “Who?”

“Caitlin.”

“Why?”

He tightened his hold on me. Unable to stay still with the electric heat coursing through my veins, I squirmed around, “You were right, again. She wanted me as a mate and when you appeared, she couldn’t take the fact I was saying you were my fated mate. I couldn’t believe it. She always treated me as a brother but your womanly instinct picked up on something I missed.”

I lifted my arms up and wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling him closer, but he was still too far away. My mouth spoke words, my body cried out for Kaden. My mind splintered at the effort. “I’m sorry that happened. Where is she?”

“I kicked her out of the pack. Sent her to live with Firebrand. She wanted to help them? They can have her.”

For a moment we stood in silence, staring at one another. I had sensed her wanting Kaden, but I didn’t think she would take things that far. It disgusted me. Though my heat raged inside me, I needed to hear him out, and tell him things.

“They were taking me back to Firebrand Pack Territory to mate with Paxton,” I whispered, my face settling against his shoulder. My throat thickened and my eyes pricked with tears. “When we got separated, I could only think of you finding me, of us being together forever, but here we are, back to me getting sacrificed. I don’t want you to lose your pack. I didn’t change my mind…it’s that…I want to be your mate, Kaden.”

He caressed my cheek, staring into my eyes, then kissed me on the forehead. “The Seer didn’t see any other way. And we have to hurry because the moon will set, the sun will rise and our window to save the pack will close. But Aila, I know this, I know my people suffer, and I can’t let you go. I can’t let them bleed you almost to death.”

I buried my face into his chest. Heat pooled in my abdomen, righting my bare core, and threading fire through my veins. “The only way out is to finish this. And one thing I learned in life is that when you want to win, sometimes you have to break the rules. ”

“What’s your idea, Wolfling?”

I squeezed my hands on the back of his neck. “The curse asks for a sacrifice. I’ve been alone for so long, not used to shifter life, being nude in front of everyone feels strange and vulnerable. It would be very hard for me to give myself to you in front of the entire pack.”

A broad smile spread on his face. “I don’t know if it would work, but we can try.”

Feverish heat spread over my skin in a sheen of sweat. Against my volition because of the other men present, my heat surged through me. I arched against Kaden, moaning, my core clenching and craving his maleness deep within me.

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