His reply was immediate. ‘Are you okay?’
Tears streamed down my face. I couldn’t imagine losing my wolf, not now that I knew she was the one reason I was left living, that she was my protector when Vicon and his buddies took my virginity against my will.
‘No. I’m not. I need to see you, Sawyer.’
‘Alright, I’ll have Eugene escort you back to me when he gets there, but can you bring some protection? Maybe twenty Paladins? The Wild Lands are crawling with Ithaki and vampires right now.’
Ask more people to risk their life for me? Sure thing.
‘Okay,’ I said.
‘Okay … see you tonight.’
“You okay?” a familiar voice called behind me, and I quickly wiped my tears and spun on my heel.
Rab. I sighed when I saw him. “Come to gloat at my emotional weakness?”
He shrugged. “I came to see if you were hungry. My mate just made lunch. She wants to meet you.”
I internally groaned, looking to the door of the birthing center, where Astra waved me off.
“I’ll meet up with you later!” she said, as if she’d overheard us.
“Sure,” I told him, wondering why he would invite me to lunch after he was such a dick to me before. Why would his mate want to meet me? Hopefully, she was nothing like him. I wasn’t in the mood to dine with two assholes.
We walked across the burned blades of grass. It looked like a recent fire had scorched the land, but Astra had explained it was just the sudden loss of alpha magic when Red died.
Rab gave me a long side-glance and I growled. “What?”
He chuckled. “I can’t believe our last remaining alpha is a city wolf.”
I rolled my eyes. “I can’t believe you’re related to sweet and charming Arrow.”
His lips twitched into a half grin and then fell. “I can’t believe Red died so that you could live…”
I stopped walking, my throat tightening as his words. “Hey, that was a low blow.”
He shook his head. “No, what I meant was … I can’t believe that Red crossed over Ithaki land to save a city wolf who happened to be his long-lost granddaughter.”
Oh.
“Yes it was … synchronistic.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so,” he sighed, looking deeply into my eyes before inhaling through his nose, as if smelling me. “I think he knew. I think on some level he knew who you were.”
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from crying. I wished I had gotten to meet the old man, to know him. I tried to think back to our conversation, and any indication that he knew we were related.
“Rab! Food’s getting cold. Get your butt in here!” a female yelled down the street, and I grinned at the sassy way she spoke to him.
“Oh, I’m going to like her.” I let the amusement play out on my features as he scowled at me. He stalked off toward the beautiful woman standing in the red doorway who was waving us over, and I followed him.
As we approached, I examined her closer. She looked to be about mid-twenties with her brown hair in a long silky braid over one shoulder. She had those intense almond shaped turquoise eyes, and a smattering of freckles across her nose that made her look young and innocent. I swallowed hard when my gaze went to her abdomen and I noticed her belly was swollen with pregnancy.
“Hello, Demi. I’m Willow.” She smiled at me and bowed her head slightly in greeting.
“You’re pregnant,” I said stupidly, instead of actually greeting her like a normal person. That’s why she invited me; she didn’t want her baby to be born human. This was all a part of their plan.
Oh Lord.
The guilt trip was being laid so thick I could barely breathe.
She nodded. “Only four months along, but yeah.” She grinned at Rab. He reached over and rubbed her belly as the smells of something savory filtered out to us on the porch.
“Come on in.” She stepped back and ushered me inside.
I gingerly crossed the threshold, the guilt of her unborn baby weighing on me with each step. If I didn’t go into the Dark Woods and find that damn cave, then her baby would be born human … without a wolf.
I swallowed hard, looking around her home. It was similar to my guest cottage but seemed more lived in. She had the table set with some type of bean stew and a fresh bowl of rice. The tablecloth was a deep red, and there were some dried husks of wheat for decoration in the centerpiece. “Sorry there is nothing fresh. As you know, the crops have been failing since we lost Red.”
I paled.
“Dry rice and beans, courtesy of Wolf City,” Rab grumbled.
Willow reached out and smacked him on the back of the head. “What’s gotten into you, mate? Where is your gratitude? Would you rather your pregnant mate starve?”
Rab’s cheeks pinked and he cleared his throat. “Thank you for the food,” he half growled and sat down.
I liked her, but I frowned at Rab as we both sat down at the table. “You’re welcome, Rab.” I said his name like it was made of poison as Willow served me a plate of steaming hot beans and rice. There was also a spicy looking relish on the side.
Willow barked out a laugh. “You know his name is Rabid Wolf for a reason, right?” She bared her teeth in a mock growl and he playfully smacked her butt.
I chortled, my mouth going slack. “Rab is short for Rabid!”
He squared his shoulders, shoving a mouthful of beans into his mouth. “It’s a strong name.”
Yeah, for a psycho asshole, which he was, but there was a playfulness to our banter and I relaxed into that.
“Demi needs a Paladin name.” Willow mixed her rice and beans as I started to take a bite.
“She needs to earn it. It’s not given out for free,” Rab said through gritted teeth.
Willow rolled her eyes at her mate. “I’m aware of that. Who says she can’t earn it?”
I tipped my chin to her in thanks but Rab laughed. “Astra and Arrow both risked their lives to sneak into Wolf City and plead with her to help us and she gave them canned food and turned them away. That’s not the trait of an alpha.”
“Hey!” I slammed my fist down on the table and the glasses clanked, causing everyone to jump. “I’m sorry.” I looked at Willow, but she seemed unbothered by my outburst.
Then I glared at Rab: “I only found out I was half Paladin a few months ago, and an alpha a few weeks ago. Excuse me for having to think things through before throwing away my entire life to help people who have been nothing but assholes to me and my mate.” I shoved my engagement ring in his face. “The mate that I need to rush and marry so he doesn’t die from the curse your people put on his family!”
The table went silent, and I didn’t realize how loud I’d gotten, but I’d definitely screamed the last part. Rab sighed, looking down at his food in an apparent act of submission. Willow’s gaze flicked over to my ring and she grinned. “I love her. She’ll be a perfect alpha.”
I yanked my hand back and rubbed my face. “I’m sorry I lost my temper—”
Willow snort-laughed. “You’re a Paladin female. We would expect nothing less.”
I gave her a small smile, grateful to feel so accepted but still annoyed Rab and everyone expected me to just ride in and save the day the second they told me they needed help.