“What’s wrong?” I say softly. “Other than the obvious, I mean.”
Her gaze drops to the floor as she catches my hand in hers. Our fingers entwine, and she clutches my arm to her chest, tears wetting her eyelashes.
“I’m sorry,” she says with a shuddery breath. “I never meant to come between you and Lawson. Or for any of this to happen.”
I stare at her, stunned by what she’s implying. “You think Lawson challenged me because of you?”
“Didn’t he? He used me as an excuse to make members of your pack rise up against you. You were gone with me at the cabin when he tried to take over, when he challenged you…”
She trails off, still avoiding my gaze.
“Sable.” I disentangle my hand from hers and then cup her face, forcing her to look at me so I can gaze into her beautiful blue eyes.
It’s hard to remember the delicate, frightened girl I found in Devil’s Ditch, battered all to hell and smelling like every dream I’ve ever had. She’s grown so much since that night. I’ve loved watching her reclaim her strength and find the power and drive inside herself that I knew was buried beneath everything her uncle did to her.
I kiss her lips, slow and sweet, trying to channel my emotions into it. I love this woman, but that’s only the half of how I feel. I’m proud to have her as my mate. I’m proud that she’s found her strength and discovered who she is, and fought tooth and nail to get where we are right now. But I’m also proud that despite it all, she still maintains an openness and vulnerability about her.
I hope she never loses that sweetness.
“My issues with Lawson go back long before you came into my life,” I assure her when our lips part. “Back to before our father died and I took over to lead the pack. He supported me, but over the years, he got more and more bitter. Seeing me as alpha made my brother feel like a lesser man. His issues aren’t yours. None of this is your fault.” I kiss her cheeks, one at a time. I kiss her forehead, both eyelids, and her nose until she’s smiling. “I don’t regret a single moment since I met you.”
Then I kiss her mouth again, wrapping her tightly in my arms. She’s warm and safe, her lips as delicious as a top shelf whiskey.
I know I have to leave. It’s imperative I get back to my pack and mobilize them before the witches breach our protective boundaries. I know it’s just a short time we have to be separated, but every moment I’m away from Sable is painful. My heart aches at the thought of leaving her, and the way she clings to me, kissing me with a kind of desperation, tells me she doesn’t want me to leave any more than I want to go.
I finally break the kiss, though it takes every last bit of my willpower to do it. “Stay safe.”
“You too. Come back to me,” she murmurs, her fingers brushing lightly over my stubbled cheeks.
I relinquish her to Trystan for another goodbye, since he’ll be racing off toward the West Pack soon. I don’t even recognize myself at this point—passing her off to another man willingly, knowing he’s about to kiss her the same way I just did. I hate letting go of her, but I don’t have an urge to rip Trystan’s heart out as he tugs her against his naked body and kisses her thoroughly. It’s something about the bond that keeps my possessive nature in check. My wolf recognizes that Sable belongs to all four of us. I trust Sable with Archer, Dare, and Trystan as if they’re merely extensions of me, which is batshit considering sharing has never been in my wheelhouse.
Turning away to give Trystan and Sable a moment to themselves, I offer Archer my hand. “Need anything before we go?”
He shakes his head, but I can tell he’s afraid. I can also tell he’s ashamed of himself for being afraid—I can smell his shame, see it in the slump of his shoulders.
“Hey,” I say gruffly. “Fear isn’t the weakness here. Even alphas feel fear. The weakness is hiding, running, not doing your part. And you, of all people, aren’t capable of those things. Courage is action in the face of your fear.”
Archer squares his shoulders and nods. “You’re right. Thanks.”
I release his hand to nod at Dare where he’s sprawled on the couch cushions. “You’re staying, right?”
“Stupid fucking question,” he grunts.
I hold up my hands, grinning wryly. “Your reputation precedes you.”
For a moment, I think maybe I’ve gone too far, too soon. When Dare ran away from us after Sable began her transformation, it hurt her to her core. I know it’s been a point of contention between them a few times since he returned, and it probably wasn’t cool of me to make a joke about him leaving. Unfortunately, you can’t take words back once they’re said.
I’m not sure I’d want to even if I could. Things are a lot better between us now than they were in the aftermath of Sable’s witch transformation, but I don’t think I’ll ever forget my anger at him for abandoning our mate. I hope he doesn’t forget it either. We all need to remember it, as a reminder to always do right by her.
“I’m not going anywhere ever again,” Dare shoots back. He sits up, his tone grave as he holds my gaze. “We’ve got it here. Get to your pack, then get the fuck back here.”
A grin tugs at my lips as I reach down to take his hand like I did Archer’s. I think the asshole might actually miss me while I’m gone.
Strangely enough, I’ll miss him too. Things never feel quite right unless the five of us are together.
After Trystan finishes his goodbyes, the two of us leave the cabin side by side. I don’t look back, because I know if I do, I’ll see tears on Sable’s cheeks, and I can’t handle that right now. Not on top of the worry I’m drowning in for my pack. She’ll be safe with Dare and Archer, and can help get the East Pack ready
for what’s coming.