Oath Sworn - K.N. Banet Page 0,101

kill your mate?” I asked.

“Emma, this doesn’t need to go further,” Heath said gently. He was panting, moving slowly between her and I.

“Heath, stop. I can defend myself,” I hissed. “Think of Carey.”

“I am,” he growled, launching himself at Emma. They clashed and Heath flew away, sliding across the floor.

I took the chance, Wolf rules be damned. I wasn’t a wolf. Emma was only half a wolf. I was going to put an end to this goddamn war.

Heath was up and running as well, faster than I figured he would be.

“Fight with me,” he ordered. For once, I wasn’t thinking of giving him a hard time for trying to order a cat around. Finishing this was too important.

We met Emma at the same time. He went for her head as I tried for her back legs. My teeth glanced off her, though, as something stopped them. Emma bit down on Heath, and I used my body weight to force both of them to the floor.

I was able to sink my claws into her side now, and Heath was able to get free, jumping to go for her throat. I bit down into her side, ignoring her mental scream.

A few seconds later, even that was over, and I backed away, panting. The first place I looked was for Carey, finding her still in her cage with a wolf sitting at the door. She started using the keys to open it and I grumbled.

“Who’s next to you?” I asked her.

“Landon,” she answered loudly. “It’s Landon, Jacky. Tywin is right there.” She pointed. “Ranger is next to him, then Sheila.”

“Where’s Keith?” Heath asked.

“Gone,” Tywin answered. “He was overwhelmed.”

Heath threw his head back and howled.

It was over.

23

Chapter Twenty-three

“Daddy!” The moment Carey was out of the cage, she was running, leaping at him as if she hadn’t been hurt. He was still in wolf form and lay down as she threw her arms over him. The howl ended as he nuzzled into her and she held his big head.

I was glad to see the end of it. It felt worth it in that moment.

Everyone started shifting back in their human forms, and I was the first done, with nothing to wear. I sat down in the corner of the room, trying to keep to myself. Carey was walking between her father and her brother, making sure they were okay.

I was fine with that, too.

The wolves returned to their human forms after several minutes, Ranger and Sheila running out to the Explorer to get the first aid for everyone. I was too tired to think, too tired to talk. My body hurt, so I looked over everything. The wolves had gotten me a few good times, especially the bite on my stomach, but I wasn’t bleeding too badly. I would be walking funny for a couple of weeks, and I definitely wasn’t going to try any heavy lifting. That much was certain.

“Here,” Heath said, tossing me something. I held it up after it landed in my lap, frowning. “It’s a shirt. Put it on.”

“Thanks,” I murmured, pulling it on. I winced as the movement tugged at all the small injuries I had.

“And these,” Ranger said, walking over to me. “We put a pair in the Explorer, just in case.” He held out sweatpants for me. I grabbed them and pulled them on, but didn’t leave the floor and the small spot I had found that didn’t have blood on it.

“And we should look over everyone’s injuries,” Landon reminded them.

I stayed quiet, not finding the energy to get up. I wasn’t bleeding out or anything. I was just tired. Nearly a week of wolves, being shot, and fights, I was done.

“Jacky?” Carey greeted me softly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m just tired,” I answered her. “How are you?”

She lifted her left hand, showing me the purple, swollen wrist. “It hurts, but I’ve broken my wrist before playing, so…”

“Ah.” I gave her a weak smile.

“You came for me,” she said, sitting down on the clean spot of the floor with me. “You said you weren’t allowed to come here and help Dad.”

“They took you and I made a promise,” I reminded her, wrapping an arm over her shoulder. “I don’t break my promises.”

“That’s good. You’re going to be okay, right?” Her eyes fell to the blood spot slowly coming through the shirt.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” I said gently.

“Promise?”

I shouldn’t. I can’t promise her that. I’m probably going to be executed. “I promise,” I said, throat tight.

“Good.” She nodded as if