The Wolf's Surrender - By Kendra Leigh Castle Page 0,83

decision.”

It was, for once, surprisingly painless to say exactly how he felt.

“Yes it is. I’m in love with her. I feel the bond with her. She’s going to be my mate.”

“Bullshit!” In an instant, Kenyon was a wolf again, lunging at Jenner. Jenner made the shift just in time to take the blow, and the two of them rolled together, biting, snapping, heedless of the noise they were making. A claw raked Jenner’s face, drawing blood. He winced, then sank his teeth into Kenyon’s scruff and shook his head, eliciting a yelp from his adversary.

The two of them went flying as Bane barreled into them in wolf form, knocking the two of them apart. His hackles were raised almost straight up, and the fury in his eyes was unmistakable as he shifted back into a man. He held out an arm to warn Jenner back, while Tomas had to physically restrain a furious Kenyon.

“Get up, both of you,” Bane snapped. “This is about more than who gets the damned girl! Jenner, you should know better than anyone. The Shadowkin barely exist on this plain. I don’t know where they come from, and I don’t care—they’re dangerous enough as they are—but give them bodies, shape and form, and we’re in some serious trouble. We need to make it stop. Now. So get your asses in gear and grow the hell up. If we get through this and get her out, fight over her then. I’m sure she’ll be really impressed with the both of you.” He curled his lip.

Jenner, still a wolf, glanced warily at Kenyon. He knew Bane was right. This would have to wait. But he wouldn’t pretend he was going to step back. He got to his feet, and gave Bane a nod. Kenyon followed suit, prodded, Jenner noticed, by Tomas’s foot in his backside.

“Then hurry,” Tomas said. “We’ll close in, and wait for your signal. Go.”

Without another word, the two wolves raced into the night.

Chapter 20

Mia stumbled forward as Jeff gave her a little push into the clearing. Her eyes widened as she saw what they had brought her to. She stopped, tried to back up, but the men directly behind her prevented her from backing up more than a step.

“Uh-uh, sweetheart. This is the end of the line for you.”

“Go on,” Jeff crooned from behind her. He sounded absurdly thrilled, as though he was about to be given the greatest gift a man could have. “Nothing is going to hurt you...yet.”

Mia swallowed hard. She didn’t know if she could keep going. Not toward this.

A single figure stood before them, shirtless in the middle of a ring of fire. Though he looked, in great part, like a man, there was something slightly insubstantial about his shape and form, and if he turned the right way, Mia realized, she could see right through him. He was very tall, intimidatingly broad, with a cruel beauty about him. Tousled hair of snowy white was a stark contrast to dark, slashing brows. His face was that of a young warrior. But his eyes were ageless, and burning. There was blood spattered on his chest, but it didn’t seem to be his. It likely belonged to the man on the ground in front of him.

“Ah. So that’s where Troy went.”

Jeff sounded strangely unconcerned as he moved up from the back and approached the circle.

The white-haired warrior spoke, and Mia immediately recognized the voice. He was the one who had led her here.

“A useful creature. His blood helped me light the fire of Ab-ashoth.” His strange eyes drifted to Mia. “And here is the woman. Our faewolf.” His voice grew almost tender. “We have waited long for you. The blood of your line grows faint, the Unseelie magic dim. They have retreated deep into the veil, far from the humans who have forgotten them. And yet here you are.”

“I don’t want this,” Mia said, her voice little more than a whisper.

His smile was a thin blade. “You will.”

Jeff turned to glare at her, obviously displeased that she was getting more attention than he was.

“You’re a means to an end, Mia. Life’s a bitch. Men, bring her.”

Hands clamped on her upper arms as she was pushed forward toward the burning ring. She didn’t struggle...it seemed pointless. And the closer she got, the more lethargic she felt. She grew lightheaded, sleepy. She looked around for something to focus on, to pull her out of this onrushing stupor, but all she found were the bright eyes