me or look at me like I’m the devil when I just tried to help everyone.”
Standing before them, my anger and frustration continue to billow, and my mind fires up with furious words I want to throw at them. With it comes the devastating longing for Martell from my wolf, and how she insists it would be so much easier if I had just controlled my magic with him. Except I wasn’t good enough, or he wouldn’t have rejected me. All I can remember is the hatred and fear in his eyes when he looked at me… and now a similar expression crosses these Alphas’ faces.
When no one speaks, I continue. “As I said to Crius, I recommend we all turn back and forget this mission. It’s a damn waste of time, and I think we’re walking into a bigger trap.”
I don’t wait to hear their responses because I’m shaking with anger. Instead, I turn and march away from them… to be anywhere but in their presence. How could they be so ungrateful?
The woods swallow me as I enter them, and I’m breathing heavily, my eyes tearing up, hating that they make me feel this way. The things they told me tear me apart at how horribly sad their pasts are. I wish I could sweep it all away for them, but they won’t even let me be there for them. And they aren’t the only ones with ugly upbringings.
“Narah,” Ragnar calls from behind me.
But I hurry forward, not looking back, not ready to deal with this or have him see my crying because of them.
They don’t deserve it.
17
Narah
I wipe my teary eyes, racing past trees, hating how quickly the Alphas have seemed to turn against me.
Ragnar is right behind me, his footfalls hitting the ground rapidly, announcing his approach.
“Narah,” he shouts, his temper darkening his voice.
“Leave me alone,” I throw over my shoulder.
But his hand clasps around my wrist, and before I know it, I’m swinging back around and colliding right against his stone chest. “Why are you running? Where are you going to go?”
I keep my head low, hating these Alphas with every fiber of my being for making me attracted to them and caring about them. This isn’t why I came into these damned woods.
“Talk to me,” he persists, his tone firm.
His blue eyes blaze at me when I look up, and I expected them to be cold and empty, except there is warmth etched in them. I pull against his hold, wanting to put distance between us, but his grip squeezes.
I lift my chin higher, blinking away the tears, and speak to him directly. “Did you know I was actually contemplating leaving you four behind with the bears? And let me say, the idea was ridiculously tempting.”
He touches my shoulder with his free hand, and a longing stretches out across the pit of my stomach. Confusion batters within me about my feelings, about my wolf insisting Martell will come for us while all I crave is these men. So the answer is to run away from everyone until I work out what in the cursed world I want.
“Why didn’t you?” he asks like it would have been an easy decision for him.
“What would you have done in my position?” I retort.
“For my pack, I would have saved them in a heartbeat. For my enemy, I wouldn’t have wasted a breath on them and let them die.”
My mouth might have fallen open to hear him so brazenly admit that he thinks I made the wrong decision. “I’m sorry, but let me get this right—you would have left me to die?”
I’m shaking as he stands over me, staring at me with his over-inflated Alpha ego, and yet I’ve shed tears for them. The bastard. He’s got me so upset, I can’t even remember why I cried for them.
“Well, clearly that is where we differ,” I snap and wrench my wrist free from his grasp, then retreat from him backward. “I have a heart and could never let anyone die… not even my enemy, it seems.”
He watches me from behind hooded eyes and doesn’t move to come after me.
“But I get it,” I say. “I’m weak for having feelings, for caring, but at least I’m not drowning in the darkness swallowing your men out there. Their secrets will eat them alive until they destroy them.” I turn from him and hurry away.
Only the faint voices of the others by the river’s edge fill the void. My head spins with