him.” Max heard the jealousy in her voice, but she couldn’t help it. The girl was not only beautiful, she had a generous spirit.
Kayla smiled gently. “I should. He’s been father and big brother to me since my parents died when I was eight. Now that I’m grown up, I keep an eye on him, just in case he needs me.”
Max shot her a dark look, and she laughed outright. “He must love that possessive streak in you, and I’m going to enjoy teasing you, sister of my heart. But right now we need to find Caleb.”
In that, they were in total agreement, and Max moved off without comment, making her way up the hill with Kayla at her side. They jogged for several minutes, with Kayla taking the lead with a long-legged, athletic grace that had Max struggling to keep up. But whenever Kayla hesitated, as if unsure which way to turn, Max burst ahead, knowing her bond with Caleb would lead her in the right direction.
After traveling for several minutes, they came to a crop of large stones encircling a small clearing. Kayla signaled Max to remain silent and scrambled to the top of one of the boulders and peered down. When she flattened her body until it lay flush against the stone, Max joined her, certain she’d found Caleb.
He stood at an angle to them, only a few yards away from their hiding place. And although he’d shifted partially, nearly doubling in size and growing wickedly long claws at the ends of his fingers, it was still Caleb. He appeared unharmed, but a new fear quickly replaced the relief she felt at seeing him.
Facing him were three men dressed in flowing red robes and holding long, intricately carved staffs in their hands. Max glanced at Kayla, and the grim look on her face confirmed what she already suspected. These men were mages, and the thunderous black auras surrounding them held little light.
The one in the center had the darkest aura, and judging by his arrogant stance, he was their leader. His staff was more intricately carved than the others’ were, and it pulsed with an eerie glow, lighting up the clearing as bright as day.
Max allowed her senses to flare out, attempting to reach Caleb though their developing bond, but he kept his mind closed to her. She sensed only cold rage and the tightly leashed fury of the predator rippling just beneath the surface of his skin. He and his wolf were probably angry that she had followed him, and she was certain there would be hell to pay later, but none of that mattered now. He was safe, and she was going to do everything she could to keep it that way.
She slipped the gun from her pocket and aimed it at the leader.
“Join us,” the leader of the mages enjoined. “Service to the master has many rewards.”
“Master? You have a master, Renault?” Caleb queried in a mocking voice. “And you called me a dog.”
Renault’s eyes narrowed. “You will regret your insolence.”
“I doubt it. But you already know I’m not going to join Michael’s little insurrection. So why the speech? Or could it be you’re just stalling, waiting for reinforcements? Because if you are, I gotta tell you, they ain’t coming.”
Renault’s face showed no reaction to Caleb’s words, but the two mages at his side lacked his control. They glanced at Renault, clearly expecting a denial.
“Don’t bother looking to him,” Caleb scoffed. “Renault is a zealot. He probably sat at Michael’s feet and helped plan your deaths while rejoicing at the thought of his martyrdom.”
Renault’s body stiffened with anger, but he didn’t deny Caleb’s words.
Instead, he widened his stance, clearly bracing for a fight. “We won’t go without a fight, Enforcer.”
“Oh, I hope not,” Caleb returned smoothly. “You have been sentenced to death for breaking the most sacred laws of our people, but you also threatened the life of my mate. That’s a game changer. No mercy will be shown.”
“Dog,” Renault spat. “What happens here does not matter. In the end, we will be
Kayla smiled gently. “I should. He’s been father and big brother to me since my parents died when I was eight. Now that I’m grown up, I keep an eye on him, just in case he needs me.”
Max shot her a dark look, and she laughed outright. “He must love that possessive streak in you, and I’m going to enjoy teasing you, sister of my heart. But right now we need to find Caleb.”
In that, they were in total agreement, and Max moved off without comment, making her way up the hill with Kayla at her side. They jogged for several minutes, with Kayla taking the lead with a long-legged, athletic grace that had Max struggling to keep up. But whenever Kayla hesitated, as if unsure which way to turn, Max burst ahead, knowing her bond with Caleb would lead her in the right direction.
After traveling for several minutes, they came to a crop of large stones encircling a small clearing. Kayla signaled Max to remain silent and scrambled to the top of one of the boulders and peered down. When she flattened her body until it lay flush against the stone, Max joined her, certain she’d found Caleb.
He stood at an angle to them, only a few yards away from their hiding place. And although he’d shifted partially, nearly doubling in size and growing wickedly long claws at the ends of his fingers, it was still Caleb. He appeared unharmed, but a new fear quickly replaced the relief she felt at seeing him.
Facing him were three men dressed in flowing red robes and holding long, intricately carved staffs in their hands. Max glanced at Kayla, and the grim look on her face confirmed what she already suspected. These men were mages, and the thunderous black auras surrounding them held little light.
The one in the center had the darkest aura, and judging by his arrogant stance, he was their leader. His staff was more intricately carved than the others’ were, and it pulsed with an eerie glow, lighting up the clearing as bright as day.
Max allowed her senses to flare out, attempting to reach Caleb though their developing bond, but he kept his mind closed to her. She sensed only cold rage and the tightly leashed fury of the predator rippling just beneath the surface of his skin. He and his wolf were probably angry that she had followed him, and she was certain there would be hell to pay later, but none of that mattered now. He was safe, and she was going to do everything she could to keep it that way.
She slipped the gun from her pocket and aimed it at the leader.
“Join us,” the leader of the mages enjoined. “Service to the master has many rewards.”
“Master? You have a master, Renault?” Caleb queried in a mocking voice. “And you called me a dog.”
Renault’s eyes narrowed. “You will regret your insolence.”
“I doubt it. But you already know I’m not going to join Michael’s little insurrection. So why the speech? Or could it be you’re just stalling, waiting for reinforcements? Because if you are, I gotta tell you, they ain’t coming.”
Renault’s face showed no reaction to Caleb’s words, but the two mages at his side lacked his control. They glanced at Renault, clearly expecting a denial.
“Don’t bother looking to him,” Caleb scoffed. “Renault is a zealot. He probably sat at Michael’s feet and helped plan your deaths while rejoicing at the thought of his martyrdom.”
Renault’s body stiffened with anger, but he didn’t deny Caleb’s words.
Instead, he widened his stance, clearly bracing for a fight. “We won’t go without a fight, Enforcer.”
“Oh, I hope not,” Caleb returned smoothly. “You have been sentenced to death for breaking the most sacred laws of our people, but you also threatened the life of my mate. That’s a game changer. No mercy will be shown.”
“Dog,” Renault spat. “What happens here does not matter. In the end, we will be
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