Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Bloody Kora. That was what my warrior friends called me.

As Fullbright’s finest warrior, I led the spearhead team out of the training area and down the road toward the Shadowmoon border. I’d rather hoped never to have to go there again, but this time..would be different.

It wasn’t as though Lyle could reject me twice.

“I think we should consider getting very, very drunk when we stop to camp tonight,” Shawn said, jogging up next to me.

“You’re breaking formation,” I chided him.

Shawn shrugged. “What are they going to do? Kill me?”

I sighed. “How about this? I will consider getting very, VERY drunk with you tonight if you get back in line. We’re not going to stand a chance against the Shadowmoon Pack if we start falling–apart now.”

“I think we should defect. The whole lot of us go rogue,” Shawn said in a low tone. Too low for anyone else to hear.

I almost walked into a tree, staring at him. “You can’t be serious.”

“Can you think of a better way of sticking it to them?” Shawn asked.

I sniffed the air and frowned. “Shawn, are you drunk ALREADY?!”

Shawn pulled a bottle of vodka out of his vest and waved it at me. “Care to join me?”

“Put that away!” I hissed.

Shawn pouted and put the vodka back in his vest

“Turner, take the lead for a bit, will you?” I asked, turning around to the shifter who was my second on this mission.

“Aye, Monroe,” Turner said, stepping up while I dragged Shawn aside.

“Have you lost your mind?” I demanded, giving Shawn a little shake

He gave me a slow, drunken smile. “No, but I’ve lost my wife. And I’m about to lose my life. Hey, that rhymes.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well, if we come back from this alive, you can still have me for your wife.”

Shawn raised an eyebrow “Really?”

“I think Hale sending me off to die kind of puts a damper on our relationship,” I said dryly.

Shawn gave me a hug and a sloppy k*ss on the cheek Luckily, the rest of the contingent had gone ahead, so no one saw it. Not that it would have mattered. All of us knew we were headed off to die and that I’d been selected to go with. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together.

“You should have always been my mate,” Shawn chuckled. “We’re besties. We’d make a great team. I’d never have rejected you.”

I patted him on the shoulder and ducked out of his hug, only to realize Shawn was weaving on his feet. I sighed and slung one of his arms over my shoulders, supporting him as we walked down the road. “You’re a mess” I told him

“You’re a mess,” Shawn replied. “I knew you were hoping Mason’d come ‘round. You’ve loved him since you could crawl.”

I snarled and turned my face away. My heart panged a bit, and I didn’t want to admit it.

Shawn squeezed my waist in a half–hug. “Don’t worry. Y’won’t have to worry about it for long. We’re gonna die soon”

“Well, with that attitude,” I muttered, giving him the side–eye.

“My attitude’s not gonna be the problem,” Shawn mumbled. He looked out at the trees as though seeing them for the first time. “Man, I’m going to miss evening runs. Think we can do one before we hit the border?”

I swallowed, looking out at the same trees, remembering when Hale had come to my rescue when I was a child. He said he’d protect me. But what about now?

“I’d love to do an evening run with you, Shawn,” I said softly.

Shawn nodded and seemed to be sobering up a bit. “Kora, I—”

“Just what the F*CK is going on here?!” a familiar voice said from the front of the contingent.

Thurned and was surprised to see Hale and his retinue coming toward us.

Al I was no longer at the head of the contingent, it was Turner who had to answer. He bowed low. “Alpha Hale, we are the spearhead team, sent to guard the Eastern border-

“I understand that,” Hale growled. “I mean what the F*CK is she doing here?!”

The whole contingent turned and looked at me, still holding up Shawn.

“Well, Alpha, you see, there was a list…” Turner tried to explain.

Hale cut him off with a wave of his hand. He marched over to me and grabbed me by the arm, staring Shawn down until he finally stepped away. I’d never met someone who had more sense drunk than sober.

“What are you doing here?!” Hale snapped at me in a low voice, dragging me into the midst of the royal guard.

“What do you mean, what am I doing here?” My eyebrows furrowed.

Hale shook his head. “Never mind. We’ll talk about this later. Spearhead team, please continue onward. A team of pack counselors will arrive soon. Stay here and wait for them.” He paused a moment then added, “Take great care of yourselves.”

Then, he turned to me.

I could see my fumy bewildered face in those silent–angry eyes.

“Guards, let’s go home.” Hale dragged my wrist

I looked back, nervous, as the spearhead team went on without me. Including Shawn. The look in his eyes said it all a he watched Hale drag me away. This is goodbye. My heart ached at the thought of Shawn marching toward his death and potentially never seeing him again.

“Wait, I– 1” But before I could finish my words, my world blacked out.

Someone hit me on my n*eck

I hadn’t fainted for a long time, my warrior instinct wouldn’t allow it. The moment I woke up, I was in the castle already. Hale took me up to his study, only letting me go once he’d slammed the door behind us. That didn’t last long, though, because he grabbed me again and shook me hard.

“Is that what this is? Are you TRYING to get yourself killed?!” Hale shouted in my face

I’d had it with politeness. I’d just been on a death march that apparently Hale had not ordered me to be on, and now he was shaking me. It was just too much to keep calm about.

“You blame me?” I stepped closer to him

“I’m not trying to die! Moon Goddess, Alpha, will you stop thinking I’m trying to commit suicide?! Will you stop humiliating me?l I’m not trying to commit suicide, you big dumb idiot!” I yelled, pushing him away.

Hale blinked at me. Then… Isaw the slightest twitch of a smile?

What?

“Big dumb idiot?” he repeated.

I huffed and crossed my arms. It wasn’t my finest, most respectful moment, but….

“It needed to be said,” I grumbled. “Alpha Hale.”

Hale’s l*ps still twitched. “Big dumb idiot.”

“Yes.. well…” I stuttered.

“I like that. I also like it when you call me Mason, Hale murmured.

My heart thumped in my chest.

“And this big dumb idiet is glad you haven’t been trying to kill yourself,” Hale smiled.

I hadn’t seen him smile since we were children.

“I… I’ve got to go…” I said, confused and more than a little flustered,

No, wait, the spearhead team! Yes, they were sent to the Shadowmoon border. I needed to talk to him.

But Hale had already nodded and stepped aside, his smile fading.

I opened the door, intending to go back to my room.

But Giselle was blocking my way.

“Giselle,” I said, more surprised than anything