barely remembered Jared moving her to the room before the Healers showed up. Yet, the whole night was a blur.
One thing that was clear was the memory of the look on her father’s face right before he was burned alive. Worry, concern, and relief flashed in his features. She swore she’d heard him say, “Thank you” in her mind. For a breath of time, she’d seen the man he’d been before greed and rage consumed him.
The covers were jerked off of her and she squeaked, “Hey!”
Jared leaned over her, his brows dipping as he studied her. “You good?”
She smiled, knowing he was asking how she felt about killing her father. Jared had never been the type of male to coddle others, but he did have a compassionate side. She would have him no other way. “Yes, surprisingly, I am.”
He held her gaze for another few moments before surprising her with a quick kiss on the lips. “Get dressed. We have company.”
Instinctively, she reached out her senses to see who was there. She relaxed when she recognized Blaine’s and Luna’s energy but tensed as she felt her sister’s and son’s. “Why are Ana and Nigel here?”
“Because they are both as hardheaded as you.” He straightened and turned toward the door, but she saw the hint of a smile before he left.
She watched his backside as he made his exit. Flashes of their tangled bodies from the night before made her smile. Absently, she touched the trail of bites down her throat to her breast. However, her newfound happiness soured as the weight of what was to come settled on her. Savannah would avenge her mate’s death in a fit of rage. That much Sable knew of the woman who’d birthed her. Because they were too much alike when it came to protecting what belonged to them. Right then, Jared, Ana, Nigel, and everyone in Ashwood, if they’d have her, belonged to Sable. And she’d die protecting them.
Slipping out of bed, she dressed and then entered the living room, noting there were a couple of males she didn’t know. Nigel was the first to see her and ran to hug her tightly. Squeezing him back, she took in his scent, which was mixed with Ana and so many others from Ashwood. That pleased her jaguar. “Gods, I’ve missed you.”
Nigel pulled back with worry in his blue eyes. “Grandfather is dead?”
Sable glanced to Jared, then back the Nigel. “Yes.”
Her son hugged her to him again. “You did what needed to be done.”
When had he grown up? Stepping out of his embrace, she took his hand and led him to the sofa. “You shouldn’t be here. You should be in school or hanging out with friends.”
Blaine pushed off the wall he leaned against. “I’ll take him back to the den with Luna and me. My father, on behalf of the Council, said you are pardoned, your crimes forgiven.”
Sable nodded. “Savannah may already be headed here. She can track me better than I thought. It’s not like a normal mother/daughter bond, though.”
“She tracks you through your magick,” Luna said.
Sable supposed. It did make more sense. “Has anyone gone to Felix’s camp?”
“Travis went out there last night after Jared called.” Blaine raised his hand and added before Sable could respond, “We don’t need the human authorities involved. Plus, as I understand the heat craze too well, you weren’t in the best of moods and the fire you started was out of control.”
Sable averted her gaze to watch the flame flicker in the fireplace. “Were any innocents hurt?”
Blaine shook his head. “No, but we can’t confirm that Savannah is alive.”
“She’s alive.” Sable spoke softly, hating that she was still connected to the female despite never bonding with her like a child who grew up with her mother.
Luna walked over to her. It was hard not to look at the beautiful, petite redhead with an Alpha’s power. “As I understand it, you were two when the Council locked her away. That was plenty of time to form the bond. The question is, Sable, what are you going to
One thing that was clear was the memory of the look on her father’s face right before he was burned alive. Worry, concern, and relief flashed in his features. She swore she’d heard him say, “Thank you” in her mind. For a breath of time, she’d seen the man he’d been before greed and rage consumed him.
The covers were jerked off of her and she squeaked, “Hey!”
Jared leaned over her, his brows dipping as he studied her. “You good?”
She smiled, knowing he was asking how she felt about killing her father. Jared had never been the type of male to coddle others, but he did have a compassionate side. She would have him no other way. “Yes, surprisingly, I am.”
He held her gaze for another few moments before surprising her with a quick kiss on the lips. “Get dressed. We have company.”
Instinctively, she reached out her senses to see who was there. She relaxed when she recognized Blaine’s and Luna’s energy but tensed as she felt her sister’s and son’s. “Why are Ana and Nigel here?”
“Because they are both as hardheaded as you.” He straightened and turned toward the door, but she saw the hint of a smile before he left.
She watched his backside as he made his exit. Flashes of their tangled bodies from the night before made her smile. Absently, she touched the trail of bites down her throat to her breast. However, her newfound happiness soured as the weight of what was to come settled on her. Savannah would avenge her mate’s death in a fit of rage. That much Sable knew of the woman who’d birthed her. Because they were too much alike when it came to protecting what belonged to them. Right then, Jared, Ana, Nigel, and everyone in Ashwood, if they’d have her, belonged to Sable. And she’d die protecting them.
Slipping out of bed, she dressed and then entered the living room, noting there were a couple of males she didn’t know. Nigel was the first to see her and ran to hug her tightly. Squeezing him back, she took in his scent, which was mixed with Ana and so many others from Ashwood. That pleased her jaguar. “Gods, I’ve missed you.”
Nigel pulled back with worry in his blue eyes. “Grandfather is dead?”
Sable glanced to Jared, then back the Nigel. “Yes.”
Her son hugged her to him again. “You did what needed to be done.”
When had he grown up? Stepping out of his embrace, she took his hand and led him to the sofa. “You shouldn’t be here. You should be in school or hanging out with friends.”
Blaine pushed off the wall he leaned against. “I’ll take him back to the den with Luna and me. My father, on behalf of the Council, said you are pardoned, your crimes forgiven.”
Sable nodded. “Savannah may already be headed here. She can track me better than I thought. It’s not like a normal mother/daughter bond, though.”
“She tracks you through your magick,” Luna said.
Sable supposed. It did make more sense. “Has anyone gone to Felix’s camp?”
“Travis went out there last night after Jared called.” Blaine raised his hand and added before Sable could respond, “We don’t need the human authorities involved. Plus, as I understand the heat craze too well, you weren’t in the best of moods and the fire you started was out of control.”
Sable averted her gaze to watch the flame flicker in the fireplace. “Were any innocents hurt?”
Blaine shook his head. “No, but we can’t confirm that Savannah is alive.”
“She’s alive.” Sable spoke softly, hating that she was still connected to the female despite never bonding with her like a child who grew up with her mother.
Luna walked over to her. It was hard not to look at the beautiful, petite redhead with an Alpha’s power. “As I understand it, you were two when the Council locked her away. That was plenty of time to form the bond. The question is, Sable, what are you going to
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