A Curse of Shadows - Page 82

Estee comes to my side and rubs my head, whispering, “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened, but we’re going to figure this out before it’s too late this time.”

That, we absolutely would.

Asher comes back with the pup in his arms, handing him off to Grayson. “This is Selene’s kid. He’s always taking off, so she probably doesn’t even realize he was caught up in this. I already gave him some blood, and I don’t want to alarm her unnecessarily. He’s going to be okay. Take him back to the castle, clean him up, then send someone to get her.”

“I’ll have someone get Noen or Decl—” Dad starts to say, but Asher’s growl cuts him off.

“No, anyone but them.”

What the hell? What did I miss?

My wolf finally stands, only minor aches moving through my sides still. Though she won’t let me shift back just yet.

Dad stops next to me, bending his head against mine. “The two of you aren’t to be left alone again, not even together. I will help Asher lock both of you up if that’s what it takes.” He pauses, his voice breaking. “If anything happens to either of you again…”

“I’m sorry, Dad,” I say, even though he can’t hear me. Still, he nods as if he can sense my remorse.

Though it’s not like I intentionally let this situation happen. Okay, maybe I put the idea out into the universe, but at least I tried to take it back.

“Estee, go with him,” Asher tells her. “I’ll be with Isla for the rest of the night.”

Under any other circumstance, this would sound divine, but even my sister grimaces as she waves goodbye.

Once we’re alone, he faces me and cups my wolf’s face. “Fuck, Isla.”

“I know,” I say, full of regret for having let myself be vulnerable, even if it wasn’t intentional. “But you won’t have to lock me up. I wasn’t trying to put myself in a bad position. I was doing as I promised, heading right to Dad and Estee, but then I found the pup and things spiraled. What happened with Noen and Declan?”

His head shakes and his jaw tightens until it begins to twitch. “I don’t want to talk about that yet. Just know if you see Declan again, and I’m not with you, run in the opposite direction.” He presses his forehead against my wolf, hands still shaking. “Can you shift? I really need to touch you right now.”

I have so many questions, but more than I need the answers that go with them, I know my mate needs me. Even though I know it’s going to hurt since I’m not fully healed, I pull my wolf energy back and let the change happen.

Searing agony feels as though my ribs are being branded, but thankfully, that’s the only part of my body that still hurts.

Asher’s frown deepens as I stand on two feet. “Damn it. I didn’t realize you were still hurting.”

I step into his arms and shake my head. “I’m not now.”

He holds me tight, vibrating against my body. His closeness is nearly as good of a balm as his blood.

We stand there in silence for several moments. Howls from the other wolves cut through the quiet night. Some joyful, likely having no clue what’s transpired within their pack, and others darker. I wonder how many people know and whom we can even still trust if not Asher’s two closest friends.

I knew Noen might have been a suspect and I didn’t say anything, something I regret more than anything else as of late.

I nearly tell Asher as much, but he speaks before I can. “If you’re up for it, I’d still like to go to the conservatory.”

Well, those are the last words I expected to come out of his mouth.

“Yes, but shouldn’t we?—”

He shakes his head, cutting me off. “I need you, Isla. More than I need to rip someone’s fucking head off right now, I. Need. You.”

Those three words are punctuated with lancing torment, and in this moment, I know he’s right. Everything else can wait.

As long as we’re together, nothing else matters.

At least for tonight.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO