Trevor glanced at her with wild green eyes that burned with insanity. His eyes dropped to their entwined hands, and his glare was full of hate when he looked back up. “You stupid fucking bitch. You’re nothing but a slutty whore.”
Rage turned Karis’ vision red, white-hot fury burning through his veins. His tiger growled deep inside him, and he took a step forward, ready to snap Trevor’s neck. He didn’t give two shits if the Enforcers saw him do it or not. Shifter prison would be worth it.
But Arya squeezed his hand and brought her other arm around, rubbing her hand against his bicep. “No. Don’t. He’s not worth it, and I can handle a few insults and nasty names thrown at me. Really.”
Focusing on her beautiful eyes, he breathed in and out deeply, keeping it even, until he felt marginally calmer. Giving her a nod to let her know he was back in control of himself, he looked at Trevor again. His look had changed, the venom gone, replaced with sadness and pleading as he stared at Arya.
“You were supposed to be mine. You were always supposed to be mine.” Frowning, he wrapped his arms around his waist as he started rocking back and forth, muttering, “I don’t know how she doesn’t see it. Maybe she’s denser than most. I’ll make her understand. It’s Karis’ fault. He brainwashed her.”
Karis’ initial anger over his first words vanished as unease skittered up his spine. Trevor was clearly not right in the head, truly mentally ill.
“Trevor?” Arya asked gently. “I don’t understand. We were friends, but that’s all we ever were.”
Trevor looked at her with a gentle expression that faded in the blink of an eye, replaced by scorn and contempt. “Of course you don’t understand. We were always more than friends, Arya. I tried to brush it off when you refused my attempts to kiss you. I told myself you needed more time, and I was going to make you understand.
“Then the rules changed, and you started doing all the things women shouldn’t do. Not their place, not their place. Stupid rules that never should have changed, but I would have shown you the correct way.” His gaze switched to Karis, his eyes burning with hate. “But you went running to him. And he encouraged you, led you down the path to more ruin.”
Arya frowned and then gentled her expression, her voice when she spoke more suited to a child. “I was only doing what I wanted to do. What I always wanted to do. No one led me to anything.”
Trevor shook his head hard. “No. You couldn’t have wanted that. You were brainwashed. I tried to step in before it went too far. I knew you wanted to train, and that was wrong. It would only lead to other bad things. But he ducked out of the way of my arrow, and I nearly got caught. Would have, maybe, without my gift. I took on Karis’ scent, though it made me sick to do it, so he wouldn’t catch me. Then you entered challenges. Won challenges. Not your place, never your place. I tried again to warn you off. And when it didn’t work, I decided I’d go to Denver, get a gun, and shoot him.
“He’d die as he deserved for leading you down a wicked path, and you would turn to me. I’d work on getting you back to where you needed to be. Back to where you were when you were perfect. You’d fallen, become sullied, but I could fix it. And we would claim each other and we would be mates like we always should have been. Then I saw you in the village today holding hands, and I snapped. He’d taken it too far, tainted you publicly, and needed to pay, and I didn’t care how. I followed you here, and you know the rest.”
Kian frowned. “You even brought the gun to us. Helped us search for the shooter.”
Trevor shrugged. “The better to throw you all off my trail, if you were on it. I was still in the woods when everyone came to search, so I just joined in. I thought it would look suspicious if I didn’t. Chad found the gun, which I hadn’t planned on. But I offered to bring it to you guys, to help throw you off. And if you sent it out to be tested for fingerprints, it would make sense if you found mine, because I touched it when I pulled it out of the cloth.”
Karis frowned, uneasy at how smart Trevor’s thinking was. There was nothing more dangerous than an intelligent madman. “And the cameras in Arya’s house?”
“I wanted to keep her close. To make sure she wasn’t getting in over her head.” Glaring at Karis with venom filled eyes, he started to lunge up, but Zane and Jameson stepped forward, halting him. “I saw you fuck her. You took my sweet girl’s virginity and sank your filthy teeth into her shoulder. You sullied her, made her unclean.” Looking at Arya, his expression turned sad and bewildered. “He made you un-pure, but still, I would have taken you. I would have worked to sanitize you again. You did everything wrong. Why? Why did you try to hurt me this way? Why did you let him fuck you like you’re nothing more than an animal? Slut. Whore. Bitch.”
That was enough. Karis’ tiger growled, urging him to destroy the shifter talking about his mate that way, and he was more than happy to oblige. Releasing her hand, he stepped forward, stalking the man who was about to die. Arya cried out, wrapping her arms around his waist, but she couldn’t stop him. No one could.
Except maybe the Enforcers, who stepped forward with Kian and Zane, blocking his way. “He deserves to die,” he bit out between clenched teeth.
Noah shook his head. “No. He deserves to go to shifter prison. You don’t, but you’ll end up there anyway if you kill him right now.”
Luke exhaled, his expression half-amused, half-resigned as he looked at Kian. “Remember how I said our prisons were going to end up full of War Cats? That was an observation, not a challenge.”
Kian rubbed his hand over his head, expression troubled. “There are a lot of bad seeds here. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Trevor wasn’t the last to be taken in.”
Reluctantly stepping back, Karis glanced down at Arya as she hooked her arm in his. Looking back, he watched as Noah stepped behind Trevor and slapped handcuffs on him, surprised when he didn’t struggle or resist at all. He watched as the Enforcers took him away, and it was then he saw Vynn push away from a tree in the backyard and walk to them.
Red coated his vision again as everything clicked in place, and he growled as Vynn walked closer. That was another one who deserved to be hurt for his part in this.
Arya watched with a heavy heart as the Enforcers lead Trevor away. Yeah, he’d done some horrific stuff and deserved to pay, but they’d been friends once upon a time. They grew up just three houses down from each other, and played for hours at a time as kids. She’d always sensed there was something not quite right about him, but she never would have guessed he was as crazy as he turned out to be. Or that his brand of crazy was so dangerous.
She felt guilty, like this was somehow her fault. Logically, she knew it was nothing she’d done, and she never led him on. She even told him when he tried to get her to kiss him that she didn’t think of him like that. And he clearly had a lot of mental problems. If they hadn’t come out now because of her, they would have eventually in a different situation, with someone else. She’d rather it come out with her—she could handle it.
But logic didn’t trump her emotions, and she felt guilty as hell. If she’d realized just how off he was sooner, she could have gotten him help before it came to this.
His actions are his own, her tiger said quietly. You can’t take them on yourself. You did nothing wrong.
I know.
And she did know that. It would just take some time before she felt it, as well. Hell, what a day it’d been. It was barely five o’clock, and she was exhausted to her core.
Karis suddenly stiffened and growled beside her, taking a step forward. Jeez, what now? Looked like the drama wasn’t quite over yet. Automatically tugging on his arm, she followed his gaze to where Vynn was walking toward them.
“You son of a bitch,” Karis growled. Glancing at Arya, he frowned at her vice-like hold on his arm. “Let go and step out of the way, sweetheart. Vynn and I have something to discuss.”
She snorted, tightening her hold further, using all her strength. “Not likely. It’s obvious your idea of a d
iscussion is a conversation with your fists. I think we’ve had enough fighting today. What’s going on?”
“I’d like to know that, as well,” Kian said, a muscle jumping in his jaw as he looked between his warriors. “Someone talk.”
Vynn looked at Karis steadily as he stopped next to the group. “I tried to warn you. I knew it would escalate if she went to the challenges. And she not only went, but made second place warrior. It was inevitable after that.”
“You fucking knew it was Trevor the whole time. You could have said something, or stopped it. My mate could have been hurt or killed, and you could have fucking stopped it.”
“What the hell is going on here? Someone explain, now,” Kian demanded, voice full of his authority as Alpha.
Karis didn’t take his glare off Vynn as he answered. “Vynn came to me earlier this week. Asked if it was a good idea to let Arya come to the challenges. Said it would piss tribe members off. I thought he meant himself, but he said he wasn’t saying it because of him. He was just giving me a warning. And now it makes sense.”
Kian nodded as if he understood, but Arya was still confused. “What makes sense?”
Zane glanced at her. “Vynn and Trevor are cousins.”
“So this son of a bitch likely knew from the start it was Trevor, and didn’t say one fucking word.” Karis’ voice was dripping with ice as he glared daggers at Vynn.
Vynn shrugged unapologetically. “I warned you, which was the best I could do. I couldn’t just give him up. He’s family.”
“Family who was trying to kill me, who was harassing my mate. Who was violating her privacy. He had a fucking camera in her bedroom, asshole. You could have stopped that.”
Vynn didn’t back down, just continued to stare Karis in the eye. “He’s family, Karis. No, I couldn’t give him up. I warned you, and I followed him everywhere. But the day he shot the arrow, and today in the village, he evaded me. For all his mind is broken, he’s still a fucking genius, and he figured things out quickly. I think he knew I was following him. He’s been through hell with my uncle, which was no doubt what broke his mind to begin with. I couldn’t add to that. So I did all my honor would allow.”
“Your honor,” Karis scoffed. “Your honor could have gotten my mate killed.”
Kian stepped forward, hands raised. “That’s enough. It’s clear that neither one of you are going to give on this. Karis, take a breath and cool down. I know you’re pissed. Hell, you have every right to be, and I would be as well. But there’s not a shifter here who doesn’t know Vynn marches to his own drummer and has his own honor code.”
Turning to Vynn, Kian glared, his dark brown eyes like chips of ice. “That being said, if you ever withhold information that could protect a member of this tribe, that could stop a bad seed from doing shit like this, you are to come forward immediately, is that understood? Pull something like this again, and I’ll strip your third-place warrior ranking from you so fast, your fucking head will spin. And you’ll be finding a new place to live, as well. I’m not having this kind of shit in the tribe.”
Eyebrows high, Arya stared at Kian with new appreciation. He was normally so easy going, so good natured, and that was the first time she heard him so commanding and, well, like a true alpha.
Vynn just shrugged. “Easy enough promise to keep. Trevor is the only family I have left, and one of the very few who had my loyalty.”
With that, he turned and strode away as everyone watched him go. Zane frowned, breaking the silence that had fallen over the group. “I have to wonder just who else has his loyalty. I’m not at all sure it’s anyone standing in this yard, and that could be dangerous.”
Kian sighed, shaking his head. “Only time will tell. In the meantime, we will continue to watch him closely. All right guys, let’s head out and leave Arya and Karis to themselves. I’m sure, after the events of the past week, and especially today, they need some time to come to terms with everything.”
Watching as Kian, Zane, Jameson and two other warriors said their goodbyes and left, Arya slumped into Karis’ side, feeling even more exhausted than she had a few minutes ago.
“You okay?” he asked softly, turning to face her and pulling her into his arms.
Shrugging, she snuggled in close, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tightly. “It’s been an eventful day, and I guess I’m feeling it. Some warrior I am, right? Letting everything get to me like this and admitting to exhaustion so easily.”
“Even warriors have days that drain them, sweetheart, and have things that get to them. We’re strong, but we’re not invincible, no matter what some of us like to think. You just won’t find many who’ll admit to it. But being open about shit like that, being able to be honest about it, is a strength, not a weakness, no matter how much they might say otherwise.”
“I’ve never heard you say you’re drained or exhausted after a hard day.”
“Because I’m one of those hardheaded, egotistical jackasses. Just like the majority of men and warriors are.”
Laughing, she leaned back and went up on tiptoe to kiss him, unable to keep in her moan as her body lit up. It was crazy how worn out she was, and yet kissing this man was like a burst of energy as her body lit up like she was touching a livewire.
And then his stomach growled, cutting through the sexy feelings coursing through her body. She laughed as she pulled back. “Come on, let’s get you fed—crap, my sauce!”
Jumping back, she ran into the house, coughing at the smoke in the kitchen. She heard Karis come in behind her as she walked to the stove, and she looked in the pan that was smoking. The previously amazing smelling sauce was currently a black lump smoldering on the surface of the pan, and her shoulders slumped as she turned the burner off.
“So much for this being a recipe that you couldn’t burn, eh Arya?” he said behind her, chuckling.
Whirling around, she glared at him. “Clearly, there were extenuating circumstances. Like Trevor trying to kill you. Oh, but I suppose I should have ignored it and let you two fight it out while I concentrated on cooking dinner.”
Still laughing softly, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her sweetly. “You know I’m teasing you. And you know I couldn’t give two shits whether you can cook or not, right? I love you just as you are.”
Sighing, she nodded as she melted into his arms. “I know. I just want to give you everything.”
Rubbing his big hand over her back, he pulled back as he looked at her intently. “Sweetheart, you do give me everything. You’re more than I imagined my mate would be, and I love everything about you. I don’t care if you burn everything you try to cook, or never try at all, or if you hate cleaning so much you never do it. I can do both of those myself. I don’t need them from you. And I don’t care if you want to spend every spare moment training, especially since that’s what I love, too. As long as you’re by my side every day, and in my bed every night, I don’t need anything else from you. I just need you in my life. I love you so much it’s almost hard for me to comprehend it, but I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure you know it. Making sure you feel it. Me, my life, it’s all nothing without you.”
Arya’s heart melted in her chest, and her tiger purred loudly at his words. At the conviction in his voice. At the love that was shining from his beautiful gray eyes. It took her a moment to find her voice, and when she finally did, she made sure he could feel her words, like she felt his.
“Everything you just said. It was perfect, and I feel the same way. I love you so damn much, Karis. My life is complete with you by my side, and I will never leave yours. I need you, in a way I haven’t ever needed anything else before. My freedom, my independence, all of it, I’d give it all up if I had to, as long as it meant keeping you. I know I don’t have to, though. I know all you want is for me to be happy, same as I do you. And I know when it gets tough and life gets hard, you’ll be right there next to me, propping me up and encouraging me to go after what I want. There is no on
e more perfect for me in this world, in the whole damn galaxy, and I love you, too. So much it takes my breath.”
Two whole damns in that speech, and she hadn’t thought twice about them. If any conversation deserved a curse word for an emphasis, it was this one.
Karis searched her eyes as a slow smile grew on his face, until it was a breathtaking grin, crinkling the corner of his eyes. “I can’t believe I ever fought this. You’re by far the smarter of us two, because you recognized and accepted what we were to each other right away, before our tigers ever claimed each other. Fuck, I love you, woman.” Leaning in, he kissed her gently, pulling back with a groan when it started to turn heated. “Later. We’ll save that for later. Now, what do you say to getting some pizza?”
She grinned up at him. “I say that sounds perfect. And maybe get used to having pizza often, because odds are, even if the fight hadn’t happened, I probably still would have burned the sauce.”
Karis threw his head back with a laugh, taking her hand and threading their fingers together as they walked to the door. Everything she’d ever dreamed of her whole life had come true this past week. She’d gotten her freedom and independence in the tribe, become not only a warrior, but ranked second. Next on her list of wants was finally seeing the inside of the warrior lodge.
But the most important thing she got this week was Karis. Her mate. She sometimes still had trouble taking it in. Her teenage self would be in a straight swoon right now if she could go back in time and tell her he was her true mate.
She really didn’t know how she’d gotten so darn lucky, but she would never take him, or what they had together, for granted. She was going to hold tight with everything in her, and do as she tried to do with everything. Live it to its fullest, enjoying the hell out of every single moment. Life, in this moment, had never been sweeter or more perfect, and she had a feeling that would be true for every moment of the rest of her life.
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