by T. S. Joyce
“What kind of team-building projects?” Ronin asked thoughtfully.
“Like, drinking together,” Emerald said with a giggle.
“I’m in,” Kannon said.
Ronin snorted. “You all are annoying enough without alcohol.”
“But think about it,” Emerald said. “The fastest way to bond with people is to make memories of doing stupid shit together.”
“Thank you!” Kannon said, turning and holding his hands out. “I’ve been asking to get some fun up here for weeks. A cornhole game, Ouija board, something! I’m going stir-crazy. And none of us can leave because ‘safety in numbers’ and the Old Tarian Pride runs the town. It’s go to work in town, be wary, come right back. Day after day, it’s the same monotonous existence.”
“So safety-in-numbers it and go to a bar in town together,” Emerald suggested. “What’s the Old Tarian Pride gonna do? Attack you in public?”
“Uh, yeah,” Terrence murmured. “They don’t give a fuck, and it’s bad publicity on us if we go all murder-kitty on Main Street.”
Ronin pushed a branch aside and let her pass. And when she did, he squeezed her ass gently and gave her a wink. She gasped a little, but the rest of the Pride didn’t seem to notice as they walked in front, chattering about something called cornhole.
Emerald bumped his shoulder. “Can I ask you something?”
“Ask anything.”
“I saw you last night. Hitting that shifter who hurt Rose. You didn’t give a fuck either, and you don’t strike me as the type of man who would prolong anything.”
Ronin frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“I watched a man go in there guns a-blazin’ with no one to back him up.” She shrugged. “I don’t understand why you’re hesitating on this war.”
He huffed a dark chuckle. “We already had the first battle.”
“What?”
Ronin nodded. “How do you think I got the Old Tarians to leave this territory and set up the new one near town? They lost.” His eyes darkened. “But so did we. One thing I didn’t expect as a new Alpha was hurting when I lost some of the Pride. I barely knew them, but their loss weighs on me. It was my first time bonding to shifters, binding a Pride to me, and it was intense. And then a few days later, half of those bonds were broken.”
“You lost half the Pride,” she whispered.
Kannon turned and cast a sad look at her. “Feels like we lost more sometimes. We lost on their side, too.”
“And the fact that you said ‘we’ right there is why I’ve been waiting until I know you are ready,” Ronin said in a gritty voice as he stepped around a brush pile.
Terrence had been watching them. He’d been casting her and Ronin Sideways glances. “Speaking of needing allies—”
“We didn’t speak of needing allies,” Ronin said.
“We’ve all voted on two candidates for your mate,” Terrence said, ignoring him.
Beside her, a wave of anger pulsed from Ronin and made Emerald’s lioness shrink to almost nothing.
“We can discuss this later.”
“Now’s a good time,” Terrence said softly, his narrowed eyes on Emerald. Whatever he was looking for on her face, she had no idea.
“Perhaps when we aren’t in mixed company,” Rose said firmly from up ahead.
Terrence ignored them. “Our first choice is Aria Dunn and second is Blakely Winters of the Deadlies Pride.”
The woods grew silent except for the crunching of their steps in the snow and the soft snarl rattling Ronin’s throat.
“Blakely is a blond,” Terrence continued. “Tall. Nice rack—”
Ronin slammed him against a tree so hard it shook snow in the upper branches. “I said not now.”
“Why?” Terrence snarled. “Because Cassius’s mate has your attention? She’s off-limits and gives no benefit to us. You say we’re more important than you? Act like it.”
Suddenly, Emerald was homesick. Not for a place, but for her old life where everything made sense.
She didn’t belong anywhere.
It felt as if she was some star way up in the sky, orbiting a great story she was watching unfold on Earth, but she wasn’t a part of it. Not really. She was just a witness.
“I’ll help however I can,” she said to no one in particular.
Ronin cast her a look over his shoulder and pushed off Terrence. “What do you mean?”
“Terrence was right. I have just as much right as anyone to hate the Old Tarian Pride.” She forced a smile. “I can’t imagine females last too long under Cassius. But while I’m there, I’ll be your little grenade on the inside of his Pride. After my dad is safe, I’ll do what I can for you.”
“Why would you do that?” Kannon asked in the silence of the still woods.
Ronin’s words had stuck with her. Sometimes a life was just a life with no big destiny, no big meaning. It was just birth, the middle stuff, and then death. She’d never felt like she was meant for anything. Her whole life’s focus had been hiding from the Tarian Pride, and look where she was now? Headed right back into the heart of it. She’d utterly failed at escaping. But these people, these outcasts, they were trying to change the fate of an entire Pride that had been poisoned with evil for generations. They were trying to save this Pride, to rehabilitate it, and to save who-knows-how-many lives from them in the future. They’d been raised in hate, every one of them, but here they were trying to do good.
Ronin was right.
They were important.
So she lifted her chin in the air because she was determined to be stronger, and uttered his same words. “Because my life is less important than yours.”
Chapter Ten
Hearing those words fall from her lips hurt Ronin’s chest in ways he couldn’t understand. How could she think her life was less valuable? He was an Alpha. A good Alpha knew the power of his Pride was in the comfort of its members. If they were okay, he was doing all right as their leader. But Emerald? Thinking she was less valuable? Now nothing in him wanted to return her to Cassius. She would take unnecessary risks if she thought it would help Ronin’s Pride.
And that spoke volumes of the woman she was.
But it also scared him because, after today, she mattered very, very much to him. His inner lion couldn’t take his attention away from her for even a second.
Beautiful Emerald. She was tough. Tougher than she gave herself credit for. And selfless.
Her dad had told her to run, and here she was, climbing into the cab of Ronin’s truck, somber and quiet, but with a determined set to her mouth. How many people would’ve saved themselves instead of trading themselves for someone they cared for?
He buckled her in. Did she need him to? Fuck no, she could take care of herself, but he wanted the excuse to lean over her lap and steal one last kiss. He let his lips linger on hers. They were late to the meeting with Cassius, but he was finding it hard to care.
She tasted so sweet. Like the honey she’d just smeared on her toast a few minutes ago. She hadn’t been hungry for the huge meal he’d brought to the park, but she’d agreed to him making her a piece of honey toast before she went back to the Old Tarian Pride.
Her eyes had little blue specks when he studied them up close like this. Had anyone else ever noticed? He hoped not. He hoped he was the only one who knew about the blue. “I wish…” You could be mine. I could take you out. I could make you queen. I could protect you. I could fix this fucked-up situation we’re in. I wish you could stay here with me.
“I know,” she murmured. Her lip trembled. and she bit down and then forced a little smile. Brave Em.
She didn’t know it yet, but he was going to figure out a way to go back for her after her father was safe. He wished he would’ve known last night, and he would’ve rescued him, too. Now, the Old Tarian Pride would be ready for a rescue mission, and that put her dad in even more danger. He wasn’t going to worry her with that knowledge, though.
“Hand me your phone.”<
br />
Emerald put her hand on her chest dramatically and inhaled. “Are you asking for my number?”
Ronin chuckled. “I’m giving you mine.” He punched it in and sent a text to himself. “And now I have your number.”
Before she could say anything clever, he inhaled deeply and shut the passenger door, strode around the front, frozen air chugging in front of him. He slid in behind the wheel and sighed, gripping the steering wheel. “Zeke always told me if you like a woman, don’t beat around the bush about it. Let her know. There’s my number,” he said, flickering his fingers toward her phone. “I want to talk to you again. I like you.” He nodded once and held her pretty green gaze. “Now you know.”
And he got to see it there. She melted. Her eyes went all soft, and her smile turned tender and her cheeks turned the prettiest shade of pink. God, she was a stunner.
“I like you, too. I thought I should say that now, just in case…”
“You’ll see me again, Em. I swear it on my life.”
Her smile turned so sad it hollowed out his chest. “And if I see you again, I’ll be an Old Tarian queen, and you’ll be paired up. You’ll be an amazing mate for one of those strangers, and I’ll have to smile at you and pretend I’m okay.”
Ronin shook his head and stared out the front window of the woods. He squeezed her thigh. “Em, the only seer I ever knew was named Beaston. You ain’t him. You can’t see what the future will be like. Everything will be okay. I’ll fix it.” He edited his number in her phone and entered his name as Jenny. When she frowned at it, he grinned and handed it back to her. “In case the Pride watches your phone.”
“Very clever,” she said with a tinkling giggle. Good God, he hoped he could hear that laugh again soon. It was infectious.
He started the truck. “Just so you know,” he said over the sound of the engine roaring to life, “the Pride doesn’t Change together very much.”
Emerald tucked her legs under her and rested her cheek against the seat. “What do you mean?”
Ronin hit the gas and eased onto the road that led away from the cabin. “I mean you attracted them. Something about you. Something good. We’ve been pretty stale and frustrated around here, but today was different. You’re a bright spot, Em.”
“Me?” she asked softly. Why were her eyes so hopeful? Did she really not understand how special she was? “Well…Terrence doesn’t like me.”
Ronin snorted. “Terrence can eat a dick. He just wants me to focus on my duties.”
Emerald snorted, and he could’ve sworn she murmured, “You said doody.”
He was about to laugh, but movement in the rearview caught his attention. Kannon was pulling up behind them, driving his old rusted-out, beat-up Bronco. “What the hell?” he muttered, slowing down.
He began rolling down his window to tell all the lions piled in Kannon’s rig to “piss off,” but Emerald slid her hand over his leg and stopped him. “They’re being a good Pride, having their Alpha’s back. They choose to be here, Ronin. Let them.”
She was right. Smart kitty. He was being too careful trying to protect everyone and was stunting their ability to bond as a Pride.
Emerald was texting someone on her phone as he pulled through the security checkpoint. Gray was working it today.
“Anything?” Ronin asked Gray.
“Not a peep,” he murmured. “ I keep doing perimeter searches, and I’m watching the monitors like a hawk, but nothing. Birds aren’t even setting off the motion sensors today. It’s too quiet.” He cast a frown at the Bronco behind him. “Is everyone going to the drop-off?”
“None of them are,” Emerald said suddenly. She shoved open her door and turned. “It was nice to meet you, Ronin. I hope to see you again someday.” The way she spoke was so formal, as if she’d already shut down.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m protecting you.” She lifted her chin higher. “You and I both know they’re waiting somewhere close. I’ve texted Derek that I’m headed toward them and to pick me up.”
“It’s freezing, Em. Get back in the truck.”
“This is my choice.” She moved to shut the door but hesitated. Her eyes roiling with determination, she told him, “Thank you. For today. It’s a memory they can’t take away from me.” She ghosted him a sad smile and said it again, “This is my choice.”
She shut the door and made her way on the snowy road past the fence. And this memory right here would be one he would never forget for the rest of his life.
A determined lioness with a protective streak a mile wide, walking a snowy road alone to an uncertain future.
“I should follow her, right?” he asked Gray.
“No,” Gray rumbled. “She made her choice, and look.” He turned one of the video monitors toward Ronin. Half a mile down the road, a black snowmobile was speeding toward them. It was dragging something heavy through the snow. Ronin squinted his eyes, but the snow was creating a rooster tail over whatever was tied behind.
“That’s Derek driving,” Gray murmured, biting his thumbnail as he studied the screen.
“Hmm,” Ronin muttered, shoving open the door. Why wasn’t Cassius here to pick up Emerald himself?
“Em!” he called, jogging after her, but she’d made ground. She was running toward the snowmobile at full speed, screaming something he couldn’t understand.
“Aw, fuck!” Gray yelled. “Ronin! Derek’s dragging a body!”
Chapter Eleven
Emerald could tell it was her father way before she got a clear view of him. Derek’s smile gave it away. “Stop! Stop!” she shrieked, sprinting for the snowmobile that was blasting toward her, spewing snow on both sides. “You’re hurting him!”
Please don’t let him be dead. Please, God, don’t let him be dead.
Her legs burned from running, and every muscle in her body was protesting the cold and the strain, but she didn’t care. Nothing mattered except for Derek stopping his damn snowmobile. He was playing chicken, his laughter echoing through the mountains. He wasn’t slowing down at all.
Tears blurred her vision, and a snarl ripped through her chest. She hated him. She hated all of the Old Tarian Pride. Hated that they thought they could take whatever they wanted and hurt whoever got in their way.
Something broke inside of her as she watched the snow trailing from the blades of the snowmobile onto her limp and lifeless father. Something awful happened to her. Something that hurt. Maybe her heart was breaking.
Closer and closer, Derek rode until she could smell the stink of blood and oil. She wasn’t going to slow down. Her fury wouldn’t allow it. She leaped right as Derek was feet away from clipping her legs out from under her. She catapulted through the air and slammed into him hard, held on and tucked her thumb like Ronin and showed her and hit him as hard as she could. The crack of his nose rattled up her fist and through her entire body. The force hurt her hand and took the wind from her lungs for a moment.
Derek shoved her off of him by her neck, and she hit the ice hard and skidded several yards before she came to a stop. Heart pounding, she forced herself up, ignoring the pain in her shoulder from when she’d hit the ground, and ran for the slowing snowmobile the instant the traction on her boots allowed.
Derek came to a stop, and sobbing, Emerald skidded on her knees the last few feet to her father’s limp body. He was blue, frozen straight through. She patted his cheeks and whispered frantically. “Dad? Dad wake up. I’m here.” She looked up the road. Derek was coming for her, dismounting off the snowmobile, but she didn’t care what he did to her. “Ronin!” she screamed. “Help!”
“You broke my fucking nose, you bitch!” Derek snarled, cupping his hands over his face. Red streamed down his chin.
Ronin’s lion was coming. He was Changed and leading the Pride at a full sprint right for her.
“Dad? Dad, it’s okay,” she said, wiping snow from his face and silver hair. She cradled his head and put her cheek near his mouth, but she co
uldn’t tell if he was breathing. His face was one big bruise.
“I’m going to kill you,” she promised Derek, frantically untying the rope from her father’s wrists. “It’ll be my greatest accomplishment when I rid the world of your worthless—”
The click of metal on metal echoed through her head. When she looked up, Derek was aiming a handgun at her father’s head.
“Get on the back, or I will pull this trigger. Now!”
Her eyes burned as time slowed. The New Tarian Pride was almost here, but Derek was putting pressure on that trigger with his finger.
“Don’t, don’t!” she cried. “I’ll go. I’ll go!”
“Now!” he screamed, his face going red, his veins popping.
Thank God, she’d already untied her father. She scrambled on, Derek’s hand rough on the back of her neck, and then they were fishtailing out of there. She couldn’t take her eyes off Dad’s body as they did a U-turn and passed him by. Ronin was coming. He was coming. Hold on, Dad. He could help. Please, let there be time for Ronin to help. The metal of the gun was cold against her temple. She wanted to turn and see how close the lions were. They had to be so close. She could feel them. Hear them snarling. But she couldn’t move. Derek would pull the trigger and not care.
Please let him live.
The deafening roars that grew quieter behind them, drowned out by the engine of the speeding snowmobile, told her that she was really on her own now.
Cheeks stained with weakness, she gritted her teeth and stared ahead at the road blurring under the blades of the snowmobile. They were going so fast, the old her would’ve been scared, but inside of her, the lioness didn’t feel fear. For once, she wasn’t shrinking, and she sure as fuck wasn’t hiding.
She was planning.
Emerald didn’t know how she was going to do it, but she was going to annihilate the Old Tarian Pride for what they’d done.