Alder carries me across the yard, holdin’ me tightly against his chest. We’re movin’ in step with Delta’s demons back toward the house, and I feel as though I’m floatin’ in a cloud of adrenaline and fear, but now cocooned in the safety and comfort of Alder’s arms and Flint’s presence.
“What happened?” Alder tries again.
I swallow hard and clear my throat in an attempt to make my voice steady. “We were sittin’ and talkin’. Everythin’ was fine, but then there was this boom. It was like thunder, only louder, like we were dead in the middle of the cloud. The house started gettin’ pelted, and Delta…”
I trail off for a moment as I press my face against Alder’s chest. I can see Delta bein’ rushed into the mansion ahead of us, and all of the events are flashin’ through my mind, tryin’ to be processed. The adrenaline seems to be wearin’ off too, and my body shakes slightly, which only causes Alder’s hold to tighten around me.
“Somethin’ happened to Delta. I don’t know what, but she couldn’t react at first. When I looked outside to see what was goin’ on, there were demons there. We tried to run, but they were everywhere, so we fought. Delta tried to shift us back, but we were blocked. Then, somethin’ happened when I touched her blood. I exploded, I guess, and she was finally able to shift us out. And now...I look like this,” I finish, and Alder’s lips press in a thin line.
He scales the steps that lead up to the front entrance of the mansion, while Rafferty calls for Strut and starts barkin’ out orders as we all move up the stairs.
As soon as we’re all inside, Flint turns on them. “You said she would be safe!” he bellows, and I flinch from the ferociousness in his tone.
Rafferty spins around to face him. “We thought they were,” he insists, his icy eyes takin’ Flint in cautiously.
“It’s one thing if you want to be so cavalier with your mate’s safety, but you won’t do the same to our mate,” Flint snarls. “First, you leave us hanging out to dry, and now, your carelessness almost costs us again. Since when did the Guardians of this Gate become so derelict in their duty? Y’all are fucking unfit!” he shouts, steppin’ toward Rafferty, his skin goin’ even darker, indicatin’ that he’s activatin’ his abilities.
His anger wraps around me like an impenetrable shield, and I’m shocked by the level of emotion he’s displayin’.
Mate. He called me his mate.
My heart pounds in my chest a mile a minute.
Mate, mate, mate. The word filters through my mind in a steady trickle, but I can’t quite process it properly. I’m overwhelmed, especially with all these other foreign sensations I’m experiencin’ because of my wards breakin’.
It’s like I can see everythin’ properly for the first time, even more so than I could when I was havin’ a tribulation. My body feels sensitive, and I can’t quite decide if I want to revel in it or crawl out of my skin, because it’s all just so weird.
“Fuck off, Flint,” Jerif snaps, steppin’ up to him on the stairs. “We’re all pissed and freaked out right now, but put the blame where it belongs. On the Ophidian.”
Flint’s eyes go hard. “I am putting the blame where it belongs. Our mate left here against our better judgment because we trusted you. Now she comes back hurt and changed, and we have your sloppiness to thank for it. The Ophidian almost got them.”
“We don’t know if it was Morax,” Delta cuts in, held securely in Crux’s arms. “He wasn’t there.”
“Thank fuck for that,” Jerif growls.
“It could’ve been minions that he sent,” Echo supplies from beside Delta. His shadows are billowin’ around him, writhin’ around like an anxious storm. Tendrils keep flickin’ out to pet Delta’s skin, like they need to reassure themselves that she’s safe.
“Or it could have nothing to do with the Ophidian,” Rafferty supplies. “It could simply be demons that felt their power and traced them.”
“No way. Not with the wards we placed there,” Crux says, shakin’ his head. He looks down at Delta. “You shifted directly into the house, right?”
Delta squirms. “Uh, no. I shifted us outside in the backyard, and then we walked in.”
Four groans escape their mouths, and Delta bristles. “We were outside for maybe thirty seconds! And I did it that way so that Maria wouldn’t call the cops when there were suddenly lights on and noises coming from the house. I wanted to be seen going inside.”
“It’s okay,” I tell her, feelin’ only slightly silly that we’re both bein’ cradled in the arms of our males while we all discuss this.
“It’s not okay. You could have been hurt or taken or killed,” Flint says, his temper still ragin’. His eyes land hard on Delta’s mates. “We never should’ve trusted you.”
Jerif takes a threatenin’ step closer to him, so Flint matches the move until the two of them are starin’ each other down hard. I can see that this ain’t gonna end well. Delta tries to intervene, but Crux and Echo carry her away to deal with her bleedin’ wounds while Rafferty unsuccessfully tries to pull Jerif back.
I try to push out of Alder’s arms, but he doesn’t let me go. I look up at him and press a reassurin’ palm to his chest. “Alder…” I hold my hand there for a beat, my eyes pleadin’ until he sighs and reluctantly puts me on my feet.
I have to steady myself, not used to the heavy wings at my back, but as soon as I do, I immediately step between Flint and Jerif. They’ve graduated from death glares to slingin’ insults at each other, doin’ their best to escalate this situation to dangerous levels.
As soon as I slide between them, my wings push out from my back, forcin’ Jerif to move away or get wing-jabbed in the face like they’re sayin’, back off, son. Flint’s
