“Then what’s the problem? It’s not like she’s teaching me the wrong thing.”
Pax’s lips pull into a thin line. “Training you to the level of an Elite Saber is a moot point. You will never achieve that standard, so including advice from everyone who owns a blade is a waste of time and resources.”
“Ouch, brother,” Seth says, stepping up to frame me on the left.
Roarke on my right, then Rose, and then Pax directly opposite me.
I grate my teeth together, trying to behave myself in front of Rose and the other Sabers lingering in the background.
“Rose has to leave. Her seal has expired,” Killian says.
I take a quick glance at Rose’s hands, but neither is facing me, so I wouldn’t be able to see a seal even if there was one.
“But not right this very second?” I press.
“She has to prepare. Her triune is riding east first; they’re going to collect intelligence on any activity from the Seeds who escaped from Tanakan. That is more important,” Pax says.
“Respectfully, sir, my team would like to depart under cover of darkness,” Rose says.
“Respectfully – I have given my orders,” Pax snaps.
Rose bows and backs up another step.
I clench my fists, one of them gripping tighter to the blade I forgot I was holding.
“Brother, you’re just digging a bigger hole,” Seth mutters. Pax slaps him across the back of the head.
“There are two options here,” I begin, forcing my tone to be neutral. Stone. Still. Contained. Servant asking for permission. “Let me make a choice for myself – or you make it for me.”
I’ve been a servant long enough to know that beatings follow a person who openly argues with their master. Any of my true opinions on this matter will have to stay caged until we are alone.
Pax tilts his head to the side, scanning my expression from a new angle.
Frowning – he’s doing lots of frowning.
Suddenly, he’s right in front of me, moving quicker than I can track. One hand is in my hair, the other on my hip, slipping low under my ass. He lifts me off the ground, which I barely notice amid the spark of his power through my already-weary muscles. His forehead presses to mine, and everything in me focuses solely on the pulse of the golden ring around his irises.
But he can’t do anything else. The sigil on his chest won’t let him.
When he puts me on my feet again, I’m standing next to Rose. Right next to her. My arm against her arm kind of next to her. She’s frozen in place, and even Seth looks a little worried.
“You two decide,” Pax says, a roughness to his voice that hints at growling. He lets go of me and turns towards Rose. “But if you hurt her, there is a very strong possibility I will tear you apart. You have five minutes.”
Rose swallows hard, her hands raised in surrender.
“I’m not going to touch her,” she says. “But in case you haven’t noticed, she’s got all the fire she needs – she just lacks the skill, sir.”
Pax moves back – almost to the edge of my bubble. There’s this moment of awkward eye conversation, then like something was communicated in their expressions. The other three guys turn their backs to us and scan the trees. Like they’re expecting something to be watching us.
Rose and I turn awkwardly to face each other.
“Thank you for kissing me before,” she says under her breath. “He hid that so well.”
“Who hid what?”
“Pax hid that you’re his mate. That would have kept me in my place, but Teegan will be covetous of that title.”
“How can she? I didn’t think I had a choice?”
“You don’t. Not for a MateBond, or a SoulBond, or a HarmonyBond in Roarke’s case, or even Seth’s kind of GeminiBond. Our Seed picks the best possible match. The strongest, fastest, smartest – that kind of thing.”
“Then why the chuck did it pick me?”
That gets a chuckle out of her, a light and gentle sound to contrast her deadly look. I mean, the woman has blood over her shoulders and painted on her dark face.
“There are other factors. Obviously, the magic knows something we don’t. I can respect that. Teegan will not. If someone other than an AlphaSeed can be Pax’s mate, then she’s going to be hungry to prove to him, to his Seed – fuck, to any of their Seeds – that she can be their other half. Jada too, for that matter.”
“She’s going to try and mate with all of them?” I gasp – which is stupid, because I chuckin’ want to mate with all of them…
Focus, Shade.
“I don’t think they have the kind of power that can sense MateBonds, but once they know it’s possible, they’re going to be hunting for the title. They’re going to see you as a new toy and the guys as open for business.”
Jada already knows.
“Is it still jealousy if I’ve got a good reason?”
“Jada is powerful, and she’s practically in bed with the Black Castle. Teegan is a Seed of Seduction,” Rose mutters almost too low to hear. “The sooner you can fight your own fights, the better. That stunt you and Seth pulled will buy you enough time with the likes of Teegan; her focus is on Roarke – but Roarke won’t wear the crown. There’s no way she’s going to believe a mate just stood there and watched you kiss another person. You don’t need battle skills. You need self-defense skills,” she says, then she lifts her voice a little louder. “Roarke, get over here.”
Roarke obeys, but I don’t miss the quick look he gives Killian.
Which makes me feel like I’m missing something. A big something. Like their whole lives prior to meeting them less than a month ago.
“The rest of you give her some space. Roarke, I want you to attack her – you seem to be safe from retribution,” she says.
Roarke nods, a little half smile on his lips.
“But not
