“Come on,” Rhys said quietly, one hand latched on her upper arm. “Let’s go.”
She tried to pull herself out of his grasp. For the first time ever, he refused to back off as she struggled.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Lindley muttered, darting in front of them before they reached her porch steps. “What’s going on here?”
Rhys tongued his teeth and darted a look to the others turning their attention their way. He let off a harsh breath, then turned his back on them to speak to Sage as if the others weren’t there. “My father is still in town. He can get you out of here before shit hits the fan. He’ll take you back to North Carolina. Tonight.”
“No.” She finally pulled herself free. “No, Rhys. I’m not going anywhere while the rest of you face off against them.”
“Seven prides! You heard the same words I did. They’re coming for us, Sage. That fight isn’t going to disappear just because we want it gone.”
“I want to stay,” she said firmly. This felt too much like being pushed away again. He did it after he fought against intruders in their territory, then sank deep into his rage and aggression. She couldn’t let it happen again. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“I need to keep you safe!” The words whipped out of him as he slammed his hand over his heart. “Call it selfish, I don’t care. I can’t lose you, too, and I won’t be able to fight if you’re here. I’ll be too wrapped up in making sure you’re safe.”
A distraction. He was calling her a distraction, and she wasn’t sure if she should be offended or pleased.
Her lioness settled on something in the middle. Pleased that he needed her, but angry that he thought so little of her own ability to fight.
That nearly brought an eye roll out of her. Fighting would require setting paws in the world sometime over the last nine months. She was still too broken to be of any help.
“Fine.” Sage slashed her eyes away from him, then shook her head in defeat. “I’ll go.”
Trent’s mouth set into a grim line as his eyes drifted to Hailey, then to the lion unconscious in the dirt. He dipped his chin once and gave the order. “Call him. Then let’s get this one to the cave and see if we can get anything out of him when he wakes up.”
Chapter 25
Rhys watched the headlights bounce up the ranch road. Arms crossed, he waited impatiently at the mouth of the barn, hating every second that passed.
This was wrong. All wrong.
The thought did little to calm the lion twitching his tail in his head. The beast wanted to let his claws fly and stay close to Sage. No one could protect her better than them. Putting her in the hands of anyone else was disaster waiting to happen.
Rhys glanced down at Sage. She was just as upset. She hadn’t said much since agreeing to be ferried away, and even those words were short and to the point.
At least they weren’t an outright argument.
“You’re going, too,” Trent growled.
He stood with Hailey at the other corner of the barn, and glared daggers at anyone who stepped near. Not that anyone did so on purpose. The rest of the pride gave them extra room and contorted themselves to keep their eyes off the ruling couple.
Hailey puffed up as big as her small frame would allow. “Like hell I am!”
Trent shook his head firmly. “You’re human, Hailey. Even if you were a shifter, you’re pregnant. You need to get away before the shit boils over.”
“Then let’s go. All of us,” Hailey pleaded. Worry edged into her voice as she swept a look over the pride, then back to Trent, but he was already shaking his head.
“I want this over. Tonight.” A growl rattled in his throat. “They want a fight, they can have it.”
Headlights flashing cut the rest of the argument short and both turned to the new arrival.
Rhys stepped forward as the door creaked open, drawing Sage with him. He offered her a reassuring smile, then turned his attention to his father.
So many not-ideals were unfolding that night. Not an ideal time for Jasper’s lions to wage a war, though that would never be scheduled without objections. Being stalked after taking his mate to bed for the first time, also not ideal. Definitely not ideal to be introducing her to his father so the man could escort her to safety.
Alton let off a harsh breath as soon as his feet touched the ground. “I didn’t think enclave life would be any different than our pride living on our own, but you have the same troubles as any human town.”
Rhys looked sharply at his father. “What do you mean? What happened?”
“A fire broke out on the other side of town.” Alton’s brows pinched his nose. “At least, that’s the direction the fire engine turned. Must have been some injuries, too, with the police and an ambulance shooting off after them.”
Alarm bells blared in his head and he whipped around to lock eyes with the Crowley alpha.
“Shit,” Trent snarled. Gold swirled in his eyes. “We need to move. Now!”
“What’s going on?” Alton asked.
Trent didn’t answer right away. He punched in a number on his phone and pressed it to his ear, pacing back and forth as he chanted, “Pick up, pick up, pick up.”
When no one answered, he jabbed a finger at Colette and Dash. “I can’t reach Ethan. Try the others. If you can’t get them, run. They might have been hit already, or they’re being distracted away from the main fight.”
Solemnly, they both nodded. Phones were pressed to their ears even before they turned away, jogging for Dash’s truck.
Other preparations swung into motion. Kyla scrambled onto the roof of the barn with a
