She reached for her lioness, but that side of her cowered deeper in her mind. Stupid beast. She hadn’t been there when Sage needed her, so why the hell should she expect her to make an appearance now? Oh, she paced and snarled and hissed, but that was the extent of her power. Even those reactions didn’t always line up with Sage’s as the days ticked by with damnable predictability. The sun came up, the sun went down, and her lioness slipped out of her control a little more.
Nights were always a problem. At least the sunlight brought out the others and banished the darkness. Night left her alone in her too big den and with no one to distract her thoughts.
She’d taken to wandering the territory with the moon high above her head. Only when exhaustion pulled at her lids and added weights to her limbs did she turn back to the den that wasn’t hers.
Most nights were completely uneventful. Others, well…
A crack to the left twisted her around. Her mind raced with conjured details as she squinted into the darkness, but none of the imagined terrors rushed straight at her. Instead, a scarred white lion slowly prowled forward, carefully picking his way with his head lowered.
Sage stayed utterly still, but her heart raced. Rhys was frighteningly powerful. She’d lost count of the times she’d watched him rip through the other Crowley males like a hot knife through butter. Each time ratcheted up the horror as he jumped from target to target, inflicting the kind of damage she wished she could unleash on those who’d hurt her.
But the Crowleys were friends. They were pride members. They didn’t deserve the punishment they willingly subjected themselves to in order to bring Rhys back from the edge.
That they did it again and again was even more confusing. A lion like that would have been put down hard and fast in her father’s pride.
He stopped just a few feet away. Slowly, he sank down to his belly. His legs bunched under him, ready to spring into action if necessary, but he gave her space and made himself as small and nonthreatening as possible.
Sage let off a shaky sigh. “Did my brother send you?”
The massive white beast simply cocked his head. His silver eyes found hers, pinning her in place.
That’d be just like Lindley to send someone to look after her. She could even imagine the turmoil he juggled. Did he stay in case Kyla needed him, or rush after the sister he’d only recently reconnected with? She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a little hurt by his choice to stick with his mate, as natural as that was.
She glanced over her shoulder at the distant sound of laughter, then turned her face to the stars. Maybe it was the chill of the night, or maybe something shifted inside her, but she felt as if the wind picked her up and carried her away from the others. They were so... happy, and she just drifted.
She couldn’t go back there. A silent lion was the better choice over cloying happiness.
Shoulders hunched, she set off in the direction of the Crowley ranch. She didn’t bother waving a hand for Rhys to follow or even glance at him behind her. The heavy steps that followed were enough to know he stuck around.
“I’m sorry you were suckered into this,” she said quietly. “I promise I’m not doing anything wild. Just a straight walk home.”
Rhys padded close to her side and let off a low rumble.
“Why did I leave?” she guessed. At least he didn’t try to cut in front of her or herd her back.
He made the sound again, which she took as confirmation.
“I don’t know. Everything was too bright. I—”
She snapped her mouth closed before she finished the sentence. No need to tell him she didn’t feel like she belonged. Disappearing in the middle of the festivities was enough to make a guess.
She hated the roil in her stomach and the urge to drum her fingers. The feeling of eyes on the back of her neck made her want to run. Then there was the concern in voices and looks.
She held out as long as she could. They were supposed to be celebrating Colette’s acceptance into the pride with silly movies and manicures. She was happy for Dash, and even a little envious of Colette allowing herself to let love in, but the party had still proved too much to handle.
They walked in silence after that. Up and down hills. Across the fence line, where she carefully held apart the barbed wire and ducked through while he cleared it in a single leap. Past the shadowed lumps of cows sleeping on the ground.
They were within sight of the dens when her foot caught against a rock and sent her stumbling forward. She threw out her hands to catch herself, but then Rhys was there, pressing against her and bracing her fall. Sage dug her hand into his mane and steadied herself, but didn’t let go immediately. She couldn’t. Warmth flashed to life in her fingertips and slowly spread through her hand and up her arm.
Her heart pounded in her chest and her entire body tensed. It was the first touch of anyone but Kyla or Lindley. Not even the other women in the pride had gotten close enough in the two months she’d been there.
But he was there. He held her up when something tried to take her to her knees.
She took a deep, steadying breath, then swallowed back a sudden groan. His scent pushed at her in her moment of weakness. Hot mocha, with a touch of spice like cayenne pepper. Smooth and delicious, with the promise of a kick.
She slid a look to the man keeping her steady. As much as she hated to admit it, she liked having him there.
