Ch. 381..390

Chapter 381

It was the most incredible day for Zev. A picture, he thought, of what it would be like if they'd had anything close to a normal life. And for a few hours he let go of the responsibilities, of the challenges and conflicts—the outright war they were fighting—and just let himself be with his mate and enjoy her.

He'd woken late, a rare luxury in itself, to find Sasha already wide awake, her eyes sparkling and fixed on his.

"Hey," he'd murmured, his voice hoarse and rough from sleep.

Her skin was pink, and her eyes puffy, but she was smiling, and he loved to see her like that.

"Good morning," she whispered, then beamed at him. "Guess what? We don't have to get up."

Zev blinked. He hadn't thought about it, but she was right. Some mornings back at the City they'd alone long enough to take each other quickly. It was always beautiful and left him yearning for more. But it was hurried, a stolen moment before they both were pulled back into the lives of the Chimera and back to their respective duties.

Most mornings one of them woke earlier, or someone came to wake them with a need. Some night's they'd never deeply slept.

He'd slept last night.

The silence here… the high, natural ceiling. The smell of ice and stone and Sasha… it was as if this was an oasis for his mind. None of the triggers, and none of the weights.

He'd slept like he was curled in a puppy pile. The sun was already high outside the cave—the walls glowing a deep, ocean blue. And he didn't care.

He didn't care.

"You're right," he rasped, reaching for her under the furs, curling his arm around her lower back, and pulling her across the furs and into his chest. "Good morning, Sash."

"Beautiful morning, Zev," she smiled and leaned in to kiss him slowly.

He was already hard for her—a miracle, given all the ways they'd loved each other the day before—but he didn't move to progress things between them, not yet. For a moment it was enough just to hold her and have her there. Knowing they had nothing required of them until that night… it felt like a present. Like each of these seconds, every breath was precious.

So he leaned up on one elbow, rolling her onto her back, and made the kiss slow and deep.

Sasha hummed in her throat and curled her arms around his neck, her fingers trailing on his back—a delicious sensation that never ceased to amaze him.

She stroked him every day. Every time they made love. Her hands followed the lines of his shoulders, his spine, his muscles… And every time it was like cold comets on his skin, raising goosebumps, fueling the fire in his belly.

He tilted his head to deepen the kiss further, teasing her with his tongue, and her fingers tightened on the muscles of his back. Then he dropped his chin to kiss her throat and she whispered his name with so much joy…

He was already done. Shifting over her to lay between her thighs, fingers in her hair and holding her there, his kiss growing desperate, his body rippling to find her… he found he couldn't take the time after all.

She brought her knees up and he found her, right there, and already ready for him.

She breathed his name as he arched his back and entered her.

She smiled.

His mate smiled.

She smiled because he was inside her and it made his heart sing.

His body, weary and still waking up, came alive with hers—skin tingling, belly afire, everything in him seeking more—and it was most the incredible sunrise in his heart.

"I love you, Sash," he whispered, nipping at her neck. "I love you."

Then she pulled him closer.

She hadn't meant to wake him, but she suspected that her scrutiny had his senses tingling. He'd looked so adorable when he blinked awake. If it hadn't been for the stubble on his cheeks, they might have still been in high school.

Then he'd rolled her onto her back and kissed her and she couldn't believe how she wanted him again, just like that. As she let her hands play up and down the muscles of his back, even though they'd made love so many times the day before, she was already there, aching and hollow, yearning for him.

So when he slid between her thighs, she'd arched to meet him and even though it was slow and easy compared to yesterday's frantic need, there was something even more special about that—about the way they fit. How easy it was to find each other. How wonderful it felt—and how right.

His invasion was never an assault.

He took and gave in the same breath.

At first, he arched back, looking down at her, his mouth open and puffy eyes bright pinpoints in the half-dark of the unlit cave.

She wanted to weep for the sheer beauty of him, and the love echoing in his eyes. But she was so happy—wanted him to see the love in hers—she didn't let herself fall into the emotion. She smiled, smiled for the joy of being with him, for the pleasure of the way he played her body like a musical instrument. Smiled for the music in her heart that they made together.

"I love you, Sash," he whispered, nipping at her neck so goosebumps washed down her back. "I love you."

By the time both of their breaths were panting, by the time his eyes were beginning to hood, she was already gone—drowning in him. She let her eyes close as she gripped his neck with one hand, and his bicep with the other, bracing against him to meet every thrust.

And so they rose the heights together, more slowly perhaps, than the day before, but with a quiet joy that wanted to scent the air.

And when they finally tumbled over that cliff together, it was his name on her lips, his scent on her skin, and the joy of him in her heart.

I love you, Zev, she sent in her mind when they lay slumped together. I love you more than I even know how to express.

 

Chapter 382

Late that evening, as darkness fell so that only the outlines of the mountains glowed a deep green-blue, but the sky overhead was black pricked with tiny pinpoints of starlight, Zev led Sasha out of the cave and down the trail.

She couldn't see much in the dark, so by the time they made it to the riverbed they were to follow, he'd put her on his back to make sure she didn't trip or turn her ankle on a rock.

Zev's hands cupping her thighs and her arms wrapped around his collarbones, Sasha's heart pounded in her chest, thumping against his back and he noticed.

"You really don't need to be scared, Sash. They're glad that you're here. They know I talked about you when I was Alpha, and they've heard what you've done since."

"How would they have heard things out here?"

Zev chuckled. "They don't all live out here. Some of them live quite close to the City or the Village, or in the forest in between. They just avoid us and avoid being out in the open. But they're always watching, or keeping in touch with a few of us so they know what's going on. Some of them will already feel like they know you."

Sasha shuddered. "See, that's what's creepy about people who can see and hear things from so far away. No privacy," she said into his neck.

Zev squeezed her thighs. "I'll keep you safe."

Sasha sighed at the shiver that went through her at those words. She wanted to tell him to turn around and take her back to the cave, and to hell with the rest of this. But instead, she just squeezed him tightly and let her lips play on his neck.

Zev blew out a breath. "Please stop doing that before our inevitable observers see me get aroused."

Sasha giggled. "I thought you said Chimera don't care about that kind of thing."

"They may not care if I walk up pitching a tent, but you can be certain that they'll tease me about it. Not exactly the way I want to start this kind of meeting," he growled.

Sasha laughed again, but didn't kiss him anymore, even though she wanted to.

She could see warm lights flickering ahead and soon as Zev followed the riverbed, even her human eyes could easily make out the two, wavering golden bonfires that had been lit in the clearing at the valley floor, and a wide circle—one hundred feet across or more—marked by small torches.

She knew it wasn't their intent, but to Sasha, the place looked like a massive ritual circle.

And worse, she kept catching shadows moving between them and the light sources, but she couldn't see clearly enough to see what they were.

As they grew close she realized that the torches extended across the river, including a large portion of water within the circle.

Something rolled at the water's surface, adding a ripple and splash to the sound of the river's rush. "What was that?" she hissed.

"Probably Nigel," Zev said. "He won't leave Thana, but he wanted to be here to hear what you had to say."

"Nigel? There's a loch ness monster here called Nigel? Who gives these creatures these names?"

"The humans," Zev sighed. "Nick once told me they name the scary ones old-fashioned names because it makes them feel less frightening."

Sasha snorted. "Clearly that worked with Ernie."

A few paces later she whispered, "Are you sure none of them want to eat me?"

Zev growled. "I wouldn't let them even if they did," he said, his voice dark.

He didn't seem to understand that that wasn't comforting.

When they reached the line of torches, Zev knelt to let Sasha off his back.

Suddenly it felt as if the ground came alive—all those rounds she'd thought were boulders deposited by the river, rolling to their feet and standing—on two legs, or four. There were strange humps, horns, odd body shapes… and all of it in light so dim and flickering from flames, that Sasha could barely make out their shapes, let alone the details of them.

It was terrifying.

"I'm here, your safe," Zev murmured, leaning into her ear, then taking her hand and leading her forward. "Remember, you're Alpha. They're here to listen to you."

Sasha nodded and swallowed, pushing the fear down because these were her people, too, and she couldn't treat them like the monsters they seemed to be.

As they began to walk between them, and the mounds and shadows kept materializing into limbs and eyes, Zev whispered, "You'll need to greet them. Some of them will want to share scents. Most won't."

Share scents? Where they rubbed on each other? Sasha almost lost her nerve.

"How am I supposed to know which ones want to be touched?"

"They'll move close or reach for you—and I won't bite them for it," Zev chuckled.

She was glad he was having fun.

Lord give her strength.

In the following minutes, Sasha experienced the most surreal moments of her life. Zev called them all to come to meet and listen. And as they closed in around her, leaving a circle probably only ten feet wide around her, something massive lurched out of the water and splashed towards them. A few Chimera at the back of the gathering complained.

All Sasha could see were strange shapes, and lots of eyes—some of them reflecting the firelight like an animal's, others just starkly white against the darkness.

She didn't know what else to do, so she just pretended they were people.

"Thank you for coming. I asked to speak with you because I wanted to explain what we've discovered, and how you can get out of Thana and out from under the human rule if you want," she said, more firmly than was needed, but she was having to brace to keep her voice steady.

Then without any preamble, she told herself that the audience didn't matter. What mattered was the message. And that's why she was here. She took a deep breath and started talking.

 

Chapter 383

Sasha started by explaining what she'd done in the gateway—not to find the females in the Compound, but just the part where she asked the Gateway to take her to a world where the humans could never interfere with them again.

"It was beautiful," she said, hope warming her tone. "There were mountains—some of them had snow—and trees. Hills and grassy lands. It was easily as big as Thana, maybe larger, I don't know. But it just looked… wild and untouched. And it smelled so fresh—just like Thana does compared to the human world."

Yet, as she described the land and her hope for it, many of the creatures began to move away, some farewelling others, but all shifting away as if they'd heard what they needed and they weren't going to stay.

Sasha hesitated. "Why are you leaving?"

One large form that reminded her of Minos, only the man's face seemed to be that of a large-horned Goat similar to Dunken in his Ibex form, turned to face her. "I'm not leaving Thana—many of us do not wish to. We have stayed away from the humans for this long. The risk of leaving and finding a way to live comfortably in another world… it's just not necessary." Then the male turned and continued walking away.

But Sasha frowned. "You have to understand, all of you, that the humans are coming. You've been left mostly alone because they're focused on the Chimera. But once we leave… they're coming, and I believe they'll come with weapons, and not in peace. I can't be sure of your safety if you're here when they come through!"

But most of the creatures continued moving away anyway. Sasha looked at Zev, worried and frustrated. Zev just shrugged. "They don't want to go through, this is their home now. You've warned them, and now it's up to them. They'll take their chances fighting the humans if they show up."

Sasha shook her head and began to think that these males were underestimating the humans. But then she realized that they'd all been to the labs—were born there. And presumably, had memories of their time in those places. They'd probably seen far more heartache and pain than she had.

"If you change your mind, get word to Skhal, or Yhet—they'll tell you how to get through! Just make sure you're moving within the next few days. We need to have the Gateway clear five nights from now—the human that came with me will be returning to report. Don't let them see you!"

There were a few grunts of acknowledgment, but mostly the creatures just kept walking. Sasha sighed but turned back to the gathering that had stayed.

A much smaller group, easier to digest. Before she could address them, one of them spoke up.

"If you already know how to be free of this place, why haven't you left? Why are you here with us?"

Sasha blinked. "I was able to get a group of females out from the human world, but there are still many of them left there. I'm waiting to get them back, to take them with me before I leave."

"But will they give you the whole females?"

Sasha turned. A large shadow, almost as tall as Zev, moved to her right, but a nearby torch cast the shape into darkness, until the others parted to let it through, then Sasha's heart plummeted to her toes.

He looked like a human, well over six feet tall, but his head and shoulders seemed to be all one, massive…hump. His eyes were massive, his nostrils great, gaping caves at the front of his strange face. And his ears made large, twisted holes at the sides of his head, but cupped by almost-pointed ears like a lower, rounder version of a fox or cat.

He was horrific. Sasha's heart pounded, and Zev put a hand to her back to steady her. But she didn't drop her gaze from the thing that stared at her with his huge eyes that, on second inspection, were… kind.

"Wh-what's your name?" she asked quietly.

"Norm."

Sasha coughed to cover a hysterical laugh. "Norm, what did you say?" she asked breathlessly.

Norm glanced at Zev, who nodded. Then he shrugged with his entire head. "The humans… they only gave you the broken females this time. Do you really think they'll give you the whole ones?"

Sasha blinked and tried to wave a hand casually. "The females are having some trouble adjusting back to Thana, but they'll get there. I mean, we're all a little bit broken right?"

But Norm just stared. "There's no good to the Chimera only having females that can't breed."

Sasha stared at the male and he just stared back.

"I'm sorry… what did you say?"

Norm looked back and forth between her and Zev. "The females they've sent back, none of them can breed. That means the humans will never let them breed on their own. I thought you knew this?"

Heart pounding again for entirely different reasons, Sasha looked at Zev in shock, then back to the creature. "How do you know that?"

"Their scents are dead. Like Kyelle's. There is a life in the blood of a female when she can bear young. Like you, Sasha-don."

"I'm… thank you, but… are you certain?"

"Yes."

"All the females? When were you close to them?"

Zev cleared his throat. "Of all of us, Norm has the sharpest sense of smell and sight—he sees things we can't see as well. If he says it, I believe him," he said sadly.

Sasha stared at her mate, needing something from him and not sure what it was. This was… just awful. And it left a dead pit in her stomach—as well as a flaming fire of fury.

No wonder they'd all been so weird about coming back here.

No wonder they were so upset.

Her mind began to spin with all the implications, but she knew she couldn't let herself focus on that yet. She had to get the creatures sorted out first. But then…

Then she was going to figure this shit out.

 

Chapter 384

Zev's entire skin hummed. It explained so much and it made him sick. But Sasha was very obviously trying not to let herself be derailed. He put a hand on her back as she cleared her throat and shook off her shock.

"Do, uh, do any of you want to move to the new land where the humans can't reach you? Because if you do, you'll need to go through the Gateway within the next five days. We'll all be leaving within the next two or three weeks, and I don't want any of you here once the humans figure out what we're doing. I really believe when they come through and realize we're gone they're going to level this place and anything left alive. I went over there and met the men who run this program. They have no hearts. They have no consciences. They will use you or kill you. I don't want any of you left here."

She was doing so well. He was so proud, watching her control her fear and speak to them as if they had value.

"But with that said, if you don't think that you want to go through… I'd ask you to leave this gathering, far enough away that you can't hear the instructions. Everything that we're doing needs to be held to complete secrecy. We cannot risk this information reaching the humans."

There was a ripple of grating and grunting laughter from every side.

"Trust me, Sasha, no one here wants to see the humans succeed in anything," Norm said, glancing around the circle. "I could tell if they were lying. We may not socialize like the rest of you, but we are just as committed to seeing them defeated. If they come here looking for you, they will find those of us who stay to contend with."

"No!" Sasha hurried to try to soothe them, looking around the gathering of the most monstrous creatures she'd ever seen. "I don't want you in danger. If you don't go through, please hide. Leave. Be as far from the Gateway as you can be. Don't try to fight them—flee them. Stay away. Perhaps if they don't find you, they'll leave you alone. I want you safe, not fighting.

"I know that you've been hurt and… and… isolated by what they've done to you. If you don't want to cross to the safe place now, but you change your mind in the next few days, please, talk to Skhal or Yhet. We'll get the information to you. I just want to make sure we control it as much as we can to guard it from the humans because I don't believe they know about this."

"But… You're human, and you know," a dark, rough voice called from her left.

Sasha nodded and grimaced. Zev would have answered for her again as he had with the others, but she seemed to know what she wanted to say this time. "I know it must seem confusing. But please be certain: I'm human by birth, but I'm not part of this… organization. There is a massive population of humans that have no idea what these men and women are doing and wouldn't support it. I am not a part of the team."

"But you have the smell."

"What smell?"

"The smell that happens when they alter you. All the Team members have it."

Sasha's entire body went cold. He felt her body temperature drop under his hand and tightened his fingers at her back, turning to look at her.

No. Fucking, no.

Sasha's face paled. "What do you mean?"

The, one of the hulking crossbreeds between human and ape that gave him the odd proportions of short legs and long arms, got to his feet and shuffled closer, sniffing her.

Zev could hear Sasha's heart pounding as the male moved around her. Zev stayed at her side to let her know he was there. The male meant no harm. He was only checking that he was correct before he answered her.

When he'd sniffed at Sasha's hair, he lifted his eyes to meet Zev's and Zev read a sadness in his gaze that he didn't understand.

Then the male turned to Sasha. "I understand now, thank you for sharing scent. I'm sorry, I hadn't realized… you lost a babe. Did they assist you in the pain? That is what I was smelling. You have had their… procedures." Then, as Zev struggled to breathe, the male turned to him. "A true tragedy for both of you, but it will work again. She is healthy and her body is alive. Her scent isn't dead. She'll have others."

Zev's ears began to buzz. Sasha made a strange noise in her throat. This couldn't be. This couldn't be!

"I… I haven't been pregnant, you must be mistaken," she said, licking her lips.

The creature stared at her, grief lining his face, then he turned to Zev again—some of the Creatures had strange customs about the roles of males and females. He prayed Sasha wouldn't be offended.

"She lost a babe in her last cycle. The scents are there—her body was just beginning to grow the young, but it never took. It was lost. Her body still returns to normal. Her cycle will be late this month, but then it will be normal again. A good time to try again—there is a burst of life after a loss like that—"

Zev cut him off, the words snapped between his teeth. "Are you certain? Absolutely certain?" He could hardly breathe.

The male nodded. "I've smelled this many times. It's not uncommon. All species have a similar reaction, it is easy to identify when I can smell closely. Do not be afraid, it is common among all."

Suddenly Sasha's voice was in his head.

That's why my cycle was late and… strange. Probably why the team seemed so uncertain about my pregnancy. I must have been in the process of losing it and I didn't even know?!

Her voice rose into a jagged wail at the end, and Zev wanted to just pull her into his arms and carry her away from all these males—he had to get her alone and out from under these eyes.

But when he shifted his weight, Sasha shook her head and despite the tears he could see threatening, she cleared her throat and turned back to the creatures.

He was so proud—and so sad—that she made it through the rest of the gathering without giving away how broken she was feeling. He could feel the tension under his hand. She cried her rage in his head, but only in broken, garbled sentences between answers to the Creatures. She was trying so desperately to focus on them, yet her mind kept turning back to her baby.

Their baby.

Holy shit, they'd made a baby?

"…those of you who choose to go, just know… there is no way out. Make your choice and be sure that you're certain of it," she said, taking a deep breath as if bracing. "When the gateway opened to the safe place, it opened above ground for me—if I'd stepped through I wouldn't have been able to get back to it. I think… I believe this is because there's no access to this place any other way. Once you go through, that will be your home forever. So… be certain. But as soon as you are, go. Don't wait. Please. We don't know… we don't know what's going on or what's going to happen and we need that Gateway clear from the fifth day, you understand?"

The creatures nodded and called their affirmation.

Within minutes Sasha, trembling, was turning to him. They farewelled the creatures together, thanking Norm for his help, and with her shoulders back and fighting tears, Sasha turned to walk away. Zev put himself at her shoulder, one arm at her lower back as she led him away.

 

Chapter 385

As Sasha walked away from the creatures toward the line of torches, she silently gave herself all the reasons why there was no reason to be upset: It happened to everyone. Norm had even commented that all species went through this. It was really common.

She wouldn't even have known if these creatures didn't have such a crazy sense of smell.

How could she grieve the loss of something she never knew she had?

But as they stepped outside the ring of torches, Sasha's sight began to blur—not good when it was so dark and she could already barely see anything.

"Sash—" Zev's voice was low and broken. Sasha shook her head and sent him thoughts.

I don't want to talk about this where anyone else can hear it, at all. Ever. If you ever talk to me about this, Zev, for the rest of our lives, you do it this way. This doesn't involve anyone else. Just us.

Okay, Zev replied.

It was the most uncertain she'd ever heard him and she hated herself for putting pressure on him when he was obviously wanting to connect.

She swallowed. Does it… hurt for you?

Zev blew out a breath. It makes me… I don't know what to feel, Sash. It doesn't seem real. Does it feel real to you?

She wasn't sure, that was the truth. She just knew those words, when Norm said them, sent a blade sliding through her ribs and into her heart and now it felt like she was bleeding and she couldn't catch it, couldn't stop it.

An unseen wound that might heal quickly, or might burst the dam.

She'd almost been a mother.

The thought was so shattering her eyes welled and she didn't see where she was going. Her foot slid off a round river-rock and she was going down, but Zev was there, catching her at the elbow and waist, pulling her back onto her feet, but keeping her still, holding her, and she was crying. And it was so stupid. She shouldn't be crying. She hadn't even known!

"I'm sorry," she breathed.

"Don't apologize." Zev sounded anxious. He pulled her tighter against him.

A moment later a wave of grief washed over her, and she wished they didn't have a walk ahead of them. Wished they were in the cave—but she didn't want to ruin Yhet's cave with this kind of feeling. That was the happy place.

It all made her so angry!

She straightened, wiping her eyes, and taking deep breaths to get herself under control.

Nothing had changed. Absolutely nothing. She'd had a pregnancy—an almost pregnancy. She wouldn't even have known. They could try again—they were going to try again.

"Sash, what's… what are you thinking?" he whispered, and she looked up at him, blinking back tears.

"I just wish everything was different," she admitted. "I want to go back to the cave. Can we go back now?"

He nodded sadly, then knelt in front of her to help her onto his back. But just as she was about to jump on, he put a hand up. "Why don't I shift. You can ride me. It'll be faster. Do you feel safe doing that?"

"I just want to get back there. Can we still talk in our heads when you're in your wolf?"

"Yes, it's actually easier."

Sasha nodded, and Zev shifted, then she crawled onto his back, leaning her face right down into his thick ruff and letting his coat absorb the tears that still insisted on leaking out from under her lashes.

Then he was running and she clung to his thick fur.

*****

~ ZEV ~

Zev's body burned with rage. Shifting into his beast and running was the right way to burn that off—otherwise he'd give in, drop Sasha at the cave, and run back to the village to kill Nick for putting her through this.

He couldn't do that. He knew he couldn't. It would only backfire. But he growled as he ran. He wanted to taste their blood, to make them pay for this cluster-fuck.

Then Sasha's voice bloomed in his head, and he tried to force himself to focus on her as he galloped over the river rocks, keeping his gait as even and smooth as he could.

So, does this mean the team knew and they just didn't tell me? Or did they learn it when they did their tests?

I don't know, babe. But knowing them… if they didn't know when you arrived, they learned about it.

That must be why they didn't tell Nick, right? When the results first came back from the first pregnancy test they didn't tell him what it was, and he said that was weird.

Just be careful taking anything Nick says on face value, Zev growled in her head.

I know, I know, Sasha sighed. I just… I can't believe they didn't tell me. But maybe they thought they were being kind?

Zev huffed in her head and underneath her, he picked up his pace.

Nick and Nathan and the others are many things, Sash, but kindness just doesn't even come into it. They chose not to tell you for whatever reasons they had. Maybe they thought it would upset you too much. Or maybe they just didn't care. Maybe they wanted to use it against us later. Who knows? You just can't know with them.

The thoughts were making his anger rise, a tide of heat and rage that was dangerous, he knew. He had to find a way to calm.

But every question she asked about what the team must have known, his anger burned higher. Because even if he didn't know when they knew, or why they chose not to tell her… he did know one, terrifying, awful thing.

He couldn't even let himself think it. Couldn't let himself examine what he suspected. Because if they'd been involved in ending her pregnancy—

No. No, they wouldn't do that. They wanted his offspring. Had wanted it from the beginning. Sasha had to be right. They got to her too late to help it. That had to be it.

But as he tore down the valley, then up the ravine and the trail to the cave, Zev vowed to find Nick the following day and get the truth out of him.

Because Sasha didn't know the right questions to ask. And he didn't want to upset her if he was wrong.

But he also wasn't certain he could read Nick well enough to tell if he was lying…

This whole thing was just a fucking mess. And as always, it all lay right at the feet of Nick and the Team.

It always came back to that.

Zev snarled.

 

Chapter 386

He'd watched Sasha fight for happiness all night, catching herself whenever she threatened to tip into tears. Despite all his assurances that she could get emotional, she'd shaken her head and done her best to find her joy again. While Zev had ached and burned all night—ached for her, burned with anger.

When she finally fell asleep hours after they got back to the cave, he'd curled himself around her, the top of her head under his chin, his back around hers in the way that he'd always curled himself over her since they were teenagers—she fit inside the curve of him. He'd bent his knees up behind hers, cradling her with his body, and as her breathing drifted into slow and even, he'd stared at the wall, and later the ceiling.

Everything within him fought. Fought against his instincts that were screaming that there was more to this. That Nick knew what he was doing. That his reasons for coming to Thana were far bigger than he'd let on.

That the whole Team was up to something, perhaps sinister, perhaps just mercenary. But he didn't know. And that was what burned. He didn't know, and couldn't. Unless he could get his hands on Nick's device.

Zev huffed into the dark. Nick treated that thing like an extra limb. It never left his sight, never left his possession. It was the only thing he'd fought when Zev searched his bags when he arrived, and Zev had known he would. Nick's entire world was kept in that device. Even years earlier, when they were at peace with each other, Nick had gone ballistic the time he'd found Zev looking over his shoulder as he typed a message.

Nick was protective of the device because he said it controlled everything. And it held his brain.

Zev had to get his hands on it and see if it had any information about Sasha. About her body or what they'd done to her—or this pregnancy. He had to get answers, real answers that he could trust. Even if Nick told the truth, he never knew why—he could never trust that he was getting the whole picture.

He needed information that wasn't tainted or framed. And he needed that information in a way that he could decipher its implications for himself. And then, when this was all done and they knew everything, he needed revenge.

While Sasha slept, Zev let himself indulge in a fantasy—feeding Nick to Ernie. Fighting Nick and snapping his neck. Drugging Nathan and cutting the guy open and turning him into a science experiment.

Bombing the entire compound so that everyone who'd ever had anything to do with controlling the Chimera was dead.

Except it wouldn't work, he knew.

First of all, he'd never have the chance to do those things. Not if he wanted to stay safe and get everyone out of here with Sasha.

And secondly, even if he razed that place to the ground, there were others, he knew. Ambitious scientists and curious wealthy people who all wanted the fountain of youth and health they thought the Chimera represented.

Even if he removed Nick and Nathan and Horace—even if he killed the entire board… more would just come.

He knew that.

But fuck, he'd enjoy seeing those cunts in pain.

Sasha squirmed and he realized he was squeezing her. Zev blew out a breath and loosened his grip so she could settle again. He barely breathed until she'd gone still again and her breathing even.

Then he made himself let go of the hate and rage. Let it turn cold.

He would always choose loving her over hating them. He would always choose protecting the Chimera over indulging in his own revenge.

But Nick better believe that he ever saw a chance to do both, he'd take it.

He kissed Sasha's hair and made himself close his eyes. Made himself turn his thoughts to practical plans. Things that would help them all. Ways to get the answers he needed. And ways to keep Sasha from being hurt in the process. Because there was no way he was putting her in a position to fear something that might not have happened.

But he knew his strong, bold mate would join him in lighting a fire under these fuckers if they found out his instincts were true.

Zev smiled the smile of a predator as he forced himself to breathe and relax, to let his body sleep. He might be helpless just then. But he would not stay there.

He would make them pay. Somehow. He would find the truth and make them pay.

They'd slept for hours—far longer than Zev thought he'd be able to.

He'd hoped that his anger would have faded by the time he woke, but as soon as he opened his eyes and reassured himself that Sasha was okay, the very next thing he was aware of was the rage that wanted to snap his teeth and roll in his throat.

But he swallowed it back and instead helped Sasha make breakfast.

They didn't have time to dawdle that morning. They needed to be back to the City and get Skhal and Lhars filled in on what the Creatures were doing.

So once they started out, though Zev held her hand, they walked in virtual silence.

"Are you okay?" she asked more than once, rubbing his arm, watching him with concern. But the tension she thought was fear, was actually anger and he didn't want to vent it on her.

"I'm fine, don't worry."

It was only half a lie.

Something was wrong with Zev, but he wouldn't tell her what it was. Well, she knew the source, but she couldn't figure out what he was feeling. What was making him so quiet and cold?

At first, she'd been afraid that maybe he thought she couldn't have offspring—would this challenge his assurance that he'd never want her less even if she couldn't? But when she watched him as they walked, his eyes still warmed when he looked at her. And she knew if she asked he'd be upset that she'd even thought of it.

When they'd almost reached the City, Sasha was out of ideas and ready to just confront him, but when she turned and started to pull him to a halt, his attention was suddenly distracted. He frowned and looked back up the trail in the direction they'd been traveling, nostrils flaring, then he'd pulled her behind him.

"Zev, what—"

"Someone's coming. Fast," he said, keeping her at his back. "I can hear them running, but the wind's in the wrong direction, I can't smell who it is yet. Just stay behind me."

But soon he relaxed. "It's just Kyelle," he said, loosening his grip on her.

Kyelle appeared on the trail, her face pinched in pain, and Sasha's stomach sank. What had happened while they'd been gone? Why hadn't they come for them?

"What is it?" she asked, stepping forward.

Kyelle ran straight to her and stood there, chest heaving. "One of the females died," she said, her voice breaking. "She crawled up on the roof. I don't know if she fell, or if she jumped but… but she died."

Zev growled as Sasha began to cry.

 

Chapter 387

Sasha stormed into the Village a few hours later, reminding herself that Nick didn't know, and she couldn't give him any ammunition to work with. He couldn't know and couldn't be allowed to know. She had to get real answers from him—and that meant not showing any weakness.

Zev had stayed at her back all morning as she made her way through the City to learn everything, but in truth, there wasn't much more to learn than what Kyelle had already told her. The Chimera were grieving. But the female was one of those who'd never lived in Thana. The grieving was for her life lost. The only one who'd really known her as a person was the other Made female who'd come with her, and who was now curled into a ball in the furs in the hall at the City.

Kyelle was considering transporting her to the healers, but afraid of what it might do to put her in an unfamiliar environment.

The whole thing was just a shitshow. And despite the successful meeting with the Creatures, Sasha felt like they were going backward instead of forwards.

When she'd insisted on talking to Nick, Zev had initially tried to talk her out of it, which she hadn't understood. But in her head he'd just insisted that he didn't want her hurting any more.

That man will never let you leave feeling good, Sasha. Haven't you been through enough?

But she'd shaken her head and Zev had submitted.

I can't talk to him, though, Zev had said in her head with an apologetic look. I'll kill him if he's in reach.

Instead, he'd insisted on going to the village with her, but bringing Yhet to watch over her when she met with Nick.

Sasha wondered if she should be more concerned about that than she was. But she was determined. She was going to get some answers. And she had to pray that she gave nothing away. That she didn't slip.

The closer they got to the village, the easier it was not to cry, and the colder she felt inside. It was useful, she supposed. She was a lot less likely to lose her temper and say the wrong thing when she was feeling that way. But it scared her a little how hollow she felt. As if she just didn't have any more emotion to spare. As if her heart had been burned out.

She prayed it would all come back when she was done with this asshole.

Zev pulled her in for a quick kiss as they entered the Village and said he was going to find Lhars, who had his turn at Patrol there that day. She nodded and spoke into his head.

Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.

A shadow passed behind his eyes, but he looked at Yhet who nodded. He wouldn't let Nick hurt Sasha, they both knew that.

She found Nick at the trough, sitting at lunch with his two guards, holding a conversation with a hare and a goat who both watched him warily, but didn't seem frightened.

He had that stupid device in his hands and was making notes.

"I'm sorry to break up a party," she said as they arrived at the side of the table, "but I need to talk to you, Nick."

His name came out of her mouth a little too forcefully. But either he didn't notice or he decided not to care.

He got up from the table and stood in front of her. "What's up, boss?" he said good-naturedly.

Sasha realized she'd been spending too much time with Zev when the urge to growl washed over her. "I need to speak with you… in private," she said, raising an eyebrow.

Nick gestured for her to lead the way, so she turned on her heel and walked him back, deeper into the forest, asking Yhet to let her know when they were far enough from everyone that the others wouldn't be able to hear anything that was said between them.

It took longer than she anticipated. They'd reached a small clearing she'd never seen before by the time Yhet turned and scanned the trees, then nodded. "No one can hear you here." Then he looked at Nick. "Even if you scream."

Sasha had to bite her lip to swallow a laugh. Yhet was clearly very unhappy about Nick being there. She wondered if Ernie was about to show up.

She wondered if that was why Zev had sent him—so if Nick got killed it was on Yhet's shoulders, not his?

Gosh, she shouldn't even joke about that.

Nick eyed Yhet warily but stood his ground. "What's going on?" His face was a little haggard. There were dark circles under his eyes. But his skin was flushed and healthy, and his eyes were bright. Sasha wasn't sure whether to be glad that Thana seemed to be good for him or curse it. She needed him here and needed to not have a stranger in this place so that she could better control what was getting back to the humans. But this man turned her stomach.

The thought flashed, that he'd known about the baby and hadn't told her, and for a moment she couldn't speak with the sheer anger that made her entire body tense.

Nick raised an eyebrow. "What's going on, Sasha? I haven't done anything you told me not to—you can ask the guards. I've been very well behaved."

Sasha shook her head. "No, that's not…" she ran her fingers through her hair, then met his eyes.

"I want to talk. Get some questions answered. Quid pro quo, like we did before. I ask, you answer, you ask, I'll answer."

Nick's brows rose higher in surprise. "Sounds good to me," he said, pulling the device from his pocket.

She couldn't see anything in him that indicated he was afraid or trying to fake his response. She hoped she was right. She needed him to not realize she wanted to throw him under a landslide.

"Okay then," she said finally. "You better take a seat, we might be here for a while."

 

Chapter 388

A few minutes later they were in a rhythm, and Sasha hated the fact that she felt comfortable with him. She didn't trust him, but he was easy to talk to. Was it a trick? Or was it real? That was the rub.

"So, I need to know what the female's normal routine was at the compound," she said. "Like, what did their day look like? Their week? What would feel natural to them? I want to try and replicate that here for them as much as I can."

Nick kind of grimaced. "Honestly, their days were almost always the same—except when they were called in for an experiment or were going into heat. Then it would change. But that wasn't something we had on weekly, or even monthly cycles. The experiments occurred when they were conceived, and the right subjects were identified. But I'm guessing you wouldn't be doing that kind of thing with them anyway. So if you want to know a day that we didn't interfere with, I'm guessing it was much the same as here—breakfast, chores, lunch, finding something so they wouldn't be bored, dinner… then maybe some kind of entertainment. I don't know about those in the sanctuary, but the ones in the apartments had televisions to watch."

Televisions? Sasha almost swore. They made these beautiful people, these wild people, then put them in apartments with televisions?

Then Nick launched into his own question. "I want to know why I'm seeing so few Chimera? All the reports indicate there's a couple hundred males here and they were all housed and gathered here. Yet I see a couple dozen a day if you're lucky."

Sasha gave him a look. "The only reason your reports say they were gathered was because Xar used to indulge the Teams whenever they arrived and call everyone back from their normal routines and duties. I'm not doing that. I'm letting them live their normal lives. They hunt and build and sleep and bathe… you're seeing only a few because when they're left to their own devices, there's usually only a few around at a time. Everyone else is busy. The Chimera are wild, Nick. They want to be free. I let them be free."

Nick's lips thinned, but he didn't comment.

"My turn," Sasha said. "Tell me what the compound did with females who were… mentally weak?"

"What could we do? We kept them healthy and explored what might be causing the issue. But in truth, there was very little we could do. We've been doing this a long time, Sasha and we know that the Chimera only ever get weaker mentally, more dependent. It's why we use Thana—because they don't weaken here. But for those that have to be at the compound, we switched to the sanctuary model. Letting them form a hierarchy and make decisions seemed to slow that process."

Sasha blinked. "You're telling me that the Board knows that the Chimera are harmed by being at the compound and they still do it anyway?"

"They don't have a choice. We can't communicate through the gateway. Having the Chimera here is far too complex for experimentation and so forth. But yes, it became obvious pretty quickly that being closed in shuts the Chimera down and the more structure is around them, over time they stop thinking, get stupider. Hence, Thana."

Sasha wanted to slap him. "That's not the loss of intelligence, Nick, that's trauma. They don't know how to cope with what you people are putting them through."

Nick didn't seem disturbed. "Whatever the reason, the fact is that the females become less fertile, weaker, and less mentally adept the longer they're closed up. Why do you think your arguments to bring them here worked?"

She almost said it, she almost confronted him—that the entire agreement they'd made was a sham. Because she would be proven "wrong" when none of the females got pregnant. But she couldn't let him know that she knew that yet, so she just looked away like she was pissed off to have to let him ask another question.

But as they went back and forth, Sasha's mind was only half on the conversation, because it occurred to her that this whole concept of being closed in and cared for—the way that made the Chimera weaker—that's what they were doing to them, even in the City. She hadn't meant to, but that's what had occurred. They'd thrown them in a closed room, taken care of everything for them, and while some of the females were being tempted out of the hall, so many were still trapped there. What was going to happen to the rest of them?

She had to find a way to make them more independent. And keep them away from Nick. She'd seen the weariness and fear on Zev's face when he heard she was coming to talk to Nick. Zev hadn't argued, but she knew he was going to struggle when she went back and smelled like the guy. She was going to have to bathe and change her clothes as soon as they went back to the City.

"Where are the females? I'm not seeing them at all," Nick said. Sasha blinked. Right. It was his turn for a question.

"We put them together in one place where they can be together and be as engaged or isolated from the rest of the Chimera as they want. The males aren't allowed to enter that space, and they aren't being forced to leave it. If you're not seeing them, my guess would be they have no desire to see you, Nick."

"You could have killed them, and I wouldn't know."

It wasn't his turn for a question, but she was angry enough to answer anyway.

"No, Nick, because only sickos like you people think killing someone else is an answer. Those females are terribly traumatized and need some time away from men." She gave him a pointed look.

Nick just rolled his eyes. "I have never laid my hands on any female against her will."

"You've never taken a female to the breeding arena? Or the lab?"

"Is that your question?"

She considered it and realized his answer didn't matter. He'd told her that he never had before. If he was lying then, he wasn't going to tell the truth now.

"Okay, fine. No that's not my question. Tell me how you monitored their cycles—could you tell when they were coming into heat? Or did it just happen? Are their cycles the same as mine? And did you have a lot of miscarriages or failed pregnancies? Or did they just not get pregnant to begin with."

She'd asked the questions like they were a simple curiosity. Nick didn't seem at all disturbed about talking about cycles and pregnancies.

"Are you asking about the ones we bred with Zev?"

Even though he didn't smile, Sasha felt suddenly very vulnerable and she hated it. Hated it. Hated that he could put her there. "Yes."

Nick shrugged. "They just never resulted in pregnancies. Their cycles are slightly longer than the human female—about six weeks. But they work on the same basic principle. We could anticipate heat by hormone levels if we did tests, or just by behaviors."

They continued back and forth, but Sasha's skin was starting to feel too tight. She needed to be away from him. She supposed she should be grateful that Nick didn't seem wary, or like he was suspicious of her motives.

As they turned to walk back to the village she wondered… Maybe he really didn't know about her pregnancy?

Then she scoffed at her own naivete.

 

Chapter 389

Zev watched Sasha disappear deeper into the village to find Nick, and almost ran after her. Almost ran past her. Almost shifted into his wolf and began to hunt. But he knew he couldn't. Not only was he likely to kill Nick if he confronted him, but he wouldn't be able to trust the answers he got.

No. He needed a different plan.

First, he went to find Lhars and Skhal, who'd apparently come out this way on patrol that morning. Kyelle had told him that Lhars was going to grab a few things from her house for her, and Skhal was sticking around the village because he wanted to know how Sasha and Zev's meeting had gone with the Creatures.

It didn't take long for Zev to find Lhars—who seemed very preoccupied, but not angry. And they followed Skhal's trail to the trough, though Nick's was there too, so Zev sent Lhars in to get him, just in case.

"She already took Nick away—her and Yhet," Lhars told him when he and Skhal joined Zev in the clearing outside the medical building. Zev nodded like that was okay.

But it was far from okay.

Knowing Nick had his eyes on her, might even touch her made Zev's skin crawl. He was going to take her for a bath as soon as they were done.

"So, how did it go?" Skhal asked. Lhars turned to him with interest in his eyes.

Zev thought about it. Should he tell them? He decided he should.

"The meeting went as expected. A lot of them don't want to leave but are happy to meet the humans coming through. They'll go down fighting."

Skhal frowned, but Lhars nodded.

"We learned something though. Norm's been hanging around, and he identified that all the females they sent back are barren. All of them. None of them can have offspring."

Lhars' mouth dropped open and Skhal went very still. "Was he sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Including Sasha?" Lhars growled.

Zev sucked in a breath and looked down, uncertain how to address this with his brother who was fated for a female who couldn't bear young. "No… no, Sasha's fine. They didn't… interfere with her."

Both males relaxed a little, but their faces remained tight and angry.

Zev met both their eyes. "She's over there asking Nick some questions just to get some insight. She's not telling him that we know. And I'm so glad that she's got it together enough to keep her head on straight in the middle of this, but I want that fucker miserable for his part in this."

Lhars nodded, his smile creeping up.

Skhal growled low. "Zev, revenge is never going to—"

"I don't mean revenge. There's no way we could ever pay him back for what he's done. I'm just talking about… I want him to hurt a little. I don't want him comfortable. I want him to pay."

Skhal still didn't look happy, but Lhars rubbed his hands together. "Ernie?"

"Ernie," Zev said and let his predatory smile creep up. "I know he's been hanging around, but I want him visible. I want him haunting Nick, you understand?"

"Zev—" Skhal started, but Zev shook his head.

"I hear you, Skhal. I do. And I'm working on it, okay? You'll notice that bastard is still alive. But don't tell me I can't give him a fucking taste of the horror he's put so many of us through."

Skhal stared at him for a long moment and Zev didn't drop the gaze. Finally the older wolf ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, fine. I suppose it doesn't hurt to play with him a little bit."

Zev snorted. "I hope it does hurt, honestly. A conversation I had with Sasha the other day gave me an idea: Maybe talk to Ernie about setting a web for him? As long as he can resist the instinct to actually eat him. I got the feeling from Sasha that the idea of being caught by a spider was really uncomfortable."

"He's going to shit himself," Lhars sniggered.

Skhal smiled reluctantly. "I'll talk to him. Is there a specific time, or…?"

Zev shook his head. "Just give him free rein for the next few days. Whatever he wants. Tell him he can't draw blood. But if he puts him in the fetal position, I'm fine with that."

Skhal took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll go find him. I haven't seen any of the Creatures today. I thought maybe they'd already gone."

"No, I think less than half of them will go in the end. But we'll see. We told them to contact us if they change their minds and there's no one to tell them how to get through, so be prepared for that."

"Okay, will do. I'll go find Ernie. You two stay out of trouble." But instead of a simple farewell, Skhal sounded like he meant it. Zev and Lhars ignored the warning and waved him off. But when Lhars looked like he might leave too, Zev caught his arm. "I have another favor to ask."

Lhars turned, looking surprised. "Sure. What's going on?"

Zev looked around to make sure no one could see him, then spoke into his brother's mind.

I need to get Nick separated from his device for a long enough period that I can search through it some. I'm not sure if my logins will still work, so I might need a few minutes.

Lhars brows rose. He guards that thing like a pregnant mate.

Trust me, I know. But this isn't a game, or for revenge. I need some answers about what happened while Sasha was over there. That thing is my only chance. I can't trust Nick to tell me the truth.

Lhars scratched the back of his neck.

The only time I can think of that it's not actually on him is when he bathes. But we haven't been forcing him to do that. He only did it before he went to see the humans. And he kept it in his sight the whole time. Couldn't you just take it from him and force him to open it for you? I mean, what's he going to do?

I don't know what he can do, but my instincts are on alert. He can't know I'm getting this information. I need access to that device.

Lhars blew out a breath. Then we need to make a plan for the next time he bathes.

They looked at each other and Zev smiled.

"Ernie," they both said at the same time. Lhars laughed.

"You should have told Skhal!"

But Zev shook his head. "No. I love Skhal but he's too... honorable for this. He doesn't like me using fear to motivate people. And normally I wouldn't. But Nick deserves it."

Lhars shrugged. "Okay, I'll talk to Ernie and tell him to be ready. It sounds like he's going to be hanging around anyway."

Zev nodded. "And every morning I need a group of the males that are on Village duty to be ready. So if he chooses that day, they can make a screen for me. We'll make a spectacle of it--Ernie humiliates Nick in front of the boys. Just a petty joke. Nothing to think twice about."

Lhars chuckled. "Yep, I can make that happen."

"Good. Thank you. Just make sure the plan is in place, okay? No matter what, the day Nick makes the call to bathe you call me. I'll get there. And our guys will be in place."

Lhars grinned. "Consider it done."

 

Chapter 390

When they'd finished with Nick and returned him to his guards, Yhet rolled along next to Sasha, and not for the first time she noticed how he shortened his gait to keep a pace that she could comfortably maintain.

And she noticed how preoccupied he was.

They'd left Nick at the shack and there was no one else in the village square, so as soon as they passed through the first row of trees, she put a hand up to Yhet's thick forearm.

He looked down at her, surprised. "What's wrong, Sasha-don?"

"Please don't use the title, Yhet. I was going to ask you the same thing."

Yhet grumbled and flapped one of his massive ham-sized hands. "I'm fine, Sasha, I told you. I just haven't been able to move enough lately."

"Yhet… please don't lie to me."

She stopped walking and Yhet stopped too, staring down at her, his bushy eyebrows pinched down towards his nose. When he didn't say anything else, Sasha stepped closer and lowered her voice.

"Yhet, whatever it is… I want to help. What happened while I was gone? Or is it about the females?"

His eyes popped up from where he'd planted them at his feet and Sasha's heart squeezed. "It's hard, huh? Seeing the females come back? When… when yours won't?"

He nodded. "I am glad for you and Zev, Sasha. I truly am. I want to see you together and alive and… I pray you'll be blessed with offspring. But my heart… when the females arrived, for a short time I hoped. I knew it wasn't possible, but they have been so tricky before… for an hour I hoped. And then I realized and of course… she's dead. And I didn't even cry."

Sasha wanted to weep at the way his face twisted on that last statement, though. He cleared his throat and it sounded like a motorcycle engine starting.

"Yhet—"

"No, Sasha. I appreciate your care. I really do. But… this isn't something that you can help. Nobody can help. A piece of me is missing. It was torn from me, and it will never come back and I just… I suppose until now that hasn't been real for me. But seeing those females walk through… something changed. I'm sorry I've worried you."

Sasha put both hands to his folded arms. "No, no, Yhet, don't apologize. Please. I'm sorry that you're in pain. I wish I could do something to help."

Yhet shrugged. "Thank you. Your care warms me."

"Did it… was it painful that Zev and I went to your home again?"

Yhet shook his head. "No, that is one of the few good things to have come out of this, Sasha. But I do think… I do think that when the time comes, I will probably not leave. I wanted to warn you. I was going to do that later, but… well, that's it."

Sasha's mouth dropped open. "You don't want to come to the safe place?"

Yhet shook his head. "If I leave here, I leave her," he said. "The only pieces of her that are left. And… I can feel it coming, Sasha. The darkness is getting heavier. I thought perhaps it was different for my kind because I hadn't seemed to be defeated by it as I've seen others after the loss of their mates. But now… it's as if I carry a heavier weight every day. And I'm tired, Sasha. I'm very tired."

His eyes slid to meet hers and the pain in his gaze made her want to weep. "Yhet… please… I want you with us. I want you safe. I can't—"

"This is a way you could help me, Sasha-don," he said earnestly. "Please do not push me to leave this place."

"But… but you go to the human world, and this will be better—"

"Sasha, I happily enter the human world because she was a part of it. And I hadn't realized but perhaps my heart was still hoping to find her there, too." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I will fight this fight with you, and I will help you win. But when you leave… when you leave, I will stay here. I think… I think my time is coming anyway."

"Yhet!" She threw herself into his stomach and he opened his massive arms to hold her, petting her hair.

"Don't cry, Sasha. Please. I don't want more pain for you."

"Yhet! Stop! I want to comfort you! I can't believe I've just left you alone in this, I'm so sorry!"

He shook his head and a rumble rolled in his big chest. "You have made me happy for the first time in years, Sasha. Seeing Zev so full of love and excitement for the future. It shows me how little of his light we saw when he was here, but away from you. I am so glad to see him growing into himself. And that's because of you. You are a gift, Sasha. To all of us."

"This is ridiculous," Sasha sobbed. "Stop, Yhet. This is about you. And how we can make you feel loved, and—"

"I am loved, Sasha, that's part of the problem. Can you imagine waking in a world where Zev didn't exist? Would you want to?"

Sasha pulled back far enough to meet his eyes, her head spinning suddenly with images of herself waking in furs and without Zev's warmth. Of walking at night unable to see. Of shedding tears without his chest to cling to…

"N-no," she whispered. "I wouldn't want to." But she wouldn't have to, she knew. Because they were Ardent.

But Yhet just nodded. "I'm glad you understand," he said quietly. Then he petted her hair one more time and started walking again, tipping his head for her to follow. "Please don't tell the males. They get aggressive when they're sad. I don't want to have to fight them when the time comes."

Sasha stared at him, stunned, as they walked along. Then she swallowed hard. "I want you to know that I love you, Yhet. You are the dearest friend and… I just love you. Okay?"

"I know, Sasha," he said, but he finally smiled. "I love you too. But don't tell Zev I said that. His wolf comes out when he's feeling possessive and I don't want to have to hurt him."

Sasha couldn't help it. She laughed.

But the tears that rolled down her cheeks weren't from laughter.