Chapter 188

His eyes were on fire as righteous rage poured off him. “When I know who did this to you, those bastards will be dead.” He paused for a second to pull himself together, as he was no longer calm. “The scars on you were faint, but I caught enough of them. There’s also the residual effect of powerful dark spells on you, like some force tried to bind you. Our healer said the same.

“Not only that, but when I would ask you casual questions, you looked like you were trying to recall the information. You also watched everyone, eager to absorb anything we said. The hungry and confused look you tried to hide told me that you probably didn’t remember anything. Lastly, en route, you drove Jay to argue with me to get your information. You wanted to understand the world quickly to aid your survival. But from now on, anything you want to know, just ask me in private.”

My mouth fell open. He was the first one who had figured it all out. He was smarter than anyone gave him credit for. Under his carefree playboy exterior was a man with sharp intelligence and compassion. Another thought clicked in my mind. Maybe he was using his playboy attitude and reputation to disguise his smarts so he wouldn’t be perceived as a threat to the Alpha Heir.

He knew the truth about me, yet he hadn’t told a soul. He would never betray me. I knew that now.

I felt a sting of tears in my eyes, and warmth swell in my chest. It felt damn good not to have to keep lying, especially to the one I considered a friend.

“I won’t force you to come back with me,” Shade continued. “You’ll have my blessing if you still decide to leave. But just in case,” he dropped a backpack to the ground, “I’ve brought some supplies you’ll need for your journey. But I do hope you’ll come back with me and let a friend help you. I won’t ask you anything that you aren’t ready to share.”

I laughed through a hitched breath. Why didn’t Fate pair me up with him?

I threw myself into his arms, regardless of his naked state. I might have used too much force. The two of us ended up falling to the forest floor with me on top.

He laughed. “I didn’t ask for this. Are you sure, Catnip?”

“Shut up, Canary,” I said. “At least I’m on top.”

I rolled up swiftly and offered him a hand while he remained lying

lazily on dew-coated leaves.

##############

After  returning with Shade and packing up camp, we crossed to the other side of the valley and reached the desert in East California, where shifters had parked their big vans and open-roof army

jeeps.

I rode with Shade and two others in a jeep, and we drove all the way to

Nevada. I was more excited than anyone else at seeing colorful mountains and the landscape of endless sagebrush.

“The air is dry in this part of the country,” I remarked, squinting at the blue and orange sky that looked like a painting. I loved the burning sunlight on my pale skin, especially as I felt like I’d never seen so much sunlight in all my life.