Page 104 of Starting a New Life

My heart skipped a beat, my mouth falling open.

“You’re going to fight?”

Gray nodded. “I don’t see another way.”

Pictures of him covered in blood came to my mind. Yesterday, it hadn’t been his. But what if next time it was? What if Connie’s brother was stronger? Hell, that fight wasn’t going to be an ambush. If Gray challenged him, it was going to be a formal duel for which both wolves could prepare.

And me?

Gray squeezed my hands, waiting until I met his eyes. “I meant what I said yesterday. You don’t have to watch.”

My chest tightened, the air leaving my lungs as I imagined staying back, waiting in agony to see if our bond would break upon his death or if the triumphant feeling of victory would wash through me.

“I do. Besides, if you’re fighting over Connie… won’t he have to be there?”

Gray bit his lip, brow dipping into a frown. “Unfortunately, yes. He will. Which is why I need to talk to him. I can’t challenge his brother without his permission. He might hate him, but it’s still his brother we’re talking about, and I can’t fight him in a duel—which can result in death—if he ends up resenting me for it. Also, we’ll need him and Nick to help us draw maps. We won’t have much time to get the mage…”

“Callum,” I interjected. “His name is Callum.”

Gray nodded. “We won’t have much time to get Callum out without anyone noticing what we’re doing. I’m not gonna lie, it’ll be complicated and risky, but I’m not willing to leave Callum behind.”

I swallowed and nodded. My heart was torn between pride and fear. I could very well lose it all. After I was finally and truly free, and after I finally found my mate, one fight could end up taking it all away.

On the other hand, I could’ve very well ended up in Callum’s shoes. My magic bound, kept as a pet or plaything or… I shuddered, thinking back to the day my own father had put that fucking collar around my neck to teach me a lesson.

It’d been hell. Being able to feel my magic but have it out of my reach, there but not… I shuddered, goosebumps rising on my skin. And the commands… the way my dad had controlled me, used me as a vessel and nothing more.

What would it have been like if it’d been a stranger? Someone worse than my dad? Even more cruel?

There’d been moments where I’d thought he’d never take it off. Moments where I’d thought he’d keep me as his personal slave. And when he’d finally taken the collar off? I’d been willing to do almost anything to never have to feel it around my neck again.

No.

No matter how dangerous it was, I couldn’t put my own safety and comfort above someone else’s freedom.

“I’m in,” I whispered, searching for Gray’s eyes. “While you’re fighting, I’m getting Callum out.”

What did it say about us as a couple that the first thing we did as mates was fight another pack and steal a mage?

Gray pursed his lips, his wolf protesting in his chest. His feelings were echoing through my body: the resistance, the way he recoiled at the mere thought of putting me in danger. The way he desperately tried to calm himself down.

“I’m not sure I want you that close to danger. I’d be able to focus more if I knew you were safe.”

I sent a wave of calm through our bond and waited until his wolf backed down before I squeezed his hand and looked him in the eye. There was no way he was leaving me behind—especially if the person who needed rescuing was a fellow mage.

“I don’t want you to put yourself in danger any more than you do me. But I accept that this is something you have to do as the Alpha. I hope you can understand that me being the one to get Callum out of there is something I have to do as a mage. As someone who could’ve ended up where he is. And as someone who has the ability to literally turn invisible. Also, if you send your pack in, who is to say that Callum would come willingly? He doesn’t know any of you. You’re just shifters that he probably won’t trust. I’m a mage.”

Gray growled, his eyes flashing with frustration.

“I hate that you have a point,” he ground out, his jaw working, muscles ticking. “I really, really hate it.”

“But you’ll let me tag along anyway?”

Gray sighed, defeat written all over his face. “I’ll put it up for discussion. We don’t even know if I’ll have to fight Otto.”

I didn’t call him out on it, but part of him definitely felt like it was inevitable.

Chapter 22