Semua Bab The Mate Hunt: Bab 141 - Bab 150

MaeveAt 10:23, Tyson came back. I knew before he spoke that something had changed. He entered the main hall with Theron beside him, both moving quickly enough that Ronan stopped mid sentence with Cassian.I pushed away from the table. "What?"Tyson looked toward Theron. Theron nodded once. "Identification confirmed."My stomach dropped.Ronan went completely still beside me. "Who?"Tyson looked directly at us. "Gideon Cross."The room disappeared for half a second. Not literally. But close enough."And Lena?" I asked."Yes."Fuck. My fingers curled against the edge of the table. They were coming. Actually coming. All morning, they had been nothing more than movement on a road. Six wolves. Possible Cross. Possible threat. Now they had names. Names I knew. Faces I remembered. People who had tucked me into bed. Taught me to shift. Bandaged scraped knees. Corrected my stance when I learned to fight. Called me their daughter. All while knowing I wasn't.Ronan's hand touched the small of m

Maeve"Find him."Ronan's order cracked across the courtyard. Torin turned. Cassian moved with him.And something inside me snapped into place."No."Everyone looked at me. I stepped forward. "I got this."Ronan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Maeve—""I can find him faster."Because Axel was Caine. That was the mistake they kept making. Falon had hidden his scent. Axel had run. But neither of them could hide what they were from me.My Luna mark heated across the back of my hand. I reached. Hundreds of Caine threads answered immediately. Warriors. Families beneath the pack house. Trackers. Messengers locked inside their homes. Every wolf connected to this territory. Some close. Some distant. All mine to feel.I didn't know which thread belonged to Axel. Not yet. But I knew what I could do.Ronan realized a second before I said it. "Maeve."Too late."STOP."Power tore out of me. The courtyard died. Gideon froze mid breath. Lena's hand locked against her side. Theron stopped several feet aw

MaeveFor the first time since Gideon Cross entered Caine territory, he looked uncertain. It lasted maybe three seconds. Then arrogance settled back over his face like it had never left."You think you've won something?"Ronan went still beside me. I felt his wolf rise through the bond. Not uncontrolled. Not Hunger. Something colder."You planted wolves inside my territory for five years," Ronan said. "Two are kneeling at my feet. Your daughter is in my custody. Every civilian you intended to remove is protected, and every warrior you expected to confuse is already at position." His eyes flashed gold. "So yes."Gideon's jaw tightened."I think you've lost."Mara stood several yards away between two guards. She hadn't stopped staring at her father. Not since he'd admitted her death had been an acceptable cost. Lena kept looking at her too. Different expression. Different pain.Gideon glanced toward Mara. Then shrugged. "Then kill her."Everything stopped.Lena spun toward him. "What?"

MaeveFor several long seconds after Lena told Gideon to surrender his fucking chair, nobody spoke.Gideon stared at her. Lena stared back. Mara looked between them like she wasn't sure which one of her parents she hated more.Then Gideon exhaled through his nose. "Fine."Ronan didn't move. "Fine what?"Gideon's jaw tightened. "You know exactly what I mean.""No." Ronan's voice was quiet. "And we're not moving on to settlement terms yet."Gideon frowned. "What now?"Ronan glanced toward Falon. Then Axel. Something dark shifted through our bond."We aren't going anywhere until you give me every name."The courtyard went still. Gideon's face changed. Ronan saw it."So there are more.""You already knew there were.""I knew you said several wolves worked for you over the years." Ronan stepped forward. "I want names."Gideon folded his arms. "That information concerns Cross operations."Ronan laughed. One cold sound. "Cross operations inside my fucking territory." His dominance rolled out

MaeveMy face was on fucking fire. That was the first coherent thought I managed after Gideon hit the ground and didn't get back up.The second was that Ronan looked like he wanted to kill him again."Ronan."His eyes snapped to mine. Gold. Too much gold."I'm fine.""You're bleeding.""I've noticed."Blood slid between my fingers where I pressed my palm against the side of my face, warm and sticky and running faster than I wanted it to. I could feel four separate lines burning from my temple toward my jaw.A healer hurried across the courtyard. Ronan moved with me when she did. Of course he did."Sit.""I can stand.""Maeve.""Don't Alpha me right now."The healer pointed toward a stone bench. "Sit before I make him do it for you."Traitor.I sat. Ronan immediately crouched in front of me. The healer carefully pulled my hand away. Her expression changed. Ronan saw it."How bad?""Deep."His wolf slammed through our bond."Not that deep," she added quickly. "She's not losing her face.