Watching Amelie and Knox together tests what little patience I have left. I want to rip him apart every time he touches her. The rage inside of me grows more intense with each passing second, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to control myself if he tries to take things further with her. She’s my mate. Mine.
Amelie says her last words to him and runs off in the direction of Tyla and my brother’s home. Knox watches her go, and I can feel his desire to run after her, to claim her as his. He loves her, and I can see it. She’s his weakness, just like she’s mine. Knox takes off in the opposite direction, and I let him go. I know exactly what I’m going to do with him, but it’s not the right time. Instead, I head straight to Tyla and Sebastian’s, and Amelie is already inside, telling Tyla everything that just happened with Knox. I can hear the pain in her voice, and a part of me despises the fact that she still cares for him. However, I know her heart is mine, and nothing will change that.
Grabbing my phone out of my pocket, I call Colin.
“Hey,” he answers. “Everything okay?”
“Are you near Kami?” I ask.
“Yeah, she’s right beside me. What’s up?”
“Can you get her to search for Kara? She’s been too quiet, and I don’t like it.”
“I’ll find her,” Kami calls out.
I can hear her tap away on her computer, and then a few seconds later, she huffs. “You’ve got to be shitting me.”
I sigh. “What?”
“She’s at your house,” she hisses in disgust. “How pathetic can this psycho bitch be?”
It doesn’t surprise me in the least. “Kara knows we’re watching her. She’s doing it to aggravate me. At least, I know to stay the hell away from there. It’ll only cause me trouble.”
“Want me to go over there and kick her out? I’d be happy to,” Kami suggests with excitement in her voice.
“No. We’re going to hang back and be patient. Tomorrow is the party, and after that, everything will be taken care of.”
Colin scoffs. “At least, until you get back into town. Once Knox and Kara see that Amelie’s your mate, you’re going to have a fight on your hands.”
“Good,” I growl. “I’m ready for it.”
The night passes on slowly, and the only thing that gets me through it is knowing that tomorrow at this time, I’ll be on a plane with Amelie, flying far away from here. Once the lights go out in the house, I lean against one of the many pine trees, loving the feeling of the cold bark against my back. In the sky, the stars are brighter than they’ve ever been before, but the clouds start to roll in, bringing the crisp scent of snow. Being out in the woods all night reminds me of my time in Canada with my family. Before my brothers were born, my father taught me everything on how to live off the land. He trained me to fight and to become a protector. That’s what the Lyalls had been for centuries … protectors. I don’t regret my role in life, but I often wonder if my parents would still be alive if I hadn’t taken Colin and ran when the Yukons attacked. Of course, I could’ve stayed and fought. But then again, Colin could’ve been killed if we didn’t leave. I had sworn to his mother I would protect him, and I did.
Another hour passes, and I focus on Amelie’s breathing as she sleeps. I’d give anything to be right beside her, touching her smooth skin as I hold her in my arms. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out the green stone so I can feel its warmth and see Amelie’s face. I close my eyes and smile as visions of my mate play through my mind. There have been times I’ve gotten lost in the stone’s magic for hours. However, this time, it doesn’t last long at all.
My eyes jerk open, and I slide the stone back into my pocket. I’m not alone in the forest; Knox isn’t far away. He edges closer to my brother’s cabin, and my body vibrates with the need to shift. Knox isn’t even trying to hide the fact that he’s there. I edge around the house, and I can see him in the distance, his eyes focused on one of the upstairs windows that happen to be the guest bedroom where Amelie’s at. He moves closer, and the rage inside of me builds. I unleash my power, letting him know I’m right there with him.
A few seconds later, he sees me approach, and his eyes begin to glow. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“You’re the one showing up at my brother’s doorstep. I could ask you the same thing,” I hiss. “You don’t belong here.” Knox’s jaw clenches, and he goes silent, his focus shifting to the upstairs window. “Ah, I see. So you’re here for Amelie. Do you think she’s your mate?” His fists tighten, and he doesn’t say a word. “You do, don’t you,” I say, taunting him. Two can play this sick game of his. “Maybe I should kill her.”
Knox’s eyes shift, and his claws extend from his fingers. “Don’t you fucking touch her.”
I step closer, knowing he can feel the fury inside of me. “It’s only fair. If you threaten to kill my mate, I’ll do the same with yours. It’s called an eye for an eye.” I stop several feet away from him. “If you think I’m going to let you come here and threaten me when I haven’t done a single fucking thing to you, then you’re mistaken. I was the one loyal to our pack. You let the thought of power get into your head.”
Knox’s body trembles with the need to shift. “You better not lay a goddamned hand on Amelie.” Now he knows what it feels like to have someone threaten the person you love. Amelie is his weakness, and I can see that now.
I nod toward the cabin. “Amelie’s at our mercy. She’s in my brother’s house. I can text him right now and tell him to snap her neck, and he’d do it.”
Knox growls. “Tyla would never let that happen. Amelie’s her family.”
I shrug. “That may be true, but it won’t stop me. You’re outnumbered, and you clearly didn’t play your cards right. We have your weakness right where we want her.”
Knox storms over, and I brace myself for the fight about to come. I’m ready to end this. Knox stops right in front of me, and I can see the murderous glint in his eyes; my plan worked. I needed to reverse the situation on him so he’d know what it felt like to have someone threaten to kill the one you love.
“Looks like we’ll just have to handle things a different way,” he hisses angrily.
I throw out my arms. “What are we waiting on? I’ve been ready to end this the day you arrived.”
Knox shakes his head, his eyes glowing with hatred. “Right now, isn’t the time or place. But soon.” Turning on his heel, he takes off into the darkness, and all trace of him is gone, but I know he’s still close.