Chapter One #3
He looked peaceful in a way he hadn’t before meeting his mate.
Dermot didn’t understand why he’d feel peaceful now.
Nico was a Kudlak. He’d almost betrayed them all.
Dermot didn’t understand why Tamsin had given into their bond, and he understood even less why Tamsin trusted Nico.
Everyone at the village seemed to, and as far as Dermot was concerned, that made them fools.
Unfortunately, they were the fools who made the decisions, and he didn’t.
“We don’t know this guy,” Dermot said. “In fact, the only thing we know about him is his name and that he’s Celeste’s brother. Celeste is Parrish’s mate.”
“Not because she ever wanted to be. Besides, even if she did want to be Parrish’s mate, it doesn’t mean that her brother is on his side.”
Dermot snorted. “Of course he is. He’s her brother.”
“Well, clearly Clay doesn’t want you to scare Bastien off. It’s why he sent me and Jimmy with you. Are you going to be able to talk to him civilly, or am I going to have to separate the two of you?”
“It won’t depend on me. I don’t know if I can trust that guy.”
“Just like he doesn’t know if he can trust us. The only thing he knows about us is that his sister is here and that Parrish is our enemy. He doesn’t know anything about us, but he’s going to find out, just like we’re going to find out about him.”
“And until I find out more about him, I’m not going to trust him. It’s my right not to trust him.”
“It is, just don’t be rude. We don’t want to send him running, especially if he can help us with Parrish.”
“What does he know about Parrish? It’s not him who’s bonded to that asshole.”
“No, but from what Celeste has said, Bastien knows Parrish from when she first met the Kudlak. He might not know him as well as Celeste does, but it doesn’t mean he won’t have any insights.
Even if he doesn’t, he’s not here to fight us.
He’s here to get his sister back. Don’t be rude, and maybe try not to mistrust him just because of who he is.
It’s not going to help anyone if you don’t. ”
Dermot huffed, but he didn’t have time to say anything because they’d reached the entrance of the village.
A man was standing there, looking around, clearly curious.
He wasn’t looking in their direction yet, which meant that Dermot had a few seconds to examine him.
He wasn’t sure what he was looking for—the man wouldn’t have traitor written on his forehead—but any hints would help.
Tamsin had asked Dermot to give Bastien a chance, and Dermot would, because he didn’t have a choice, but it didn’t mean he was going to trust someone he didn’t know who was so closely related to Parrish.
Bastien was tall, just like his sister. His hair was darker than Celeste’s, though, and his build was broader, with strong shoulders and arms that held his backpack as if it weighed nothing.
His legs looked like tree trunks, and for a second, Dermot had the absolutely deranged thought that he wanted to climb the guy like a tree.
He didn’t understand why he felt that way until Bastien turned as he heard them approach.
The man looked at ease, even though he had to know none of them trusted him.
His violet eyes sparkled, and he smiled as his gaze stopped on Dermot.
Dermot’s stomach dropped. He didn’t smile back. He couldn’t, not when his mate was standing in front of him.
He swallowed. Was Bastien going to say anything?
Dermot didn’t want the people around them to notice that Bastien was his mate.
He didn’t know what to make of the knowledge.
He didn’t trust Bastien. He wasn’t a Kudlak, which Dermot supposed would’ve been worse, but he was a Krsnik.
After what Dermot had lived through, he didn’t think he could ever trust a Krsnik again, no matter what everyone around him thought.
Bastien didn’t say anything as they stopped in front of him, but maybe he hadn’t scented Dermot yet. He would. There was no way for Dermot to avoid it, as desperately as he wanted to.
“Hi,” Bastien said, smiling widely. It exposed his fangs, and Dermot shivered, although he wasn’t sure if it was from fear or something else. The bond was already pulling him forward, and he pushed it back down, unwilling to give in to it.
“You’re Celeste’s brother?” he asked in a harsh tone that earned him an elbow in the ribs from Tamsin.
The tone didn’t seem to offend Bastien, who continued smiling. “I am. Rowan and Clay knew I was coming. I’m sure they told you?”
“They have,” Tamsin confirmed. Dermot felt the shield vibrate.
As much as he wanted to tell Tamsin not to let Bastien in, he didn’t have a choice.
He pressed his lips together and allowed his friend to do what he needed to do, but he was freaking out.
He knew that as soon as Bastien was close enough, he’d realize what they were to each other.
There was no way to know how he’d react, and that scared Dermot.
“You can come in,” Tamsin said.
Thankfully, Bastien was quick. He had to know that Parrish might be out there, watching them. He stepped through the shields and stopped in front of the little group, still smiling. “And you are?” he asked Dermot.
Dermot gritted his teeth. This was a disaster.
* * * *
IT TOOK BASTIEN A MOMENT to realize something was happening. As a Krsnik, he didn’t recognize his mate by sight, but by smell. He wasn’t close enough to the man to smell him initially, but as soon as he was, his mate’s scent hit him like a punch to the stomach.
Bastien looked up, and their gazes met. Instead of looking happy, his mate appeared wary, as if he expected Bastien to do something. He probably wasn’t wrong. Bastien should do something, but he just didn’t know what.
This wasn’t why he was here. He was here to find Celeste and make sure she was okay after she’d been forced to spend so long with Parrish. He was here to bring his sister home, and he had every intention of doing that. His family didn’t have any links to the village or the clan.
Or at least, they hadn’t had any links until now.
But now, Bastien did have a link. His mate was here, and if he had to guess, the man lived in the village and probably had no plans of leaving.
Bastien wouldn’t ask him to. There was a good chance that he’d lost his clan in the past. Most Vila and Krsnik had.
That meant that this was his mate’s chosen home.
Everything had just become more complicated, but Bastien’s main focus was still his sister. Even if he had to find a way to stick around, Celeste could go home.
As long as Parrish wasn’t a danger to her anymore.
But he still was. He was around, probably waiting for the best opportunity to hurt her again.
Bastien had never liked Parrish, but he’d never said anything because it hadn’t been his place.
He’d talked to Celeste a few times, but Parrish was her mate.
It was normal that she decided to follow him and that she’d chosen him over her family and the rest of her life. It was how it was supposed to be.
But that was the only thing that had been normal.
Parrish wasn’t a good mate. Bastien didn’t understand what Celeste had done to deserve someone like him, and he hated that she wouldn’t have a chance at a normal relationship with her mate, but there was nothing anyone could do about that.
No, the only thing they could do now was focus on getting Celeste home and ridding the world of Parrish.
It was why Bastien was here and why he wouldn’t leave until he was sure that Parrish wouldn’t hurt anyone ever again, let alone his sister.
But Bastien was here in the village now, standing in front of his mate. He was still waiting to find out who his mate was. He hoped to get at least a name.
“I’m Tamsin,” another Vila said, offering Bastien his hand. He looked apologetic, maybe because of the way Bastien’s mate was behaving. Bastien didn’t mind. He was in shock, too, and he might not have been able to say anything if the reason he was here wasn’t so important to him.
He shook Tamsin’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you. How’s my sister?”
“She’s fine. She’s currently staying with our two leaders. Dermot and I will take you there.”