Chapter 23
Jury’s body collided with Narae’s as she hugged her sister hard. God, it felt like decades since she’d seen her last. Shoulder’s shaking as she cried, Jury’s wolf pranced inwardly at the reunion. Narae was crying too as she breathed into Jury’s hair, “I missed you so fucking much!”
Narae pulled back to hold Jury at arm’s length, scanning her from head to toe. “Are you okay?”
Jury smiled and nodded through her tears, pulling Narae back in as she breathed, “I can’t believe you're really here. I missed you…” Her voice hitched, and unable to finish the sentence, she just held Narae tighter.
They stayed like that for a long time before Jury pulled back and swiped at her nose.
“Are you alright?” She looked down at Narae’s clothes, her expression twisting into one of concern.
“Whose blood is that?” Her eyes scanned Narae and then stilled on Narae’s throat, her heart stuttering to a halt.
“You’re marked,” she breathed, fear filling her.
“Who? Sid,” she bit out accusatorily. Then her face turned ashen, “Oh God, please say it wasn’t Lionel! ”
Narae shook her head. “It wasn’t either of them. It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” She tugged the collar of her shirt up in an unsuccessful attempt at hiding the mark. “It doesn’t matter now. We’re together, that’s what’s important.”
But it mattered to Jury. Someone had marked Narae, which meant someone would be coming for her. Bragga would be coming for both of them.
“Who was it?” Jury demanded hysterically. “We have to know so we can prepare, Narae! We have to be…”
“It was me,” Daemon declared stalking toward the woman with a displeased looking Koe at his side.
“What?” Jury breathed in disbelief. She stood frozen a moment before she started shaking her head, delicate brows spearing down as she lunged for Daemon with a shrieked, “How dare you!”
Narae reached out to stop her, but Koe was already there, pulling Jury into his arms and holding her tight against him as she struggled, glaring and cursing at Daemon.
“Shhhh,” Koe breathed in her hair. “It’s okay, baby. It’s gonna be fine.”
“Fine?” she cried, tears breaching her eyes before they turned accusatory and focused on Koe. “How is this fine? She’s not even ten seconds out of Biter territory and she’s attacked by one of your Enforcers!”
Narae tried to calm Jury. “I wasn’t attacked.” She repeated the same lie she’d told Koe. “The only way to save me was to mark me. Daemon did what he had to do to get me out.”
This time Daemon didn’t correct her. Koe said nothing either. There was a pregnant pause as they all waited on Jury’s reaction, which was an angry gaze slicing to Daemon then to Koe as she pushed at his chest. This time Koe released her, and when he did, she held out her hand to Narae.
“Come on.”
Narae took her hand, and Jury led her toward the manor. Jury was livid. How could the only way to rescue Narae be to mark her? Deep down, part of Jury wondered if she should be grateful to Daemon. Any gratitude would have to wait until she got a full report from Narae.
***
Koe watched Jury stalk toward the compound, hand in hand with Narae. Guilt bit him hard. Not because he’d lied to Jury, because he hadn’t, but because the omission felt like a betrayal. Angry eyes sliced to Daemon. “Does it bother you that Narae’s going to have to lie to cover your ass?”
Daemon shrugged, eyes intent on Narae. “She ain’t gotta do shit. I’m not worried about Jury’s wrath.”
And that pissed Koe off. He wasn’t about to allow Daemon to be flippant about Jury’s feelings. “You worried about Narae’s acceptance of you? Because if she doesn’t accept your mark, or if Jury talks her out of it, they’re both likely to want to leave here. Do you fucking care about that?”
Thrall tried to intervene, “Koe, enough, man.”
But Koe’s words had Daemon sobering, his gaze going introspective.
“Yeah, you didn’t think about that, did you?” Koe accused, voice dripping venom. “No, you just saw something you fucking wanted, and you took it.”
Daemon’s head snapped up, and he turned and went chest to chest with Koe. “I’ve never taken anything that wasn’t mine.”
Koe raged, “Until now!”
“She’s mine!” Daemon roared, the words echoing across the field, causing Narae to slam to a halt. Dameon didn’t see her look back at him. It was just a brief glance before Jury tugged on Narae’s arm, and they continued on to the manor.
“Guys,” Thrall pleaded. “Enough.”
Koe glared at Daemon, and Daemon glared right back. “You better fucking mean that,” Koe snarled and turned to stalk toward the manor.
Alone with Thrall, Daemon watched his Alpha walk away and muttered, “I’ve never meant anything more in my goddamn life.”
Thrall stepped up to stand beside Daemon, watching Koe cross the field. After a moment, he clapped Daemon on the back. “Well, that went better than I thought it would.”
Daemon shot Thrall a dark look, and Thrall quickly removed his hand from Daemon’s back, holding it up in a show of surrender, then gesturing toward the manor. “We’re all gonna be under the same roof and all breathing. That’s a win in my book.”
Daemon rolled his eyes, a growl rattling a way up his throat as he followed Koe with Thrall on his heels, babbling about, “This’ll be fun, bro. Like a sleepover, but with girls.”