61. Ayr

Fed, Robyn turned her back so I could assist with her corset ribbons. “Cass gave me this dress. It’s a shame to ruin it.”

“We have lots more back in Volare, don’t worry. I intend to sort out your brother and his shitty boots too,” I reply gruffly. She smothers a laugh. “True, they are falling apart.”

I noticed her silver mark, very faint, like spatters of rainfall working down her lower back. Graceful and delicate, like the dancer she was born to be.

Instead of stripping off, I just shredded the clothes I stood in, allowing my ashy brown wolf to rise once more.

With the gathering grey clouds ahead, we sprinted. Robyn’s wolf was excitable, sprinting and darting all over to find more obstacles to fly over.

Finally, we reached the river. Our enthusiasm ground to a halt. Rainfall has churned up the rapids into a sea of white, raging foam. Robyn’s brown wolf’s paws skitter nervously at the edge. Peering down the black rocks, trying to judge a crossing.

I let out a little bark of warning and began walking up the shoreline. Trying to gauge the place with the safest route back onto Volare land. Trying to gauge just how far we might be swept downstream seemed impossible.

Black rocks jut out everywhere. Edges sharp enough to slice flesh. I wish I didn’t have to drag this smaller wolf of Robyn’s into this, but there is no convincing her otherwise. The bridge isn’t an option.

Not unless we wait another six days for the Council of Alpha’s in their huge convoy to arrive, which would be far too late. Plus, Cass and I have plans to make.

It will involve Robyn returning to the exiles with instructions well before the Council arrives.

With a final little bark, I nod for Robyn to go first. She’s brave, with a running leap her small brown wolf flies into the foaming water and vanishes. I follow straight after, the water blindingly cold. Muscles seize, my lungs halt, but I’m kicking and pushing as hard as I can, hurtling downstream.

It’s pure luck as I find myself upside down, shoulder smashing into a black boulder, inhaling a lungful of water in the confusion. Suddenly, my paws find edges, mossy grass, it’s land. Dragging us upwards, my wolf is choking, hacking up water.

No more crossings. It’s too risky.

Except there is no sign of Robyn. Fuck. Suddenly, I spotted her, shifted back to human, her pale arms clinging to a rock, her face pelted by the onrushing water.

I quickly shift back to human and slide back down the rocks, allowing the swirling current to propel me downstream. Just as her hands give way, I catch her wrist. Dragging her to the riverbank, I bellow over the mindlink for help.

“Breath!” I shout, but Robyn lays still, her head lolling on the grass. “Fuck! Come on!” as I start chest compressions. Corbin will rightfully mutder me if this fails. Marcus too. She smells of peaches as I keep pressing my lips to hers before pressing sharply down into her chest. “Robyn, wake up!”

I bend down and clamp my lips to hers, forcing air into her lungs. Over and over.

Only to look up and see a panting Cassie, Raphael and Marcus stood open mouthed, Lucas on horseback.

I'm naked. With a naked woman writhing underneath me, spewing up lungfuls of water.

I don’t care how it looks. She’s alive.

“Robyn!” Marcus cries alongside Cass. His face is freshly shaved, I notice. Smelling of my cologne, too. He’s been in my room, the dick. Although now is probably not the time for pulling him up.

“Get that blanket quick!” he shouts at Raphael who immediately turns and reaches in Lucas’ saddlebag, his face flush with frustration as tools, and weapons scatter to the floor.

Cass runs towards me, tears brimming in her eyes. I hope she hasn’t assumed something foolish but she runs to the pair of us and cries “you saved her!"

“I know it looks-”

She shakes her head quickly, dismissing my worries instantly.

She’s bent over Robyn, holding her face and stroking her back as she final dregs of water are coughed out. Her small frame lurches with each retch into the long, swaying grasses.

“Here!” Raphael shouts, throwing me a maroon blanket. Cass grabs it from me and wraps it around Robyn instead. “You’re fine,” she points out with a quick smirk,, blatantly looking my naked body up and down in the space of a second. Spitfire.

Cass softly strokes Robyn’s soaking hair, the light copper now almost burnt orange, plastered to her face and scalp, giving her blue eyes a wild, hysterical look. We can all hear her teeth chattering.

Cass, of course, looked stunning, her brown chestnut curls falling about her shoulders. She is wearing a long cream gown,, her perfect curves displayed via clinging, teasing material that I know will peel away so easily in my hands.

My quick little spitfire takes in every detail, pointing out every scratch and bruise appearing on Robyn’s insanely delicate skin. “Can we get her to the Inn, the packhouse?” she cries out to my Betas before returning to cradle her friend, trying in vain to warm her up. “I’m so sorry you got hurt, that wasn’t meant to happen-”

Robyn focused her gaze, regaining her breath just enough to start spluttering all over again.

“Cass? Cassie we need to talk. I didn’t want to lie to to you, I never should have. I’ve been so worried about you,” her sentences arriving in fits and starts.

Raphael flung me another blanket from the other saddle bag as I stood up and let the two women reunite. He edged towards me.

/How bad was it?/ Raphael silently checked.

/Worse one yet. Nobody else should try. All these storm clouds make it too dangerous. Until they pass it’s just not safe./

/Did you get what you needed, from your wolf?/ he asks flatly, his gaze flitting towards Cass and the maroon-wrapped bundle on the floor. /Are we going to war then?/

/If we do, it’s for Volare. I wouldn’t expect our warriors to risk themselves for my mate./

But Raphael doesn’t answer. He probably thinks I’m lying, or already worrying how many new tasks I've inadvertently given him. He stalks back towards Lucas and Marcus, shaking his head.

But Cass, my beautiful mate with the warmest heart, had simply pulled Robyn close, wrapping her in the thick material.

“I’m sorry I left things the way I did. My head got the better of me. You’re not something to control. You’re my friend. I just want to be your friend. So I want you to be happy. Even if it is with this idiot,” as Robyn’s blue eyes looked over and found my loyal, idiot blonde cousin smiling softly at her from the other side of the tall grasses.

“That would be me,” he opens with a soft, serious smile. His blue eyes are following her every move. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Marcus really try before.

Normally, he just offers some appalling jokes and cheeky charm, and they fall into bed with him. He’s already slept with her and is still trying to charm her. She must be something really special to him.

It’s sounds judgemental. It's based on years of facts.

“Hi,” she whispers. Cass starts to help her to her feet, quickly tying the blanket under her armpit like a toga. “Can you walk? Do you want the horse?”

“I’ll be fine,” Robyn smiles, gripping Cass’s hand tightly. Marcus holds his out as they cross over a thick patch of tall grass.

With a smile, Cass releases her to make her way towards Marcus. I immediately wrapped my arm around her stomach, pulling her close to me, her back pressed against my torso. Home.

Cass made the slightest little sound at being back in my arms, I squeezed her tighter.

Nuzzling her hair to the side, I press my lips down to her collarbone and inhale as her fingers meet mine, gripping me as tightly as she can.

Wrapped up tightly in her toga-blanket Robyn’s foot doesn’t lift high enough. “Ah!” she cries out as a tree root causes her to stumble forward several paces.

“I’m here!” Marcus cries as various hands reach out to grab her as she flails forward into the Betas, all of them helping to steady her as she finds her footing.

We all gasped as Robyn freezes, bent over, her face down at the ground.

Because she whispered. “Mate.”

Except it isn’t Marcus’ eyes, which shimmer with blood red shards.

It’s Raphael.