Episode Ninety-Three

brIDE TO BE

As soon as Bran puts the SUV into park, I leap out and hurry up the steps to the Pack House porch. Before all this, the very thought of jumping in front of the Midnight Alpha would have made me break out in a cold sweat.

Now it's like I'm trying to protect him from Sam.

Her finger is directed at him, her voice raised. "You will not dictate what I do with my life!" she's saying when I step between them.

"Sam. Hey. Hi."

She blinks and looks over at me. There's still tension in her face and she's just on the edge of grinding her teeth, something she does when she's really, really mad.

"Jess." She steps back and crosses her arms over her chest. Her stance nearly mirrors that of the Alpha behind me.

"What's going on?" I ask even though I already know. Sometimes vampire hearing really does come in handy. Bran's already told me all the details of this argument. If only I wasn't on the Alpha's side.

Cal doesn't want Sam to risk her life and march into the fae realm with us, on my behalf, and I definitely don't disagree with him.

But how hypocritical could I be? Considering I just argued with Bran about letting Bianca come with us to aid in our plan.

I can't be all female empowerment yay and then deny my best friend the right to join the fight.

If only I wasn't so worried about her very mortal body getting crushed in the middle of the fight.

"He's trying to control my life," Sam says. "And I told him to fuck off. No one tells me what to do."

"Can we talk?" I ask her and then glance at Cal over my shoulder. "Alone?"

The Alpha sucks in a deep breath through his nose and gives me a quick nod of his head. "You'll find the most privacy at my cabin."

I hook my arm through Sam's, steering her away, down the steps, across the yard. I sense Bran trailing us but don't bother to tell him to buzz off.

He won't listen to me anyway and I can't really blame him, what with a fae queen trying to kidnap me or off me, depending on the day of the week.

Sam and I follow the trail around the Pack's property and back through the woods to Cal's cabin. The door is unlocked and inside, a few table lamps are flicked on. The place is clean and cozy.

She sits down at the table and lets out a sigh.

"Hi," she says. "You look like shit."

I snort. "I could say the same about you."

It's not really true though. Sam's always been gorgeous in an effortless sort of way. She's wearing her favorite jeans, the vintage Guess, threadbare and tearing at the knees, along with chunky white sneakers and an oversized plain black t-shirt.

She doesn't look dressed ready for war. She looks like she should be lounged back reading Kerouac in Rita's coffee shop.

"Cal just wants to protect you," I tell Sam.

She rolls her eyes. "Not you too."

"Well yeah, I also want to protect you, but he's got a better chance of making it happen. Those big Alpha biceps and all."

She gives me a blank look. How the hell is she immune to the gorgeousness of the Midnight Alpha? She must have some kind of blind spot where he's concerned because everyone in Midnight Harbor would kill to have the undying devotion of the Alpha.

"Your vampire boyfriend must have told you what we were arguing about?"

"He gave me the highlights."

She sits forward, props her elbows on the table. When I look down, I realize there are claw marks in the wood. Old rivets of splintered pine.

"I feel like I barely see you anymore," she admits, her voice low, almost like this admission is a secret.

"I know."

"I miss you, Jess." She looks away when her eyes get glassy. "And if something happens to you, I…well, this place would get real shitty really quickly. So I might as well fight by your side. I have a great left hook. You know that."

I laugh. "I remember you taking out Jonathan Lowman when he got too handsy with you at that graveyard party and wouldn't take no for an answer."

"See!" She laughs with me. "I know what I'm doing."

I can't tell her no. Even if I want to.

And truth be told, I want her by my side and maybe that's selfish in a way, considering what it is we're up against.

"All right," I say and Sam gives me a wink.

"I knew you'd see my way."

"But you have to make me a promise."

Now she's regarding me with suspicion. "What is it?"

"When this is over, consider giving the Alpha a chance."

She huffs out her indignation. "That man is an asshole and I hate him."

"Oh really? Tell that to your face."

"What about my face?"

I laugh and push away from the table.

"Jessie. What about my face?!"

There is a blush spreading over her cheeks, turning into a flush that runs down her neck. Sam may want to resist the Alpha, she may want to pretend that the fated mate bond between them is Cal's problem to deal with, not hers. But I know my best friend. She's fighting her attraction to him with everything she has and she's losing.

"Fine," she says, following me out the door. "I'll give him a chance just to prove him, and you, wrong."

I expected Cal to push back when we returned to the Pack House and announced Sam was coming with us, but he kept himself cool and collected and told Sam, "If you insist on being reckless, fine. But you'll stay by my side and if things go awry, you'll let me get you to safety."

"Let you? I don't need you to —"

The Alpha had ducked down, putting his face level with hers. The height difference between them was so large that he practically had to bend in half. "I'll chain you to my bed if I have to."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever."

And knowing that that was about all he'd get from her, he left it at that.

Now, with the vampires and the shifters assembled, we make our way to the fae gate.

The air is cool and crisp with the first sign of autumn and as we walk through the woods, my breath puffs out white in front of me.

I'm sandwiched between Bran, Cal, and Arion with Sam beside me. Bianca is ahead of us with Baspin, both of them leaning into one another discussing the spells Bianca plans to use and the fae magic Baspin might lend to make the spells even stronger.

The closer we get to the gate, the more my body buzzes with the connection to the magic.

The hair lifts along the back of my neck.

Bran takes my hand and gives me a squeeze, but the coldness of his skin only makes me shiver.

We have so many strong allies on our side. Practically titans of their Houses. So why am I nervous?

The path curves around a briar patch and when we come around to the meadow, Bran grabs me roughly by the arm, yanking me back.

Standing in front of the gate, is none other than Maven with an army on his flanks.

"There she is," he calls, his voice ringing out calm and assured. "My bride to be."