Lucas rolled his eyes. “That first night you told me not to hurt your mate. I’m not stupid when I’m in my wolf form. Apparently ,some of you are.”
Rafe didn’t take that challenge. He shook his head before he looked at me. “I was going to tell you.”
There was too much emotion. I struggled to breathe through it. My chest ached with the effort. I gasped as he grabbed the tops of my arms.
I had heard him but I felt like I was in a tunnel. My vision swam as I fought the realization he had given me. Nalia perked up inside my head.Yes.Leave it to her to wait till this moment to pop up.
I shook my head. “You did this to me. You hurt me. You changed me. Do you even know what consent means? You were a freaking creep after you hurt me.”
Rafe clenched his jaw and tilted his head from side to side. “There is so much more to this than you know. I did it to save you and as far as the pursuing part afterward… sometimes my wolf doesn’t get the social cues. All he wanted was to claim you, to take you, but that wasn’t right. As he’s calmed down, it’s been easier for me to make my own decisions. I told you that.”
My breathing grew rapid as I pulled my arms away from him and out of his grasp. How could he say that? I blinked a few times as it hit me. I remembered that night more clearly now and what my kidnappers had said. They hadsecured Rafe Crimson’s mate. Had everyone else known but me?
I narrowed my eyes at him as I took a dangerous step toward him. “Who knows?”
I watched his throat as he swallowed and I had this odd thought to rip it out. To wrap my jaw around his neck and tear it from his shoulders. I had seen it done enough times, what was one more? A growl rumbled up my throat. Everyone around us took a step back.
Rafe didn’t move a step which was an awful thing for him. Something animalistic took over my thoughts. Nalia was purring with delight over the fact that he had admitted what she had known since she had spotted his wolf but she was also ready to defend me. She felt the pain in my chest and was ready to act on it. She was ready to tear our mate apart.
Mate.The word echoed around my head.
“Everyone knows.”
I fought to keep control of my human form. I didn’t know what would happen if I let it slip. “How long?”
“Since Tracey found out she was a witch in the woods that night.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I told them all earlier that day. I needed them to know that it wasn’t a fruitless mission for someone that hadn’t even pledged to the pack. They would have fought for you before, but they will die for you now. Tracey knew since she met you.”
Betrayal was hot on my tongue. How could they all know? All of them but me? Was I broken? Was that why I had no idea that my mate was standing right in front of me? Weren’t there supposed to be signs?
All of the familiar faces around me blurred as I took off into the woods. Anything to get away from them. Anything to not see their faces or them see mine. They had all kept it from me out of respect for their Alpha but what about respect for their friend? Their shouts followed me until Nalia ripped through my skin and we were running as one again.
