Page 71 of Fractured Mates

And yet, that sounds like an eternity.

Kyler’s stare is on me, watching my face and pleading with me to understand. It’s not that I don’t understand, though. I do. And I see the reason. I just don’t want to.

I won’t make a promise that I can’t keep, Kyler says through our bond, but I do know that we can believe in River and that he will do everything in his power to keep your sister safe, just as I would you. That includes telling you what you don’t want to hear. River is right. We need to wait just a little longer.

My eyes close and I lean forward, settling my face into my hands. I want to ask Kyler to knock me out. I don’t know how I’ll wait otherwise.

Yet I know I need to find a way.

I’ve been running all my life, and I said I was done with that. This is my time to prove it. I can’t run into this fight on my own. Not only because I could fail in saving Jules, but because I’m not alone anymore.

I haven’t been for a long time, and I don’t want to continue to pretend otherwise. I said I was done, and now I need to prove I meant what I said.

Lifting my head, I glance at Kyler first, then nod. “We attack at midnight, River. No later. And if you don’t have my sister away from that bastard before then, you’re going to see firsthand just how bloodthirsty my wolf can be.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Kyler

Keeping Sophie distracted for five more hours while getting calls from Maciah and texts from River that aren’t confirming Jules’s safety isn’t easy. I’ve gone as far as nailing the windows shut so that I will at least hear her try to bust them open, and I put furniture in front of the two exits.

None of that has stopped her from trying to escape early, but I’ve at least been able to get to her before she’s gone outside the safety of our shield, blowing our cover.

What’s worse is that even food hasn’t tempted her. I cooked the rabbits I caught, and she refuses to even look at them.

“It’s almost midnight, and River hasn’t confirmed that he has my sister,” she snarls, sitting on the couch that’s now positioned in front of the main door of the cabin. Her arms are crossed, and her eyes seem to focus on anything other than me, but I’m not taking offense. Everything is going to work out better because we waited. I’ll take her thanks later.

“He told us only fifteen minutes ago that he was headed to meet with Astor,” I remind her. “If River is too eager, he’ll blow his cover. Have some?—”

Her cold eyes cut to me. “If you say patience one more time, I will…hurt you.”

Thankfully, our bond has seemed to prevent her from threatening my life. Still, I take her seriously, because the last thing I need is for her to be upset about me placating her.

Her phone pings with a text that I assume is from River, but the deep rumble that comes from her chest tells me otherwise.

“If that’s not River in this picture, I’m going to kill him myself and there isn’t anything you can say to stop me,” she says menacingly. “And if it is River, I’m still going to break something on his body. Maybe two somethings.”

She shoves the phone at me, and I look at the photo she’s just received. It’s of River and her sister. He’s holding Jules by the throat, tight enough that I can see the shadow of indents from his fingers on her neck. Her eyes are pinched closed, fresh tears stain her cheeks, and a new black eye appears to be forming on the left side of her face.

River is grinning sadistically, and he’s licking her cheek. His other hand has a fist full of her rear end, and the darkness in his eyes is nearly enough to convince me he’s no longer on our side. Yet I don’t panic.

We already knew he was going to have to do things to prove himself. This is just part of the act. Even if it’s hard to see.

Another picture comes through. This one a little blurry, as River is shown dragging Jules by the back of her neck out of the room. She’s clearly fighting back; her hands are clawing at his back, and her body is lowered to the ground as if she’s trying to use her dead weight to stop him.

Just a little longer, kid, I think. Soon, she’ll know she’s safe, but until then, Jules believing her life just essentially ended is necessary.

“That’s River, right?” Sophie asks, coming back to me.

I nod but don’t get to respond as I see a text following the pictures.

Unknown: Your sister is about to experience things she won’t soon be able to forget while you hide instead of owning up to your sins. What a terrible sibling you’ve turned out to be.

Sophie grabs my shirt with both hands and jerks me against her. “We need to go. Now.”

“She’s safe,” I remind her. “River won’t actually hurt her.”

“I don’t fucking care, Kyler!” she roars. “I’m leaving this house, and I won’t let you stop me again.”