Page 31 of Haven

“Char, you need to rest,” Sadie ordered worriedly.

“No,” Char growled, then sighed. “The bounty is for information. No one is to touch you unless Sebastian orders it. Those men with Colton must not have had orders, or Kile is right; they didn’t take you because he stopped them.”

“No one was taking her or Lily anywhere.” Kile snarled. This time, it was him who stepped closer to her, and strangely, Sadie welcomed it because she had a feeling she was not going to like what else Char had to say.

“I didn’t know Colton had pictures of Lily and...you,” Char said as a tear slipped from her eye. “When I snuck you in, I only made things worse, and I’m sorry. I had no idea that this would happen.”

“For what to happen?” Sadie said with a snort. “That I showed up your brother by sneaking into his territory and rescued my sister right under his nose? Now, he wants to make an example out of me. I pretty much figured that would happen.” It was true, but she hadn’t expected a massive bounty on her head. That wasa shock. Her worry had never been about herself really, but for Lily.

“Sebastian was livid when he found out that a human woman had penetrated our camp and taken something belonging to his brother,” Char repeated, then looked at Kile before glancing away. “But he wasn’t angry at you, but at the guards on duty. They were punished severely. He was intrigued by your courage, and then he saw your picture.”

“Shit.” Kile cursed loudly, making Sadie jump.

“Okay...then why the bounty?” Sadie asked, trying to follow along but definitely not getting the point. “I’m sorry, but I just don’t understand.”

“Sebastian wants to make you his own,” Char said, shocking Sadie speechless.

“Over my dead fucking body.” She barely heard Kile’s snarled promise and wondered if she had heard him at all. Obviously, she was hearing things. There was no way Char could have said what she had just said.

“For his own?” Sadie asked, her body tense, waiting for an answer. When Char just stared at her with such sadness, Sadie’s stomach rose to her throat. “Like as in his mate?”

"No, he already has a mate. His whore. I'm sorry. I never should have helped you," Char whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek. "I've only made things worse. I never had a sister, and Lily felt like one, even in such a short time. Then I met you and saw how much you cared for her. I thought if I helped you save Lily, maybe I could be a part of that... be like a sister too. But now, I'll never have that. Sebastian won't stop until you are his. I'm so sorry, Sadie."

Char’s body began to shake as she shifted into her wolf form. Sadie stood frozen, watching, her mind whirling with what Char had just said. Once she had completely shifted, Sadie walked up to her and knelt so they were eye to eye. Reaching up, she touched the soft fur.

“There is nothing for you to be sorry for, Char,” Sadie said, then tried to reassure her with a smile. “Lily and I always wanted a little sister. Don’t worry about your brother. I will handle that. Just get better. That’s what’s important.”

Sadie stood, her body shaking, as she tried to keep the fear she felt hidden from Char. Kile took her trembling hand, leading her out the door, and then shut it behind them. Turning her to face him, her eyes rose to meet his.

“He will never touch you,” Kile said with such conviction that she wanted to believe him. Yet, putting her trust in a stranger and knowing her presence could harm others had her looking away from him.

For the first time, she wanted so badly to put her trust in someone, but fear had her pulling away from that fantasy. No, the consequences were too real for her, and the possible repercussions of her being anywhere near innocent people had her remaining silent. Would her nightmare ever end?

“We have a problem.” Eric walked over with Gemma following. “Phil found this attached to the arrowhead.”

Sadie leaned closer, looking at the small object with a tiny blue flashing light. “What is that?”

“A tracking device,” Eric answered but continued looking at Kile. “I’ll get everyone together. We may need Lance’s men, so I’m going to involve him also.”

Sadie could only stare at the device, realizing that her nightmare had only just begun.

CHAPTER 18

Kile cursed long and hard, his eyes on the tracking device, realizing how demented that truly was. Char’s brothers must have known she would go to Lily and Sadie.

“We need to warn everyone to be on the lookout and ready.” Eric also cursed under his breath. “They could be here already. Fuck!”

“I’ll warn Lance and his men, but we need to focus on protecting the women and kids,” Cole said, then frowned with a growl. “This fucker needs to go down. To shoot an arrow into your sister with a tracking device is fucked up.”

Kile agreed. His anger tripled, knowing the bastard had now put a target on Sadie. He turned to look at her, but she was gone. “Where is Sadie?” He asked, walking quickly into where Char was healing. Gemma looked up with a frown.

“What’s wrong?” She stood watching Kile search the room.

“Was Sadie in here?” Kile heard the panic in his voice and cursed.

“No,” Gemma shook her head, looking worried. “I thought she was with you.”

Kile didn’t answer. Instead, he ran out, then out the front door. “Son of a bitch.”