Page 139 of Ensnared by the Pack: The Complete Series (Destined Realms #3)

AUDREY

For the first day, I was right. I’d woken after a fitful night where we’d had to give Bishop three elixirs, disappointed that I hadn’t had another sexy shared dream with my mates and worried for both of them.

Despite that, I’d felt strong and determined, ready to save Bishop. It was as if a glimmer of Knox’s powerful feral nature, the strength he’d lent me to stand my ground against Cyrus, had sparked to life inside me. My foot had still been a little tender, but I wasn’t going to complain about it because… I. Could. Do. This.

We’d left the cart in the shelter, secured the metal gate to keep out beasts, and marched down the road until midmorning where there was a break in the rocks and a steep, but manageable, slope up into the forest.

Then we’d hiked across the rocky, uneven ground just like we had on our journey north until dusk and set up camp.

Cyrus had commanded I go with Deacon to fill our canteens while Deacon gathered firewood and I’d hopped to it, surprised my legs were barely sore when the last time I’d hiked across the wilderness they’d started to hurt before lunch on the first day.

The next morning, however, was a different story.

I’d gotten even less sleep with Bishop’s pain growing stronger inside me and his body twitching and shaking all night despite giving him four elixirs. Knox’s worry and rage were also building, crushing inside me, making it difficult to draw in a full breath, and I hadn’t gotten another sexy dream!

It was ridiculous to be upset about that. Everyone was too stressed to think, or even dream, about sex and yet my soul now ached with need.

God, what was wrong with me?

I bit back a groan, determined to not draw Cyrus’s attention, and stretched my achy muscles.

There was nothing wrong with me. I had an incomplete mating bond and just like the last time, it didn’t give me any time to adjust. I needed to seal my bond and I needed it now.

Swell.

“All right, ladies,” Deacon said as he doused the fire. “Ready for another day? Or do I need to carry you?” The laugh lines at the edges of his eyes crinkled and he flashed us a bright smile.

“I’ll be good to get to the pool,” Whil replied, rolling up her blanket and securing it in her pack. “I’m using a bit of magic to fortify my body.”

Panic and rage exploded through my bond with Knox, stealing my breath.

“You’re wasting magic?” he roared, his eyes going completely black as his wolf took over. “You need your magic to save Bishop.”

Whil raised her hands in defense and Deacon stepped in front of her, blocking Knox from getting to her.

“Knox,” I gasped, grabbing his arm and pushing as much of my body against his as I could, trying to get him to calm down.

He growled at Deacon, and his claws and canines extended as the feralness within him surged.

Oh, shit. This wasn’t good. We were so close. He couldn’t lose it now. If he went feral, he could kill Bishop’s only hope of survival.

“Stop.” My pulse thu-thudded hard, and that spark of power exploded from my body, sudden and sharp and gone just as quickly as it appeared.

Knox froze, every muscle in his body tightening, and his claws and canines retracted. He turned his attention to me, his eyes still dark with his wolf.

“It’s three more days at most,” I murmured, pushing love through our bond.

“He’s in agony,” his wolf growled at me.

“I know.”

He stared at me, his body trembling with his raging emotions, emotions that threatened my grip on myself. But I rode the violent waves, waiting for his wolf to realize the truth. He couldn’t protect Knox from the next three days. If he took control and gave in to his primal fear it was all over.

And it couldn’t be over. I needed both of them sane and conscious, not surviving on pure animalistic instinct. My reasons for needing Knox and his wolf hadn’t changed since I’d pulled them back from the brink of feralness. I needed his wolf to show me how to be strong and I needed Knox’s fierce love.

He’d completely changed after Sterling had tricked me into hurting myself, and I could feel his commitment to me and our bond — even if it was barely noticeable underneath all the other emotions right now. He was my ferocious protector. He didn’t care about politics or other people’s feelings. If I was in trouble, he’d do whatever it took to protect me. His wolf would, too.

Which was why I didn’t push, didn’t make his wolf think I was attacking him. I stayed stalwart in my certainty in us, praying that would anchor him back in his body.

And slowly, after an agonizingly long moment of just holding all his emotions without trying to change them, his wolf reached through our bond and found my reasons.

“Whil would never jeopardize Bishop,” I soothed as the blackness faded from his eyes, revealing dark brown orbs flecked with brilliant green.

“I know that,” he gritted out. “It’s just so hard to focus and he’s getting worse.”

I offered him a soft smile, praying it looked hopeful and he didn’t notice just how worried I was about Bishop. “He has us. He’s strong. Just three more days.”

A burst of Bishop’s pain shot through my chest, but I kept my smile soft and breathed through it, determined not to let anyone see how much I was struggling.

I had to be strong for the both of them, and I would be.

“Well then,” Deacon said, putting his hands on his hips. “What the hell are we waiting for?”

“That’s what I want to know.” Cyrus huffed, hooking the now-clean cooking pot to his pack.

“We were waiting for you,” Whil said to Cyrus.

“Yeah,” Deacon replied. “You need to volunteer more in the kitchen. How long does it take to wash a pot and a couple of bowls?”