Pack Claimed: A slow-burn fantasy romance (The Warrior Queen Legacy Book 2) by Laurel Night

Author:Laurel Night [Night, Laurel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-03-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 34

Kaliya

We left an outpost guard in the bunk room to monitor our suddenly vulnerable back. After everyone gathered their bedrolls and packs, we moved into the front room.

Someone had already righted the table I flipped to protect Emory, freeing him from the prison of his ‘safety.’ He threw his arms around me, pulling me tightly to his lean chest. “Ancients, Kali, are you okay?”

Enveloped in his warm cinnamon-chocolate scent, I melted. Just for a moment. Every tight muscle softened and my heart slowed, our bags dropping from my fingers. My arms snaked around his waist and I squeezed him back. Pressed against his warm body, I felt whole. My wolf rumbled in contentment.

“Kali?” I felt, rather than heard, his voice rumbling in his chest.

“Mmm?” I refused to open my eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

Emory chuckled, then patted my back awkwardly.

His fragrance changed subtly, a lightly sour note of embarrassment threading through his sweet scent.

The realization that he had a mate, and this was probably uncomfortable for him flooded through me, dousing my warm contentment like a blast of cold water. I released him immediately.

His warm eyes were clouded with concern.

“Sorry, Em, I was just worried about you,” I coughed out by way of excuse.

“Me? Kali, I was worried about you! You charged in there with no intel or prep! What were you thinking?” He tucked an errant strand of tousled brown hair behind his ear. His scolding was so well-meaning it didn’t hurt my feelings in the least.

“We didn’t exactly have a choice, Em. We all would have been in a much worse spot if we just sat on this side of the door and waited for them to come through when they were ready. At least this way we had surprise on our side.” My voice dropped, and I added. “I couldn’t risk them getting any closer to you.”

“I know, Kali, but… part of me just wishes you’d let someone else be first through the door sometimes.” His tone softened, and he pulled my small knife from his back pocket. “Thank you, by the way. And here’s your dagger back. Thankfully, I had such excellent protection I never needed it.” The emotion in his voice was heavy. It hung around my heart like a weight, dragging me down to earth.

“You should hold on to it. At least until we get back to the pack. You ought to have some kind of weapon.”

“You know as well as I that this isn’t much use against a wraith, Kali. The worst it’ll do is piss it off. At least in my hands. You could probably take out a dozen of them with it.”

I laughed without humor. “Just… keep it for now, okay? It makes me feel better to know you have it. Even if that doesn’t make sense. Just do it for me, please?”

Emory nodded, then tucked the weapon back into his pocket.

This time I laughed for real. “Em, you can’t carry a blade like that. It’ll cut your ass as soon as you try to sit down.

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