And I should care about that why?

Welcome to the new Cornish alpha, ladies and gentlemen. Because, you wanker, once the Brethren know what I am, you will all be in danger. You are the alpha, it’s your job to protect everyone.

I could almost feel the cogs whirling in his head. Corrigan muttered something to him and took off smoothly towards what I supposed was the other end of the valley. If Anton didn’t get with the programme soon, this was not going to turn out well. I couldn’t pretend to be unconscious indefinitely. Not only that but Corrigan had a fast gait and it wouldn’t be too long before the only thing he’d be able to smell would be me.

Yes, it IS my job to protect everyone he finally answered. So I’ll do this and help you. And you will leave Cornwall forever.

WHAT?

I am the alpha, his Voice stated simply. Your presence puts the pack in danger. Therefore I want you gone from Cornwall as soon as we return.

As much as I knew that Anton was relishing this moment with every fibre of his being, he was right. I did put the pack in danger by staying with them. Especially now. All this had happened because of me, and whilst I could acknowledge that I hadn’t asked for any of it and couldn’t have changed the molecular biology of my blood even if I’d known about it, I knew that I was still guilty. Leaving was the safest option. It was almost a relief to finally have someone demand my absence – perhaps it would help assuage my guilt.

Done.

Give me your word.

I almost growled aloud. You just had it. Now fucking deal with this.

“My Lord, I will take her,” said Anton somewhere to the left of Corrigan.

Corrigan was silent for a heart-stopping moment. Oh come on. He finally replied, “It’s fine. She weighs nothing.”

“I am her alpha. It is my responsibility – she is my responsibility. We have not always been on the best of terms but perhaps this way I can demonstrate to her that she can trust me.”

Nicely played, I thought. Now when I ran off, I’d be the ungrateful bint who couldn’t acknowledge that ’Lord’ Anton had rescued me. Bastard. Corrigan halted and passed me over to Anton’s arms. Instead of cradling me against his chest as the Lord Alpha had done however, he slung me over his shoulder in an incredibly undignified fireman’s lift. I was painfully aware of my bottom waving around in the air from above his shoulder.

“The others will be anxious for news, my Lord,” Anton continued. “I do not wish to move too quickly as clearly Mackenzie has many small wounds from which there is a considerable amount of blood. I have no objection if you wish to move ahead and let everyone know what has happened.”

I wondered if Corrigan would let himself be manipulated quite so easily. I sincerely hoped so.

Anton continued. “Perhaps then you can alert the doctor to move to the portal to help her as quickly as possible. Mackenzie is usually more hard-headed than this. I am concerned that she has fainted and not yet re-awakened.”

I tried very hard not to slap his back for his so-called ‘concern’. Nonetheless it seemed to work as, without a word, I sensed Corrigan begin to move away. After he appeared to go a few feet however, he called back, “You are very demanding when you want to be, Anton. I hope that the Way has chosen a true alpha for Cornwall. I would hate to spend more time down here babysitting you.”

Hah! Take that bear-man!

Take care, kitten, sounded Corrigan’s Voice in my head. I was startled by the unexpected gentleness of the sentiment. At least with my face stuck in Anton’s naked back, my surprise didn’t show. And with that he was gone.

Anton jostled me forward for a few more uncomfortable moments. I guessed that he was waiting until the Lord Alpha was definitely out of sight. Eventually, however, he put me down, feet first, and gazed at me stonily.

“You will not renege on this, human,” his eyes spat malevolent sparks.

I felt the familiar spark of heated irritation inside me and sighed tiredly, “I gave you my word, tosser. I’ll do this.” Truth be told, although my fainting had be feigned, I was starting to feel rather woozy anyway. I hoped I’d be strong enough to get out of Cornwall first. Talking also still hurt an incredible amount. “I just need to get cleaned up and talk to Julia and the others, and then I’ll be gone.”

He laughed shortly. “I don’t think so. As soon as we get back through the portal, you are gone.”

I began to protest but he interrupted me. “I don’t need to give the Brethren any more opportunity than necessary to find out what you are. I’ll inform the others what has happened once they have gone. Your friends,” he injected disdain into the last word, “are leaving for London anyway.”

Tom and Betsy. I cursed inwardly. I’d been hoping that they would change their minds but considering the alternative, being stuck here with Anton as alpha for the next several decades, I couldn’t exactly blame them anymore. Joining the Brethren, though? My body shook with distaste.

Anton eyed me. “How bad are your injuries?”

I didn’t kid myself that he was asking out of concern. He just wanted to make sure that I’d get out of his demesne before I caused any more trouble. “I’ll live,” I answered shortly, squaring my shoulders. I was bleeding from a thousand different cuts and it was still painful to breathe, but there was no way I was going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much I hurt. “What about my things?” I asked him. The thought of leaving my little treasure chest behind was almost as much of a wrench as leaving behind the pack. Almost.

“I’ll arrange for them to be sent to you once you are settled somewhere else,” he said dismissively, then moved away wrinkling his nose. “We need to hurry. The Lord Alpha will be sending the doctor to the portal as we speak. We need to get through before he manages to return. And for god’s sake stay at least a few feet away from me. Your stench is getting unbearable.”

I scowled at him, angrily. Even though he was getting everything he’d ever wanted, he still couldn’t resist sticking the knife in. “What? Don’t fancy licking my blood any more?” I hissed at him.

“Oh, believe me, I still want it. And I’d have it if I was so inclined.” I looked at him, warily before he continued. “But now I’m alpha I need to rise above such base desires. Keep your funny blood, ape. It’s about all you have left after all.” And with that he turned and started striding away.

My eyes shot daggers after him, but I followed regardless. I wondered if Anton’s attitude would change if he knew the truth about my blood. I shrugged. It didn’t matter now. I put my head down and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, ignoring the dots of bleeding pain from around my body.

It seemed to take an age to get anywhere. The landscape remained entirely uniform throughout – emerald green blades of cutting grass, brilliant blue sky and the walls of the valley. There was absolutely nothing else to be seen anywhere. It was a blessed relief when the purple shimmers of the second portal finally came into sight. Anton turned back towards me briefly, raising his eyebrows with an extraordinarily annoying look of anticipation. Screw him. I wasn’t leaving for him or because of his demands – it was for the good of the pack. My friends and my family. I felt unbidden tears rise up and blinked them furiously away. I had to stop thinking of myself though, and start thinking of the others. It occurred to me that I now possessed absolutely nothing. All my weapons were lost, and my ‘fainting fit’ had meant that I couldn’t even retrieve my trusty backpack. I had no money and nowhere to go. And with Iabartu’s death, not even at my hands, I now had absolutely no purpose. I felt utterly bereft. I watched Anton disappear through the gateway, taking a moment to compose myself. I was damned if I’d let him see how upset I was.

Digging deep inside myself, I searched for the flare of bloodfire. Once I had it, I let it swirl around me, and I let its waves of heat curl around me my body. I pictured John, and Julia, and everything I was leaving behind. I even reflected on Iabartu’s corpse and how I hadn’t even managed to kill her myself. At least as long as I was angry, I wasn’t going to weep in front of Anton; I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.

I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand and stepped through the portal.

Chapter Twenty Nine

The sensation of passing through the gateway made me feel oddly nauseous. I pushed it away, however, blinking, and realised that this second gateway was close to the clearing where John had shown me the wichtlein’s stone. It made sense now, after all we were some distance from the beach and it had never quite tallied that Iabartu had travelled so far away from there instead of going straight to the keep. It seemed a lifetime ago now since I’d been here last. I closed my eyes for a brief second, imagining John in front of me, before composing myself, opening my eyes and looking coldly at Anton. “What will happen to the portal?”

“It’s none of your concern,” he muttered.

Fuckwit, I thought, enjoying the feeling of my bloodfire rise further. “You can’t keep the pack safe with this open, Anton.”

“You are pushing your luck,” he hissed at me, his breath warm and unpleasant in my face. “The mage will close it now that we have returned. The pack will only be safe once you have gone.” His eyes narrowed to slits. “And it’s time you did so now.”

I took a step closer to him and was rewarded to see that he took a step backwards, away from me. “Oh, I’ll go, Anton. But you’d better be the best fucking alpha in the country. Because if I ever hear that you’ve done anything to endanger the pack, or if you abuse your power in any way, I’ll be back.” I licked my lips. “And we both know who would win the fight.” I dared him to remember the fact that I’d bested him the gym in the Brethren’s test. He snarled at me, but I’d already had the last word and meant every part of it. And he knew it. Spinning on my heel, I stalked away, towards the road and away from the keep.

Walking through the forest, I knew I’d have to be fast. Corrigan could easily catch me, probably in his human form as much as in his shifter form and there was nothing left that would hide my so-called humanity from him. I scoffed at myself. Humanity? That was a laugh. I wasn’t human, I was some weird kind of weak dragon by-blow with stupid hot blood that was apparently addictive.