Chapter 21

*“What?”*

Both women turned towards the direction the voice had come from, finding Kade in the doorway, his steel eyes boring into Dagmar with outrage. He had left early that morning assuming he could trust Dagmar not to do or say anything stupid but he should have known this was a foolish assumption on his part. When had Dagmar ever not meddled in matters that weren’t her business? But to suggest that Thalia rid herself of her unborn children? That was perhaps the last thing Kade expected his old caregiver to suggest.

“Don’t look at me like that, mutt!” Dagmar snapped, gnarled hands on her heavy hips as she glared back at Kade with just as much venom. “Those babies are normal wolf pups. They have darkness in their blood and souls. They are dangerous. They will always be struggling against that part of themselves that is borne from their hellish bloodline. And they will lose! Without the proper guidance, they will be swallowed up and they will take all of us with them!”

“Enough!” Kade snarled, slamming the door behind him as he stalked towards his mate, shielding her from the old witch’s gaze. “You are not convincing Thalia to abort her children.”

“That isn’t your choice, William!” Dagmar scoffed and rolled her eyes. “She might be your mate but she has a choice in this! Do you honestly think she wants to be the mother of two hybrids? Her family will disapprove and what of your pack? Do you honestly think the mighty Daniel Wolfe will let you keep these abominations---”

“I said enough!” Kade snapped, eyes bleeding black as Legion pushed forward, snapping and snarling inside of Kade. How dare someone talk about his mate and her pups in such a manner! “You’ve gone too far this time, Dagmar.”

Thalia had been too stunned to speak, her hands trembling as she realised what Dagmar was getting at. While these children had not been a willing addition to her life, they were her children and every ounce of the motherly instinct in her was horrified by the mere thought of someone taking these two little souls from her. Perhaps that was part of why she had escaped Dante’s clutches. He had intended to take her pups from her. It was something no human mother could bear but werewolves were fiercely protective of their young.

“I don’t want to get rid of them.” Thalia spoke up, her voice shaking as emotion clogged her throat.

“You have no idea the danger you are putting everyone in.” Dagmar spoke lowly, her steel blue eyes now alight with anger as she regarded her ward and his mate. “If those children fall into the grips of their father then all of humanity is doomed. It is better to make sure that never happens by making sure they are never born.”

“Their father won’t get near them.” Kade growled lowly, turning to face Thalia. “We’re leaving.”

“You can’t!” Dagmar barked. “It’s too dangerous out there!”

“And it’s now become too dangerous here.” Kade shot back.

“And where will you go?” The old woman demanded. “Back to your pack? They will never accept those children! Your precious Alpha will see them as a curse and do away with them!”

"But you're not?" Kade countered.

"It doesn't matter now." Dagmar tutted

"Why not?"

"Because your mate is gone." Dagmar smirked.

Kade frowned in confusion, steel eyes turning to where Thalia had been sat when he entered the cottage. Sure enough, the old wooden chair was now empty.

"Fuck!" He growled, catching Thalia's scent heading out the very door he had walked through to find Dagmar trying to convince his mate to have an abortion.

Thalia had already made it out of the safety of the property and its gardens and onto the grasslands before Kade had realised she had slipped out. Despite her injuries, Thalia was moving fast but she wasn't used to the terrain. The ground yielded under foot and was uneven which was slowing her down more than she liked. She kept going though, every thought in her head telling to run and yet her body seemed to want to betray her. She seemed to find every pothole and lump with nothing but a pair of woollen socks to protect her.

Thalia thought about shifting, she could move faster that way but she couldn't trust Maeve not to come to a screeching halt and go belly up in front of her male.

"Thalia!"

Kade's voice echoed across the landscape, sounding far too close for Thalia's liking. How had he managed to gain ground so quickly over this horrible terrain?

"áse me na fýgo!" Thalia screamed when arms locked around her, lifting her from the soggy ground. "Put me down!"

Kade didn't respond but his anger was rolling off of him in waves and through the mate bond. Thalia hoped he could feel her own anger and that it masked her fear. She refused to go down without a fight but despite being from alpha blood, she was no match for her much taller, much stronger mate who carried her back across the moor as if he was just carrying a small child.

"Let me go!" Thalia demanded again.

"Why? So you can run away and get yourself hurt or worse, killed?" Kade snapped back.

"I don't need your help!"

"The fact I found you half dead at the bottom of a cliff suggests otherwise." He growled, steel eyes darkening with emotion as he headed towards his motorcycle.

"I don't want to go with you!" Thalia hissed, cheeks flushing in emotion.

"Enough!" Kade barked, a wave of dominance and frustration bursting out like a shockwave.

Thalia had never felt anything like it, at least not from a beta. There was something remarkable and yet unsettling about the power Kade had emitted just then. Thalia had felt plenty of alpha and beta aura. She was after all of alpha blood but no one from her back could emanate such power so directly that it left Thalia stunned. If she was in wolf form she would have certainly shrunk back, ears flattening and belly hitting the floor.

"You can't even keep an eye on your mate." Dagmar sneered from the doorstep of the cottage as they approached. "How on earth are you going to protect her out there?"

"I'll manage." Kade replied coldly. "Don't ever expect to see me again. You've gone too far this time."

Thalia found herself caged between the handlebar and Kade's solid body, the male wasting no time bringing the engine to life under them and putting distance between them and the old witch.

Thalia wasn't sure how long they had been riding for. The cool spring air whipped against her cheeks. If she hadn't already been fighting back tears, she was certain the wind would have her eyes watering. Neither of them spoke and Thalia wasn't sure they would. Meeting one's mate was meant to be a magical moment and yet all Thalia could think was that she was being caged in by yet another male who saw her as property.

Eventually Kade pulled the bike over into a lay-by and cut the engine. Thalia remained frozen in place while the male climbed off the bike, pacing like a caged animal. His hands were in his hair, gravel flicking up from under his boots as he stalked around seemingly in a silent argument with himself.

And he was. Part of him was furious with Dagmar pulling the stunt she did while another part of him was angry at himself for trusting the bitter old cow in the first place. But it was the part of him that hated that Thalia was scared of him that resonated within him so loudly. He wished circumstances were different. Hell, he wished Thalia had been spared the misery of being Kade's fated mate. The moon goddess was clearly very cruel to curse Thalia in such a way. Maybe he should have let Thalia run off but Kade knew it wasn't that simple. She was his mate and he would always want to protect her.

Then there was the part where Kade was falling for Thalia despite it only being a couple of days.

"Billy."

Kade stopped mid-pace, turning towards Thalia who was still sat on the bike like small and terrified.

"Kade is your surname and William is too...formal." Thalia spoke up, voice trembling. "So if I'm going to call you anything, it's Billy."

The silence hung between them as Kade slowly walked over to the bike, leaning against it. For a while neither of them spoke or moved. They didn't even look at each other but instead watched the trees with their unfurling leaves sway lazily in the wind. It was oddly peaceful despite the tension and uncertainty that hung between them.

"I meant what I said." Kade finally spoke. "I won't let him hurt you or take your children. I'm not expecting anything in return. Just...just let me take you somewhere safe. If you want I can you figure out how to get back to your pack or… you can stay."

Thalia blinked in surprise, finally turning to look at the male beside her. She hadn't expected Kade to give her any options and yet here he was offering an olive branch of sorts. It occurred to Thalia then that actually all Kade had done was try to help her. He had found her medical attention, had listened to her story, had stood up for her and now was offering her the chance to go home or find sanctuary with him.

"Where will we go now?" Thalia asked hesitantly, cheeks heating when those silver eyes landed on her.

"It depends." Kade replied. "How do you feel about caravans?"