(MIRA)
It had only been a month, but The Iron Root was a disaster. Chairs had been smashed to bits. The inside and outside walls had graffiti. The liquor wall was completely empty.
It broke my heart to see her like this. She'd been my prison. My chance at an identity. My tornt.
Now she was just mine, and she was a ss.
"One of the guards told that there was so rebellion while Shiloh was gone. One or two employees didn't like it when Shiloh killed the manager," Finn said as he walked up behind .
"What did he do anyway?"
"Tried to rape ," I said flatly as I turned around. The frustration in eased a little. It was good to see him. "I'm not well-liked here."
He gave a tight smile. "I gathered that, too. Turns out the happy couple you played in Ashenveil was a lie."
"Did you volunteer to guard , or is this a shit assignnt for the new guy?" If Finn hated now, I wanted to know.
"You and I are more alike than you think, Mira. I volunteered. I hope you don't mind."
He smiled, and I couldn't help but give him one in return. "You want to impress your new pack. Befriending is not the way to go."
"Then maybe this isn't the pack for ," he said simply and looked around. "So what are we doing here?"
Blowing out my breath, I glanced around the restaurant. "Throwing out the spoiled food, checking to see if there's any money left in the safe, taking stock of the broken furniture and appliances. Then we'll see if anyone in the pack is desperate enough to work for , and try to re-open for business."
"Oh? Is that all?"
Snorting with laughter, I made my way through the dining room. "I asked Shiloh if I could see you when we returned, but he said you were in training."
"Hmm. There were challenges. Gauging how strong my wolf was. I endured more fighting than when I was a rogue in a violent territory. When the fight was over, they'd grin, clap on the back, and tell how well I did. Being part of a pack is different as an adult than a child."
"I wouldn't know. You've had more experience than ." Damn it, the kitchen had been pristine when I left. Whoever had vandalized it left half- eaten food on the counter. It reeked.
"I thought you were here for years."
"Yes, but I stayed here. I had a room upstairs. I kind of miss it now."
"You stayed here? Like, only here? Didn't that drive your wolf mad?" Finn asked in disbelief.
"My wolf is a little different from yours." Even now, she curled and stretched inside . Ever since we'd returned with Shiloh, she'd been content. With her mate. She was even asking to run with him.
I hadn't allowed it. For years, I'd protected her. Now, I couldn't convince her that Shiloh was still our enemy.
And she was mad at .
"So you want to get the place open out of vengeance?"
Running my hands on the dusty chopping block, I frowned. "I know how it sounds. I've got mixed feelings about this place as well, but at tis, it has been my sanctuary. My only sanctuary."
"And now you need it to be a sanctuary again, away from Shiloh?"
He was fishing. He already knew that Shiloh and I weren't happily mated, but we were supposed to be changing that perception. For the pack, at least. That ans him as well. I gave him a tight smile. "It's just a good place for to be while we figure everything out."
The back door opened, and I whipped my head around and went rigid. Finn didn't move a muscle, but I could feel the wolf inside him ready himself.
This was who TK wanted running ssages for him? How could he not sense the power in him? Finn could be an alpha one day.
"So how did those challenges go?" I asked dryly. Finn just chuckled softly.
Two females walked in, and Finn relaxed a fraction. I didn't. I only recognized one, and I still wasn't sure how she felt about .
"Rhiannon," I greeted calmly. "And Rhiannon's friend."
Rhiannon looked to be in her thirties, where her friend was younger. Early twenties, maybe.
Pretty with blonde hair and big blue eyes. She was the kind of female easily overlooked.
There was sothing about those eyes that was familiar.
"Amaya," Rhiannon supplied. "She's one of the guards for The Iron Root periter."
Amaya. The wolf who saw Jasper try to rape and actually ran to get help. "I owe you," I told her. I didn't want to owe soone I didn't know.
"You don't," she replied shortly. "I didn't do it for you."
She just hated Jasper . "Works for . We're not exactly open for business."
"We know. We're here to help." Rhiannon cautiously opened the walk-in fridge, sniffed, and wrinkled her nose. "It looks like you need it."
Finn imdiately stepped between us. "You need Shiloh's permission."
Rhiannon raised an eyebrow. Either she didn't know that Finn was assigned as my bodyguard, or she was testing him. "I am your superior."
"As of this morning, I answer only to Shiloh. When it cos to Mira's safety, my decisions trump yours. And Forrest's."
Amaya smirked. "So you're going to be Shiloh's golden boy. You have such a pretty face. I bet that won't last long. Mira, why don't you call your mate and see if he's fine with us helping you before Rhiannon's head explodes. Also, while you're at it, you should ask if you're allowed to order Pretty Boy around, too. Could be fun."
"She's my friend," Finn said simply. "She doesn't need to order around. She can just ask."
Amaya snorted, and I cleared my throat. "I could use so help clearing out the broken furniture in the dining room. Finn and I will work in the kitchen, and Finn can call Shiloh and make sure it's fine." I hated saying the last part. I hated that Shiloh was in charge of .
Out in the front, Rhiannon and Amaya worked quietly. Finn made his phone call from no more than five feet from , his eyes on the whole ti.
If I wanted, I'd hear every word.
Except that I didn't. I didn't want to hear Shiloh making decisions for .
Refuse to let leave. Force to sleep in his bed. I was good enough to pretend to be his lover but not good enough to be his lover.
All the wolves like to talk about how great the mating bond is. Letting their wolves, shifter magic, and fate choose your love. A bond that tethers the two of you together.
Unless you're mated to an egotistical asshole. Then maybe that bond is just a pain in the ass.
When he hung up, I glanced over my shoulder. "If the great and almighty Shiloh says it's okay, you can work in the dining hall with Rhiannon and Amaya."
"Nope. They can stay, but there are exits back here, so I can't very well guard you from out there, can I?"
I sighed. So much for a quiet day at The Iron Root . I just wanted a day away from Shiloh.
Now I had a bodyguard who only took orders from him, his third-in- command, and his guard shadowing .
"You would think the leader of the pack would just let go when his pack wants so badly to kill that he has to assign a bodyguard," I muttered.
"He's protecting you. They'll get to know you. They'll get on board," Finn said as he guided out in the dining room.
Amaya looked up. "You weren't here when Cora stumbled into my sector. She was so bloody and broken that she couldn't even shift property. When she tried to talk, blood poured out of her mouth. I don't even know how she traveled so far. We brought her here, actually. Called Kai to heal her, but this is where I watched my best friend die. Where others watched one of the favorites suffer horribly. She had a hand in that."
It wasn't the first ti soone had accused of that, but she wasn't wrong.
Finn jumped in front of . "She is not responsible for her father's cris."
"But she sent Cora here. Sacrificed her," Rhiannon pointed out. "I heard you tell Kai that."
"And I saved three children," I said coldly as I stepped around Finn. I was done absorbing the bla. "Everyone leaves that part out. I gave her a choice. If you don't want to be around , you're welco to leave."
"I was ordered..." Amaya started.
"No. You weren't," Finn interrupted. "I spoke to Shiloh. You were not ordered. You volunteered. Seeing how much you hate her, I can't help but wonder why."
Amaya opened her mouth again, but Rhiannon turned around and growled. The kitchen door opened, and a stranger walked in.
"Get out," Finn snarled. "Or die."
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