The Salvation Trials ✔️

Chapter Thirty-Five

Ezra

James is still growling when Winnie slams the door shut behind her, shaking the house and rattling the windows. He turns to me with a snarl and bright eyes. "You!", he accuses, pointing a finger at me. "This is all your fault!"

I scoff. "My fault? How is this my fault? I didn't ask for this, James. I didn't ask for any of this!"

"If you would've never come along, we would've been just fine.", he snarls.

I stand and growl at James. "Yeah fucking right. Winnie probably would've been long dead if I hadn't joined you guys."

James lunges for me and I narrowly miss his claws, stepping to the side. He makes a swipe at my face and I lean back while stepping away, bringing up my arms to protect my face and throat. His claws slice into my forearms and I snarl at the pain before falling back on my ass.

The Beta male grins at my vulnerability and makes a motion to hit my stomach with his claws but a roar stops him. Bronze is to his feet now and stands, his dark eye growing even darker and swallowing any light. His shoulders rise and fall with his heavy breathing as he stares James down. "If you kill him, we will die. The stars have deemed it so."

James stops in his tracks and glares Bronze down while pointing a clawed finger at me. "This male is staking a claim on our mate. We have come to terms with each other and the other two but this male just comes out of nowhere and interferes in our business."

"This is not 'our' business, James. All of this is beyond us. It involves more than just us, more than just the Mother Goddesses. If this is the only thing that is going to save Winnie, then I am going to accept this. I may not like it, but we have no other choice James.", Bronze reasons.

His words seem to relax James as his eyes return to their normal color and his claws disappear. He looks at me apologetically. "I apologize, Ezra, for my actions. My wolf is territorial and hard to control when it comes to Winnie. You must understand that I have known Winnie was my mate for years. The signs were always there and my wolf and I believed her to be only ours."

I nod in understanding. "I get it, I really do. It's hard and it's always going to be hard having to share Winnie, but we have to learn how to do it. For her sake and ours."

Extending my hand, James takes it and gives it a firm shake, nodding at me. Bronze stands up and does the same before speaking. "Tonight you and Winnie will mark each other. We set out in the morning.", he says as we hear Winnie stomping up the front steps of the porch.

The scent of blood reaches my nose and I shove past James and Bronze, flinging the door open and scanning Winnie head to toe for any injuries. When I find none, I glance behind her and see eight rabbits on the front porch.

"Have you there talked it out yet or do I need to make another disappearance?", Winnie asks, her tone dripping with annoyance.

Bronze moves past me and hugs Winnie, placing a kiss on the crown of her head. "No, my love. Ezra and you will mark each other tonight. We have come to accept the changes and understand the Goddess is just trying to ensure our survival.", he says.

James is quiet behind Bronze and I but I can sense his nervousness. Winnie looks at him, waiting for him to speak. "I'm sorry.", James finally says. "I'm sorry for being an ass and not realizing that this isn't just about me. Please forgive me."

Winnie stares at James for a moment longer before stepping into the foyer. She beckons James closer and when he gets within touching distance, she pulls herself closer and kisses him. I feel a flash of jealousy before shoving it down as they break apart. Winnie leans her forehead against his. "You are forgiven.", she whispers.

I step out and collect the rabbits before walking a distance away from the cabin with Bronze following. I toss him for rabbits and we get to work skinning and gutting them with our claws, leaving the majority of the meat. We work in silence as we gather what's left and carry it back to the cabin.

When we walk in, Winnie has a fire pit in the wood stove. She carefully skewers each rabbit with a sturdy branch and cooks them to perfection over the fire. We each get two, which we eat in silence before Bronze wipes his hands onto his pants and breaks. "Winnie, Ezra, you two will be alone in the cabin for a few hours. James and I will patrol the area. I expect to come back and find you two marked. If not, may the Goddesses have mercy on us.

"Ain't got nothing to do with the Goddesses.", Winnie grunts as she finishes her last rabbit. "It's fucking Fate."

Bronze brushes her words off and leaves with James following. Winnie stares at me with her dark eyes, her gaze predatory. She smirks before sitting back on the couch. "Would you like to draw this out? Or just get on with it?"

My wolf presses against my skin as I stand. "I'm going to devour you, Little Shadow.", I growl.