Chapter 139

Helen POV

“Ezequiel,” I gasped, rushing into the barracks to see him laid out on the floor, his body slumped off the edge of the cot. I found the keys and hurried over to his side, only to push him over onto his back. “No! Dammit, no!”

I leapt out of the cellar and hurried away, my head spinning, my hands covered in blood. I couldn’t get to the bedroom fast enough, stumbling and weeping and angry—so fucking angry.

I finally had the opportunity to tell Justin that I had proof and now it was ruined. Ezequiel looked dead and it wasn’t going to solve anything anytime soon.

I ran right into my mate, throwing myself into his arms as he caught me unexpectantly. He gasped, his hands pulling at my arms, stained in blood. He looked over me for some kind of sign that I was hurt but when I shook my head, my mouth still parted open in shock, he seemed to understand.

He moved past me, ripped open the window and looked down toward Russo and Randy chatting on the village street.

“Go to the barracks and find out what happened right now.”

They both scurried off. I went back to my arms, trying to make sense of everything I saw, every detail. The blade was thick and silver, enough to mimic the killing with a silver bullet for sure. It was plunged into the center of his chest, though it had been near his heart.

He was killed so I wouldn’t get the truth. I knew that much was true. But by who?

Justin came back to my side, tucking my hair behind my ear as I panted for relaxation, for relief and to make sense of what I saw. I tried to verbalize what I saw.

He seemed to know and didn’t ask any questions.

“Go take a shower, mate. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let you go alone. These times are rough for everyone and I didn’t mean to snap at you before. I just can’t lose you anymore than I already have.”

He ushered me towards the bathroom but I felt myself pause, feeling so defeated and confused at the same time. It didn’t make any sense! How could he allow this to happen and not see the oddity of it all?

Was he not suspicious?

He did believe I wanted to kill him before, so that made sense, but to be this gullible should be a crime.

I stopped mid stride, stomping my foot like a petulant pup not getting their way. I shoved his hands from my elbows, seeing us both streaked in blood now.

“I can’t take it anymore. I have to go kill William and the Huntsman and that stupid wizard who made me hurt you! And Juden too! How can we just let all of this happen, Justin?! We have to fix things and fix them now. I can’t do it anymore.”

He shook his head, surprising calm after my outburst toward him. “I know you’re angry, mate. I understand that but we can’t just go out on a killing streak. We just won’t win. They are stronger and they have other help to assist them.”

He found a seat on the bench near the bathtub, flicking the water on like we’re not in the middle of an argument. “We have to be smart.”

“We have to do something now,” I panted. “Right now or we will be lost forever. I have to go after the strongest one first.”

He fought back a growl. “You aren’t going near the Huntsman, mate.”

“Or what?” I snarled. “What will you do to me, Justin? We’re already bad mates. You don’t even believe me anymore! I can’t live a life where you don’t trust me. You are supposed to love and hold and care for me! You can’t do that if you think I stabbed you and if we go after the Huntsman, we will find that stupid wizard Juden used against me.”

He put his face in his palms, every inch of my mate hot pink and biting down on flames. “I can’t let you get hurt. I love you too much, even if I can’t come to terms with what happened that night. I will talk to Randy tonight about finding the Huntsman but I need you to wash off.”

I couldn’t help but see my weak, disheveled appearance in the mirror. My clothes were soiled in dirt and blood, some of it mine, some of it Ezequiel’s. I needed to make sense of what happened, but it wasn’t working.

I did need a break to calm down, clean off, and breathe.

I took everything off and slipped in the tub, falling into a heap on my side. It wasn’t painful, but exhausting, nonetheless. Justin shook his head and pours soap on my shoulder, working to clean me off, but my mind was elsewhere.

I couldn’t stop thinking of Martha.

Of the Huntsman.

Of Juden and his filthy, horrid wizard.

My mate was actually further down on my list of concerns and I couldn’t get past that. When did we become so focused on our issues? He wouldn’t even tell me he loved me that often because it always meant something bad was going to happen.

Every time things were good between us, they got bad again. I looked at him with wide, worried eyes and forced a grin on my lips.

For tonight, I would make an effort to be caring and attentive to his needs, not those of war.

I leaned forward, kissed his lips lightly, and sunk back into the shower water. He grinned but it was tired. I needed answers but I couldn’t forget the main goal of our matehood was love and romance and kindness. He needed a mate, not a war general by his side.

At least, not right now.

We would focus on the fight later. For tonight, we needed one another, and I wasn’t going to stop until I had him again—just like we used to be.