His Moonsilver Mate (Abby and Kade) novel Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Abby

Diana landed badly and nearly took Kade with us.

That was his fault, she informed me.

Across the training room, Knox shook himself and turned to face us again.

Kade’s amusement came through the mind-link.

How was that my fault?

You moved.

That is generally what happens during a fight.

Diana lowered herself onto her front paws, preparing to spring again.

You told me to hit you.

I said try to get past me.

Same thing.

I laughed inside her.

It felt good.

I hadn’t expected that part.

Yesterday, getting out of bed had felt like work. This morning, I had eaten breakfast downstairs, taken a shower, and asked Kade whether he still meant what he’d said about training me.

He had looked at the toast on my plate, then at me.

Apparently one decent breakfast had been enough to earn a very cautious yes.

So we had shifted in the training room, and Kade had spent the last half hour teaching Diana how to use her size instead of trying to meet Knox’s strength head-on.

It was hardly real combat training.

Kade refused to push me that far yet. Mostly, he had Diana circling Knox, changing direction,

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Knox moved aside before she reached him, but this time Diana anticipated it. She changed direction sharply and caught his shoulder with hers. He staggered half a step.

Diana immediately looked pleased with herself.

Better, Kade said.

She lifted her head.

I know.

Knox huffed.

I could feel Kade laughing.

The room was bright with morning light coming through the high windows. The moon was long gone, and without it Diana felt more like herself again-strong and alert, but without that strange rush of power that came after dark.

That was probably why Kade had agreed to this. He wanted to see what she could do when the moon wasn’t helping her.

So far, the answer seemed to be: annoy Knox.

Diana circled him once more.

Then Kade shifted.

川

Knox’s body folded inward, fur giving way to skin until Kade stood several yards away, completely naked and entirely unconcerned about it.

Diana stared.

Kade raised an eyebrow. “Training’s over.”

Why?

“Because Abby has been out here for forty minutes after barely eating for two days.”

Diana looked offended.

She ate.

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“It is also why we’re stopping before either of you decides to prove something stupid.”

Diana grumbled.

Kade started toward the clothes he had left folded on the bench.

I took control long enough to shift back. The change was easier than it had been the first few times although I still landed on my knees on the floor.

Kade glanced over immediately. “You okay?”

“Yes.”

His eyes stayed on my face until I stood.

“I’m fine.”

Once I was steady, he turned away and reached for his clothes while I went behind the changing screen near the entrance.

By the time I came out in leggings and a sweater, Kade had dressed too, sitting on the edge of the bench while he tied his shoes.

“How do you feel?”

“Good.”

He looked up at me. “Actually good?”

“Yes.”

“Dizzy?”

“No.”

“Hurt anywhere?”

I stopped in front of him. “Kade.”

“What?”

“You’re doing it again.”

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12:09 Sat, Oct 31 MO

“You would ask forty if I let you.”

“Probably.”

I smiled and sat beside him.

My muscles were tired, but pleasantly so. Yesterday I had spent most of the day curled beneath a blanket, wishing everything around me would disappear. Today I had shifted, trained with Kade and managed to think about Diana’s strength without immediately thinking about the people who wanted

That felt like progress.

“I liked it,” I said.

“The training?”

I nodded. “So did Diana.”

“I noticed.”

“She thinks she won.”

“She did not.”

Diana immediately stirred.

I did.

I laughed.

Kade glanced at me. “What?”

“She disagrees.”

“Of course she does.”

I leaned into him, and his arm came around me automatically. For a few seconds, I rested against his

chest and listened to his heartbeat.

“You did well,” he said.

The words warmed something inside me.

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“That sounds suspiciously like no.”

“It sounds like exactly what I said.”

I lifted my face toward his and kissed him.

He seemed surprised for half a second before his hand came up behind my neck and he kissed ne

back.

Diana gave a pleased little hum inside me.

I ignored her.

Kade drew me closer, and I had just slid my arms around his neck when his body suddenly went tense. I felt the change before I saw it.

He pulled back slightly, though one hand remained at my waist. His attention shifted somewhere beyond me, his expression becoming distant and focused.

Someone was speaking to him through the mind-link.

“Kade?”

He didn’t answer.

I waited while he listened.

The warmth disappeared from his face.

Diana rose inside me.

Something’s wrong.

I knew.

Kade’s eyes sharpened, then went distant again almost immediately, as if another voice had joined

the first.

“What happened?”

This time he looked at me.

“Ryan has movement at the western border.”

SAY.

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I watched his expression harden. “What?”

He glanced toward the door. “South patrol found movement too.”

“At the satne time?”

“Within a few minutes. They’re pulling us outward,” he said.

The calmness in his voice frightened me more than panic would have.

He crossed to the door and opened it. “Come on.”

I followed him into the hallway.

We had only made it halfway toward his office when he stopped again. This time his expression changed enough to make my stomach drop.

“Kade?”

His gaze stayed unfocused for several seconds. Then he looked at me.

“There’s a third contact.”

“Where?”

“Northeast.”

Three sides of Moonhaven.

“They want everyone at the borders,” I said.

“Yes.” Kade started walking again, faster now. “But they’re not getting everyone.”

By the time we reached his office, Liam was already coming down the opposite hallway.

“What have we got?” Liam asked.

“West, south, and northeast within minutes of each other.”

Liam’s expression tightened. “Diversion.”

“Yes.” Kade opened the office door. “Which means inner patrol stays exactly where it is. Nobody pulls guards from the packhouse, and nobody empties the town because someone rattles the borders.”

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Liam nodded.

Tiernan?”

“Still about two hours out.”

Kade’s mouth tightened. “Then we hold until Ravenwood gets here.”

I stood near the doorway while they worked.

For the first time since the reports started coming in, some of the fear in my chest eased, Kade understood what they were doing and wasn’t emptying Moonhaven to chase them.

Then his expression changed. He went completely still.

I had seen him listening to the mind-link enough times to recognize it, but this time whatever he heard wiped the concentration from his face and replaced it with something colder.

Liam noticed too. “What happened?”

Kade didn’t answer immediately. His hand curled slowly into a fist. When he finally looked at us, his voice was controlled.

“West patrol made contact. Four injured. Carter went down.”

Liam straightened. “How bad?”

“Ryan doesn’t know yet.”

My stomach tightened.

A few seconds later, Kade’s attention shifted again.

“More wounded are coming in.” He looked at Liam. “They’re bringing anyone stable enough to move back to the packhouse. Daphne needs to set up here.”

“I’ll tell Cassie.”

Liam turned toward the door, but Kade caught his arm. “I’m going west.”

Liam didn’t hesitate. “So am I.”

I stared at them. “You said it was a diversion.”

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I frowned.

is hands settled gently on my arms. “They’re actually fighting our patrols now. People are getting

hurt.”

That was when I understood.

He knew they wanted him away from the packhouse. They also knew exactly what kind of Alpha he was. Kade could recognize the trap and still be forced to answer it if his wolves were dying.

“How bad is it?”

“Bad enough that Ryan needs us.” His voice stayed calm, but I could see the tension in his face.

He glanced back at Liam. “Inner security doesn’t move. Ryan keeps command of west until we get there, and nobody pulls another wolf from town unless I order it.”

Liam nodded.

Kade turned back to me. “Stay inside the packhouse. Don’t go anywhere alone.”

“I won’t.”

His eyes held mine. “Promise me.”

“I promise.”

Liam came over and wrapped his arms around me. “I’ll be back.”

I held him tightly. “You better be.”

“You know me.”

“That’s exactly why I’m worried.”

A quiet laugh moved through his chest. He kissed the top of my head before letting me go. “Stay

with Cassie.”