Chapter 174

The shifters howled as one, but they didn’t pursue their enemies. I bet they were all exhausted. Besides, the vamps still outnumbered them.

“You okay, Pip?” Shade asked me in concern, residual fear flashing in his blue eyes. He thought he’d almost let that vampire girl get me.

I nodded, though my hand shook a little as I slid the dagger back into the sheath.

Sideburns was checking on his wounded soldiers. Five shifters dead, and those who had been badly wounded received attention from their healer. As for anyone else injured, they healed themselves, and they remained in their animal forms to regenerate faster.

In total, seven vampires had been killed. The battle had been brief.

“What did that vampire girl say to you, Pip?” Shade asked carefully after I took a long swig from the bottle of water he handed me.

“She didn’t say anything,” I said defensively. “I thought she was going to attack me, but then she just flew away.”

“And the others all followed her just left like that,” Sideburns added. I hadn’t even noticed that he was suddenly by my side. “And it was all after she saw you. That was strange behavior, even for bloodsuckers.”

I shrugged, my face hard, as I didn’t like what he was insinuating. He regarded me, his expression blank, which was even worse than when he looked at me with suspicion.

“I have no idea how vamps behave,” I said. “I have no idea how shifters act either.”

“They were looking for a girl,” Sideburns drawled.

“Yeah? And you thought I was that girl?” I didn’t hide the sarcasm from my voice. “Then why didn’t you just hand my sorry ass over to them?”

He flashed me a hard look, not liking my language.

“We guarded you. Some of my men died,” he bit back. “Learn to be grateful.”

 I was very sorry that a few shifters had died, but they hadn’t exactly died defending me. Shifters and vampires were natural mortal enemies, and they’d go to war with or without me. This was just the way things were.

However, I was grateful the Alpha Heir hadn’t given me away to the vampire hunters, but I didn’t appreciate that he made out like it was all about me and that I owed him a debt.

“Sure,” I said. “Everything points to me, including the prophecy, just because I got lost in the wilderness.”

“Which was very unusual,” Sideburns said, his eyes pinning me like a hunting eagle’s.

“I’m more trouble than I’m worth then,” I concluded. “Why don’t we part ways from here?”

I straightened my shirt and patted my pants. They wouldn’t be so petty as to ask me to give back the clothes, right?

Shade grabbed me, his hands on my shoulders. He’d shifted back to his normal form, but he still towered over me.

“Pip, you’re a shifter,” he said. “Even though you haven’t learned how to shift. You’re one of us, and you’re our responsibility.”

“I’m not your responsibility,” I countered. “And I can take care of myself super well.”