Jace by Sarah McCarty Read Free Book Online

the hole. “Pardon me, but if I’m going to get crushed by a pile of rocks, I don’t think it particularly matters where it happens.”
    She wiggled back, dragging rocks with her, squealing as the dirt poured down on her head. He grabbed her feet and hauled her out. “How the hell can you do something so incredibly brave and then squeal like a girl when it gets you dirty?”
    She shoved the dirt out of her eyes. “Probably because I’m a girl.”
    He tugged the jacket he’d given her to wear down over her thighs. “So we can all see.”
    She rolled her eyes.
    “Miri,” Derek called.
    “What?”
    “Come here and care for this female.”
    It galled Jace to no end that Miri stood immediately and headed toward the were. Jace caught her hand. She jerked around, her hair swinging around her face. He motioned to Derek. “We’re going to have to talk about that.”
    “What?”
    “Your instant obedience to Derek.”
    She frowned. “He’s Alpha.”
    “And I’m your mate.”
    She yanked her arm free. “He’s earned my respect.”
    “Let her go, Jace.”
    Jace had no intention of doing anything of the kind. “Stay out of it, Derek.”
    “As an unmated were, Miri’s my responsibility.”
    “We’re mated.”
    “The union wasn’t sanctioned. It’s not recognized.”
    Miri jerked her hand free and headed to Derek’s side. “We don’t have time to waste arguing this.”
    She knelt by the woman Derek held and took her head into her lap. Derek touched the unconscious woman’s cheek, brushing the dirt from the edges of her eyelashes before standing and coming over to grab the rock Jace handed him. He couldn’t keep his eyes off the woman. “If you’re so gone over her now, what in hell you going to do when she wakes up?” Jace asked as the were went to work beside him.
    “Bear it.”
    Jace yanked a hunk of rock free. “You could just marry her.”
    “Were law is very specific on that. Mating is a woman’s choice.”
    “And I’m willing to bet were males have been getting around the specifics of that law since the day after it was made.”
    “Maybe.”
    Jace sighed. “But not you?”
    “No.” He tossed a rock back. “She’s been tricked enough.”
    Jace threw the rock behind him. It bounced off the floor before rolling up against the wall. “One of these days you’re going to realize pack law is made to be broken.”
    Derek looked over at the woman, regret in his eyes. “Maybe.” He turned back, his expression as barren as the cavern behind them. Derek was pack to his bones. What part of his soul that wasn’t claimed by his mate was owned by his pack. Breaking pack law would break him. Surrendering his mate would kill him. Nothing of the bleakness of his choice was reflected in Derek’s tone as he motioned toward the night beyond the opening.
    “The hole’s big enough. Let’s go.”

3
    T HEY were running out of time. Jace grabbed Miri’s shoulders and pulled her, and the unconscious woman tied to her back, out of the hole. Using Miri as a makeshift sled for Kim had seemed the safest way. He steadied Kim, catching her when she slid to the side as Miri stood. Kim was incredibly light and tiny. It didn’t take any effort at all to hold her. With an explosion of energy, Derek surged out of the hole, not even pausing to brush the dust from his clothes before taking Kim from Jace.
    The werewolf studied her with an intensity that was unnerving as he shifted her in his arms. Kim’s head lolled over the crook of his elbow, her long black hair falling straight toward the ground. Derek looked at him. “How much time do I have?”
    Jace didn’t really know. He and his brothers weren’t in the habit of converting humans. “Judging by what happened to Allie, about three hours.”
    “Shit.” Derek swore, glancing at the sky. There were only about two hours until dawn. “Can she stand the sun before she’s converted?”
    Jace caught Miri’s hand, keeping her at his side. “I don’t know,