《The Blessed And The Beast》


 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135


    Twenty-Nine: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    Pure bliss.


    I didn¡¯t care that we had an audience. I didn¡¯t care that Tobias was marking me out of jealousy from


    Cyrus¡¯s closeness. Tobias had told me before he left that he would im me when I got home, and


    whether it was as soon as I crossed the border or if it had been a week from now, it would have


    happened eventually.


    How and when were of no consequence to me. I wanted it.


    Tobias wasn¡¯t a romantic man. He was dominant and possessive, and cing his im on me in front


    of everyone suited him. I wouldn¡¯t have asked for it another way. I loved that his feelings for me were


    so strong that he couldn¡¯t control himself. Oh, Goddess. I wanted to see him lose control. All control.


    I had been dreaming of the day that he let loose and fucked me like a wild beast. That day wasing,


    and when it did, so would I. 1


    My nails dug into his skin as I held him to me, my forehead against his chest, and my eyes closed as I


    felt the bond forming between us. He chose me.


    My body trembled with pleasure from the most intense orgasm I had ever received, and I was ready to


    ditch my newpanion, strip down, and climb on top of my mate.


    The word made my mind spin. Mate. He was my mate. His chosen mate, but still just as important in


    the eyes of his kind and the goddess. Nothing could keep us apart now, and knowing that this meant


    that I could finally have all of him made my clit throb in excitement.


    He had ensured we would be together for the rest of our lives by marking me.


    The man I loved had chosen me to be with for the rest of his life. It felt unreal.


    Hisrge, beastly form held me possessively to him as I came down from my high. The feeling of him


    pressed against me drew out the waves of pleasure pulsing through my body. I was wildly aware of the


    wetness between my legs, sure to have soaked through my panties and possible to have dampened


    my jeans.


    Even in his Lycan form, I was ready to jump him. One day, I would try it.


    My lips parted against the rough skin of his chest, and I could feel him hard against my stomach. I


    couldnt help myself as I pulled back to nce down. My curiosity spurred me on. Everything about him


    in this form wasrger and harder than when he was in his skin.


    His cock was bigger than before, hanging heavily between us. The skin of it was slightly darker and


    matched his Lycan, but the pulsing veins and the drop of pre-cum on the tip made my mouth water.


    I had seen aroused Lycans before, but they usually were fucking a woman in her fur, mming into her


    like a wild animal. I had never seen anyone in their skin be fucked by someone in the Lycan form, but I


    wanted it.


    ¡®You want me to fuck you right here, sweetheart? Just turn around and bend over.¡¯ The words traveled


    through my mind, and I gasped as I tore my eyes away from the delicious monster between us to the


    glowing red of my mate¡¯s eyes. Til make sure everyone knows exactly who this pussy belongs to.¡¯


    He pulled me against him hard, and my head fell back in pleasure when he dipped his and ran his


    tongue over my new mark. It was euphoric, sending heat through my veins and making me whimper,


    wanting more.


    I wasn¡¯t in the right headspace to respond. My only thought was, 768, Tobias did own me just as I


    owned him.¡¯


    ¡®Mh, you smell so good.¡¯ He groaned, his hot breath hitting the side of my neck. ¡®Give me one reason


    why I shouldn¡¯t make this guy watch as I fuck you into the ground before I rip his throat out for touching


    what is mine.¡¯


    My hand slid up his chest, gripping the back of his neck to keep our bodies flush together. His deep,


    raspy growl caused my desire to pool between my thighs even more, ready for him.


    Kill who?


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    I couldn¡¯t picture who he was talking about as his hold around me tightened, and I whimpered with


    desperation.


    ¡®You should.¡¯ I responded, not caring about anything other than finally having my man inside me. He


    could kill anyone he wanted.


    ¡°I am so d you made it!* Aurora¡¯s voice called out, disrupting the moment. It was probably good that


    she did. I had forgotten entirely about Cyrus, and based on the ufortable look on his face, he was


    not enjoying the scene before him. ¡°Why don¡¯t youe with me, and we will get you all settled in?¡±


    Cyrus¡¯s yellow eyes were trained on me, telling me to remember my promise and that I had a job to do.


    He had met Aurora before but was clearly torn between staying with me as the one who had promised


    him protection and going with her to escape what was about to turn into a very public and hard fucking.


    I cleared my throat, stepping back from Tobias. But as soon as I spun around, he pulled me back to his


    chest. I licked my lips, trying not to be distracted by the very hard andrge cock pressing against my


    ass.


    ¡°Cyrus, I¡¯m sure you know Aurora.¡± I greeted, my hand gripping Tobias¡¯s thigh tightly as he dropped his


    mouth to my neck again, licking at my mark and causing me to push my hips back against him


    instinctively. I cleared my throat. ¡°This is Tobias, my mate. Tobias, this is Cyrus, my cousin. He is going


    to be staying with us for a while.¡± 1


    The lie rolled off my tongue, but I wanted everyone within earshot to hear it. It would exin why a


    random man was around, and I hoped the rtionship would exin how powerful he felt. Male


    witches, or spell casters as he preferred to call himself, had never existed before. At least, I had never


    come across one, nor had I read about them. They had always been female, just as Lycans had only


    ever been males. 1


    Tobias knew I was lying about having a blood rtion to Cyrus. He wouldn¡¯t be baring his teeth at the


    spell caster as thenky man inched back toward me if he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you settled in,¡± I offered, gesturing for him to walk into the castle. Killian and Natalie stood by


    the front door, and Cyrus dipped into a low bow as he greeted them. They were smiling widely but


    didn¡¯t seem to care about the visitor. Their eyes were on me, and Killian dipped his head toward Tobias


    and me with a look of pride on his face.


    If I didn¡¯t have a hulking Lycan with a raging hard-on pressed against my back with every step I took, I


    probably would have stopped to make a more formal introduction between Cyrus and the king and


    queen. Aurora jumped in, handling that for me.


    ¡®TH show him around and take him to one of the guest rooms,¡± Aurora said, giving me a knowing look


    before ncing at Tobias over my shoulder.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, feeling the low grumble of demand vibrating from Tobias¡¯s chest. The sensation of


    his warm body around me had me ready to cum for him again, and if we didn¡¯t get home soon, I would


    do as he requested and bend over for him.


    I looked to Cyrus, who nodded at me, assuring me he wasfortable with that n and more than


    likely just wanted to get away from the horny and dangerous Lycan behind me.


    It had taken me a day to convince Cyrus that he would be safe in the castle. I knew Aurora and Natalie


    would protect him. As long as he was here and people assumed he was my rtive, they wouldn¡¯t dare


    to fuck with him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll set up a ward and see you in a few hours for dinner.¡± I offered. Cyrus nodded, his shoulders rxed


    as he began looking around. He knew the rules. I wanted him to stay in the castle at all times until we


    could figure out a better n.


    Tobias growled lowly, his voiceing through our mate bond and making me shiver from the promise


    of what woulde. ¡®Longer.¡¯


    ¡°Breakfast,¡± I corrected. ¡°I¡¯ll see you for breakfast tomorrow. You¡¯ll be fine for the night.¡±


    Myst statement sounded like a question, and Cyrus rolled his eyes before getting distracted as Rona


    stepped out of the castle with her usual look of disgust. His eyes practically popped out of his head


    when she spotted him and smirked.


    ¡°Do you remember when I said this will only work if we are a team? I will do everything I can for you,


    and in return, you need to make sure you don¡¯t make this hard for me by making bad decisions.¡± I


    asked, watching as his eyes flickered from Rona to me several times before he managed to pull his


    gaze away and settle on me.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°That, right there, is a bad decision.¡± My chin dropped as I stared at him unamused. His cheeks flushed


    pink, and he lifted one malnourished and bony hand to rub the back of his neck.


    ¡°Right, got it,¡± Cyrus mumbled like a disappointed child who was told he wouldn¡¯t get any toys for


    Christmas.


    I stared at him a moment longer before Aurora came over and ushered him away and into the castle.


    Cyrus kept his eyes down as he passed the wicked witch.


    Once he was inside, I teleported in front of one of the guestrooms by my tower, Tobiasing with me


    as he kept his hands on my hips and his nose against my neck.


    My body felt cold when he backed away to let me work. Aurora would know which room I wanted her to


    put Cyrus in when she felt my magic.


    Tobias stepped back, leaning against the wall behind me as he watched me cast a protection spell over


    the room. I knew Cyrus would do the same once he got here, but at least this way, I would also know if


    someone was trying to get in, to get to him.


    ¡®What took you so long toe home?¡¯ Tobias asked through our mate bond as I lowered my hands,


    finishing my spell. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I felt his eyes roaming over my body.


    Whether he was inspecting me for injuries or he was admiring his newly marked mate, I felt my body


    heat up.


    ¡°I came as quickly as I could,¡± I replied aloud, watching him smirk in his Lycan form. He looked equally


    terrifying and attractive at the same time.


    ¡®No, you didn¡¯t, my mate. But you will. I am going to make you cum until you ck out.¡¯ His promise


    had my thighs pressing together, and excitement filled my gut as butterflies swarmed my insides.


    ¡°Promises promises.¡± I dismissed, walking backward down the hallway as he pushed himself off the


    wall and slowly stalked toward me.


    ¡®There are a lot of promises I¡¯m about to make good on, sweetheart.¡¯ His erect cock was proudly on


    disy as I bounced on the balls of my feet. I was prepared to run, debating having him to chase me.


    Instead, I bound forward, wrapping my legs around his waist as I teleported us back to his house.


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on it.¡±

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136


    Thirty: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    Tobias seemed stunned as we appeared in his bedroom, but I didn¡¯t want to go to my tower. It didn¡¯t


    feel right to have this moment in the castle surrounded by untrustworthy people and constant


    interruptions.


    His hard length was pressed firmly between my legs, and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from grinding against


    his cock, eliciting a deep, almost feral groan from him.


    Everything was magnified. I could hear my heart pounding, the breath leaving both of our lungs, and


    even the air conditioning kicking on. But I could also feel the dried sweat and goo on my body from the


    journey. If I looked down, I would see the remanence of green moss from my fight with the oreads. I


    would also have dried blood on my thigh from my battle with hunters on the way back down the


    mountain.


    ¡°I need a shower,¡± I whispered, loosening my legs from around him and dropping to the floor with a


    deep moan of pleasure as he held me to him, his cock sliding against me once more until my feet hit


    the ground.


    Tobias reluctantly let me go as I stepped back, but his burning gaze watched my every move. It was


    invigorating. His chest rose and fell deeply as he took in long pulls of air through his nose. He could


    smell it. My desire.


    My lips curled up on one side as I basked in his enjoyment of my scent. It was empowering. But it also


    meant that he could smell everything else on my body from the past three days, which disturbed me.


    I bit my lip, tilting my head to the side as Tobias shifted back to his skin before me. The man could put


    any one of the gods to shame. His broad shoulders were tight and coiled as he stood stiff with his


    hands in fists at his side.


    My eyes traveled down his torso, over his defined abs, stopping only momentarily on his cock. Even in


    his skin, he was still guaranteed to satisfy. I licked my lips, wondering if tonight was finally the night I


    would taste him.


    His thick thighs were mouthwatering, and I was excited to see how powerful they were.


    ¡°Would you care to join me?¡± I asked, forcing my eyes away but smiling when I entered the bathroom


    and watched him staring after me in the mirror. He moved forward while I turned on the water to warm it


    up. When I turned, he was standing with both forearms on the door frame on either side of his head, his


    eyes locked on my hands as I slowly pulled my shirt up and over my head.


    I knew my body was bruised and cut. Healers could have handled it, but I didn¡¯t have the time or the


    patience to deal with them.


    ¡°Were you jealous, Tobias?¡± I asked, dropping the fabric of my shirt to the floor and popping open the


    button of my jeans. ¡°Do you think I want anyone other than you to touch me, hold me, kiss me¡­or taste


    me?¡±


    He let out a low growl as I dropped my pants and underwear, standingpletely naked before him.


    There was a moment of pause between us before I turned my back to him and entered the shower,


    enjoying the feeling of the warm spray of water washing away the past few days. I nced over my


    shoulder and heard his fingers tap against the door frame impatiently while I quickly washed my hair


    before running the soap bar over my body.


    I knew he wanted to join and had no problem with how dirty I was or how I smelled. Yet, he waited. He


    respected me enough to give me a moment to clean myself before joining me.


    When he saw me ce the bar of soap back down, he raised his eyebrows at me, eagerly awaiting my


    confirmation that I was ready for him to join.


    I jerked my head, gesturing him to join me, and the door to the shower opened a blinkter with my


    giant, naked mate stepping in. Tobias¡¯s hands immediately found my hips, pulling me close as he


    shoved his head into the crook of my neck.


    ¡°No,¡± He growled. ¡°I wasn¡¯t jealous, sweetheart. Possessive and jealous are two different things.¡±


    He dragged his lips up my skin to my ear, gently biting my earlobe before growling, ¡°You are mine. You


    have always been mine. You will always be mine. I don¡¯t like people touching what is mine.¡±


    The goosebumps along my skin grew more prominent each time the word ¡® mine¡¯ left his lips.


    His warm body pressed up against me and caused my eyes to close and my head to fall back. The


    anticipation of this moment had weighed on me for years, and I wanted to enjoy every second of it.


    ¡°You sure seemed to like watching me get fucked in the past.¡± The words slipped past my lip


    intentionally, wanting to pull out his wild side. Yet the memories of all the times I would hold his gaze


    while I came for him made me grow wet.


    ¡°That was before we were ready to be us.¡± His hand slid from my hip to the needy area between


    my legs. I could feel my desire growing thicker, my pussy slick and ready for him. My clit throbbed with


    need as his fingers expertly slid between my lips. He dipped them in my wetness before pulling them


    up to my clit, rubbing it in slow, torturous circles. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll be the only one making you cum.¡±


    I let out a breathy sigh as my hands gripped his shoulders tightly.


    ¡°I fucking adore seeing my mark on you,¡± Tobias said before capturing my mouth with his. The way his


    tongue dipped into my mouth had me pressing my hips more firmly against his hand, desperate for


    more.


    I slipped my hand down his abs until I could wrap my fingers around his cock, pumping him in time with


    the movements on my clit. His mouth muffled my moan when he pushed two fingers inside of me, using


    his palm to continue rubbing me just right.


    ¡°Do you like my mark on you?¡± He asked, pulling back just far enough to keep his forehead against


    mine.


    My hand tightened around him in response, and I nodded breathlessly. ¡°Ah, ¡± I moaned. ¡°Yes! Yes, I


    love your mark on me!¡±


    He growled in approval. ¡°You¡¯re going to love my cock inside you even more.¡±


    His hand gripped my ass tightly, his other continuing to thrust into me, each one harder than thest.


    My legs were spread, wanting him deeper, and he lifted me quickly. The cold tile sent a shiver down my


    spine, but I was still burning up from the want pumping through my veins.


    Tobias moved his hand, pulling his fingers out of me and bringing them to my mouth as I guided his


    length to my entrance. I met his hooded stare as he dragged them over my lips, my tongue darting out


    to lick the digits.


    I expected him to ce his fingers on my tongue, to have me suck my wetness from his hand, but


    instead, he quickly pressed his lips to mine. Tobias groaned as he kissed, licked, and nibbled my lips,


    tasting me on his tongue.


    ¡°Please,¡± I whispered, pushing down on his cock and taking him in me bare. ¡°Ah.¡±


    The sigh of pleasure was joined by his groan as his fingers dug into my ass. It was the first time he had


    been inside me after years of dreaming about him, and it was better than I ever could have imagined.


    Tobias allowed me to control the speed but seemed surprised when I let out a breath before pushing


    myself down on him, taking all of him in me. He wasrger than anyone I had ever taken before, and I


    enjoyed the slight difort of my walls stretching to fit around him.


    Using my legs around him as leverage, I began to grind on him. I whined as he stopped me, grabbing


    my wrists with one hand and pinning my arms above my head.


    ¡°Tell me what you want, sweetheart,¡± Tobias growled, dipping his head to take my nipple in his mouth


    as his cock pulsed inside me.


    ¡°Fuck me, Tobias! I want you so deep inside me that I can¡¯t breathe.¡± I said, opening my eyes to see


    pure desire on his face as I wiggled my hips. I would y his game for now. I loved when he took


    control.


    His eyes closed at my words, and his jaw was tight as if in pain. Tobias pulled out until only his tip


    remained inside me before mming back in as deep as he could, his eyes opening and holding mine


    as I cried out loudly.¡± Yes!¡±


    For each thrust, my back pressed into the shower wall harder, and the sound of him slipping in and out


    of my wetness had me gasping and moaning for more.


    My walls clenched around him as I pulled my hands to escape his hold, but he only held on tighter. My


    orgasm rocked through me as I cried out his name, gripping his cock tightly.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± He pulled out, cumming on my pussy before sliding his length back between my lips but not


    going in me. My clit throbbed and pulsed with pleasure as he slowly brought down my wrists, kissing


    them before letting them rest on his chest.


    I wanted him back in me. I needed it.


    ¡°Again,¡± I demanded, tightening my legs around him as heughed a deep, husky noise that had my


    wetness dripping from me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mate.¡± He chuckled, and I wished he had been inside me to feel my pussy clench at the


    word. Mate. ¡°For every time I cum tonight, you will cum twice.¡±


    His promise was exhrating, and I wanted to sigh in relief but gasped instead as he turned the shower


    head to me and began to wash away his cum. The water had started to cool, and he shut it off before


    reaching out and grabbing a towel.


    He rubbed me down, drying every inch of my body before doing the same to himself with the damp


    towel. His cock was still hard, and I licked my lips as I stared at it. But he had other ns.


    Tobias dropped the towel, grabbing me in his arms before carrying me to the bedroom. I bounced once


    as he tossed me onto the bed, spreading my legs in invitation as he stood staring at me at the foot of


    the bed.


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    His ck eyes followed my hand as I grabbed my breast, pinching my nipple between my fingers


    before sliding my other one over my hip and between my legs. I could feel my wetness dripping over


    my ass and onto his sheets, but I wasn¡¯t ashamed. I fucking loved it. I loved that his sheets would smell


    like me.


    ¡°You¡¯re mine now,¡± Tobias said, his deep voice making goosebumps rise along my skin. There was


    disbelief there that I refused to believe was anything other than happiness. If he regretted his decision,


    there was no way for him to go back on it now. I could only prove to him that I would do everything I


    could to make him happy and keep him satisfied.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I whispered as he crawled up the bed, kissing up my legs before he forcefully took my hand


    away from my clit.


    ¡°This is mine.¡± He repeated before licking up my slit to focus on my clit. I rocked my hips against his


    face, grinding on his mouth as he sucked on the bundle of nerves between my legs. My back arched off


    the bed as I moaned, my fingerscing through his dark brown hair.


    ¡°Yes. Yours.¡±

 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137


    Thirty-One: Tobias


    Tobias P.O.V.


    Her breathing was soft and slow as she slept beside me, curled up on her side, holding my arm around


    her. She would stir each time I tried to pull away, gripping my arm and pulling me to her. I didn¡¯t want to


    let her go, ever.


    I couldn¡¯t get enough of her. Every touch and taste had me eager for more. My obsession had only


    been fed byst night. The feeling of her cumming around my cock and the way she would moan out


    my name as she came undone made me want her more.


    But as I held her to me, I was terrified.


    I wasn¡¯t ever going to let her go. No. She was stuck with me. If she ran, I would chase her. I would


    follow her to the ends of the Earth.


    But that was what scared me. I had marked her.


    I had taken away her choice without even asking her what she wanted. I had told her that I would im


    her when she got home, but I had never asked her if it was what she wanted. The smile she gave me


    last night had eased my fears for the time being, but now I wasn¡¯t prepared for the possibility of her


    regretting it as the sun rose.


    One night of her wasn¡¯t enough. I wanted to sink into her every chance I could.


    Joselin let out a soft sigh, pressing my hand against her breast harder before finally releasing me and


    rolling onto her stomach, pulling one knee up with her arms under the pillow beneath her head.


    I bit back my groan at seeing her naked body stretched out before me. I knew exactly what she was


    dreaming about by the smell of her desire. I knew she would be wet and ready for me as she let out


    another soft moan.


    Goddess. It was like she was begging me to fuck her, even in her sleep. It seemed one night wasn¡¯t


    enough for her either.


    The sun had just started to rise, but she hadn¡¯t been asleep long either. I knew she would need to deal


    with that scrawny fuck in the castle eventually. Although the thought of tying her to my bed and keeping


    her here for the next few weeks sounded incredible.


    Killian could take care of Cyrus. He was the one who sent Joselin after the guy. He could protect him


    for the time being while I enjoyed my new mate.


    But I knew the honeymoon phase was going to be shortsting. We both had jobs to do, even though I


    wanted to keep her in my bed forever. I would just have to take advantage of our time together. I grew


    hard as I imagined all the ces I could take her in the castle. The dark corners, unused rooms,


    garden¡­


    The possibilities were endless.


    I watched as she wiggled her hips, the breeze from the ceiling fan hitting her bare skin as I pulled the


    nket down slowly. My eyes followed, trailing over her back down to her perky ass that was begging


    me to give it some attention.


    Goosebumps rose along her skin. Her skin¡¯s ck knots and runes were calm as she slept but moved


    slightly as I ran my fingertips over them, brushing her long white hair to the side before moving down


    her spine and over her ass. Goddess, how I loved that ass.


    Joselin moaned as I went further, letting my finger dip between her legs. With one leg straight and the


    knee bent, getting to my favorite ce was easy. She was wet and slick. I stroked my finger around her


    entrance, sliding over her clit so softly that she didn¡¯t wake but still released soft sighs and moans of


    pleasure in her sleep.


    That¡¯s it, sweetheart. Wake up.


    Even unconscious, she enjoyed me. I felt sparks whenever we touched, and I hoped she felt the same.


    This mate bond would be something that I would enjoy exploring.


    Slowly, I pressed my finger inside her, admiring how her hips pushed back to take my finger deeper.


    The curve of her spine was beautiful as she arched so slightly.


    Wake up.


    ¡°Mh,¡± She moaned, her body moving as she adjusted. Her walls tightened around my digit as I held


    still. I wanted her to wake up, but it was fucking sexy watching her take my finger in her sleep. ¡°Tobias.¡±


    The breathy moan from her perfect lips made my head drop back and my eyes close as I held onto


    what little control I had left.


    When she began to rock her hips, pressing them into the mattress gently, I resumed my finger¡¯s slow


    and long thrusts into her as deeply as possible before pulling back out to the first knuckles. The


    repeated movement had her growing wetter with every thrust, and my eyes stayed locked on the side


    of her face.


    Her lips were parted, and her eyes were closed. But the sounds she made sent all of the blood down to


    my cock.


    I could feel her stirring in our mate bond, the pleasure growing as she came to. My finger curled inside


    her, rubbing her walls as I kept my knuckle against her entrance.


    ¡°Mh,¡¯ She moaned, pushing her hips back.


    The sight and feeling of her waking up, and enjoying my hand, made me smile. Dirty girl.


    I leaned forward, pressing my lips to the soft flesh between her shoulder des. The sweet taste of her


    skin and the very subtle saltiness from the sweat we worked upst night were intoxicating.


    ¡°Good Morning, sweetheart,¡± I whispered gruffly, taking my finger out slowly before running the wet digit


    over the swollen nub between her legs.


    I would need to be gentle today. Things had gotten pretty aggressivest night. Once I knew what it felt


    like to be inside her, I couldn¡¯t stop. I had fucked her so hard and long that herst orgasm brought


    tears to her eyes. Yet, she begged for more.


    After seeing that, I insisted she get some sleep. But I wanted more too. My goal had been to fuck her


    until she cked out from the intensity of her orgasms, but I had never anticipated the kind of stamina


    she had. Each time her body trembled, and her eyes closed, she would force them back open. She


    would roll us over in a fight for control before sinking back down on me, insisting she wasn¡¯t done with


    me.


    I wasn¡¯t done with her either. We had a lot of time to make up for.


    Her eyes fluttered open, gasping when I dipped my finger back into her before returning to her clit.


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    ¡°Tell me, sweetheart. Those dreams you were having. The ones that made you so wet and that caused


    the sweetest moans to leave your perfect lips. What were they?¡± My tongue ran up her spine between


    her shoulder des until I was growling my questions against the back of her neck. ¡°Did you not get


    enoughst night? Did you like waking up to my hand between your legs, or would you have preferred


    it be my cock?¡±


    I sucked lightly on the skin there before nipping her earlobe. ¡°Or maybe my tongue?¡±


    She whined as I pulled my hand away, covered in her juices, before guiding my tip to her entrance. My


    chest pressed against her back, but I used one arm to hold my weight off her when I sank deep inside


    her pussy.


    She lifted her knee high on the bed, still stomach down, and I moved to ce my knees between her


    open legs. She trembled as I gripped her thigh and thrust into her once. ¡°Why don¡¯t we try all options,


    and I¡¯ll let you know which one I like best?¡±


    Her breathy retort made meugh.


    ¡°Mh, I can live with that. Today was my fingers.¡± I pulled almost all the way out before sliding my length


    back in her slowly until our bodies were pressed together tightly. My hand slid over her thigh to her hip,


    moving beneath her to find her clit under her.


    Joselin gasped, seeming unsure if she wanted to match my thrusts or press her hips forward into my


    hand.


    ¡°You love fucking my hand, don¡¯t you?¡± I growled, pressing the pads of my fingers harder against the


    bundle of nerves between her legs. ¡°Tomorrow, you¡¯ll wake up to me fucking you with my tongue until


    you cum all over it.¡±


    I ced an open-mouthed kiss on her shoulder, enjoying the shudder that rolled through her body.


    My hips continued their pace with long strokes that hit deep inside her. Her round ass pressed against


    me so perfectly with each thrust that I knew one day I would have her on her knees while I spanked it. I


    felt myself grow harder as I pictured her ass cheek red with my handprint.


    ¡°The morning after,¡± I growled as her panting grew louder. ¡°It¡¯ll be my cock you¡¯ll wake up to. I¡¯ll have it


    so deep inside you that you¡¯ll feel me there for the rest of the day.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Her cries made my calm and steady thrusts go faster and harder, my control snapping, and her


    ass bouncing against me with each movement.


    ¡°After that, sweetheart, I have all kinds of toys I want to y with. I will show you so much pleasure that


    I¡¯ll ruin you or anyone else because you are mine. All. Fucking. Mine.¡± With each word of my


    deration, I mmed into her harder, my fingers moving faster against her clit.


    ¡°Yours!¡±


    The word set me off, and all thoughts of fucking her nice and slow vanished. Our bodies pped


    together loudly, and the bed frame crashed against the wall until she gripped my cock so tightly that I


    couldn¡¯t pull out even if I wanted to.


    ¡°Cum for me!¡± My demand was met with her muscles trembling. ¡°Fuck,¡± I growled as her moans


    became more high-pitched, and she came around me.


    I pushed inside her a few more times. My jaw clenched as I tried not to finish just yet. I wanted her to


    enjoy every second of her orgasm before I pulled out and came on her ass. Her hips were still barely


    thrusting against my hand on her clit, and I slowed the movements before my fingers went still.


    Joselin lifted her hips as I pulled my hand out from under her, unable to help myself as I lifted them to


    my lips and licked her wetness from them. So fucking sweet.


    She rolled over, and I couldn¡¯t help but let my gaze travel over her breasts beforending on her


    smiling face. ¡°I think this was my favorite morning so far.¡± She raised an eyebrow at me in a challenge.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what you¡¯ll do tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Every morning.¡± I rified, almost feeling like a pouting child. ¡°I want you in my bed every morning,


    every night, and if I can¡¯t have you in my bed during the day, I¡¯ll just have to be creative in where and


    how I take you.¡±


    ¡°Every morning?¡± Her face was bright with excitement as I rubbed small circles on her hips.


    I nodded once, ¡°Every fucking one. I want to wake up to the woman I love every day for the rest of my


    life.¡±

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138


    Thirty-Two: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    The morning air was warmer than I would have liked, and I regretted leaving the house as soon as we


    stepped outside. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have a choice.


    It wasn¡¯t just because I had work to do, a panicked spell caster to take care of, and an unknown witch


    draining the life and magic out of others to deal with. It was also because Tobias pulled me out of the


    house like his tail was on fire.


    As soon as the L word left his mouth, my heart felt like it had lodged itself inside my throat, desperate


    to get to him. I couldn¡¯t help but stare at Tobias, basking in the happiness that came with him saying


    that one little word.


    Love.


    Apparently, I had waited too long to respond in my stunned excitement because he let out a loud, deep


    laugh, throwing his head back before climbing off the bed and striding confidently to the closet. I could


    hear him grabbing his clothes before he threw a shirt and shorts at me.


    Theynded on the bed, but I was too giddy to even think about putting them on.


    Tobias enjoyed seeing my reaction and seemed so sure of himself, so sure of us, that I couldn¡¯t help


    but jump out of the bed butt naked and race to the open closet door.


    ¡°You love me?¡¯ My question was redundant. He had just told me he did, but I needed to hear it again. I


    had been waiting years for this moment. Tobias had marked me, entwining our souls for the rest of our


    lives, so I knew he loved me. He had just never said it, just as I had never told him how I felt. Tobias


    finished pulling his shirt over his head, hiding his delicious broad chest and sculpted abs that had my


    mouth watering. The one raised eyebrow he sent me with a sinful smirk made me want to tear his


    clothes right back off and ride him on the closet floor.


    We had a lot of rooms and positions we still needed to explore each other in.


    The silent message from his expression was almost as loud as if he had spoken it. He thought the


    question was ridiculous. To be fair, it was.


    ¡°You need to ask?¡± He questioned as his eyes dropped to roam my body beforending on his mark on


    my neck.


    I shook my head, biting my lip as I tried to bite back the giddy smile that stretched across my face. ¡°No,


    I love you too. Always have. But say it again, n


    He chuckled darkly before responding, ¡®I love you.¡± Tobias took in a deep breath, his nostril ring.


    ¡°You¡¯re turned on again. Have I not sated you, sweetheart?¡±


    The sound of hisugh was deep and seductive. I subtly widened my stance an inch, hoping the


    wetness the sound caused to form between my legs would entice him back to the bed.


    It didn¡¯t work. He shoved me into his clothes and out the front door with the promise of, ¡°Let¡¯s get this


    over with quickly, so I can drag you back here and fuck you until you lose your voice from screaming


    my name.¡±


    My hand was trapped in his, and as quickly as he moved through the city, I was pulled along. His eyes


    were ck as he looked over his shoulder, but it wasn¡¯t the same dull color that would signal someone


    using the pack link on him.


    This was just his beast present.


    I was grateful that I had been initiated into the pack when I became the Royal Advisor. I never could


    use the pack link. It had never been possible since I wasn¡¯t a wolf. But now I had a direct connection to


    my man, my mate. Being able to talk to him was a pleasant surprise, and I was excited to see just how


    much he could sense, hear and feel from me through the bond.


    I could have some real fun with that.


    Tobias seemed unfazed as I focused on how turned on I was and tried to send him that desire through


    our bond.


    It was constantly there. My need for him would never fade. If anything,st night and this morning only


    intensified it.


    Even though he refused to let me shower, insisting that he wanted me to smell like him, I did my best to


    clean myself up in the bathroom. That didn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t grow wet again immediately after I left the


    room and saw him waiting for me.


    Tobias wanted everyone to know that I had been imed, and knowing they could smell him on and in


    me was hot as hell. I think it was why he wanted to walk back to the castle instead of me teleporting us


    there. He wanted everyone we passed to know that he had chosen his mate and that I was off-limits.


    I tried again, picturing how it felt when he held my arms above my head in the shower while he


    mmed into me.


    His hold on my hand tightened, but he kept silent as he continued toward the castle.


    The closer we got to it, the faster Tobias walked until we were barreling down the hallway and into one


    of the sitting rooms. He pulled me before him, his hands on my hips while he pressed his hard-on


    against my ass, growling lowly against my ear.


    I knew I was about to get what I wanted, or at least I would have if we were alone.


    My eyes grew wide as I spotted the two forms on the couch. The spell caster sat with a horrified look


    on his face as he met my re, but the redhead licking up Cryus¡¯s neck just smiled.


    ¡°Looks like ytime is over. We will finish thister.¡± Rona purred, nipping his earlobe as I tried to


    suppress my anger and resisted the urge to set her on fire. I was so sick of her games, but I either


    needed proof of the crimes shemitted, or I needed her to challenge me. Only then would it be


    eptable for me to slit her throat.


    My hands were in fists, and I kept my re on Cyrus as the she-devil walked by. As soon as she left


    the room, I felt my anger take control. ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you? Did you not hear a word I said


    last night?¡±


    I heard Tobias close the door behind me, and as much as that action would have excited me only


    moments ago when I thought we would be alone, I was furious.


    ¡°She was just trying to get some information out of me. She didn¡¯t believe the story that we¡¯re rted.¡±


    He shrugged, his cheeks and ears a bright pink as he scratched the back of his neck. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell her


    anything.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even be in the same room as her, let alone touching her!¡± My voice carried through the


    room, and the firece crackled loudly as if fueled by my anger.


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. I¡¯m not trying to get myself killed anytime soon by telling everyone my secret. She


    wanted to seduce me to get me to talk, and I didn¡¯t mind the attention. That¡¯s all there was to it. I let her


    do what she wanted to me, and in return, I only told her that you and I were cousins.¡± Cyrus stood up,


    stepping toward me as he tried to get me to see his way, but he stopped when Tobias growled


    threateningly.


    It could work out in my favor to have a personal hellhound to fight my battles with me during the day. It


    only made it better that the same man would dominate me at night.


    ¡°If anyone is going to kill you, it would be her! She has a history of draining magic from others and


    killing them. You wouldn¡¯t be her first victim and probably won¡¯t be herst.¡± I pinched the bridge of my


    nose. ¡°Look, we agreed that I would offer you additional protection. But that doesn¡¯t mean I will be your


    bodyguard, following you around to save your ass when you go out of your way to do stupid shit!


    Especially when I¡¯ve already warned you against it.¡±


    Our agreement had been simple. At first, Cyrus had demanded me because he wanted me to offer him


    my protection, guaranteeing that nothing terrible would ever happen to him. I declined.


    In response, I allowed him to move into the castle for the time being, surrounded by a handful of


    trustworthy witches and hundreds of Lycans who could offer him security. He needed to do his part. He


    wasn¡¯t out of the figurative woods just because I dragged his ass out of the literal ones.


    ¡°Got it, sorry.¡± He raised his hands in surrender, and I took a deep breath to release my anger. ¡°So,


    breakfast, and then we can discuss the n after.¡±


    I nodded, knowing that he would probably hate the n I had in mind. He also might try to kill me for it,


    but he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.


    ¡°You can kill him now if you want,¡± I muttered to Tobias as I turned to leave the room. He just nced


    down at me with a smirk that looked too damn good on him, and I heard Cyrus make a choking noise of


    surprise before I corrected myself. ¡°Maybe just scare him a little.¡±


    ¡°I said I was sorry!¡± He yelled at my back as I walked away, my mate staying at my side, his hand


    burning into my lower back.


    Tobias didn¡¯t even spare a breath in Cyrus¡¯s direction, and I found that amusing.


    Breakfast was uneventful beyond Rona trying to not-so-subtly flirt with Cyrus from her seat at the head


    table. Every time he saw it, his face would turn red, and he would look away. Holden seemed to like


    him just fine, and the two seemed to get along very well.


    Tobias¡¯s hand never left my thigh, but I could feel how ufortable he was sitting at the head table


    with me and being served our tes instead of eating with the pack.


    Holden and Cyrus followed us back to my tower, the two menughing and talking animatedly. It wasn¡¯t


    until I locked the door behind us that I put my part of the n in ce.


    Tobias was even unaware of what I was doing, but he stood between me and the other two men at just


    the right angle so that I could grab what I needed without them seeing.


    The dagger¡¯s de sat against my forearm as I approached Cyrus, and he smiled at me. ¡®So, what¡¯s


    the n?¡±


    ¡°This is,¡± I responded, shing the de across his arm and quickly catching the blood in a vial with


    my other hand. Cyrus grunted and ripped his arm from my hold, but it was toote. I had what I


    needed.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡¯ Holden snapped, seeming disgusted by my decision, but I ignored him. This was for


    the greater good.


    ¡°Now I can track you if you are taken and tap into you if anyone were ever to control you,¡¯ I said, putting


    a cork in the top of the vial as I walked back to the table.


    ¡°You mean, now you can be the one to control me!¡¯ He snapped, ring at me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what the word trust means, do you?¡± I smiled as I watched Tobias sit in the armchair in


    the corner of the room, the same ce where I had given him a strip tease and rubbed myself all over


    him. His heated gaze met mine, and I knew he remembered the same thing.


    I cleared my throat and looked back to Cyrus. ¡°This is so I can keep tabs on you. Not so I can control


    you. I¡¯m not going to do anything with it.¡±


    Not yet, anyway.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Cyrus was as unfamiliar to me as I was to him. Having his blood would guarantee that he had to y


    nice too. Trust went both ways, but he was the one who asked for my protection and help, not the other


    way around. He needed to trust me.


    I didn¡¯t need to trust him. I needed to be cautious.

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139


    Thirty-Three: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    My arms were crossed over my chest, my fingers tapping against my bicep as I debated my next move.


    Cyrus had been good for the past few days, and after I spent another frustrating week trying to tap into


    Rona¡¯s blood, I couldn¡¯t help myself. The vial of his blood had been calling out to me, tempting me.


    He wouldn¡¯t notice a single drop gone, and it¡¯s not like he would feel me messing with it. Rona had only


    known I stole her blood because of our fight. She had figured me out.


    She wasn¡¯t as stupid as I had hoped, and I had to give her credit. It was just too bad for her that she


    thought I was stupid too and only had that small sample of her blood in the bowl she stole from me.


    Cyrus already knew I had his blood.


    It dropped to the bowl with a small ssh. When the light hit it, I immediately held the entire vial up to


    my face, wanting a closer look. The unique pattern of ck lines in the liquid differed from any other


    magical creature that had ever bled for me.


    It was unique and intriguing, yet familiar. I had only seen it once before¡­ in my blood. I knew we


    weren¡¯t rted, at least not closely. But it gave me some insight into his power level. He was strong.


    I thanked my mother¡¯s inability to hold me in for my powers. She told me the story and showed me her


    pregnancy pictures. The images stopped the day she had me. Why would she want to document the


    proof that she had built and pushed a witch from her human uterus?


    No, she wouldn¡¯t. There were no pictures of me as a baby or a kid.


    But the story of my birth answered all my questions, and I had to wonder if Cyrus had a simr one.


    My parents had been speeding down the highway, trying to get to the hospital in the middle of the night.


    The streets were empty, and they knew they wouldn¡¯t make it. How could they when I gave them no


    choice? My mother said I had army-crawled right out of her.


    They had to pull over to the side of the road. My father ran around to my mother¡¯s side of the car,


    opened the door, and helped my mother hold her legs up as she sat sideways.


    He was the first to hold me, but I didn¡¯t know how long thatsted.


    Because there, under the Supermoon, the point where the full moon was at its closest to Earth, I


    opened my eyes for the first time, and they saw their failure. It surprised me that they hadn¡¯t left me on


    the side of the road.


    I had researched births under different cycles in the moon and Earth¡¯s orbit, but I had never found


    anything concrete to connect my birth to my powers. That didn¡¯t mean the suspicion wasn¡¯t in the back


    of my mind.


    I had made a note to talk to Cyrus about his birth, but I didn¡¯t get the chance. He stayed locked in his


    room whenever Rona was around, doing his best to avoid her like the socially awkward man he was.


    Since she refused to leave and had made it a point to corner him every chance she got, that also


    meant that he had resorted to hiding away most of the day.


    My finger stopped tapping against my bicep as I let out a frustrated breath and gave in.


    I knocked as I simultaneously twisted the doorknob, pushing it open to find Killian sitting on the ck


    leather couch in his office with his forearm over his eyes.


    ¡°I do not remember saying you could enter.¡± Killian groaned, his body still as he turned his head toward


    the wall and adjusted his arm to keep them over his eyes.


    He should know better by now. After all these years, I never waited for him to invite me in. I made


    myself at home. Only now, I at least confirm I wouldn¡¯t be walking into anything x-rated before I do so.


    I smirked, seeing the empty, oversized chair behind his desk, and closed the door behind me as I


    moved to sit in it. My hands grabbed the armrests as I leaned back, feeling even more powerful as I


    spun the chair to align with the desk, facing the door.


    The cushions sank down as I rxed into it.


    ¡°Get out of my chair.¡± Killian groaned again, but I rolled my eyes and ignored him.


    ¡°I need to do something, and I¡¯ll need to ask for your help,¡± I stated, pulling the bottom drawer of his


    desk open. The stash of junk food he kept in the back of the drawer was almost gone, and I let out a


    breath, knowing it meant he was stressed.


    ¡°Can it wait?¡± He grumbled. I nced up at him and pushed a few bags of chips to the side to look for


    something sweet, but not find anything.


    The drawer made a loud noise as I mmed it shut with frustration. ¡°No.¡±


    I knew I was running out of time. Someone woulde to interrupt us soon, or Natalie would show up.


    It didn¡¯t feel intentional, but I was sure it had to do with their mate bond.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Why are you in a pissy mood today? Did you not getidst night?¡± Iughed as Iced my fingers


    together over my stomach and sat back.


    I barely had time to blink before the throw pillow that had been under his head smacked me in the face.


    He kept it there specifically for when he needed a break, and as it fell to the desk, I watched as mes


    consumed it.


    ¡°I needed that,¡± Killian mumbled without looking, knowing exactly what I was doing to it from the sound


    and smell it gave off.


    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have thrown it at me.¡± I eyed him, never having seen him so exhausted before.


    Even on the brink of war or when actively under attack, he had never let theck of sleep get to him.


    But now he looked like he was on the brink of death. ¡°Do I need to call a healer here for you, or are you


    going to man up?¡±


    ¡°Josie,¡± he growled in a warning, but I justughed as I watched the ashes in his desk scatter in the


    breeze from the ceiling fan.


    ¡°Why are you so tired?¡± My question was met with his body stiffening as if the thought was scarring to


    him.


    ¡°I just needed a break. Tell me what you need and leave.¡± He dropped his arm, blinking twice before


    twisting to sit up. His hands rubbed his face as he rested his elbows on his knees.


    ¡°I went through Rona¡¯s room today,¡± I admit, not feeling the least bit guilty about it. ¡°I didn¡¯t find anything


    yet. I have also tried to tap into her blood, but something is blocking me.¡±


    He sps his hands together, turning his head with his chin on them as he watches me. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The single word carried no judgment or anger. He trusted me, and we both knew Rona needed to be


    removed from the council. If I had my way, she would be killed so she couldn¡¯t cause problemster on.


    I was convinced I would find something incriminating, and when I did, we would duel to the death. She


    wouldn¡¯t let someone take her down that easily. The day she allowed someone close enough to her


    with a needle to suppress her magic was the day the world would end.


    ¡°She¡¯s been hovering over Cyrus, trying to get him to crack. She knows he isn¡¯t rted and wants to


    know what he is and why he is here. I don¡¯t want her to add him or his magic to whatever she has


    nned. He¡¯s strong.¡± I spun the chair, kicking my feet up on his desk, ankles crossed. Killian let out a


    growl but didn¡¯t care enough as he dropped back into the couch and stared at me unamusedly.


    ¡°The favor?¡± He pushed, sounded even more exhausted than he looked, and my eyebrows dropped


    with concern.


    ¡°I need Rona to stay busy and someone to keep an eye on Cyrus so that I can get a look in her house.


    She is up to something, and I want to know what it is so we don¡¯t get blindsided.¡± I hated asking for


    help, but I wasn¡¯t prideful enough to let a threat get by me because I didn¡¯t ask.


    ¡°Natalie can keep Rona busy, and Aurora can watch Cyrus.¡± His dismissive tone was low, almost like


    he was fighting not to fall asleep.


    I eyed him carefully; this wasn¡¯t just mid-day exhaustion, especially for a Lycan who could go days


    without sleep. Something was seriously wrong.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you been sleeping?¡± I asked, standing up and going to the wet bar against the wall and


    pouring myself two fingers of scotch.


    Killian closed his eyes before taking a deep breath. ¡°Natalie has changed her mind about being ready


    for a baby. She wants one now.¡±


    I nodded, expecting that would have happened. Both Natalie and Killian had shit families growing up,


    and I had assumed they would want to make their own. In just a few years, I expected the hallways to


    be full of kids hanging on my legs and calling me Auntie in their irritatingly cute baby voices.


    ¡°You want kids too, don¡¯t you?¡± It wasn¡¯t something we had ever discussed, and after Natalie was


    brought here, we talked even less.


    Killian nodded, but he looked pained, making me want tough when I realized why he was so tired


    and frustrated. ¡°I haven¡¯t slept in two weeks, Josie. Every time I even sit down, it¡¯s like she senses it.¡±


    I choked on my sip of scotch, the liquor burning on the way down. The two of them had a crazy sex


    drive. It was nothingpared to me or Tobias, but they still impressed me. ¡°Oh, shit.¡±


    ¡°I just need some sleep, but she doesn¡¯t turn off.¡± He groaned before his jaw clenched and turned to


    look at the door. His head fell forward, hanging low before he let out a breath. I almost felt bad for the


    guy. His mate was literally fucking him to death. It was a hell of a way to die.


    ¡°Do you want her to?¡±


    My question was answered by a quick ¡°Fuck no¡± as he got to his feet.


    Iughed, swallowing the rest of my drink before cing the ss tumbler on the thin metal tray with a


    ¡®clink.¡¯ ¡°Then stop bitching.¡±


    He red at me as I smirked, but his face rxed the longer he stared at me. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you,


    Josie.¡±


    He knew how badly and how long I had wanted Tobias. I had the feeling he also knew about Ana,


    Tobias¡¯s mate, but it wasn¡¯t his ce to tell me. We had talked about my love for the beast of a man


    only a few times, but I have never hidden my interest or attraction for Tobias.


    I had trailed after him like a love-sick puppy, trying to get his attention for years. I didn¡¯t up my game


    until a few months ago, and I was d I did because now he was mine.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get sappy on me, Ian,¡± I muttered, feeling the heat move up my chest and neck to my cheeks. I


    looked down, my hand going to my mark as I smiled. ¡°Butthanks.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯ve been staying at his house at night. I want you to know that your tower will continue to be


    yours, and your job is not going anywhere, even if you move in with him.¡± He moved to my side, making


    himself a drink as he spoke. ¡°No one can or will rece you, ever.¡±


    It was too much for me. The reassurance was what I had been needing but was too afraid to ask for. I


    blinked several times as I tried to figure out what to say. Our friendship would recover but would never


    be the same, I knew that, and he knew that. But it was really fucking nice to hear him acknowledge my


    fears.


    My arms wrapped around him quickly as my eyes watered, but I pushed them down as I stepped back


    from the world¡¯s fastest hug. ¡°Get some sleep, Killian. Your wife will be busy with her new babysitting


    duty. I¡¯m leaving in the morning.¡±


    Killian looked disappointed as I turned away from him, and I knew it wasn¡¯t because I was leaving. It


    was because, as tired as he was, he fucking adored his mate and his mate¡¯s attention. Natalie


    constantly being horny for him and wanting to make a baby with him was more of a blessing than a


    curse.


    All he needed was a nap, and as I left the office and saw his mate striding down the hall with a


    mischievous smile on her face, Iughed.


    He wouldn¡¯t get a nap anytime soon, but it would all be worth it when he finally knocked her up.

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140


    Thirty-Four: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    ¡°You¡¯reing with me,¡± I said as I walked past Tobias in the gym. Therge stack of tes dropped


    loudly as he released the rope he had been pulling. I didn¡¯t need to look over my shoulder to know he


    was following me. I could feel him. His hands shot out, grabbing my waist and pulling my body back


    against his as we reached the training field outside.


    His deep voice echoed through my mind, sending a shiver down my spine.1 You can count on it. Then,


    after, we can go wherever you want.¡¯


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    I smirked as I enjoyed his dirty mind. A quick afternoon delight would be weed, but I didn¡¯t know


    how much time I had. Natalie would keep


    Rona distracted, but the redheaded witch would get suspicious if it were too long. That was thest


    thing I needed after she caught me with her blood.


    ¡°Down, boy,¡¯ I whispered, rubbing my ass against him suggestively. ¡°Work now, rewardter.1¡¯


    He loosened his hold on me as I began to walk again, his fingers tips slipping off my hips after a few


    steps.


    Tobias had always been a great warrior. He took orders well and never asked questions. It wasn¡¯t until


    we were alone that the roles were reversed, and he gave the orders.


    He didn¡¯t question my instructions; I knew he could feel my stress and determination to get this over


    with.


    I had spoken to Natalie this morning, and she understood her assignment. She was to keep Rona


    distracted and have Rona use her magic as much as possible while I was gone. Draining her energy


    would help me to get past any traps or wards she had ced without her noticing.


    ¡®Let¡¯s make this quick.¡¯ I told him through our mate bond, feeling the light and joking man melt away


    until he returned to the usual hard and collected warrior. ¡®I don¡¯t want it to be noticed that we are gone if


    we can help it. Do you need to pack anything or want to change first? We should only be gone a few


    hours.¡±


    I really hoped his answer was no. He looked so sexy in his workout clothes. The way his muscles


    stretched the fabric and the lightyer of sweat on him had me ready to climb him like a tree and lick


    the salt from his neck.


    He shook his head, grabbing my hand, and I didn¡¯t waste another second before teleporting us to the


    closest town¡¯s border. I knew where Rona lived; she had taken over her mother¡¯s house after she had


    drained her mother¡¯s magic and killed her for her seat on the council.


    The air was void of magic, and I had to assume that even if I didn¡¯t feel it, she had at least one ward in


    ce to protect her home.


    We walked carefully away from the town, out past the edge of the forest, and through the thick trees


    before her cabin came into view. It was small, quant, and a little evil-looking.


    The lowyer of fog hiding her yard was out of ce for the dry and warm morning. The green vines


    covering the east wall of her home were thicker than anything I had ever seen, and I imagined that if I


    got too close, they would strangle me without a second thought.


    Tobias stopped, taking a deep breath before letting out a growl on exhale. He knew exactly where we


    were. I was sure that he could smell her. The rotten bitch.


    Everything about her screamed that she was vile, and I was ready to celebrate the day she would meet


    her end.


    With a twitch of my pinky finger at my side, a breeze cleared the yard of the fog. As it blew away, the


    sound of sizzling and trees crackling made my eyes widen. It only took a second before the leaves fell


    from the impacted trees. I should have suspected that she would y with poison. She was a snake.


    The yard in front of her house was cute, with lush green grass and a brick pathway that led to her front


    door. It almost reminded me of the witch¡¯s cottage in Hansel and Gretel. I wouldn¡¯t have been surprised


    if Rona cooked and ate kids.


    Like steam, the fog began to rise from the grass, filling the area once more. As the breeze blew it back


    into the trees, I picked up a rock and tossed it onto the cleared pathway. The stone had barely touched


    it when the ground opened and swallowed it, closing immediately as if it never happened.


    Either she trusted people less than I did or hid something huge, powerful, or incriminating inside that


    small cottage.


    For the next hour, I fought against the dozens of traps she had in ce, trying to get close enough to


    get into her house. Tobias looked ready to barrel through the yard and knock down the door, but it


    wouldn¡¯t be that easy.


    When one of the thick vines wrapped itself around me and smashed me against the hard ground, I was


    sure he would lose his mind, but he stopped when I freed myself with augh. Blood dripped down my


    face, but I wiped it with my shirt, careful to keep any from reaching the ground.


    I did think a few ribs had broken, but that was nothingpared to some of the injuries I had faced


    before.


    When I sucked myself down into the Earth and tried toe up in the middle of her living room, I


    almost suffocated beneath the dirt as her house sat on a thickyer of cement. Going in through the


    roof was what triggered the vines to knock me out of the air and attempt to turn me into minced meat.


    She was prepared, but I was determined. My stubbornness could outmatch hers any day.


    ¡°We should get you to a healer ande up with a new n to get inside,¡± Tobias said, cing his


    hand on my cheek, but I shook my head.


    I wouldn¡¯t give up, but I was getting irrationally angry. Arge rock, just bigger than my fist, stuck out to


    me, and I reached down and picked it up. Tobias narrowed his eyes at me as I smiled widely at him. If


    the house wouldn¡¯t let us in without her, I would have to bring her with us.


    Just as I prepared to teleport back to the castle and smash the rock into the back of her head, the air


    suddenly felt lighter. I hadn¡¯t nned to kill her, just knock her out and use her body as a decoy to get


    into her home.


    But it seemed I wouldn¡¯t need to do that after all.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I asked in wonder. I knew this wasn¡¯t my doing, and it felt like a trap. Why would her


    magic just drop off like that?


    Tobias let out a loudugh that sent a shiver through my body before he took the rock and threw it into


    the yard.


    I waited. Nothing happened.


    ¡°Your little pet knocked her out.¡± He took a step forward, then another until he had confidently marched


    up the pathway to her front door. He twisted the handle roughly, the metal popping as the lock broke,


    before gesturing for me to enter.


    I shook my head in confusion before running after him and over the yard that had tried to kill me seven


    ways till Sunday. ¡°Cyrus knocked her out?¡±


    ¡°Guys as clumsy as he looks.¡± His deep voice was full of amusement. ¡°One of the guards just reported


    that Rona had cornered him, and he freaked out, trying to escape her. He identally knocked her into


    the firece mantle, and she¡¯s out cold.¡± He ducked his head into the house, examining it before


    pulling back and wrinkling his nose.


    I was happy Cyrus was taking my warnings about her to heart, and I couldn¡¯t help butugh as I walked


    into her house. It was misleadingly small on the outside, but the inside had been crafted by magic and


    was a massive open space with a hallway to the side where several rooms lined the walls, leading to


    blood-red double doors that were open, showing her empty bed inside.


    Themon rooms only took a few minutes to search before I moved on to her study. Each drawer I


    pulled open and every painting I moved led to disappointment. Tobias searched with me, but I could


    feel his eyes trailing over me each time I reached up or bent down. It was almost distracting, but I was


    too frustrated by theck of incriminating evidence to say anything.


    I shut thest drawer in her study, the desk shaking from the force.


    Nothing. She had a few ingredients that I wouldn¡¯t mind getting my hands on, but nothing to tie her to


    her mother¡¯s death or hint at what she was working on.


    ¡°She has to be hiding it somewhere.¡± I groaned as I stood, only to stop when I saw Tobias staring at me


    with his shoulder leaning against the doorframe. A fire in his eyes made my stomach tighten, and I


    swallowed hard as my anger ebbed away. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too wound up, sweetheart. You need to rx to think clearly.¡± He pushed off the door frame.


    ¡°I am thinking clearly.¡± I snapped back as he moved to stand behind me.


    ¡°Let me help you rx.¡± His fingers trailed over my neck, pulling my hair back from my mark. He was


    ying a dangerous game.


    Part of me wanted him to sink his teeth into my neck, bringing me the most pleasure I had ever felt. But


    I had priorities. We didn¡¯t know how long Rona would be out, and we needed to leave her house before


    she woke.


    His fingers ran up my hips, lifting my shift a few inches as he grazed my injured ribs. ¡°Do they hurt?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I lied, but he saw right through me andughed, sliding his hand to the front of my pants with his


    hard cock pressed against my ass. His fingers spread my lips as he began to rub my wet pussy,


    groaning when he felt how ready I was for him. All rational thought left my mind, and my shoulders


    dropped.


    The idea of fucking my mate in Rona¡¯s house had me dripping. It felt like one colossal fuck you to her,


    and I wanted it. I wanted to cum for my man on her desk or in her bed and have her be none the wiser.


    ¡°Oh, fuck!¡± The moan was low and soft as my knees buckled, but Tobias wrapped his arm carefully


    around my waist.


    ¡°Not yet, sweetheart. You don¡¯t cum until I say you do.¡¯ His growled against my ear, nipping at the lobe


    and making me quiver with desire. ¡°You like this, don¡¯t you? You get off on the sneaking around and the


    games. But I


    imagine how wet you are right now, is because you know that this, riding my fingers and cumming for


    me in this house, is something that you will always have over her. She doesn¡¯t have to know unless you


    tell her, and if you do, she can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    He was right. It was insanely hot.


    We broke into my enemy¡¯s house, and now my mate was about to fuck me in it. Rona would never


    know, but I would, and that was hot as hell.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go easy on you because you¡¯re hurt, but once we get home, I will fuck you until you can¡¯t


    walk.¡± His low threat had me moaning even louder. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m going to take you to her bed.¡±


    He spun me around carefully, his hand leaving my pants. I locked my legs around him as he lifted me


    before connecting our lips. I pulled his hair, kissing down his throat as he stormed through the hallway


    with me and dropped me on her ck cotton sheets.


    Tobias wasted no time in pulling my pants and underwear from my body.


    ¡°Spread your perfect fucking thighs, sweetheart. Show me how wet you are for me. Show me what my


    reward will be when we get home.¡± His demand was met by my immediate submission, and I opened


    my knees. The cool air was startling, but he dropped to his knees and pulled me to the edge of the bed


    with my legs over his shoulders. My body tightened as his hot mouth found my clit, sucking and licking


    it.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I cried breathlessly, throwing my head back with my eyes closed. Tobias pulled back, and my


    eyes snapped open as he pped his hand down on my pussy.


    ¡°Cum for me.¡± The orgasm ripped through me just as my eyes settled on what we had been looking for.


    The shimmering blue of magic surrounded an object like an electrical field, and I grabbed Tobias¡¯s hair


    when he made his way back between my legs.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± I said, sitting up and curling forward to kiss his lips, tasting myself on his tongue. ¡°I knew it!¡±


    My excitement made him raise his eyebrows as I shoved him back. I was greeted by his massive cock,


    hard in his shorts at my eye level, before standing. I will be taking care of thatter with great pleasure.


    I pointed behind me to the round table in the corner of the room. ¡°That¡¯s got to be it!¡±


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Tobias asked with disgust as he stared at the object, but I had yet to see it clearly. ¡°Is


    that¡­¡±


    He trailed off as I spun around and approached the protected item in nothing but a shirt. The white


    bone was long, and my eyes widened as I saw what was at the end. ¡°Cora¡¯s foot and leg? Yes. I think it


    is.¡±

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141


    Chapter 35 (Tobias¡¯s P.O.V.)


    Never in my life had my d*ic*k gone limp as quickly as when I was staring at the bones of an


    amputated leg. Until that moment, I had thought Joselin could keep me painfully hard forever. I had


    been hiding how she affected me for years. Now that I no longer had to, I wanted to take full advantage


    of the situation.


    She was my mate. Mine.


    I could f*uc*k her and love her anywhere, and I nned on it. Seeing how hot and bothered she got


    over the thought of f*uc*king here only confirmed that when we got home, there would be a few ces


    around the castle that I could pull her away to without anyint from her. I t was even better than


    iming her in front of others.


    Sneaking around and enjoying each other was higher on my list than exhibitionism. At the top of the list


    was having Joselin all to myself in our bed.


    I still needed to help her gather her belongings and move in. But even if that didn¡¯t happen immediately,


    I would still consider it our house and bed.


    But a f*uc*king leg. I had seen worse, done worse than cutting off someone¡¯s leg, but never had I


    expected to find one in someone¡¯s bedroom. It was disturbing.


    Rona was a twisted soul, but I never pegged her as the kind of woman who would fall asleep only a few


    feet from the amputated limb of one of her coworkers. ¡°We need to get back,¡± Joselin muttered, her


    mind going a mile a minute. She left the leg behind, straightened the nket o n the bed, and pulled


    her pants back on. When she approached me to teleport, I gently tapped my finger on her head, silently


    asking what was going through her mind.


    This was what she had wanted, to find proof of foul y, but it raised more questions than answers.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. No blood is left, and the bone marrow is dried out and won¡¯t work. I don¡¯t know


    what Rona is doing with it, but she is up to something. This confirms it.¡± Joselin said, her long white hair


    flowing down her back as the lines on her skin vibrated with agitation.


    I would keep a close eye on the older woman. She was pretty civil unless she was around Rona, which


    made them both hostile.


    ¡°Do you think she is controlling Cora somehow or draining her magic?¡± I asked as Joselin wrapped her


    arms around my waist and pressed her h*ips against mine i n a sweet hold. There was nothing s*e*xual


    about it, but I still adored it.


    Her smell was intoxicating, and I couldn¡¯t help but lean forward and k*iss the top of her head, taking in


    her scent. ¡®She¡¯ s starting toe to.¡¯


    The warning through the pack link from Natalie was all I needed to grab Joselin¡¯s hand and drag her


    out of the house and across the yard to the first. We had barely reached the trees when the fog came


    in again, thick and deadly.


    ¡°Time to go, sweetheart,¡± I muttered.


    The guards jumped, going on alert as Joselin and I teleported back into the castle. She ignored them,


    her knuckles rapidly rasping against the door of


    Killian¡¯s office. It surprised me that she didn¡¯t just walk right in. Never before had I seen her wait for


    someone to announce that she could enter. She walked these halls as if she owned them, and she did.


    She could make anyone bend to her will, and I knew that was one of the reasons why she found her


    job so frustrating. She hated having rules to follow when she could have just taken action and put it


    behind her.


    If she had killed Rona one of the first few times the woman had been out of line, we wouldn¡¯t be in this


    mess, wondering what she was up to.


    One of the guards nodded, and Joselin pushed the door open to find Natalie fixing her hair while she


    sat on Killian¡¯sp.


    The room smelled of s*e*x, and my nose wrinkled as Natalie¡¯s face turned bright red. I dipped into a


    bow that made all three of them raise their eyebrows.


    ¡°We are in private. You don¡¯t need to do that now that we are mated.¡± Joselin said with a smile.


    ¡°Although you have a very nice a*s*s.¡±


    I straightened as she moved to my side to look at my backside, and Killian groaned. ¡°What?¡± Joselin


    asked, sitting in the chair on our side of the desk and propping her feet on the hard wooden surface. ¡°I


    can¡¯t hit on my man, but you have no problem inviting us into your office when it smells like you two


    have been going at it like animals in here all morning?¡±


    Her man. F*uc*k that sounded good. If we weren¡¯t standing before the king and queen, I would bend


    her over the desk and reward her for that statement.


    Natalie¡¯s face turned a deeper red as she leaned back against Killian¡¯s chest with a smile. ¡°We have


    been.¡±


    It was Joselin¡¯s turn to groan, and I couldn¡¯t help but admire how beautiful she looked as she let her


    head fall back against the seat, exposing her long and slender throat with my mark on it.


    I didn¡¯t know how to interact with Killian and Natalie beyond my duties as a warrior and bodyguard, so I


    stood behind the chairs in my normal stance. My hands sped in front of me with my feet shoulder-


    width apart. Killian used to be one of my best friends when we were little, but we had turned to more of


    a professional rtionship after Ana died. I knew he knew about her. He had just been respectful


    enough not to bring it up or to tell anyone.


    ¡°You can sit down,¡± Natalie spoke softly, her friendly smile making me feel more rxed, but I still


    moved stiffly as I walked around the chair and sat. ¡°I take it you found something?¡±


    ¡°Not what I had been expecting, but yes.¡± Joselin then told them about the leg and its possible uses,


    but how each possibility was also impossible. They listened intently, Natalie nodding when appropriate


    and Killian staying straight- faced as he tossed the information around his head.


    They all agreed that Cora hadn¡¯t been acting out of the ordinary, and until now, they had no reason to


    believe that she had any involvement at all. The only possibility was that Rona was targeting her or


    holding the leg over her for leverage to get Cora to do something for her in exchange for getting it back.


    ¡°She could use it for a resurrection spell, or maybe she is just cursing Cora, but without blood, it


    wouldn¡¯t be very strong.¡± Joselin offered, and the room fell silent.


    ¡°Cyrus,¡± I stated, the nameing across loud and clear.


    Joselin hummed in response, and I knew I didn¡¯t need to borate. I didn¡¯t want t o. I wasfortable


    talking around Joselin, but it had been a long time since I freely spoke aloud in front of others. Natalie


    looked shocked, and Killian almost looked relieved to hear me talking.


    ¡°That could work. I have Cyrus¡¯s blood, s o I can always keep it over him if he gets out of line or goes


    off script. But she does seem to have a fascination with him. She has been trying to seduce him to get


    information from him. I wonder what she would do if we fl*ipped the script.¡±


    Joselin¡¯s fingers tapped against the arm of the chair as she debated, and I instinctively reached over


    and grabbed her hand to calm her.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°If we have the measures to keep him under control, then I don¡¯t see why not. Use the boy.¡± Killian


    ordered, and Joselin let out the breath she had been holding.


    A loud knock on the door made us all fall quiet, and Killian¡¯s eyes dulled as someone spoke to him


    through the pack link.


    A dark look passed over his face as he took in the information before rejoining us. ¡°Get him on board


    but keep him under control.¡±


    The door opened, and the devil walked in. Her heels cl*icked against the floor as sheughed. ¡°Well,


    isn¡¯t this cozy?¡±


    Joselin rolled her eyes but dropped her feet from the desk and stood. I did the same, keeping myself


    between the redheaded she-devil and my mate. If Rona knew we were in her house today, she


    wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill us.


    Only her focus was on Killian instead of m e or my mate.


    When we didn¡¯t move, her head snapped i n our direction, and her voice came out thick with


    indignation. ¡°Do you mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Joselin snapped back, and Rona looked surprised before letting out a coldugh.


    ¡°Very well, the council must also be informed.¡± Rona narrowed her eyes at Joselin before turning away


    and cl*icking the long matte grey nails of her left hand on the back of the chair I had been sitting in only


    moments prior. ¡°I will be taking leave to collect my pledge. Should be no more than a few days.¡±


    The bitter thought of her forcing a young witch toe here against their will came to mind, and I


    wanted to bare my teeth at her but kept myself collected.


    Anyone willing to work with Rona without resistance was not to be trusted. I f they did, she probably


    had something over them.


    A small part of me knew she was lying. That wasn¡¯t why she was leaving. The timing was too


    convenient, and I could only pray to the Goddess that Joselin and I hadn¡¯t left any evidence behind of


    our presence at her home. But it was a good excuse for her departure, and having her gone for a short


    while could work in our favor to turn that scrawny thorn in my side against Rona if he wasn¡¯t already.

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142


    Thirty-Five: Tobias


    Tobias¡¯s P.O.V.


    Never in my life had my dick gone limp as quickly as when I was staring at the bones of an amputated


    leg. Until that moment, I had thought Joselin could keep me painfully hard forever. I had been hiding


    how she affected me for years. Now that I no longer had to, I wanted to take full advantage of the


    situation, i


    She was my mate. Mine.


    I could fuck her and love her anywhere, and I nned on it. Seeing how hot and bothered she got over


    the thought of fucking here only confirmed that when we got home, there would be a few ces around


    the castle that I could pull her away to without anyint from her. It was even better than iming


    her in front of others.


    Sneaking around and enjoying each other was higher on my list than exhibitionism. At the top of the list


    was having Joselin all to myself in our bed.


    I still needed to help her gather her belongings and move in. But even if that didn¡¯t happen immediately,


    I would still consider it our house and bed.


    But a fucking leg. I had seen worse, done worse than cutting off someone¡¯s leg, but never had I


    expected to find one in someone¡¯s bedroom. It was disturbing.


    Rona was a twisted soul, but I never pegged her as the kind of woman who would fall asleep only a few


    feet from the amputated limb of one of her coworkers.


    ¡°We need to get back,¡± Joselin muttered, her mind going a mile a minute. She left the leg behind,


    straightened the nket on the bed, and pulled her pants back on. When she approached me to


    teleport, I gently tapped my finger on her head, silently asking what was going through her mind.


    This was what she had wanted, to find proof of foul y, but it raised more questions than answers.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. No blood is left, and the bone marrow is dried out and won¡¯t work. I don¡¯t know


    what Rona is doing with it, but she is up to something. This confirms it.¡± Joselin said, her long white hair


    flowing down her back as the lines on her skin vibrated with agitation.


    I would keep a close eye on the older woman. She was pretty civil unless she was around Rona, which


    made them both hostile.


    ¡°Do you think she is controlling Cora somehow or draining her magic?¡± I asked as Joselin wrapped her


    arms around my waist and pressed her hips against mine in a sweet hold. There was nothing sexual


    about it, but I still adored it.


    Her smell was intoxicating, and I couldn¡¯t help but lean forward and kiss the top of her head, taking in


    her scent.


    ¡®She¡¯s starting toe to.¡¯


    The warning through the pack link from Natalie was all I needed to grab Joselin¡¯s hand and drag her


    out of the house and across the yard to the first. We had barely reached the trees when the fog came


    in again, thick and deadly.


    ¡°Time to go, sweetheart,¡± I muttered.


    The guards jumped, going on alert as Joselin and I teleported back into the castle. She ignored them,


    her knuckles rapidly rasping against the door of Killian¡¯s office. It surprised me that she didn¡¯t just walk


    right in. Never before had I seen her wait for someone to announce that she could enter. She walked


    these halls as if she owned them, and she did. She could make anyone bend to her will, and I knew


    that was one of the reasons why she found her job so frustrating. She hated having rules to follow


    when she could have just taken action and put it behind her.


    If she had killed Rona one of the first few times the woman had been out of line, we wouldn¡¯t be in this


    mess, wondering what she was up to.


    One of the guards nodded, and Joselin pushed the door open to find Natalie fixing her hair while she


    sat on Killian¡¯sp.


    The room smelled of sex, and my nose wrinkled as Natalie¡¯s face turned bright red. I dipped into a bow


    that made all three of them raise their eyebrows.


    ¡°We are in private. You don¡¯t need to do that now that we are mated.¡± Joselin said with a smile.


    ¡°Although you have a very nice ass.¡±


    I straightened as she moved to my side to look at my backside, and Killian groaned.


    ¡°What?¡± Joselin asked, sitting in the chair on our side of the desk and propping her feet on the hard


    wooden surface. ¡¯I can¡¯t hit on my man, but you have no problem inviting us into your office when it


    smells like you two have been going at it like animals in here all morning?¡±


    Her man. Fuck that sounded good. If we weren¡¯t standing before the king and queen, I would bend her


    over the desk and reward her for that statement.


    Natalie¡¯s face turned a deeper red as she leaned back against Killian¡¯s chest with a smile. ¡°We have


    been.¡±


    It was Joselin¡¯s turn to groan, and I couldn¡¯t help but admire how beautiful she looked as she let her


    head fall back against the seat, exposing her long and slender throat with my mark on it.


    I didn¡¯t know how to interact with Killian and Natalie beyond my duties as a warrior and bodyguard, so I


    stood behind the chairs in my normal stance. My hands sped in front of me with my feet shoulder-


    width apart. Killian used to be one of my best friends when we were little, but we had turned to more of


    a professional rtionship after Ana died.


    I knew he knew about her. He had just been respectful enough not to bring it up or to tell anyone.


    ¡°You can sit down,¡± Natalie spoke softly, her friendly smile making me feel more rxed, but I still


    moved stiffly as I walked around the chair and sat.¡± I take it you found something?¡±


    ¡°Not what I had been expecting, but yes.¡±


    Joselin then told them about the leg and its possible uses, but how each possibility was also


    impossible. They listened intently, Natalie nodding when appropriate and Killian staying straight-faced


    as he tossed the information around his head.


    They all agreed that Cora hadn¡¯t been acting out of the ordinary, and until now, they had no reason to


    believe that she had any involvement at all. The only possibility was that Rona was targeting her or


    holding the leg over her for leverage to get Cora to do something for her in exchange for getting it back.


    ¡°She could use it for a resurrection spell, or maybe she is just cursing Cora, but without blood, it


    wouldn¡¯t be very strong.¡± Joselin offered, and the room fell silent.


    ¡°Cyrus,¡± I stated, the nameing across loud and clear.


    Joselin hummed in response, and I knew I didn¡¯t need to borate. I didn¡¯t want to. I wasfortable


    talking around Joselin, but it had been a long time since I freely spoke aloud in front of others. Natalie


    looked shocked, and Killian almost looked relieved to hear me talking.


    ¡°That could work. I have Cyrus¡¯s blood, so I can always keep it over him if he gets out of line or goes off


    script. But she does seem to have a fascination with him. She has been trying to seduce him to get


    information from him. I wonder what she would do if we flipped the script.¡± Joselin¡¯s fingers tapped


    against the arm of the chair as she debated, and I instinctively reached over and grabbed her hand to


    calm her.


    ¡°If we have the measures to keep him under control, then I don¡¯t see why not. Use the boy.¡± Killian


    ordered, and Joselin let out the breath she had been holding.


    A loud knock on the door made us all fall quiet, and Killian¡¯s eyes dulled as someone spoke to him


    through the pack link.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    A dark look passed over his face as he took in the information before rejoining us. ¡°Get him on board


    but keep him under control.¡±


    The door opened, and the devil walked in. Her heels clicked against the floor as sheughed. ¡°Well,


    isn¡¯t this cozy?¡±


    Joselin rolled her eyes but dropped her feet from the desk and stood. I did the same, keeping myself


    between the redheaded she-devil and my mate. If Rona knew we were in her house today, she


    wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill us.


    Only her focus was on Killian instead of me or my mate.


    When we didn¡¯t move, her head snapped in our direction, and her voice came out thick with


    indignation. ¡°Do you mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Joselin snapped back, and Rona looked surprised before letting out a coldugh.


    ¡°Very well, the council must also be informed.¡± Rona narrowed her eyes at Joselin before turning away


    and clicking the long matte grey nails of her left hand on the back of the chair I had been sitting in only


    moments prior.¡± I will be taking leave to collect my pledge. Should be no more than a few days.¡±


    The bitter thought of her forcing a young witch toe here against their will came to mind, and I


    wanted to bare my teeth at her but kept myself collected. Anyone willing to work with Rona without


    resistance was not to be trusted. If they did, she probably had something over them.


    A small part of me knew she was lying. That wasn¡¯t why she was leaving. The timing was too


    convenient, and I could only pray to the Goddess that Joselin and I hadn¡¯t left any evidence behind of


    our presence at her home. But it was a good excuse for her departure, and having her gone for a short


    while could work in our favor to turn that scrawny thorn in my side against Rona if he wasn¡¯t already.

 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143


    Thirty-Six: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    My eyes were glued to Cora all day. She was happier than I had ever seen her, making me anxious not


    to know what was happening inside her head. The curvy woman walked quickly, with only a small limp,


    as she practically danced around the castle.


    If it weren¡¯t for her long skirt that cut off mid-shin, no one would know about her prosthetic leg.


    Having Rona gone made everyone happy.


    I wasn¡¯t aware of another exnation for Cora¡¯s behavior. The only thing that changed was Rona


    leaving. It made me think that I had been right.


    Even I knew walking up to her and asking Cora about Rona¡¯s trophy wouldn¡¯t be appropriate. How


    would I word that? Hey Cora, have you seen your legtely?


    The middle-aged woman would probably try to skin me alive. Her leg was a sensitive topic. Granted, it


    had not only been cut off years ago in a battle, but the person responsible for her losing it had it as a


    keepsake and was probably using it against her. I would have ughtered Rona long ago if I were


    missing the limb.


    Her dishwater blonde hair shined in the sunlight, visible to me even with a window and a lot of space


    between us. The stripes of silver that gave away the plump woman¡¯s age seemed to be thickening by


    the day. I had to wonder, if I told her about her leg being on disy in Rona¡¯s bedroom, would she do


    my job for me? Would knowing about it be enough to have her go mad and kill Rona, so I wouldn¡¯t


    have to deal with her anymore?


    It almost seemed too easy. I could bait Cora and sit back to enjoy the show. But then, it would make


    finding out if anyone else was involved more difficult. There was no point in killing Rona if she had


    others working with her. Cutting off the head of the snake only worked when it was a one headed


    serpent.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been very nosey today.¡± Cyrus teased from my right. I turned with an unamused stare, forcing


    my eyes away from the courtyard through the window of the great room in the front of the castle.


    She was going into town. It wasn¡¯t unusual for her, but it meant I couldn¡¯t follow. I had been watching


    her all day, and following her into town would only make her suspicious of me.


    I disliked her, as did Aisha and Margot¡­ so I disliked the entire council. But thest thing I needed was


    her turning hostile on me when I already had Rona to deal with.


    It would be suspicious for the council to turn down a descendant of the moon goddess from joining us if


    she pledged. She was all but guaranteed a spot. With Aurora on my side, I hoped that thest council


    seat would be someone worthy of trust and respect.


    I ignored Cyrus¡¯sment and narrowed my eyes at him. We needed to get him alone to discuss the


    issue of Rona and the part he was to y in it.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be joining us for dinner tonight, cousin.¡± The emphasis on his cover made him roll his eyes.


    ¡°As I have since I got here/ His snarky retort reminded me of the conversations I would hold with Killian.


    It was how friends bantered, but I didn¡¯t know how to make friends, and there were only three people


    that I trusted fully.


    ¡°No, not at the dining hall. It will be at my mate¡¯s home.¡± I wrinkled my nose, wishing I could say it was


    my home too. But I hadn¡¯t moved in yet. It was still his even though I had stayed there every night since


    returning.


    ¡°Ah, who¡¯s going to cook? I haven¡¯t seen either of you eat anything that wasn¡¯t served to you.¡± He


    laughed but fell silent when another presence joined us in the room. My heartbeat sped up, and the


    hairs on my neck prickled from Tobias¡¯s gaze.


    I had worn my hair up because he liked it when I did that. Even before we mated, his focus on me was


    always more intent when I pulled my hair up. Now whenever I did it, his eyes always seemed to stay on


    my mark, and he would lift his head with pride.


    His woodsy scent filled my senses, and my eyes closed as I took a deep breath, feeling him stop


    behind me. When he didn¡¯t move or speak, even in the mate bond, I opened my eyes to see him


    holding a single red rose before me.


    Hisrge, calloused hand looked so threateningpared to the flower. While he had taken the time


    and care to remove the thorns, it also felt like he could snap it at any moment.


    My hands moved up to take the stem from him, smiling as I spun and met his beautiful brown eyes.


    ¡°How cute! Look at you, all domesticated. Like a big teddy bear.¡± Cyrus teased Tobias, but his smile fell


    when Tobias¡¯s hand shot forward and grabbed the front of his shirt, lifting him from the ground. ¡°Not like


    a teddy bear! I meant a rabid wolf! A strong, very deadly rabid wolf!¡¯


    I hoped Cyrus was aware of how unimpressed I was. The weak, nerdy persona he put off contradicted


    the power radiating from him. No wonder Cyrus needed shelter in the castle with the council and the


    guards. He had no idea what he was capable of.


    I had already known when I realized he was using humanndmines to defend himself against hunters,


    but it was almost sad how little he lived up to his potential. Being in hiding for so long has not done him


    any favors.


    Maybe when he was no longer hiding, he could embrace his magic. But for now, he was like the runt of


    the litter.


    Tobias dropped Cyrus, letting the man stumble back a step before Tobias ced his hand possessively


    on my hip. His jaw ticked as he clenched his teeth, but I was still focused on the rose he brought me.


    It was one of the sweetest things he had done for me. The small gesture let me know that he had been


    thinking about me, even though we had been apart for most of the day. He was so strong, quiet, and,


    as Cyrus said, deadly.


    For some reason, it meant more to me than all the big things that happened in our rtionship because


    this had no motive and no intentions. There was no game. Tobias just wanted to give me something


    beautiful.


    Tobias raised one eyebrow at me, and I knew without words that he was asking why I was alone with


    Cyrus. He hated the man, but Cyrus was growing on me.


    ¡°Cyrus will being to dinner to catch up.¡±


    Tobias immediately understood the hidden meaning behind the phrase ¡® catch up,¡¯ and I smiled as I let


    my hand rest on his chest, leaning further into him with the rose between us.


    ¡®Not in our house.¡¯ He ordered, but I ignored his refusal, focused solely on his statement of it being


    ours. Tobias turned his burning re on Cyrus, his brown eyes swirling to the ck of his beast at the


    thought of the spell caster invading the privacy of our home.


    ¡°Am Iing for dinner, or will I be the dinner?¡¯ Cyrus asked hesitantly.


    ***


    That night, I had dinner in the oven and tes set on the table before Cyrus arrived. When he did, his


    lips pursed, and his eyebrows met his hairline when he entered the house. He was slow to enter but


    didn¡¯t hesitate to disapprove of the decor.


    ¡°For two people who fuck like bunnies, I imagined this ce would be¡­ different. This almost looks


    normal.¡± He stated, and I looked around the room, not seeing what was so wrong with it. The dark grey


    couch had a few ck throw pillows on it. The coffee table and entertainment center matched the


    pillows.


    It was neat, stylish, and minimalistic.


    I bit my tongue, wanting to tell him I didn¡¯t ask for his opinion, but tonight was all about winning him


    over.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look very kid-friendly either.¡± He muttered, and I red at him.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need it to be kid friendly.¡¯ I snapped. We weren¡¯t there yet. I hadn¡¯t even moved in yet and


    wanted to keep Tobias to myself longer.¡± That¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°I just thought when the heirs are born, you¡¯d have them over sometimes. You guys seemed close.¡± He


    uttered, rubbing the back of his neck again as his cheeks turned pink. ¡°I was going to the kitchente


    last night, and I walked in on¡­ well. Queen Natalie was demanding that the King get her good and


    pregnant, so I just assumed¡­ Forget it.¡±


    He cleared his throat just as Tobias rounded the corner, handing me my ss of wine.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I muttered, but my mind was locked on the idea of us having kids. What if they looked like


    me? What if they had powers instead of the wolf gene? What if they were born as humans since I had


    human parents?


    We should have discussed these things before we mated but have yet to get around to it. Would Tobias


    be okay with that, or would that be a deal breaker? Did he even want kids with me one day?


    ¡°It¡¯s weird that you invited me for dinner, right? This feels weird.¡± Cyrus tried tough, but Tobias and I


    just stared at him, all three of us out of ourfort zone.


    I knew I should say something corny like, Make yourself at home,¡± or ¡°I¡¯m d you could make it,¡¯ but


    we all knew it would be a tant lie. I wouldn¡¯t sound convincing at all. Somehow my mind and mouth


    settled on ¡°Sit.¡±


    Tobias turned to me, raising his eyebrows in amusement, and Cyrus chuckled at mymand.


    ¡°Like, right here?¡± He started to crouch with a broad smile, his slightly crooked teeth on disy as I


    groaned in annoyance. ¡°Or can I at least use a chair?¡±


    I knew this would be a bad idea.


    Even worse was that he wasn¡¯t affected by me at all. There was no intimidation, no hesitation, or fear.


    The yellow-eyed spell caster was as annoying as Killian was when we were kids, like a little brother. I


    wanted to smack him upside the head whenever a sarcasticment flew from his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to check the food,¡± I muttered as my hands tightened into fists, and I spun on my heels to


    walk away. There was nothing to check. I had purchased a frozen tray ofsagna from the store and


    had thrown it in the oven. It still had half an hour to cook, and I dreaded every second.


    I ced my ss of wine on the counter before rubbing my temples with one hand.


    I heard Cyrus try to start a conversation with Tobias as they followed me and made their way to the


    dining room connected to the open kitchen.


    ¡°So, kill anyely?¡± Thenky man asked my mate, and Tobias growled in annoyance.


    This was not going well. Not at all.


    But that was my opening, so I took it. ¡°Things seem pretty quiet for you. Any threats or attempts on


    your lifetely?¡±


    Beyond the asional explosion on the mountain from the traps he had left behind, things had been


    going well, almost too well. It was like the calm before the storm, and I was unprepared.


    ¡°Besides Rona trying to give me a heart attack? No. She pops up everywhere, always rubbing against


    me.¡± His cheeks turned pink, and I rolled my eyes as he pulled a chair from the table and sat, facing me


    in the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m not sure she¡¯s the one trying to kill me.¡±


    I let out a huff that made Cyrus tilt his head in curiosity. ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    His face moved down the scale of red from light pink to the color of my wine. ¡°Because she seems


    genuinely attracted to me.¡±


    Tobias scoffed, not bothering to hide his amusement when Cyrus red at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s true!¡¯ He defended, but even I let out a noise and lifted my eyebrows in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t make that


    noise! She is! You weren¡¯t there! She kissed me, took my hand and put it down¡­. Look, she was


    attracted to me!¡±


    The image he conjured in my mind made me cringe in disgust before I realized this could work in our


    favor. ¡°We need to know for certain. If Rona is attracted to you, it won¡¯t be hard for you to get her to tell


    you what she is up to. She¡¯s hiding something, and it will be your job to get close to her and figure out


    what it is.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144


    Thirty-Seven: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    Dinner was a tense affair. Cyrus seemed ufortable trying to manipte Rona into getting


    information from her, but he didn¡¯t have a choice.


    She was obsessed with getting him to talk and spill his secrets. He was convinced she had actual


    feelings for him, even if it was only a physical attraction. Perhaps she would identally let something


    slip if he took advantage of that.


    Even better would be if we took advantage of how close she let him and had him sedate her.


    One quick slip of a needle and her magic could be blocked for hours. It would be the perfect way to


    question her. But if I was wrong about my suspicions of her, it could have catastrophic consequences


    when she was released. Killian wouldn¡¯t let me just kill her, no matter how badly I wanted to.


    He insisted that we still had to follow the rules. He was trying to be a good leader, and he was. But that


    didn¡¯t make it any less frustrating when the rules were getting in the way of my job to protect him.


    Cyrus agreed to try the more civil way first and attempt to get Rona to talk to him. He violently opposed


    my idea of resorting to drugs and torture, but


    I was sick of waiting for someone to slip up and trying to be discrete as I searched for answers.


    Someone who had been in the mountains the night before the war had built that altar and had


    performed the ritual to drain another of their life essence and magic. Someone powerful enough to


    perform that ritual on their own, if they were alone, shouldn¡¯t need more magic unless they were doing


    something big.


    Cyrus was running for his life, needing protection from some unknown threat who wanted him dead.


    When I asked him about it during dinner, he confirmed the same thing he told me in the mountains.


    He felt them.


    He felt them pulling at his soul and magic, trying to separate the two. He looked haunted as he recalled


    the event that finally pushed him to ask for help. I had experienced something simr fifteen years ago,


    so I knew he remembered how much it hurt, with his experience being only a few months ago.


    The pure and unbridled agony that came with that curse haunted me to this day, and I knew he would


    have to live with it for the rest of his life too.


    When that didn¡¯t work, the mountain shook fiercely like it was about toe down on him. He said he


    was positive that if it wasn¡¯t someone powerful, it had to have been one of the Gods because he had


    never felt anything as strong or threatening.


    His attacker had been livid by their failure, and it was only a matter of time before they tried again.


    He had said, for a moment, he was sure he was about to die. It seemed to bother him more that he


    wouldn¡¯t have been able to face his killer before he was sent to meet the Goddess. Without embracing


    his powers, he would have died anyway. But getting the chance to see and face the person trying to kill


    him¡­ no one deserved to be stabbed in the back.


    If someone was going to murder another, it was only fitting that they do it face to face, not hiding in the


    shadows like a coward.


    I had shared a look with Tobias that Cyrus seemed to pick up on immediately. It was then that we


    shared the story of how Rona¡¯s mother passed over store-boughtsagna.


    It was the same method, less extreme, but still simr. Rona had cast a curse that allowed her to kill


    her mother using the distant absorption of her magic. Her mother, Melinda, didn¡¯t realize what was


    happening until it was toote. At that point, she was too weak to fight back. Rona drained her of


    everything, stealing her magic, life, and seat on the council. All while leaving no evidence behind to


    convict her.


    My thoughts should have been on that. As I crawled into bed, my mind should have been dissecting


    every word that crossed Cyrus¡¯s mouth tonight, looking for hints or answers.


    Instead, as Tobias pressed his warm body to mind, I couldn¡¯t think of anything other than our own


    future. I had been working hard enough for the past decade to save and protect everyone else. I didn¡¯t


    even feel guilty that


    I was thinking about myself for a short while.


    But those thoughts, the thoughts of us, only conjured more questions.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking very loudly,¡± Tobias spoke against the back of my neck, his nose nuzzling through my


    hair, his hot breath hitting my skin, making me shiver.


    His arms tightened around me, pulling me against his bare chest.


    ¡°That is not true,¡± I whispered, but he was right. Even if he couldn¡¯t hear my thoughts, I knew I was


    acting unusual. If I weren¡¯t, I would have been wrapped around him by now, just like every night before.


    There was a deep, almost suffocating silence between us as he waited. He was patient, but it felt more


    like a silent demand for an exnation. I pressed my lips together until he ced a single kiss on the


    mark on my neck, and I felt myself crumbling.


    ¡°We never talked about kids,¡± I mumbled, refusing to turn my head and look at him. Kids. The thought


    made my stomach turn because I didn¡¯t know what answer I wanted. I didn¡¯t even know if I wanted to


    have any.


    I wasn¡¯t even good with adults.


    The type of mother I pictured I would be wasn¡¯t very inspiring, making me regret bringing it up. If he did


    want kids, and I had them, would he resent me for not being the kind of mother he wanted raising


    them?


    ¡°Do you want kids?¡± He questioned with excitementced in his tone, answering his question without


    needing me to ask him the same thing.


    He wanted them.


    ¡°Would you be okay with them looking or being like me?¡± My eyes were locked on the wall across the


    room as Iy still in his arms, scared that if I moved and faced him that the conversation would be


    even more difficult to have than it already was.


    ¡°I would be proud.¡± His smile against my neck felt wonderful as he tried to ease my fears, but inside I


    was fighting down my stomach acid with everything in me.


    Kids.


    After everything we had gone through as children, he wanted to bring some of his own into the world.


    He would be a great father, but I knew I would not meet his expectations. How could I?


    I had no idea what to do if I were put in that position.


    Every female figure in my life growing up had abandoned me or turned on me. My parents had locked


    me in my room for the first decade of my life, hiring priests and witches to try to take my gift from me. It


    was unclear whether they knew that ritual would kill me, but it didn¡¯t lessen the pain.


    When the king found me, I was taken in and assigned to be mentored by the Royal Advisor at the time,


    Talia. She abandoned me when Killian chose me to stand by his side over her and tried to kill me only a


    few short months ago.


    Even my only female friend growing up, Charlie, had left to travel the world ying monsters. She


    never asked if I wanted toe, and she rarely returned home for visits. Her trips back to the castle


    were bing fewer and farther between. When she was here, it was to visit her brother.


    The rest of the women in my life were power-hungry bitches who made me want to pull my hair out


    from the frustration of having to deal with them. 1


    Children were bound to be much worse.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I would be good at that.¡¯ My admission was met by his body stiffening, and I could feel


    his sadness and frustration through our mate bond. We hadn¡¯t been mated for more than two weeks,


    and I was already letting him down.


    Queue the regret.


    I waited, but I didn¡¯t feel it. Nothing came through our bond beyond the two feelings I had already


    sensed from him.


    ¡°You are a wonderful mate. If you decide you want children, I know you will be a great mother. We


    would learn as we go and raise them together. If you don¡¯t want them, we will still have a beautiful life


    together, just the two of us.¡± He kissed my neck before settling his head down behind mine. ¡®I will love


    you forever, no matter our path.¡¯Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    My body was filled with a sick feeling. It was the kind that sat deep in my belly and came from an


    unhealthy amount of anxiety and stress. I couldn¡¯t figure out if I needed to eat something to fill the


    ufortable feeling, throw up, or sleep.


    None of it would help, though.


    ¡°I love you too,¡± I whispered into the dark room. Tobias¡¯s breathing evened out, and I couldn¡¯t say how


    long wey there in tense silence before we fell asleep.


    The vision that awaited me in the darkness was only weed as confirmation that I could still have


    them. Myst vision had been before we found Natalie. After that, everything went quiet, and I was


    worried that I had lost my gift.


    I stood in the corner of a familiar room. The ck bedsheets and the glowing item on the dresser made


    me hold my breath even though I already knew Rona wouldn¡¯t be able to see me.


    Whenever I had a vision, the timeline was never clear. Sometimes it had already happened.


    asionally, it was happening as I saw it. But most of the time, it had yet to happen.


    Rona entered the room with panic visible on her face, her bedroom door mming against the wall as


    she raced toward her trophy. Her hands shook as they hovered over the bones, but she didn¡¯t touch


    them. I had never seen her show so much emotion before. The most she had ever expressed was


    anger or annoyance.


    Watching her now, it was clear that she was on the verge of breaking down. Her whole body quivered


    as she took a deep breath and sat on the edge of her bed. It wasn¡¯t the reaction I would have expected


    from someone worried their secrets had been discovered, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was


    happening inside her head.


    Not that I wanted to be in her twisted mind, but I needed to know more.


    Rona calmed after several breaths before lifting her hand, shaking it with disgust as if something had


    just crawled over it. She turned her head to look, jumping from the bed with her usual scowl of


    annoyance before her eyes narrowed.


    A fire was burning behind them, and I swallowed hard as she grabbed something between her two


    fingers before lifting it in front of her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking kill her!¡± She whispered with malice as a strand of my long white hair hung


    between us.

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145


    Thirty-Eight: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    The slow movement of my arm being pulled across the bed made me stir. I hated sleeping on my back,


    and being there now was awful.


    My body twisted, trying to roll back onto my side. But I couldn¡¯t move my legs, and my arms were over


    my head. I felt a brief moment of panic before I regained consciousness to realize that I still felt the


    sheets beneath me, and my restraints, while tight around my limbs, were soft.


    Memories of my vision made me groan, and I kept my eyes closed. I didn¡¯t want to deal with Rona right


    now. It wasn¡¯t like I could do anything to change what was going to or had already happened. If she


    hadn¡¯t found my hair yet, she would soon.


    I had only gotten into her house the first time because Cyrus had identally knocked her out. Doing it


    a second time would not be an easy feat.


    The sound of someone¡¯s tongue clicking in feigned disappointment made me blink several times to


    open my eyes.


    ¡°Sleeping in sote,¡± Tobias stated from by my head as he pulled at my wrist once more before


    stepping back. ¡°You¡¯re wasting a beautiful day.¡±


    His dark hair was wet andbed back, and he smelled like he had just gotten out of the shower. It


    made me want to close my eyes and take in another lungful of his delicious scent, but with his shorts


    hung low on his hips, I couldn¡¯t look away.


    I pulled my arms down, trying to cover my naked body as a shiver wracked through me when he pulled


    the thin nket away, but I was trapped. I pulled at the fabric holding me to the bed posts, twisting my


    arms discretely to test my ability to get free.


    Tobias chuckled darkly before moving around the bed and standing by my feet. His eyes devoured me,


    moving over my body slowly. I could practically feel his gaze sliding over my naked form like the gentle


    trailing of his fingertips without actually touching me.


    Goosebumps rose along the surface of my skin, everywhere he looked, and my breathing became


    short and fast.


    ¡°I told myself that since it was your first time breaking this rule, disobeying me, I would give you a pass


    and take it easy on you.¡± He said, his eyes stopping between my legs, and I knew he would see that I


    was bing increasingly wet for him.


    ¡°I disobeyed you?¡±


    The corner of his mouth twitched, but he kept his emotions masked behind his heated gaze. I couldn¡¯t


    tell if he was irritated by the question or amused.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You brought that man into our house.¡± He crossed his arms across his shirtless torso, his stance wide


    as he met my stare.


    ¡°You never said I couldn¡¯t.¡± My response faded as he let out a growl that made me tremble with


    excitement. He was in the mood to punish me.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have to. You already know I don¡¯t want men I don¡¯t trust hanging around my mate, let alone


    being in our home.¡±


    That word again, ¡®our.¡¯ I loved when Tobias called it that. It was almost as good as when he referred to


    me as his mate. Both rolled off his tongue and made their way straight to my heart.


    ¡°Are you going to go easy on me then?¡± I whispered, not sure which answer I wanted. If he kept me


    tied here all day, I would be a happy woman, only if he was here with me. But as he said, this was my


    first offense of this kind.


    ¡°That was before I woke up and still smelled him downstairs.¡± He said, dropping his crossed arms and


    pulling gently on the tie he had around my ankle.


    ¡°I have morning breath,¡± I whispered, my body practically trembling as I felt myself growing wetter at


    the feeling of his warm fingertips against my skin.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your mouth for this.¡±


    My breathing caught, and I swallowed hard. ¡°I have to go the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Hold it.¡±


    I honestly didn¡¯t know what to do. I had been in many risque situations in my past, but I had almost


    always been in control. This was new and exciting. I loved it.


    Every order he gave me, every demand that crossed his lips excited me more than thest.


    ¡°I had a visionst night.¡± That piqued his interest, and I watched as he raised an eyebrow, looking so


    sinfully sexy that I regretted bringing it up. I couldn¡¯t even exin why I did. It was as if I wanted to


    draw out this cat- and-mouse game even though I had already been caught. I was in his clutches, and I


    fucking loved it there.


    ¡°Is it urgent?¡± He stepped closer, his hands pressing into the mattress as he leaned forward. I picked


    my head up to watch him, shaking it as I did so. ¡°Then it can wait until the more important matters are


    dealt with.¡±


    My dry lips parted, and I licked them eagerly. Me. I was the more important matter, or at least punishing


    me was. I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.


    ¡°If¡­¡± I cut off when his hand started sliding up my leg.


    ¡°If you keep talking, sweetheart. I will put that mouth to use after all, even if it¡¯s only to keep it busy.¡±


    His threat had me dripping; I was sure there would be a spot of my desire on the bed by the time he


    was done with me. The dream of tasting him had been going around my head for a long time, and while


    we had done many things, I had yet to enjoy him cumming on my tongue and down my throat.


    Each time, he would pull away and cum on my chest. He loved that.


    ¡°What is my punishment?¡± The question came out in a breathy whisper that had my lungs copsing in


    anticipation.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to cum, until I say so.¡± He demanded, his hands wrapping around my shins as he gently


    slid them up my legs. His grip tightened around my thighs like he couldn¡¯t help himself from grabbing


    me harder, squeezing me tighter as he let out a growl. ¡°I haven¡¯t even started with you, sweetheart, and


    look at how fucking wet you are for me.¡±


    Tobias lowered his head, and mine shot off the bed, eager to watch him make contact with the bundle


    of nerves between my legs. Instead, he worked his way up my thigh. His lips, tongue, and teeth took


    turns tasting and nibbling my skin.


    Every muscle was tense; my whole body was coiled as he finally hovered over my pussy, his hot breath


    fanning over me.


    When he ced his mouth between my legs, I couldn¡¯t resist moaning out his name and throwing my


    head back. My eyes squeezed shut tightly as he sucked and licked my clit like an expert.


    My arms pulled at the restraints, desperate to reach down and tangle my fingers in his hair. I needed


    something, anything for leverage, so that I could grind against his mouth. The pleasure was too


    incredible not to move, and being tied up was almost as tortuous as it was delicious.


    I wrapped my fingers around the fabric, holding it tightly as I approached my release. My hips tensed,


    and my pelvis and thigh trembled as I felt my orgasming, and it wasing on strong.


    Tobias jerked back, leaving me whimpering beneath him as heughed only an inch away from my


    pussy. The air of his breath hit my wet lips, and I pushed my hips up as high as I could in my current


    position, wanting his mouth back on me.


    ¡°Not yet, sweetheart. You don¡¯t get to cum that easy.¡± He whispered, cing a kiss against my


    throbbing clit before pulling away and sliding one finger in me slowly. I let my hips rx as I looked


    down the valley of my breasts at him and watched as he enjoyed himself.


    He held himself with one arm on the mattress next to my hips while his eyes were locked on the single-


    digit pumping in and out. In and out. It was coated in the evidence of my desire, and the sound it made


    as he shoved it inside me as far as it could go before curling his finger and rubbing my walls made me


    release a shuddered breath.


    Tobias knew when he found my G-spot because he gave it extra attention, rubbing it each time he


    thrust his finger into me. I was amazed at how quickly I built back to my orgasm. Never before had I


    been able to get off without my clit being stimted, but he did it, and with one finger at that.


    My breathing was short pants, my abs tightening as I tried to resist letting him know I was close. I didn¡¯t


    want him to stop again. I needed it. I needed more.


    ¡°I can feel you tightening about me, sweetheart. So fucking good.¡± His cooing of praise made my toes


    curl, and I cried out when he took his finger away.


    My eyes opened as I red at him, my jaw dropping when he ced the digit in his mouth and sucked


    off my wetness. ¡°Tobias.¡±


    His name was a short threat on my lips. One that promised revenge and domination but also begged


    and pleaded for him to continue. I pulled harder against the restraints, knowing I could free myself with


    magic but secretly enjoying his game.


    He knew it, too, as he pulled his shorts off, stepping out of them and showing off his impressive cock.


    Fuck.


    My head fell back on the bed as my clit throbbed almost painfully, desperate for attention. My nipples


    were so hard that I was sure they would never go soft again. His hand gripped his length, pumping it


    slowly as he stared at me.


    ¡°How long will you punish me?¡± I asked, regretting the question instantly as it made me feel weak.


    ¡°That¡¯s upto how well you take it.¡± He responded, crawling back over me and surprising me by pping


    his cock gently against my pussy. I jumped with a cry of pleasure as he shoved it deep inside me.


    I would take it all, everything he was willing to give me.


    After a few thrusts, he reached down to my ankle, ripping the fabric free from one leg before looping his


    arm under my knee and hitching it up until it was in line with my chest. The new angle allowed him


    more freedom, and he used it. His hips mmed against mine, and his balls smacked my ass with


    every wet-sounding thrust into me.


    The small groans and growls Tobias let out had me on edge once more, and I felt myself tightening


    around him, determined not to let him go so he couldn¡¯t leave and take away my third orgasm.


    But he did. He thrust a few more times, his jaw clenched, and a small line of sweat formed on his


    forehead. Then he pulled out, leaving me a moaning, withering mess beneath him as he came on my


    clit. Once again, my body protested, close to the edge but not quite there.


    That was my punishment. Tobias would edge me until I couldn¡¯t breathe, keep my eyes open, or move.


    ¡°Did you like how it felt to be inside me, fucking me hard and deep like that? ¡± I asked with one eyebrow


    raised as I admired how the muscles in his shoulders and arms flexed as he held himself over me. I


    wanted to y his game, but I wanted to win. I wanted to reach the finish line. ¡°Imagine how good it will


    feel to have me cumming on your cock.¡±


    My tease did nothing but backfire as he stood up and turned to the dresser to grab the ss of ice


    water and take a long gulp. ¡°And I look forward to that. Just not right now, sweetheart.¡±


    He brought the ss over to me, gesturing it forward, silently asking if I was thirsty, and I was. I


    nodded, waiting for him to release my restraints so I could have a drink. Instead, he leaned down,


    pressing his lips to mine and forcing an ice cube into my mouth.


    I bit down on it aggressively in anger as he took another sip of the water and walked back to the edge


    of the bed. He ced the cup back on the dresser before stopping by my feet. Tobias sent me a


    devilish grin with a piece of ice between his teeth and lowered his head to my pussy once more.

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    Thirty-Nine: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    My legs were limp noodles beneath me, even hours after my punishment had ended. Tobias had been


    kind and loving. He drew me a bath, rubbed me down with lotion, carried me downstairs, and sat me at


    the dining room table with a ss of water.


    I watched him closely. Every move he made as he worked around the kitchen to cook us some food


    was so fluid.


    Tobias was so calm and rxed. It was the most peaceful I had seen him in years, and it made me not


    want to tell him about my vision until I had to when Rona returned.


    The doorbell rang, making Tobias tense, but he ignored it and began to te our lunch. I had never


    thought he would enjoy cooking, let alone be so good at it. I also secretly enjoyed that he only cooked


    for me.


    He hated Cyrus, but I had the feeling that even if they were best friends, he wouldn¡¯t have cooked for


    Cyrusst night.


    I smiled at him as he ced the bowl in front of me, the chicken and vegetable-covered rice steaming


    looked delicious, and by the thick sauce over it, I knew it would be sweet.


    My eyes closed as he pressed his lips against my head. I couldn¡¯t get enough of this man. His smell


    engulfed me, and I leaned back, enjoying the heat of his body so close.


    The sound of the doorbell chiming again had him growling, storming toward the door. I would have sent


    them away, forced them off the porch with my magic if I thought it would be okay. But until I moved in,


    that felt like crossing a line.


    He kept to himself, but that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t have friends who maye over asionally. There


    were still things I needed to learn about him and his life.


    I leaned to the side, wanting to see who was at the door, but remained seated as I had been instructed


    when he carried me down here. Instead, his broad back blocked my view from the outside except for


    two neon pink ballet ts. They were so small; I was sure they were a child¡¯s.


    But then I heard her voice. It was not the voice of a child. While high-pitched, no kid would talk the way


    she was.


    ¡°Oh, good! You¡¯re here! I knew you were because I smelled food, but when you didn¡¯t answer the first


    time, I got a little worried that I missed you again.¡± She spoke in rushed excitement, and I shoved a


    large bite of my food into my mouth, trying to force it down behind my possessiveness.


    Tobias was a big man; he could handle a child-sized woman if he wanted to. Then again, as she


    pushed past him and entered his house, I felt my energy return tenfold. Who does she think she is?


    Her curled blonde hair was loose around her face, and her cheeks were as pink as her lips. She looked


    flushed, as if she were warm instead of aroused, but a small part of my mind was convinced that the


    color of her cheeks was because she had touched my mate. Her shoulder and potentially her breast


    had grazed against him as she forced her way into the house.


    I scowled as I examined her. She had a tiny waist with wide hips. Her breasts were sorge that I was


    sure she was top- heavy and would topple over at any moment.


    ¡°I have great news for you, and I think you¡¯ll be really happy! I haven¡¯t seen you smile since we were


    kids, but this might just do it!¡± Her head was still turned, staring at him as she walked forward without


    looking.


    I¡¯ve seen him smile. I¡¯ve heard himugh.


    She yelped when she bumped into the coffee table, and I couldn¡¯t help the smirk that graced my lips.


    It only took one look up at my mate to determine that I didn¡¯t just dislike her. I hated her. His jaw was


    clenched, his shoulders and back were tense, his eyes were ck, and his hands were in fists. She


    made him ufortable. She ruined his peace.


    ¡°Oh!¡± She chimed, forcing my eyes back to her to find her staring at me with a smile so wide that I


    hoped she would catch a bug or two in her perfectly straight teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t even see you there! You¡¯re


    as quiet as Tobias is! I love your hair; it¡¯s so interesting. How did your eyes get like that?


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Gosh, it smells so good in here.¡±


    She babbled enthusiastically, and I didn¡¯t know what to do. I hated Tobias¡¯s name rolling off her lips,


    and I could see that she wasn¡¯t marked when she moved and her hair adjusted.


    Just as Tobias wasn¡¯t. He had marked me, but I couldn¡¯t mark him. The idea of walking right over to


    Tobias and biting him would have turned me on again if I hadn¡¯t beenpletely depleted of all energy,


    and there wasn¡¯t a colorful Chihuahua of a woman yapping at me.


    Her royal blue capris and white and pink blouse made her impossible to miss but way too bright to look


    at.


    My eyes met Tobias¡¯s, and while he wasn¡¯t happy, he didn¡¯t look as tense as before when his gaze


    settled on me.


    My head snapped back to the woman as she dropped her briefcase loudly against the table and began


    pulling out color -coded folders. She continued to bber about what she had eaten for her lunch, how


    her morning went, and everything else I couldn¡¯t care less about.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± I snapped, no longer surprised by her presence and annoyingly chipper


    personality.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I forgot to introduce myself!¡± My body tensed as she rushed around the dining room table.


    It wasn¡¯t because I was in nothing but Tobias¡¯s shirt, but because it took everything in me not to react


    defensively and toss her out the window as she grabbed my hand and shook it firmly and aggressively.


    ¡°I¡¯m nche. I¡¯m working for Tobias, but who knows who I¡¯ll work with tomorrow? It seems every day,


    people are calling me left and right. My days are booked down to the second at this point. I¡¯m so


    excited! I really didn¡¯t think my business would take off like this. Everyone always said I was just the


    runt of the litter, and now they¡¯re out there fighting and running patrol, and I am contributing to my pack


    by managing real estate and¡­.¡±


    My mouth was open in surprise, and I was slightly disgusted as she kept talking. She released my


    hand, moved back to her briefcase, and grabbed a few pens.


    Tobias seemed to pick up on my unease, and while he was ufortable, he wiped his fingers over


    his mouth as if he could hide the smile threatening his lips. ¡®Eat, Sweetheart. You¡¯re going to need your


    energy.¡¯


    His words came through our mate link and centered me back to reality. My foody abandoned in front


    of me but still hot as I took a big spoonful to appease my mate, ignoring the rambling woman across


    from me.


    When she mentioned that she had an offer for him, I finally understood why she was disrupting our day.


    It was the house he wanted to sell. His childhood home. All of my violent thoughts toward her for


    ruining our peace melted away.


    This was what Tobias had wanted and needed. He hated that house, and getting rid of it would help


    him find closure.


    ¡°It¡¯s really a great offer; they met the asking price and are willing to take it as is. You really can¡¯t do


    much better. They really wanted to push their offer over the top and decided to introduce themselves.¡±


    She pointed, took out one paper from the blue folder, ced it on the table, and gripped her hands


    tightly in front of her as if cutting off the cirction in her fingers would keep her from talking while he


    looked over the offer.


    I leaned forward, amazed that she finally closed her mouth and nced at the paper. There was a


    picture at the top of a family of three. The female was sporting arge belly that could pop at any


    moment, while the man had his hand over the chest of a young boy with missing teeth. The child¡¯s eyes


    were closed as if he had been smiling so hard he couldn¡¯t bear to keep them open any longer.


    Below are two paragraphs telling Tobias about their family and why they want to buy his house. It was a


    smart move, making the offer seem more personal. I wasn¡¯t sure how many other offers they were up


    against, but nche seemed to really want him to choose this family.


    Tobias moved in, staring down at the paper while the wheels in his head spun. I wasn¡¯t sure if he was


    even reading it, but he took a long look at their picture before looking up and nodding once.


    ¡°Wonderful! I¡¯ll get everything in order! I¡¯ll be reaching out to you soon! This is so great¡­¡± Once again,


    she bbered on, and my eyes moved down to her pink fingers that finally had blood in them again.


    What an interesting creature. I still didn¡¯t like her, but my defenses had fallen, and I no longer wanted to


    rip her tongue out.


    Not with the look on Tobias¡¯s face. He looked shocked, stunned. It was almost as if he was having


    difficulty processing the information. I couldn¡¯t figure out if it were that his childhood home would be


    gone and he could finally put it behind him or if he had never thought about a happy family living there.


    nche didn¡¯t even bother saying goodbye; she just kept rambling as she walked right out the door,


    bumping into Cyrus on her way out.


    He blinked several times, holding her by her biceps on the front porch, staring down at her like she


    would attack him if he didn¡¯t keep her at a distance. Though, with his recent experience with Rona, I


    could see how he might be a bit startled by women.


    nche chirped on, apologizing andplimenting his clothes before skipping down the steps.


    I stood from my seat, watching the show as his head turned and followed her. ¡°Did you need


    something, Cyrus?¡±


    My question was brushed off with an absentminded wave of his hand over his shoulder. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m


    good. Hey, wait up!¡±


    Cyrus took off down the porch, and with a flick of my finger, the front door mmed shut. Iughed.


    Some woman


    would chew him right up, and I had the feeling he would love every second of it.


    The sound of paper sliding against the top of the table had me sitting back down. Tobias was staring at


    the picture of the family that nch left behind for Tobias, and he let out a deep breath.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked, cing my hand on his forearm.


    The brown eyes I had loved since I was a kid stared back at me, and my heart clenched as he nodded.


    A slow smile stretched across his face. ¡°I guess this means I can finally afford to build an add-on to


    give you a study. Better start packing, sweetheart. I want to get you moved in as soon as possible.¡±

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    Forty: Tobias


    Tobias¡¯s P.O.V.


    Joselin¡¯s movements were jerky, fast, and angry as she shoved more clothes into her bag. I knew she


    wasn¡¯t mad about moving in; she had been excited about it. She was happy when I told her it was time


    to live together.


    Now she was angry, and she was so fucking beautiful when she was angry. She was my personal


    firecracker. I would never get enough of her.


    Joselin nced around the room, getting more worked up when she didn¡¯t find what she was looking


    for. Her white hair was loose and free around her shoulders. Her pink, puffy lips were down-turned and


    pressed together tightly in irritation.


    Her white eyes narrowed and seemed to light up in irritation when her gazended on me. In long


    strides, she stomped my way, ripped the thin zip-up coat I was folding out of my hands, and proceeded


    to shove it hap hazardously into her bag.


    My empty hands were held out in front of me, and I tightened them into fists as I bit back myughter


    before letting them fall to my sides. She sure was something else.


    I didn¡¯t care that she had an attitude right now. I was too excited to finally have her living in my space,


    my den¡­our home.


    I stepped back, leaving the bag I had been packing open and only half-filled. The seat in the corner of


    the room held many great memories, and I sat down, watching my mate with fascination. Joselin never


    ceased to surprise me. Even after watching and loving her all these years, she still threw me for a loop


    when she could.


    Her aggression as she packed and the furrow of her brow was adorable. So fucking adorable.


    Whatever was going on inside her dark little mind was lost on me, and I knew when she finally told me


    what it was that it would knock me off my axis because she did that. Frequently.


    Whatever I expected her to say was very rarely what she did.


    It took several minutes of me admiring her. The curve of her hips, the way her waist pulled in slightly


    before moving back out to her chest. Her body was toned and tight from working out so often, and I


    was excited to get back to training with her.


    We had trained together a bit as kids, then went our separate ways during and after Ana. It wasn¡¯t until


    Natalie was brought here that we started training again; even then, we worked with Natalie. We weren¡¯t


    training with each other.


    I was too worried that having her pressed up against me, her sweaty skin gliding against mine, and


    those deadly workout clothes that were like a secondyer of skin would be too much. I held myself


    back until we were both ready for that next step. If I had touched her¡­ if I had given in and let her wrap


    her body around mine while trying to get me to submit, I would have cracked.


    I would have taken her to the floor and fucked her in front of everyone as hard and deep as possible.


    We couldn¡¯t do that then. Neither one of us had been ready for that at the time. Instead, I let her trail


    her hands over me as she flirted while I was on duty. Fully clothed and unable to act on the dangerous


    thoughts in my head.


    But now we could. Nothing prevented us from training together again, no matter how hot it got. It


    wouldn¡¯t matter because Joselin was mine, and I could take her to this tower, or the bathroom, or any


    empty room really, and fucked her hard on the floor, up against the wall, on the furniture¡­ the


    possibilities were endless.


    Joselin pulled at the zipper, angry when it wouldn¡¯t close, before mumbling and pointing her finger at


    the bag. I watched everything inside shrink as she sucked the air out of it before zipping it shut with an


    aplished, ¡°Hah, you cheap piece of shit.¡±


    She nced up, her jaw clenching, when she saw the abandoned bag I had been working on. ¡°I


    thought you said you were going to help.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at her, my head leaning back against the chair as I watched her. She was the most


    beautiful sight I had ever seen, and I was honored she had chosen me. Seeing her angry was like a


    work of art.


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    I knew she wasn¡¯t angry about her punishment this morning. She seemed to enjoy that more than I did.


    When I finally let her cum it was the longest and most intense orgasm I had ever seen her have. Her


    eyes had closed tightly, her body


    trembled, and she screamed my name louder than ever before. I continued to fuck her pussy with my


    tongue, letting her ride out every wave of pleasure she had earned for taking her punishment so well.


    Then her body went limp, and as I kissed my way back up her skin, untying her restraints as I went, I


    couldn¡¯t help but smile with pride that she had passed out for a few seconds from the intensity of her


    release.


    ¡°You are magnificent when you¡¯re angry.¡± My response seemed to catch her off guard, and she froze as


    she reached for the bag I had started working on. There was no point for me to continue if she was this


    bothered by the idea of moving in with me. If she wasn¡¯t ready, that was fine by me. I was a patient


    man. I could wait. I didn¡¯t want to, but I could. ¡°Something about you when you¡¯re angry is such a


    fucking turn-on.¡±


    I didn¡¯t need to exin. I was sure Joselin could see the bulge in my pants from watching her strut


    around her room like she was on a mission.


    ¡°Are you kidding me right now?¡± She snapped but sounded intrigued as she looked down at myp.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, sweetheart?¡±


    My question made her frustration grow more intense, and she stormed toward me, pulling her hair over


    her shoulder as she did so.


    ¡°What¡¯s on my mind?¡± Herugh sounded almost pained. My eyes dropped down her slender neck to


    the mark I ced


    there. Everytime I saw it, I felt a burst of pride rush through me. ¡°This! This is on my mind! You marked


    me!¡±


    I smiled, my knees spreading further as I rxed into the chair. I would never apologize for it. At first, I


    was worried because I had marked Joselin without asking her what she wanted. But with each passing


    day, that worry was reced with happiness because I knew she would be mine forever.


    ¡°Yes, I did. Do you want me to do it again?¡± My offer resulted in her shivering, and her eyes widened a


    little as she


    debated it. I could feel how turned on she was by the idea, knowing that any time I ced my mark on


    her, she was going to cum for me. The pleasure of a mark being touched by the mate who put it there


    was said to be unlike anything. Biting it almost guaranteed instant release.


    ¡°I¡­You¡­ That¡¯s not what I am asking for!¡± She argued.


    I expected her to stop, for her to yell at me for something, or storm away and pace like she would when


    she was thinking something through. But whatever this was, she had already thought about it. She


    knew exactly what she wanted to say.


    Instead, she ced her hands on my shoulders and pushed her knees between my thighs and the


    arms of the chair, straddling me. My hands instantly found her hips, and she rxed, her ass resting on


    my pelvis.


    This chair ising with us. I didn¡¯t care what else Joselin brought with her beyond this chair. It would


    be ced in our living room and be my new favorite ce to sit.


    Her hands were on my chest, her fingers pinching the fabric and releasing it repeatedly. Joselin sighed


    before speaking, her perfect pink lips holding my attention as I wanted to lean forward and steal a


    taste.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like that you don¡¯t have a mark.¡± She admitted she sounded like a pouting child as she slid her


    hand up and rubbed her fingers against my neck.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I smiled even wider. This was not where I had thought she would go with this conversation, and


    I was ecstatic that she wasn¡¯t backing out on moving in with me. A missing mark was the least of my


    worries. If she was so focused on that, I knew I made the right choice with her.


    She is a woman who can battle the world and has endless tasks and threats popping up each day that


    she has to deal with, and her biggest concern at the moment was that she wanted to be able to mark


    me. She was the right woman for me. A warrior who wasn¡¯t afraid to take what was hers.


    ¡°I keep debating walking up and trying to bite you.¡± Her admission surprised the shit out of me. Once


    again, keeping me on my toes.


    I felt myself grow harder beneath her at the idea of her doing just that very thing. If she wanted to bite


    me, I could be into that. Hell, I would be into any and everything she wanted as long as she stayed with


    me.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I responded again, letting her know I heard her. If I began talking now, she would stop; that was


    thest thing I wanted. I needed to know exactly what was going on in her head.


    ¡°I want to do the bonding ceremony.¡± She kept her eyes down as she admitted this, and I had the


    feeling that Joselin was almost embarrassed to ask me for it since she wasn¡¯t a wolf.


    My eyes closed as I groaned in agreement. I would be stupid to say no to her request. Dering her as


    mine in front of the Goddess and epting a bond we had created on our own. It was powerful.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I agreed, and she leaned back on myp. My eyes opened, and my hands tightened in protest


    on her hips as I thought she was getting ready to get up, but she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Yes? You¡¯re okay with that even though I¡¯m not a wolf?¡± She looked stunned, the lines dancing along


    her skin so quickly that they looked like they were slithering instead of


    vibrating. I could never feel them, only see them, but I knew them like the back of my hand.


    ¡°Next full moon.¡± I agreed, knowing it was only a few days away. Tonight would have been preferable,


    but since we weren¡¯t fated mates, I wanted to make sure the moon was at its strongest.


    My beast was surging beneath my skin, as excited as I was for the ceremony that I thought would


    never happen for me. Yet, it was here, only days away. I had a beautiful woman in myp, one I loved


    with everything in me, and she was willing to follow the customs of my people to ensure that even


    though she couldn¡¯t mark me, I was still marked by her in the eyes of the Goddess.


    Joselin¡¯s lips crashed onto mine, and she pushed her chest against me as she parted her lips and


    allowed me that taste I had been craving. Her tongue dances with mine in a fight for dominance, and I


    reach down between us. She gave no objection as I lifted my shirt from her body, the same one I had


    put her in earlier this morning after her bath, and ripped her ck leggings from her belly button down


    her front and to her ass.


    My fingers dipped into her wetness, growling in pleasure that she wasn¡¯t wearing any panties. Joselin


    undid my pants with quick fingers, never breaking our kiss. She cried out in pleasure as I grabbed her


    hips with one hand and held myself at her entrance with the other before mming her down onto me.


    Everything was falling into ce for us. It felt good. Almost too good.

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148


    Forty-One: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Cyrus was like a puppy. For a spell caster, the first of his kind, he was very immature. I was surprised


    hested this long, but at least he had been smart enough to ask for help.


    ¡°But really, what¡¯s his deal?¡± He chimed for the fourth time this morning.¡± Does he ever use the mind


    link, or is he just quiet all the time? I know he had his tongue. I saw it during dinner. Is he a mute?


    Doesn¡¯t that get tiresome, always having to guess what he wants or thinks?¡±


    My eyes rolled to the back of my head. I had found him babbling away with nche in the courtyard


    this morning. The two of them looked thick as thieves, facing each other under one of the trees with


    their bent knees pressed together as theyughed and spoke a mile a minute with each other.


    She seemed to have rubbed off on him because he hadn¡¯t shut up since I ordered him toe with


    me. It was unfortunate for me, but at least he was in good spirits.


    ¡°Did he rub off on you? Are you not talking now either?¡± Cyrusughed, his hand going up to his unruly


    blonde hair before sliding it down over his face. It amused me that he was thinking the same thing


    about Tobias and me as I was thinking about him and nche.


    Maybe the two of them would be good together¡­ or perhaps they would drive me insane.


    ¡°You¡¯re a child,¡± I muttered, making himugh harder. I had too much on my mind toe up with a


    bettereback, but he didn¡¯t care. He was amusing himself. It was fine by me as long as he didn¡¯t


    expect me to respond to his millions of questions and sarcastic quips.


    ¡°I¡¯m thirty-two. That¡¯s hardly a child.¡±


    That made me pause, my feet nted firmly as I spun to face him. Cyrus stumbled before turning to


    me with raised eyebrows. Small wrinkles were in the corners, but his bright, cheerful yellow eyes and


    boyish grin made me lean toward his early twenties.


    ¡°Thirty-two, and you¡¯re still this immature?¡± My eyes raked over him. He looked slightly healthier, but


    not by much, now that he was eating more and no longer living in the wild. Once he filled back out, he


    would probably look more his age.


    ¡°I was mature enough toe to you for help.¡± He quipped back with his goofy crooked smile. ¡°I¡¯m the


    first of my kind, not some all-powerful being.


    I know when I am outmatched and when to put my pride aside. I don¡¯t want to be thest of my kind,


    and if that means living in the castle or the city, I will.¡±


    I nodded. That was fair. Cyrus may act immature with the little things, like a geeky teenager, but when it


    comes to important matters, he¡¯s smart about it. I admired that, even with multiple people trying to kill


    him, he kept his positive outlook on life and remained as positive and annoyingly happy as he was.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡¯


    He followed behind me as I made my way to Natalie¡¯s study. I knew she would be in there this time of


    the day, and we needed to talk.


    The door opened on its own after I knocked, knowing better than to walk right into another witch¡¯s study


    and possibly disrupt them when they could be casting or focusing. That was an easy and stupid way to


    get maimed or killed.


    Natalie and Aurora were sitting in front of the firece. I watched as the me in Natalie¡¯s hand flew


    back to therge but controlled ze before she turned to us with arge smile. The pride on her


    mother¡¯s face was undeniable, and it made my chest ache with jealousy that I had to push down.


    There was no point in feeling that way when that motherly bond I had craved since I was a little girl was


    something I would never have. Even if I hadn¡¯t identally killed mine, she never would have epted


    me. My mother didn¡¯t for the first eleven years of my life; why would theter years be any different?


    ¡°Good Morning, Josie!¡± Natalie greeted me, and I almost flinched at the affectionate tone and


    nickname. It wasn¡¯t the first time she had called me Josie, but now that we had cleared the air with all


    my insecurities about my position in the castle, it felt good to have her still treat me the way she used


    to.


    There was no animosity toward me for snapping at her mate or using her of taking over my job. It


    hadn¡¯t been fair of me tosh out instead of just talking to her and Killian like three damned adults. It


    seemed I was immature too.


    ¡°Morning.¡± I cleared my throat as Cyrus walked past me in awe, looking over all the shelves. ¡°Have a


    minute?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Natalie stood up, moving toward the round table by the window to sit, but kept a sharp eye


    on Cyrus as he explored her study. She was wise not to trust anyone freely. I was the same way, but I


    needed Cyrus to trust her. They would either need to bond or keep their distance and treat this as any


    job, with professionalism.


    I strode toward the table, hating how formal this felt. But just like Cyrus had said for himing to me, I


    could put my pride aside to ask for help when needed. Usually, I would go to Agatha as one of the only


    council members I trusted, but she died when Talia turned on us in the war a few months ago.


    ¡°My investigation into Rona has reached a bit of a turn, and things may be getting tense here soon.


    She either knows I was in her house or she will soon, but when she returns, she will focus on me.¡± My


    fingers gripped the back of the chair as I tried not to let my emotions show.


    For just a little while, I wanted there to be peace. As much as I loved bloodshed and the action and


    excitement that came with it, I still needed a break. Once this was over, I would be wrapping myself


    around Tobias and taking him away from here for a much-needed vacation.


    ¡°How did she find out?¡± Natalie asked, the fingertips on her right hand pressing into the table¡¯s top


    while the other gently grabbed her forearm as if to hide the sign of tension.


    ¡°She found one of my hairs in her home.¡± I felt stupid even admitting it. I knew better. I should have


    made sure it was tightly tucked away, but after having her house beat the shit out of me for so long, I


    had just been happy to get inside. I never bothered to concern myself with fixing my hair or putting it up


    at all.


    What Tobias and I had done in her bed was insanely hot and so very stupid.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Aurora said, touching my shoulder tofort me, but I didn¡¯t need it. ¡°What¡¯s the n?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. If Rona attacks me, I will kill her.¡± The air around us popped and crackled like it was alive


    with electricity, but it wasn¡¯ting from me.


    I was ready to battle. I almost craved the feeling of ripping her heart out or slicing her throat. But I had


    control over my magic at that moment, so I knew it wasn¡¯t me.


    It wasing from Cyrus.


    ¡°You have a problem with me killing her, Cyrus?¡± I snapped, but he shook his head. His pale yellow


    eyes were narrowed and angry as he sat beside Natalie. She was tense as she eyed him warily.


    ¡°No, just hate that I brought this on you.¡± He uttered, leaning back in his chair with his knees spread,


    his forearms resting on the tabletop as he tapped his pointer finger into the wood to emphasize his


    point. The longer I stared at him, the older he looked. With his goofy smile gone, and the exhaustion


    evident on his face, he looked closer to his age. I wasn¡¯t sure how I had missed it before, but he had


    masked his feeling well until now.


    I stared a moment longer before looking back to Natalie, who had rxed, and Aurora, who was


    studying Cyrus with open curiosity.


    ¡°If she is the one draining witches like I suspect, taking her down is still possible but will be more


    challenging. If I am injured or unavable, I want to ask that my promise to Cyrus doesn¡¯t fall t. We


    can¡¯t risk their extinction as he is the only known one of his kind.¡± I moved forward, resting my forearms


    on the back of the chair with my hands sped together.


    Natalie leaned back, ¡°You want us to protect him in case she gets away.¡±


    She knew the only way I would let Rona getaway would be upon my death or severe injury. I wouldn¡¯t


    let the bitch escape. Once she attacked, I would finally get what I wanted. Her dead.


    Rona was too much of a risk, too dangerous to keep alive. She would turn on any one of us given the


    chance. Even Killian knew it. He trusted her less than anyone and had already given me the green light


    to look into her.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Natalie nodded once, looking lost in thought. ¡°Okay. Any luck on tapping into Rona¡¯s blood?¡±


    My head shook as it fell forward. I had been struggling with it and failing for weeks now. ¡°Not one bit.


    Something is blocking me.¡±


    Aurora looks up at me, suddenly losing interest in Cyrus. ¡°You can¡¯t get in?¡±


    My head shook, and my teeth ground together. I wondered if I had taken too little from her, but any


    amount should have worked.


    ¡°It only works one way.¡¯ Aurora offered, and I felt my body coil in anticipation of more bad news. ¡°If you


    can¡¯t get into her blood, it means that someone is either in yours or beat you to hers. So, if I tap into


    your blood and can control or curse you, no one can use mine to control both you and me. It doesn¡¯t


    work like that.¡±


    My tongue ran out over my lips. I never had this issue with blood magic before, and Talia had only


    taught me so much before she walked out on me. I hated that I never knew this. It was just another


    reminder that I was not up to the standard of my job.


    I was only twenty-six and had aplished a lot during my time as the royal advisor at Killian¡¯s side,


    and for having taught myself most of what I knew, I was still damn proud. But the small gaps in my


    knowledge that would only be filled with time were frustrating.


    It didn¡¯t mean I felt unprepared for the job or would ever want to step down. They would have to


    challenge and fight me to the death to take my position. It just meant that I had to work harder, and I


    was one stubborn bitch.


    ¡°There is no way anyone is in mine,¡± I said firmly. I had charms in ce for it on all my jewelry, and the


    small hoop in my cartge was no exception. I ensured that was in ce right after the war when Killian


    had been targeted. No one would notice a piece of jewelry so small, and I would stay safe from anyone


    trying to tamper with me.


    ¡°So then, is Rona controlling someone, or is she the one being controlled?¡± Cyrus asked, breaking the


    silence.

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    The crickets were chirping, and the tall, natural grass was rustling in the breeze. The sound of the night


    had never been moreforting as I worked myself up for what was about to happen.


    No one needed to know about tonight unless we told them. It could be our secret, our private moment


    to be ourselves and embrace our connection.


    Things had been sweet and loving for the past few days, enjoying every minute together we could


    before Rona returned, and we would spiral into chaos again. Tobias¡¯s possessiveness was a major


    turn-on, and he owned me and my body whenever I stepped into our bedroom. Yet, each time I told


    him how excited I was for tonight, his whole body would melt and rx, and our hard fucking would turn


    into slow lovemaking.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    It was the kind that could drive any woman wild. My eyes would roll back into my head as my nails dug


    into his skin. His long, deep thrusts into me and low groans as he enjoyed himself, were incredible.


    My hands were tightly sped before me. The skin-tight dress I had chosen was made of purece,


    leaving very little to the imagination. It ended only a few inches down my thighs and was sleeveless,


    only held up by a thin strap on each shoulder. The fragile fabric had been difficult to get on, and I knew


    once Tobias got his hands on me, I would be walking home naked with a pile of shredded fabric.


    The heels I had selected were sitting back at home, waiting for me to return, slide into them, and tease


    the hell out of my mate. They were of a simr design, and it almost felt like I was getting married. All


    white when I only ever wore ck.


    Was this what it felt like when my parents got married or when other humans did it? The riot of


    butterflies in my stomach felt abnormal, and I kept feeling the need to swallow even though my mouth


    was dry.


    I felt like my stomach was empty and that I was about to be sick from overeating at the same time. My


    body was as conflicted as my mind, and I pressed my toes into the soft Earth further to ground myself.


    Tobias was runningte due to an incident at the barracks. He had warned me, and I was okay with


    waiting. It would give me a minute to collect my thoughts. I was about to make him very happy by doing


    this, or I would humiliate myself.


    I tried to think back to when I had witnessed the bonding ceremony between Natalie and Killian. Theirs


    hadn¡¯t been private, and I was grateful mine would be.


    I felt him before I heard him; his presence was like a ma, pulling me toward him the closer he


    walked to me. The power and strength of his beast called to me, and I turned to face him behind me.


    Tobias stood frozen. His feet were bare, just like mine, to be one with the Earth. His ck dress pants


    and white button-up shirt were mouthwatering. His dark hair had beenbed back neatly, begging


    me to run my fingers through it. Everything about him was panty-dropping, and I was d I wasn¡¯t


    wearing any.


    Even under the dim lighting of the full moon, I could see as his eyes trailed over me from my ck


    toenail polish up my legs over my barely covered thighs. His eyelids lowered when he reached thece


    dress, and I watched with eager anticipation as his breathing became faster.


    I had adjusted the fabric a million times until the thicker design spots were covering my nipples, but


    knowing he could see the waxed skin between my legs was empowering. His gaze stopped there, and


    his tongue darted out to lick his lips before he forced his eyes up. The design thinned over my stomach


    and showed off the underside of my breasts very clearly before the pattern thickened again around my


    nipples.


    ¡°Woah,¡± He whispered as he walked toward me again, slowly and with silent steps as if he were


    worried he would scare me off. But I wasn¡¯t a cornered animal. I was a woman wanting to im her


    man. If anything, I was the hunter, and I wouldn¡¯t let him get away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have ever heard you make that sound before,¡± I whispered, my palms lying t against


    my thighs, allowing him to see the entire dress and everything it failed to cover.


    ¡°I am one lucky man to have someone as beautiful as you love me.¡± His hand raised, hovering over my


    cheek as if scared to touch me. I wasn¡¯t going to break. I would never break, not with him and not


    because of him.


    I turned my head, closed the gap between us, and shut my eyes. The desire to turn and kiss his palm


    won, and as I did just that, his other hand rested on my hip and slid around to my lower back. I smiled


    as he pulled my hips against his before leaning in and nuzzling my neck where his marky.


    A sigh of contentment passed my lips.


    I had found a beautiful spot in the middle of the forest between the border and the city, so no one would


    identally stumble upon us. The Earth had been very amodating as I molded it, moving the


    longer weeds and growth to the side and raising a softyer of fresh grass in the middle. The trees


    above us opened their branches to let the moon shine down on us, and the low rustle of their leaves


    was calming.


    ¡°Thank you for doing this. Thank you for choosing me,¡± I whispered, not realizing until my voice cracked


    just how heavy those words were. I had wanted someone to choose me for who I was, and no one ever


    had.


    There hadn¡¯t been a single man in my life that had wanted more from or of me. None of them wanted


    me for more than one night. But he did.


    He wanted me forever.


    ¡°I have loved you since we were kids. You have always been it for me.¡± He responded, his ck eyes


    tearing away from me to look up at the moon.


    It. I was it for him, and I felt ridiculous for wasting so much time.


    ¡°I love you too.¡±


    I felt it then, the shift in the air. My eyes darted up to the sky, following Tobias¡¯s gaze to therge white


    eye peering down at us as if She were present and waiting.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± I asked, speaking up into the night sky.


    ¡°Before we do this,¡± Tobias muttered, looking down at me. The words should have felt ominous; with


    anyone else, I would have been worried they were backing out or changing their mind about me. But


    not with him. With Tobias, I was so sure¡­so confident in us that I just smiled back.


    He cupped my cheeks, pressing his lips to mine. He filled every one of my senses. His scent


    surrounded me, my skin was dancing with electricity everywhere he touched, and the low moan of


    pleasure leaving his chest made me step into him further.


    The long and loving kiss made my toes curl, and my stomach tighten with need and anticipation. I


    would never get enough of this man.


    When we parted, Tobias smiled widely. ¡°I missed you today.¡±


    ¡°I missed you too. Now, it¡¯s time to make you mine.¡± I said, ncing up at the sky, worried that the


    moon would have moved even though it had only been a minute since Ist checked its position.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been yours.¡± He dropped his hands to my hips, but having him tower over me made me


    feel so safe and dainty. The heat of his body was soaking into mine as my body shook with nerves. My


    hands gripped his shirt tightly in my fists to prevent him from seeing the tremor.


    If he did, he didn¡¯t let on. His hold on me stayed strong and sure. ¡°I, Tobias Jones, have been blessed


    to have you, Joselin Kihlmen, as my mate. I have be a better man because of you, and I will


    continue to work toward being the man you deserve. I will always choose you. I vow before our


    Goddess to love and honor you every day for the rest of my life.¡±


    I let out a chokedugh of happiness, traitorous tears slipping over my cheeks. If there was any time for


    me to break my rule and cry, this was it.


    ¡°I, Joselin Kihlmen, have been blessed to have you, Tobias Jones, as my mate.¡± I paused, taking a


    deep breath as the air whipped around us in the otherwise still night. ¡°I have never known true love


    before you, and I promise to always fight by your side. I will do everything in my power to earn the love


    you have given me and to show you daily how much I love you.¡±


    My heart mmed into my chest as my already tight dress began to feel suffocating as I swallowed


    hard. Tobias could feel my nerves, and he held me tighter against him. His eyes were wide and eager


    to hear me say the rest of my lines.


    The tanned skin of his neck moved as he swallowed too, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing as I stared at the


    nk skin on the side of his neck where his neck met his cor. The spot where a mate¡¯s im was


    supposed toy.


    ¡®Bite him.¡¯ The voice flittered through my head so softly that I wasn¡¯t sure if I had actually heard it or if


    my imagination was trying to push me to make the dream of marking him a reality. 1


    I shook my head, and Tobias lowered his head and caught my eyes. He was being patient, but I could


    see the worry there. He had nothing to worry about.


    ¡°I vow before our Goddess to love and honor you every day for the rest of my life.¡± My heart felt lighter


    as I spoke the words, my smile so big it hurt my cheeks.


    ¡°I ept our bond.¡± His words rolled over me like a feather trailing over my sensitive flesh. I fell against


    his chest as my knees threatened to give out on me, but he stood firm, holding me up.


    ¡®Bite him. Mark him.¡¯


    The voice came again, and I licked my lips as I considered giving in to the temptation. Tobias was right


    there and so fucking tempting.


    He was all I could see as the world around us seemed to grow bright in the night, and I couldn¡¯t stop


    myself even if I tried. ¡°I ept our bond.¡±


    He leaned forward to kiss me, but I tucked my head into the crook of his neck, opening my jaw wide


    and biting down on the flesh there until I tasted blood.


    I expected to feel horrified¡­disgusted by what I had just done, as his hot blood dribbled down my chin.


    I expected him to groan in pain or push me away from him.


    But it felt right.


    Tobias sucked in a deep breath, and I took that as my sign to stop, to pull away. But my body didn¡¯t


    want to listen to my brain, and I held onto him with everything I had.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± He groaned, but it wasn¡¯t pain. His ws dug into my hips, and his hard length was evident


    through his dress pants as he pressed it against my stomach.


    Feeling how much he enjoyed this through our bond made me bite down a little harder before there


    was a change.


    The bond between us had been altered, and I didn¡¯t know if it was from my savage attack on him or the


    bonding ceremony, but I loved it.


    I pulled back. I could feel my tongue coated in the copper-tasting liquid, but my eyes were fixed on the


    bloody wound on my mate¡¯s neck.


    His words were low and gravelly. Tobias sounded pleased with himself, but it also felt like a trap. Any


    answer I gave him would result in a punishment for one reason or another, and a shiver of anticipation


    ran down my spine. It excited me.


    ¡°Did you just mark me, sweetheart?¡±

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    I did.


    I just fucking bit him like an animal, and as I licked my lips of his blood, I wanted to do it again. There


    was something so hot, so primal about seeing my bite on his neck. Not knowing if it would stay as his


    mark on me had or if I would have to do it again and again had me pressing my thighs together.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I whispered, feeling a drop of his blood fall from my chin andnd on the whitece of my dress


    over my breasts.


    ¡°Just when I thought you couldn¡¯t get any sexier.¡± He mumbled, rubbing his thumb along my chin and


    the mess I was sure was there. ¡°You marked me.


    How¡­¡±


    The amazement in his voice seemed to match what I was feeling because I didn¡¯t think either of us


    believed it would be possible. Only a wolf or Lycan had ever marked their mate. I had never heard of


    any other species having that option. Then again, I also believed that male witches weren¡¯t possible


    until one popped up out of the blue.


    There were so many things that I didn¡¯t know about the world, and the more I learned, the more excited


    it made me.


    ¡°You should go to the healers.¡± The words felt like poisoning out of my mouth.


    The healers were incredible; they had cared for me so many times, most recently to heal my broken


    ribs after our little excursion to Rona¡¯s house. Their magic was unique and strong, something worthy of


    being protected.


    Tobias let out a growl, his hands gripping my hips firmly to keep me in front of him as I attempted to


    step away. Even under the light of the full moon, he looked dark and feral. So dangerous and sexy that


    it almost hurt to look at him.


    ¡°I just mean so they can see if it is real or if I just bit my mate like a fucking cannibal.¡± The taste of his


    blood in my mouth made me feel uneasy the longer it was there.


    While I was proud of the mark on his neck, the feeling conflicted with my natural instinct to be disturbed


    by what I had just done.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t fucking touching me.¡± His shoulder rolled back, and he pushed the knuckle of his index


    finger against my chin to make me look up at him.¡± Whether it heals or stays, it¡¯s real to me.¡±


    As simple as that.


    It was the perfect response to ease all of my worries. It was the only thing I needed to hear for my


    uneasiness to melt away and my confidence to return. ¡°It¡¯s real.¡±


    Tobias slid his hand around to my lower back, the heat from his touch burning through the small holes


    in the design of my dress and scorching my skin.


    Something in my gut told me that my words weren¡¯t just me trying to convince myself but that they were


    fact. I could feel it in our connection, our bond. He was officially mine, just as I was his.


    His lips crashed against mine with a fervor that sent a thrill through me. Sparks danced across my skin,


    and I was overjoyed by the feeling. As his tongue touched mine, I grew increasingly wetter at the apex


    of my thighs.


    The small and intimate ceremony had been romantic, but the feeling in my gut was anything but. My


    need for Tobias was stronger than ever before, and I felt like I would burst into mes if I didn¡¯t have


    him.


    His fingertips danced over the thin strap on my shoulder, letting it fall onto my arm. His touch was


    loving and gentle but grew more demanding with each passing second. The breeze around us settled,


    and for the first time, I felt like we were finally alone tonight.


    As his lips trailed down my neck, my head tipped back. The moon above us had continued its travels


    across the sky as if wanting to give us privacy.


    ¡°Just tear it off,¡± I moaned as he left open-mouthed kisses on my mark while his other hand slid around


    the dress slowly, looking for a zipper.


    There wasn¡¯t one. That was part of why it had been so challenging to get into. Pulling it over my curved


    without ripping thece had been a bitch.


    ¡°I like this. I want to see you in it again.¡± He admitted, his body hunched forward to kiss and lick my


    chest before giving up and grabbing my ass so he could stand tall with my legs wrapped around him.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    I gasped, feeling his hard cock between my legs. My dress slid up my thighs, bunching at my hips as I


    laced my fingers in his hair.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have them make another one!¡± My cry went unheard as he took advantage of my loose straps and


    pulled the fabric under my breasts. My back arched as his hot mouth closed over one of my nipples.


    Using my legs as leverage against his back and my hands on his shoulders, I lifted myself higher to


    keep my chest in his face as he sucked and nibbled on my breast.


    ¡°No need.¡± He growled in response to my offer to get a new dress, even though it was really just


    expensive lingerie. ¡°Bend over.¡±


    I pulled back, my breasts in his face and his ck eyes boring into me with red swirling in their depths.


    A shiver went down my spine.


    It should have been because my bare ass and wet pussy were exposed to the elements, but instead, it


    was excitement. I was in his world now. It wasn¡¯t the bedroom with toys or restraints where he was


    restricted to be just a man.


    I could see his beast rising to the surface, clearly pleased by my mark on his neck and that we were in


    his territory. It was like a wet dreame true. It was time for Beauty to meet the beast.


    My legs dropped from around his hips, and I moaned as my clit slid against the bulge in his pants. I


    stepped back, smoothing the fabric around my hips until it was neatly folded over my stomach, giving


    Tobias the full view of my bare center.


    ¡°Are you going toe out and y?¡¯ My breasts were still on disy, and I reached up, cupping them


    in my palms and pinching my nipples between the knuckles of my fingers. ¡°I think I¡¯ve earned it.¡±


    His eyes closed as his nostrils red, and I eyed his fists at his sides with excitement as he tried to


    resist shifting.


    My hair was already up in a bun, and I released my breasts and slid my hands up to my neck, running


    my finger over my mark and watching as he shivered as though he could feel it too. His eyes were still


    closed, but as I turned around, my white eyes met his glowing red ones over my shoulder just as I bent


    my hips, showing him my pussy. I could feel the wetness between my thighs, and as he moved up


    behind me, I let out an uneven breath of excitement.


    ¡°Grab your ankles, mate.¡± His voice soundedyered and deeper. Hisck of calling me sweetheart


    showed his beast was at the surface.


    It made me even more excited.


    His pants hit the ground with his briefs, and my hold on my ankles tightened as I waited with eager


    anticipation. Every passing second made me grow wetter, and my clit throbbed with need as he took


    his time.


    My hand released my leg andnded in the soft dirt and grass to steady myself as I swayed, only to


    feel the sharp sting and hear the loud smack of his palming down on my ass.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The cry broke free from my lips, sounding like a moan, and my pussy clenched. I waited


    momentarily, debating putting my hand back where he had ordered or keeping it on the ground longer.


    When the second smacknded, and my knees buckled from the pleasure, only for me to be caught by


    his hands on my hips, I gave in. I wrapped my fingers tightly around my ankle and panted as I felt his


    hot length slide between my lips, brushing against my clit as he coated himself with my wetness.


    His hand rubbed the stinging cheek soothingly, but the defiant side of me still wanted to let go of my leg


    once more so I could feel the delicious smack of his calloused palm against my ass in punishment.


    ¡°Be a good girl, and I¡¯ll give you exactly what you want.¡± His offer sounded more like a threat, and I bit


    my bottom lip as I looked up between my legs to see hisrge cock sliding against me, teasing my


    entrance before moving back to my clit and making my eyes roll in pleasure. The sight of him so ready,


    his veins visible, and the drop of pre-cum on the tip had me ready to cum with his next stroke.


    But he wasn¡¯t willing to give it to me.


    Tobias slowly pushed his tip into me, sliding until he was fully sheathed before running his thumb over


    my puckered hole and growling excitedly.


    He thrust his cock inside me several more times before pulling out and sliding back against my clit in a


    tortuously slow rhythm. I wanted to arch my back and shove my ass against him, holding him in me the


    next time he entered me, but he had other ns.


    His grip on me tightened, using me like a toy and moving my hips for me. He slid back home, thrusting


    slow but so deep that I felt my pelvis tremble before pulling out again.


    ¡°You want to y, mate?¡± He asked, and I gasped as I heard him shift behind me. His beastly form had


    always interested me, and I knew he would be bigger and stronger than before.


    I nodded quickly like a desperate floozy, needing him to fill and take me.¡± Mh, yes.¡±


    His low growl was so territorial and feral that I was sure anyone in a five- mile radius heard him as he


    shoved his huge cock into me. ¡°I win.¡±

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151


    Forty-Four: Tobias


    Tobias¡¯s P.O.V.


    Thest ce I wanted to be was walking through the city with Natalie on guard duty. I loved my job


    and would do anything to protect our queen. But fuck, I wanted to go back to my woman and celebrate.


    The mark on my neck hadn¡¯t faded overnight, even with my expedited healing. The skin scarred over


    and glinted in the bathroom light as I got ready for the day before sneaking out of the house and


    leaving my sleeping mate in our bed.


    It was real. She had done it.


    I could feel Natalie¡¯s eyes on me all morning, and while I respected her, I also wanted to call in another


    guard to rece me so I could go back and take the honeymoon that Joselin and I hadn¡¯t gotten but


    had earned. As soon as Rona was dealt with, I would be demanding it.


    ¡®You smell different.¡¯ Natalie said through the pack link to me. I didn¡¯t care to exin; it was no one¡¯s


    business.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I kept my chin up as she stared at me, moving closer to sniff me again. A look of horror came over her


    face as she looked down at my neck. Her hand lifted as if she were nning on pulling down the cor


    of my button- up shirt to see my neck before changing her mind and letting it fall to her side in a fist.


    She was probably as shocked as Joselin and I had been, but by the look on her face, I didn¡¯t think she


    understood it was Joselin¡¯s mark.


    Chosen mates marked each other all the time. Joselin being a witch made us think she couldn¡¯t mark


    me back, but we were wrong, and I would wear her mark with pride.


    ¡®I never would have thought¡­1 Natalie said again before spinning away from me and going to the next


    store. She had been trying to find something for Killian¡¯s birthday but couldn¡¯t decide. Now, her focus


    appeared to be on me more than her own mate as she kept ncing at me over the shelves in the


    small store.


    It was her tone that was irritating me. She sounded disgusted that I had allowed my mate to mark me. I


    didn¡¯t need to exin myself to her.


    ¡®You¡¯re very angry this morning,¡¯ Joselin¡¯s voice came through my head, and I felt my shoulder rx. ¡®I


    know not to talk to you while you¡¯re working, but I wanted to make sure you were okay.¡¯


    Natalie¡¯s eyes narrowed at me again, and I kept my emotions masked as I looked away from her and


    scanned the store. The owners and employees were behind the front counter, over the moon that the


    queen had graced them with a visit. I knew even if Natalie didn¡¯t find a present there, she would still


    buy something to show her support for them.


    ¡®I am fine, sweetheart.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help my cheek twitching when I felt her irritation. I knew what she


    wanted to hear and couldn¡¯t help teasing her since she had been asleep when I left. ¡®Is there something


    that you wanted to talk to me about?


    Natalie walked by me, slowing as she passed. Her fake interest in the knickknacks on shelves closest


    to the wall I stood by was obvious, and I watched her nostrils re as she tried to investigate the


    change in my smell.


    ¡®No.¡¯ The pout in Joselin¡¯s voice was adorable, and I couldn¡¯t wait to see her face when she noticed that


    her mark was still on me.


    Another she-wolf walking between the aisles approached us, seeming to know precisely what she was


    looking for as she moved with purpose. I watched her closely, examining her to see if she was a


    potential threat until my line of sight was disrupted by Natalie moving to stand in front of me.


    Thomas and George moved closer, prepared to protect their queen, but I shook my head. This woman


    was no threat.


    Natalie let out a growl, turning to her side so her shoulder was facing me before ncing from me to


    the woman with suspicion.


    Oh, this was too good.


    ¡®Something you want to tell me?¡¯ Natalie asked, holding my stare and forcing me to look away out of


    respect. She seemed angry and very put out, defensive of Joselin. When I refused to answer, she


    picked up a few items before checking out at the front counter.


    I followed behind her as she stormed back to the castle.


    Killian was waiting out front for her with a smirking Joselin by his side. I bit back a groan, knowing


    nothing good woulde of this, not for me, at least. But I could keep my emotions in check long


    enough for Joselin to have her fun.


    Natalie stormed up to Killian, pressing a harsh kiss to his lips before turning back to re at me as


    Joselin stepped forward.


    Thomas and George backed away, making themselves scarce as they waited to see if they were still


    needed.


    ¡°I will never get over how good you look in a suit.¡¯ Joselin purred, strutting toward me. I knew better


    than to assume she had good intentions. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but enjoy her touch as she wrapped her


    arms around my neck and pressed her body against mine.


    Fuck, she felt good.


    I met her halfway as she pushed up on her toes to greet me with a kiss.


    The sound of a throat clearing made me want to growl, but I was in no ce to do so when the noise


    hade from the furious queen only a few feet away.


    Joselin pulled away, a look of mischief in her eyes as she hugged me tightly and shoved her face into


    my neck. Her body stilled, and she pulled back slowly. Natalie was still ring a hole into the side of my


    head, and I ignored her as I held Joselin¡¯s hips to mine, looking down at the incredible woman before


    me.


    ¡®What are you up to, sweetheart?¡¯


    The corners of her mouth twitched as she bit back her smile, and she moved her hands to the front of


    my chest before pulling down my cor, exposing her mark.


    Natalie gasped when she saw it, but Joselin was beaming with pride. I watched as her eyelids lowered


    and the knots and runes on her skin vibrated excitedly. Her smell grew stronger, and my hold on her


    hips tightened as I restrained myself from throwing her over my shoulder and taking her back to our


    house.


    ¡°What the fuck is this, Tobias? Are you kidding me?¡± Joselin snapped, her nails digging into my chest


    deliciously.


    ¡®You¡¯re begging for a punishment, sweetheart.¡¯ I purred into our bond and watched as goosebumps


    rose along her skin. She didn¡¯t respond to me as she moved my shirt further down and ran her finger


    over my mark.


    ¡°Maybe you should take this inside to be more private.¡± Natalie offered, but neither Josie nor I looked


    up at her. Queen or not, she didn¡¯t seem to understand what was happening here, and Joselin was


    getting a kick out of it.


    My woman was ying a game, a dangerous game. One that I would win, no matter the oue.


    ¡°You let someone mark you?¡± Joselin¡¯s voice wavered, and I scowled down at her, keeping my hold on


    her hips as she pretended to fight me off to get away.


    Tm going to make your ass so fucking red for doing this.¡¯


    She licked her lips at my promise, but she wanted more. ¡°I can¡¯t believe, after everything we have been


    through, that you would do this. I¡¯m going to kill any woman who dares to touch you. Do you not


    understand that you belong to me? How could you?¡±


    ¡®You¡¯re not going to be able to sit when I¡¯m done with you.¡¯ My eyes burned as I felt my beasting


    forward, and I moved my hands around to her lower back.


    ¡°Please,e inside. I think this should be a private conversation.¡± Natalie said weakly, the panic in


    her voiceughable. She had been openly angry at me for the past hour, but now she sounded worried.


    ¡°No one besides me should ever touch you,¡± Joselin stated, her finger pressing harder into her mark as


    she continued to circle it.


    I nodded as her body rxed slightly, allowing me to grab a thick strand of her hair and wrap it around


    my finger, pulling on it softly. A warning.


    ¡°No one should ever have their mouth on you besides me.¡± She stated again. The excitement flooding


    between us had me worried. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was because she was happy that her mark stayed or if


    something else was running in her beautifully wicked mind.


    Once again, I nodded. This woman owned me as much as I owned her. No one should touch her, and I


    would rather rip their throat out than let another woman touch me.


    ¡®You love seeing your mark on me, don¡¯t you?¡¯


    Her re shot up from my mark to meet my eyes. Oh, there was a challenge there. One that had me


    reluctantly growing hard in my pants.


    ¡°I think that if you are wearing a mark,¡¯ She leaned in, her lips brushing against my jaw. ¡°That it should


    be mine.¡±


    My head fell back as shetched onto my neck, her teeth biting down into my skin and making me


    curse out loud. ¡°Fuck!¡±


    Wave after wave of pleasure shot through me as I tightly held my mate to my front. Her perfect breasts


    pressed against my chest, and her handsced into my hair to keep me in ce. I was throbbing for


    her, dying for her. I wanted to rip our clothes off and sink into her to feel her warmth wrapped around


    me.


    It took every ounce of my willpower not to cum in front of everyone as my woman publically imed


    me.


    ¡°Well, shit.¡¯ Thomasughed, the sound of him smacking his knee bringing me back to the present. ¡°He


    can talk.¡±


    Joselin pulled back, running her tongue over my mark before cing a wet kiss under my jaw. I could


    smell the blood, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind as she leaned back. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your mark? I thought it was¡­But you¡¯re¡­ This is incredible!¡¯ Natalie eximed, holding Killian¡¯s


    hand as she grabbed his bicep and shook it. The smile on her face made himugh, and I turned back


    to my mate. I knew what she had thought. From the res she had sent my way, she had assumed


    that another had marked me.


    ¡®Are you ready for your punishment?¡¯ With one eyebrow lifted, I watched as she shivered, her lips


    pursed together.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± She whispered, and the world faded around us.


    The empty white canvas we passed through was significantly moreforting than the darkness she


    used to deal with, and I was proud that she had mastered it. It flickered once, and I looked down at my


    mate in my arms. Her eyes were closed, and the skin between her eyebrows was scrunched as she


    tried to focus.


    ¡°Josie,¡± I whispered, not wanting to break her concentration. This was the longest we had staying in the


    in-between, and she had never had to focus this hard on it before.


    Instead of fading in, the work flickered around us, like it had when she had used the darkness to travel.


    My eyes widened when I saw that we had only moved a few feet in the courtyard and in the wrong


    direction.


    Her eyes opened, and she looked terrified as her body went limp in my arms.

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152


    Forty-Five: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    A ponytail.


    A braid.


    A bun.


    A hat.


    A fucking shaved head.


    I could have done any number of things before going into Rona¡¯s house, but I didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t think


    ahead. I didn¡¯t prepare. I went in half-cocked and risked everything.


    Now it wasing back to bite me in the ass.


    A hair. One hair.


    This was Rona, I know it. The fucking she-devil was getting her revenge, and with a piece of my hair,


    when I couldn¡¯t do shit with her blood. Her fucking blood. Her life-source. It was infuriating that she was


    doing what I couldn¡¯t and doing it with so little.


    ¡°I need you to pull back.¡± The healer, Flora, said for the hundredth time as she held her hands over me.


    Apparently, my magic, or magic in general, prevented her from seeing what was wrong. She said it was


    blocking her, like a wall.


    Healers could see and treat injuries and damage to a living being. I didn¡¯t have an injury.


    I had a vindictive witch trying to kill me from hundreds of miles away.


    Tobias growled from my side, his hand still on my head, smoothing my hair back from my face like he


    was petting a dog. The hair I should have chopped off.


    His demand for them to fix me without having to say the words was humorous, and if I weren¡¯t so angry


    at myself, I would haveughed.


    Instead, I was fuming, my hands in fists at my sides with a healer rubbing her palms over my body,


    trying to find something¡­anything to keep the beast by my head from killing her.


    ¡°I can¡¯t pull back my magic when I¡¯m not doing anything!¡¯ I snapped, my head lifting off the bed to stare


    at the wide-eyed, young healer. The others were more experienced, but something about Flora told me


    she was the one to trust. She was strong and had healed me after I was stabbed, she had healed


    Natalie and Killian several times, and we had all been very impressed with her until now.


    Flora looked terrified, like it wasn¡¯t Tobias she had to worry about anymore. It was me. I felt feral. Livid.


    ¡°I can¡¯t find anything wrong!¡± She insisted defensively, dropping her hands.¡± You aren¡¯t sick or injured!¡±


    My eyes closed, and I counted to ten before going back down to one to control my temper, but it was


    no use. I was angry with myself, which wouldn¡¯t change until Rona died.


    One of the doctors stepped forward, and I put my hand up. Until I dealt with Rona, they wouldn¡¯t find


    anything. ¡°We can run some tests.¡±


    Thest thing I needed was someone else taking my blood and fucking with me. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. You


    won¡¯t find anything wrong.¡±


    And it was true. They wouldn¡¯t find anything wrong because it wasn¡¯t my body Rona was targeting but


    my magic. The part of my soul that my kind can¡¯t live without. Once she drained my magic, she would


    have killed me too.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°My blood?¡± Tobias asked, making everyone stop. That made three. He said three words in front of


    others today, the most he had spoken aloud in years.


    He was terrified but was masking it with anger. If I couldn¡¯t see his eyes or feel him in our mate bond, I


    wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your blood,¡± I said, shaking my head. There was no way it could be. How could something as


    sacred as iming a mate before the


    Goddess be poisonous? ¡°I marked him; I swallowed some of his blood. It cant be that ¡­right?¡±


    Flora shook her head quickly, and I let out a relieved sigh. Good. Tobias didn¡¯t seem to agree, and his


    shoulders curled so slightly that if I didn¡¯t know him as well as I did, I might not have seen it.


    ¡°I would have been able to feel it if it was something in your stomach hurting you.¡±


    Hurting me.


    That was the wrong choice of words for Tobias to hear, and he rubbed his hand over his mouth. He


    didn¡¯t believe her, and I reached up and touched his side. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the blood,¡± I assured him. ¡°Trust


    me.¡±


    If Rona didn¡¯t return soon to face me, I would have to go to her before I became too weak to fight her. I


    wouldn¡¯t let that hag take me down.


    We had known that Rona had drained her mother of her power and killed her, but no one knew how. I


    wouldn¡¯t have thought doing something so horrible with a single hair was possible. But if she could


    affect me this way, I couldn¡¯t imagine what she was doing to Cora or nned to do to her.


    I needed to see and talk to her¡­ if she was still alive.


    ¡°The tests would be quite basic, and you can observe.¡± The doctor tried to step forward again, but


    Tobias bared his teeth at the man in a warning.


    ¡°No one is touching my blood. Your healer said I wasn¡¯t sick or injured, so there is no point in me being


    here.¡± No amount of tests he could run would be able to locate the curse Rona was casting.


    I sat up, and Flora stepped away as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed.


    Killian entered the room with Natalie wrapped around his arm. Aurora was right behind them with the


    rest of the council. Aisha, Margot, and¡­ Cora. They were right before me, alive and not trying to kill


    each other for once in their lives.


    They all looked worried, and I couldn¡¯t stop my eyes from going to Cora. The middle-aged woman had


    her weight on her good leg, her prosthetic on disy with the shorts she had on. But it was how healthy


    she looked that confused me. Was Rona only attacking me?


    If it hit me this hard with just a hair, I couldn¡¯t imagine how easily she would decimate Cora once she


    used her leg.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Natalie asked, stepping away from Killian to approach me. ¡°You had us all worried.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Nothing happened. Just feeling a little under the weather. ¡± My forced smile didn¡¯t


    appease them as they watched me closely.


    They didn¡¯t know that I was observing them just the same. We had already determined that Rona was


    either controlling someone or was being controlled, but the other party involved had yet to be


    determined. Until it did, I wouldn¡¯t trust anyone besides Killian, Natalie, and Tobias.


    Killian and Natalie wore the same charm that I did. After thest war, when someone tried to control


    Killian and his sister Charlie, I personally checked and confirmed the protection enchantment on their


    pendants at least once a week to ensure there was no risk of them being tampered with.


    There was no way someone could control either of them without me knowing.


    Tobias, I could feel it. I knew him better than I knew myself, and I couldn¡¯t help but lean into his side for


    support. I would need to find something for him to wear to protect himself, but even without it, he had


    no magic to control Rona, and if she had controlled him, she would have used that a long time ago to


    hurt me.


    His warm body felt nice as I pressed myself up against him. His smell surrounded me and reminded me


    of home, of being in bed wrapped in his arms. It wasforting and exactly what I needed, yet I


    refused to ask for it.


    Tobias didn¡¯t mind and wrapped his arms around me, holding me close.


    I didn¡¯t want to share my theory about the hair and Rona¡¯s involvement in this, not until I had more


    information. I didn¡¯t want them to know I was onto them if she was working for or with someone in this


    room.


    The sound of footsteps running down the corridor made a few heads turn, but when Cyrus burst in,


    they rxed.


    ¡°I heard you got hurt. Everyone is talking about it. What the hell happened?¡± Cyrus pushed through the


    witches, making Margot grumble in annoyance and cross her arms.


    ¡°Watch it.¡±


    Cyrus rolled his eyes, a small smile on his face as he approached Tobias and me. ¡°My cousin was just


    hurt. I need to make sure she is okay. You were the one standing between family.¡±


    The wink he sent me made Tobias growl, but it made me happy. I didn¡¯t fully trust him, but the more I


    spent with him, the harder it was not to like the guy.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t hurt. I didn¡¯t feel good.¡± I said, wishing no one had seen me copse like that. It would just be


    another thing for people to talk about among the pack. I had hoped the news of me marking Tobias


    would travel, giving hope to other mixed mates that a marking was possible.


    I didn¡¯t expect that good news to be overshadowed by the gossip of the royal advisor passing out in the


    courtyard.


    ¡°I also heard this guy spoke finally. That answers so many questions.¡± Cyrusughed, but I ignored him


    and rolled my eyes before closing them and resting my cheek against Tobias¡¯s chest. I was feeling


    much better, but I was exhausted now. Whatever hit me almost felt like a warning, like the worst was


    yet toe.


    ¡°I think I will just go home and lie down for a bit,¡± I muttered and sighed in contentment when Tobias


    picked me up and began walking with me, not waiting for anyone to respond.


    He walked with me quickly but carefully back to our house, ignoring the conversations and whispers


    among the pack as he walked through the city.


    I had no energy to teleport us right now, and after my failed attempt, I was scared to do it until I was


    free of this curse. If we got stuck in the in between, we would never get out.


    Tobias sweetlyid me down in the bed, stripped me of my clothes, and pulled one of his shirts over my


    head before curling around me.


    My eyes were closed, my lids feeling heavy, but my mind was alive.


    The questions running through my head kept me awake, and an uneasy feeling ran through me. If


    Rona could curse or drain someone with an item as small as hair, why would she have needed the altar


    in the mountains? How would she have gotten something from Cyrus to attack him from far away? And


    if it wasn¡¯t her in the mountains, then who was it?

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153


    Forty-Six: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    I hadn¡¯t decided what from my study I wanted to bring to Tobias¡¯s house¡­ well, it was our house now,


    ording to him. He had a contractor drawing up ns to build an extension on the ce to be my


    study, and until then, I decided it would be best to keep everything from my study in the castle.


    Even once I moved fully into the house, I would still have most of my study here. It was my job. Having


    everything at home wouldn¡¯t make sense when I still had toe to the castle daily for work and


    meetings.


    Meetings like this one that made me want to pull my hair out.


    Four women joined me in the conference room, Aurora somehow managing to keep a conversation


    going with Aisha and Margot. It was a miracle that no blood had been drawn, or threats had been


    issued yet.


    Cora was absentmindedly rubbing at her leg where her stump sat in her prosthetic, looking lost in


    thought.


    Natalie was currently babysitting Cyrus, and he wasn¡¯t happy about it. He liked her well enough, but


    being taken away from nche had him pouting like a baby. Every time I saw him now, they were


    together, and I was positive that no houses had been sold over the past few days.


    ¡°But if you really think about it,¡¯ Margot stated, ¡°There is no reason why you couldn¡¯t tame a sprite to be


    a pet instead.¡±


    The table fell silent, and I tilted my head to the side as I stared at her. Something in her brain had to be


    misfiring.


    ¡°Maybe because they are conscious creatures that can think, talk, and sustain life on their own. They


    aren¡¯t domesticated, Margot! You can make friends with a sprite; you don¡¯t need to capture them and


    force them to live with you as some pet that you have to feed, water, and wash. Goodness!¡± Aisha


    snarled, not liking Margot¡¯s idea of holding a sprite prisoner.


    Margot ground her teeth, ring at Aisha, ¡°You¡¯re right! Maybe I¡¯ll domesticate a siren. I bet you would


    love it if I had one of those at my beck and call!¡±


    Aisha shoved her chair backward, rising to her feet as she ced her palms on the table. Ever since


    Margot had dangled Aisha over the Cliffside of a siren cove for a few days, she had been a bit sensitive


    to the topic of that creature. ¡°Do it, and I¡¯ll sneak into your room and release it one night so it can eat


    you!¡±


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ladies,¡± Aurora said calmly with an amused smile. ¡°It¡¯s simple; the answer here is a troll. They have


    basic survival instincts, rely on brute force, cannotmunicate well, and don¡¯t clean themselves. If


    any creature should be domesticated, it should be a troll.¡±


    Both women turned to look at her as she remained calm, sipping her ss of water. Herck of


    acknowledgment of their spat didn¡¯t bother them, but Aisha sat back down as she pondered Aurora¡¯s


    words.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see you at a council meeting,¡± Cora said calmly, giving Aurora a soft smile. She looked


    tired. So very tired.


    The dark circles under her eyes and the strand of silver hair that appeared to be thickening by the


    minute were concerning. She didn¡¯t look healthy by any means.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°I have made an executive decision, and you are here today to have the option to


    voice your opinions on the matter.¡±


    Aisha¡¯s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. ¡°A vote, with the full council not present?¡±


    She didn¡¯t sound bothered by it but rather amused that Rona wasn¡¯t here for this. Aisha was a


    troublemaker who loved to stir the pot, but she had never been disloyal to the crown. She was just the


    bitch who enjoyed turning the fan on so other people¡¯s shit could hit it.


    It was better this way, though. Thest thing we needed were three empty seats once Rona was dealt


    with, and if she had been here to object to this, she would have. She would do everything she could to


    keep any control she thought she had over the council.


    Then again, it might have been good for her to be here so I could see if she influenced how anyone


    else reacted to the matter. Maybe that would have given me insight as to who she was controlling.


    Maybe it was Cora, or perhaps, she had gone with the silent but deadly one, Margot.


    With how sickly the middle-aged woman looked, I had a feeling Cora was being hit by the same curse I


    was. It made me feel good to know that meant I had plenty of time to figure this out. Cora had been


    without her leg for a few years, so either Rona¡¯s spell to drain her of her magic was a lot slower than


    we thought, or she didn¡¯t start doing it until recently.


    ¡°An open forum, not a vote. My decision has been made, but I am offering the opportunity for any


    objections before anything bes official.


    Pledges will still be presented for the open seats, but I move to bring the Descendant into the council


    as an extra seat, a seat only to ever be held by a Descendant.¡± I met each person¡¯s stare, knowing they


    couldn¡¯t say no without drawing suspicion.


    Aurora was in the ear of the queen more than any of us at this point, and as she carried the blood of


    the Goddess, to be in her good books would benefit them all.


    ¡°And she is present for the debate?¡± Aisha asked with surprise, and I hid my suspicion at her tone and


    the implication that she wouldn¡¯t vote for the additional council seat.


    ¡°That will be her choice. I asked her to join us to confirm her consent. With it, we will proceed.¡± I


    nodded once, turning to look at the fair-skinned woman. Her long ebony hair was in a loose braid over


    the front of her right shoulder.


    Aurora smiled and nodded, ¡°I confirm my consent, interest, and willingness to join the council.¡±


    ¡°This would not take away either of the empty two seats currently avable; it would be in addition to.¡± I


    laced my finger together and sat back in my chair. ¡°Aurora, thank you for your time. You are free to step


    out during the discussion, and I wille to find you once it has concluded.¡±


    She nodded with a proud smile as she stood and left the room. It was a look I had been dreaming


    about getting from my own mother one day and seeing iting from a Descendant of the Goddess


    had me taken aback.


    As soon as the door shut behind her, Aisha and Margot began to bicker over each other, their pointer


    fingers pressing into the table to emphasize their point. Margot was the first to vocalize that she was on


    board, which made Aisha immediately reject the idea.


    Although, I had the feeling she would reject it to begin with. ¡°It would make it an even vote for


    everything! Eight on the council? That is a headache waiting to happen!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s going to be here anyway! She¡¯s the mother to the queen. Do you really think her not being on


    the council will make a difference? Her opinion will still be sought after, and she will be involved in


    almost everything.


    Might as well make it official.¡± Margot shrugged, but I ignored them, knowing they would continue to


    argue just for the hell of it.


    Cora made them fall silent as her answer surprised us all. I had anticipated her refusing to let anyone


    join the council without an official vote, but she nodded as she sat back in her chair. ¡°I think it¡¯s a wise


    decision.¡±


    Aisha gaped at her, knowing Cora resisted anything I usually said.


    It didn¡¯t matter what answer she gave; I was suspicious of everything at this point. If she was for it?


    Suspicious. Against it? Suspicious.


    When she said nothing more, Aisha slumped back in her chair and a resigned sigh of defeat. ¡°Fine.¡±


    I pped my hands together, getting to my feet. ¡°Alright. It is set. I will let Aurora know. Don¡¯t forget to


    have your pledges ready for the other two seats. Once Rona gets back with hers, we will give them a


    few weeks to make their case and prove themselves. Then we will vote.¡±


    The other women rose to their feet behind me as I made my way to the door without turning back. I was


    feeling significantly better today and wanted to get things squared away before anything else happened


    to me.


    Aurora was easy to find; her power and energy led me to Natalie¡¯s study. The door was already open,


    so I walked in, closing it behind me. Aurora was sitting on a chair next to Henry, their hands linked


    together between them as they each read a book.


    Holden was sprawled out on the floor in a starfish dramatically while Cyrus kicked at the bottom of his


    feet. Goodness, he acted like an annoying little brother to everyone. I half expected him to throw out a


    song-like, ¡°I¡¯m not touching you.¡±


    Natalie was lying next to him, their heads together, but their toes pointed in opposite directions, forming


    a line.


    ¡°Joselin! Thank the Goddess! Do you know how depressing this guy is?¡± He nudged Holden¡¯s foot


    again.


    Holden kicked outward toward Cyrus, but the spell caster dodged him, stumbling to the side. I couldn¡¯t


    help the smile stretching across my face when I stared at them. If only Tobias and Killian were here,


    then it would be the picture of the family I had always dreamed about.


    I walked over and sat on the ground beforeying back with my head next to Holden¡¯s and Natalie¡¯s.


    ¡°Do you even care why I¡¯m depressed, beautiful? How are you, by the way? Saw the fall. It looked


    awful.¡± Holden asked. From the corner of my eye, I could see him tilting his head back to look at me,


    but I ignored him.


    ¡°I am fine, and cheesecake.¡± I reminded him of the agreement of friendship. Tobias wouldn¡¯t be too


    happy if he heard Holden flirting with me, and I didn¡¯t want to disrespect my man by allowing Holden to


    do so without saying anything.


    Holden sighed.


    ¡°Fine. Joselin, do you even care why I¡¯m depressed?¡± He tried again with annoyance,ced into every


    word.


    ¡°Not really.¡± My ankles were crossed, and my hands were sped over my stomach. ¡°Aurora, wee


    to the council. Your initiation will take ce with the new members in a few weeks, but you are in.


    Congrattions.¡±


    The room was silent, but Natalie reached up, identally hitting my face with augh before patting my


    shoulder in gratitude.


    ¡°Well, now it all makes sense!¡± Holden eximed. ¡°I have to go back home to help my brother because


    my father is stepping down from Alpha to stay here, but he didn¡¯t tell me why.¡±


    ¡°I will travel back and forth until Brandon isfortable in his new role,¡± Henry said, unbothered by his


    son¡¯sining.


    ¡°This ce is so much better than the pack.¡± He groaned.


    ¡°You¡¯ll live, and you can alwayse back to visit. At least your father and sister would love to see


    you.¡± I stared up at the gold swirls and runes painted into the ceiling. It had taken me a long time to


    protect this ce; it probably had more security than my own tower.


    I could see the difference in markings where Natalie had added her own protection spells and


    examined them. They were well-done, advanced- level casting. Something Aurora had to have taught


    her, and I was happy that Aurora was giving her the training she deserved.


    ¡°I¡¯lle see you from time to time, Josie. Don¡¯t you worry.¡¯ His voice was softer, and as I looked at


    him, I saw he was still staring at me. I dipped my chin down, silently affirming that everything would be


    okay. He had shared his fears with me about his future, and I hoped he was wrong. If he wasn¡¯t, he


    would always have friends and family here.


    Cyrus sat down between Holden and me, and I nced at him as he leaned back onto his hands with


    his legs crossed.


    ¡°Cyrus, I would like to have you as my pledge for one of the open council seats. Consider it. You have


    a week to decide. Once everything with this threat is resolved, you cane and go as you please if


    selected, or you can be housed here in the castle if you wish to stay.¡± I closed my eyes, rxing for the


    first time in a long while. ¡°You will have ess to training and resources here and would be protected


    as a council member.¡±


    ¡°Joselin!¡± Cyrus scolded me for giving away his secret of being a spell caster.


    ¡°Calm down; everyone in this room can be trusted,¡± I said, and he fell silent. He was so quiet that I


    thought he might be holding his breath, but when I cracked an eye open, he was just lost in thought,


    looking at the floor. ¡°Just think about it.¡±


    Even if he didn¡¯t join the council, he would probably stay for nche based on how close they were


    bing. Cyrus let out an unintelligible grumble before nudging my elbow. ¡°Has anyone heard from


    Rona?¡±

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154


    Forty-Seven: Joselin


    Joselin P.O.V.


    It was clear that Tobias didn¡¯t believe me when I told him I wanted to get some fresh air and walk to the


    castle for dinner instead of teleporting. It was the pack dinner, and most of the pack ate together at the


    castle.


    Tobias watched me the entire time I was getting ready, and his mouth curved down further when I


    wobbled in my heels and switched to ts.


    Heels were part of my daily attire, and being unable to walk in them was a huge red g. But I


    shrugged it off and said that ts would be morefortable if we were walking that far.


    It didn¡¯t escape my notice that he held me close to his side instead of holding my hand as we walked


    through the city. His grip on me was so firm as if to hold me up, but the soft swipe of his thumb over the


    thin ck fabric on my hip was soft and sweet.


    My eyes traveled over all the people walking around us with smiles, excited to attend the pack dinner.


    There were several paces between each family, individual, and couple, and I was grateful for the


    breathing room.


    Even though I was hit with another wave of Rona¡¯s curse, exhausting me and making me feel sick, the


    sight was magical. The pack was happy and joyous as they walked through the streets under the pink


    glow of the sunset to the castle entryway.


    The cool evening air was, in fact, refreshing, and it felt easier to breathe as we moved slowly among


    the masses. Most people were rushing, but a select few, like Tobias and myself, were enjoying the


    sunset and strolling down the street.


    My eyes felt heavy, and my stomach was so uneasy that even though I wasn¡¯t hungry, the butterflies in


    there made it feel empty.


    I entered the castle every day. I lived there since I was eleven. But something about the lighting as the


    descending sun hit the castle and the excitement around me made it feel brand new. Maybe it was


    because it was a brand new experience now that I had moved out and was walking through the


    courtyard with my mate by my side.


    Once seated inside, Cyrus came rushing over, joining Tobias and me at the head table. I watched as


    my mate¡¯s lip curled in irritation as he ced a possessive hand on my thigh. His dissatisfaction with


    the spell caster was evident, and I reached under the table and tapped the top of my mate¡¯s hand.


    Cyrus should be bumped into mine from the fast movement, but he looked nervous, anxious even. He


    crouched between myself and Natalie¡¯s empty seat. The crowd was loud, but even then, I knew those


    close to us could hear thenky man¡¯s voice if they wanted to.


    ¡°Listen, I know I said I¡¯m on board,¡± He leaned in to whisper by my ear. ¡°But


    I am starting to freak out.¡±


    I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself as I let my head fall against the high back of the seat. They


    were nothingpared to the throne-like chairs Killian and Natalie would sit in, but they were


    extravagant enough. He didn¡¯t know how badly I needed to get dirt on Rona. Even if she had cursed


    me, as long as Cyrus could help me get proof of her treason, she could be executed, and the curse


    would die with her.


    My cheeks puffed out as I released my breath, my head feeling heavy as I tried to lift it. ¡®Don¡¯t back out


    now. We all have a job to do.¡±


    My reminder only made him look more defeated and guilty than before. I hoped he would agree to


    complete his end of this before I had to threaten him with his blood. Once I took that step, all trust


    would be broken.


    ¡°I know that and want to help, but there had to be another way to go about it.¡± He ced his hand on


    my forearm, and Tobias¡¯s burning gaze snapped to it as if he were trying to set it on fire. He might


    have, too, if I didn¡¯t squeeze his hand tighter over my thigh.


    ¡°Cyrus, the decision was made not by just me. The King agrees. If you have aint about our


    decision, you can schedule a time to discuss it with him.¡± I knew it was cheap to me Killian, and


    while everything I said was true, I should have just dealt with it myself instead of pawning Cyrus and his


    issues onto Killian¡¯s already full te.


    Killian had enough on his mind, but using him as my scapegoat when I felt like shit was so easy. As my


    best friend, it was his job. I did the same for him when he needed me to. It was part of the give and


    take of our rtionship.


    I can¡¯t tell you how many petty squabbles he sent my way, knowing that most people were too bothered


    by my existence or scared of me to follow through and seek me out.


    ¡°Joselin, can you please try to understand? I really like this girl, and if I do this, it could hurt her and my


    chance with her.¡± His voice was so soft that I barely heard him.


    My mrs clenched as I opened my eyes and red at him.


    nche.


    That annoying fucking pixie was derailing our ns and possibly costing multiple people their lives. If I


    died after marking Tobias, I was sure he would die too. Cora was probably already on the chopping


    block, and who knew what would happen after she had gathered ourbined power?


    I already held the power of four witches, Rona had at least three if she had been the one in the


    mountains, and I had no idea how many Cora had.


    ¡°Your duty to your kingdom should alwayse before all else.¡± I snapped. My body protested as I


    rose to my feet upon hearing Natalie and Killian¡¯s introduction. It didn¡¯t happen every night, but at pack


    dinners, they were announced as it was considered a formal affair.


    Everyone was dressed up for it, and it was loud but not as rowdy as most nights.


    Cyrus moved back behind the chairs to stand beside an unhappy Tobias, and I took a moment to


    admire my mate. My man looked good in his suit. It had to have been tailored to his specifications


    because there was no way a suit that size would be found on any shelf. His broad shoulders alone


    would have been an issue.


    Adding in his muscr back and chest, there was no way he could find clothes off the rack.


    I was so happy with him and hated waiting to be with him. Was it fair for me to ask Cyrus to put aside


    his infatuated with nche? Yes. Yes, it was.


    The longer we stood, the more uneasy I felt. My head was light, and it took everything in me not to let it


    bob around like a balloon. The chandeliers were too bright, and my eyelids dropped slightly from the


    oing headache.


    Killian spared me a concerned nce as he pushed Natalie¡¯s seat in for her, but I refused to


    acknowledge it. Instead, I greeted them with a dip of my chin before quickly taking my seat once Killian


    had done the same.


    Within seconds the food was arriving. tters covered the tables, and the pack sat patiently while


    waiting for the head table to be served. Killian and Natalie took their first bite, and the rest of the pack


    dug into the buffet styleyout.


    The baked potatoes and chicken looked divine, but the empty feeling in my stomach made the idea of


    any food entering it unappealing.


    My mouth watered, but not from the aroma of the lemon-pepper chicken. It was the kind that told me if I


    swallowed the spit, it would only make my stomach worse.


    Still, I tightened my hold on the fork and forced my throat to listen, taking down the excess liquid before


    shoveling a bite of potatoes into my mouth to distract myself.


    It dried on my tongue, turning to dust and making me even queasier than before. My tongue smacked


    against the roof of my mouth as I tasted the gritty texture.


    Tobias next to me had already finished his potatoes by the time I decided to take a fake bite, pushing


    some of what was in my mouth back on the empty fork. When I pulled it out, I nced down at it and


    quickly shoved the bite back into the pile on my te before anyone saw it.


    But I did.


    Mashed white potatoes graced the metal tongs of the fork. They looked watered down from mixing with


    my saliva but otherwise seemedpletely normal.


    ¡°Everything okay?¡± Natalie asked me softly, gazing at the pile of mush on my te. Myck of


    discretion would have been embarrassing if I hadn¡¯t been so concerned.


    ¡°Just peachy.¡± I offered her a forced smile before dropping it and realizing I didn¡¯t need to be fake with


    her. She had proven to be stubborn, and she wouldn¡¯t believe me anyway.


    ¡°Have something against potatoes?¡± Her fork was half full, and as she took the bite, it looked so poised


    and dainty, the picture-perfect image of a true queen while I had just spat my food back out like an


    infant.


    ¡°When they¡¯re not in liquid form and knocking me on my ass¡­ Yeah, I do.¡¯ Sheughed, but I was


    aware of her watching me as I speared a green bean and lifted it to my mouth.


    Don¡¯t be gross. Please don¡¯t be gross.


    The vegetable crunched between my teeth, shooting juice onto my tongue and making me rx as the


    buttery vor of the green beans reached my taste buds.


    This I could live with.


    There were only so many green beans before I had to either turn to the chicken, which had no appeal


    to me or try the gritty mashed potatoes again. By the time I decided to go for the piece of meat on my


    te, the hall had started clearing, and I ced my ss of water between myself and Tobias, hoping


    to use it to hide the food on my te as I stood.


    But he noticed. He always did. He noticed everything about me all the time.


    He shook his head as we made our way toward the exit. Natalie and Killian were long gone, eager to


    get back to their room now that they had refueled for their thousandth round of baby-making.


    The walls were warping around me, and I gripped the arm next to me tightly. A hand was ced on my


    back, the heat burning through the skin of my dress and centering me.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Ow,¡± Cyrus whined, pulling at his arm to escape me. I leaned away from Tobias, my re set on the


    spell caster in my grip as I hissed lowly at him. I knew I had his attention with the way his eyes widened


    at the urgency in my voice.


    ¡°You need to use your in. We¡­ I need you to find out what Rona is up to.¡±

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155


    Forty-Eight: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    My sports bra and legging were typically my go-to workout clothes, but with Tobias being sent out to


    assist with border patrol, it felt wrong to work out with so much skin showing. Before, it was a tactic to


    get his attention. I wanted his eyes on me and hands on me.


    Without him here, it almost felt dirty being so exposed.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Instead, I pulled on my usual clothes and grabbed one of his t-shirts, tying a knot in the side to keep it


    covering my stomach but out of the way while I worked out. It felt so intimate, and it made me fucking


    proud.


    I wore his mark on my neck, but wearing his shirt around all the other warriors was empowering. I


    adored the feeling of openly showing that he was mine and that he had imed me.


    After waking up this morning stiff and drained of the energy I had yet to use, I made it my goal to stay


    fit. I hoped to keep my body strong enough to fight off the curse for as long as possible. I didn¡¯t need


    my magic and my body breaking down on me before Rona returned.


    Nothing felt different about my physical ability beyond the lightheadedness and stiffness. I could still


    push, pull, press, and curl my normal weight, but I had to reduce my reps to take breaks sooner than I


    usually liked to.


    If I didn¡¯t, I felt like the lights would turn off in my head, and I would go down. Passing out twice in one


    week would not have been a good look for me as the Royal Advisor and the Head of the council. I


    refused to do it. Mind over matter.


    Rona could kiss my ass. I had debated talking to Tobias and getting his opinion on me gutting Rona


    without evidence or a trial. If I cut her down as soon as she stepped back into the city and was sent to


    live the rest of my life in the dungeon, would he forgive me and still love me? Would he support my


    choice, or would he demand that I not do it so that he can keep me to himself longer?


    If the roles were reversed, I would tell him not to do it. I was aware of that. It was a stupid idea, but I


    was bloodthirsty.


    I wanted her dead so that I could live. So my mind was ying the game of ¡®How many ways can I


    murder Rona, and how to get away with it?¡¯


    My eyes kept roaming across the gym, expecting to find Tobias training, even though I knew he was


    miles away at the border. He had volunteered to help out, getting bored without a fixed assignment.


    Being on call for the queen to leave the castle was bothering him. While before, he just stood outside


    the room that Natalie was in for hours at a time; he was still doing something. He still felt needed and


    helpful. Lately, he didn¡¯t.


    I wanted him to be happy and to see that sinful smile across his lips.


    At one point, between reps, I stood up to stretch and found myself looking out into the training field for


    hisrge Lycan. I was desperate to catch even the tiniest glimpse of him as he sparred, but I needed to


    get used to him being away and busy again like he was before we mated. At least now I knew he would


    come home to me at night.


    Was this how he felt when he had downtime and I was busy? Did he ever look for me out in the crowd?


    I was addicted to the man.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been yourself.¡± The soft but usatory voice said from behind me as I remained bent


    over, hands on the ground and stretching my hamstrings. They were tight from the weights, and I


    wanted to loosen them before running.


    She wasn¡¯t wrong, though. I hadn¡¯t been myself. My mind was jumbled, my magic felt like it was failing,


    and my body threatened to quit.


    Natalie¡¯s brown hair cascaded over her shoulder as she bent down and sat on the mat beside me. She


    wasn¡¯t dressed to work out, and it disappointed me as I missed training with her. Not that I would admit


    that.


    Since she had taken up training her magic, she had cut back on her physical training¡­unless her


    activity with Killian counted. If so, she was way ahead of the game.


    Her pale green eyes made me feel like a bug under a microscope. For a moment, I debated covering


    my body with my hands under her stare, like the shirt I wore wasn¡¯t enough of a barrier from her


    calcting gaze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As soon as Tobias returns, I¡¯ll strip off my extra clothes, jump him, and everything will


    return to normal.¡± I smirked, sending her a wink. It had been meant to lighten the mood, but that didn¡¯t


    make my statement any less true.


    She stretched her legs out in front of her, her palms resting on the ground as she leaned back and tilted


    her head to the side. Her jeans and light pink blouse screamed business casual, so it was clearly not


    her n toe to the gym to work out.


    ¡°Funny. Just like your potato jokest night.¡± Natalie crossed her ankles, and I spread my legs, moving


    to hold my chest against one knee, keeping my back as straight as possible.


    ck spots danced in my vision from hanging upside down for so long, and I stood up slowly, not


    bothering to stretch the other side. My arms swung at my sides for a minute before I crossed one over


    my chest and held it with my other arm.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been funny. You¡¯ve just been too distracted by my good looks to pay attention to it.¡± I


    adjusted my feet, hoping she didn¡¯t notice the slight wobble as I regained my bnce. I nced up at


    the treadmills. Maybe I should call it a day ande back tomorrow.


    ¡°Right, that¡¯s it!¡± Natalie pursed her lips before she clicked her tongue in a feigned moment of


    understanding. She took a deep breath, and I licked my lips, nervously anticipating her reason for


    stopping by. ¡°When you finish your workout, can youe by my study? I want to talk to you.¡±


    I nodded, my forced smile falling. ¡°We can just go now. I was finishing up anyway.¡±


    Natalie looked past me to the empty treadmills with a look of disbelief before getting up. We had


    worked out together long enough for her to know how strongly I believed in a cardio cool down on


    weight training days. Even walking would help break up thectic acid in my muscles to prevent


    excessive muscle fatigue or soreness the next day.


    Even worse would be when my calf would cramp while I was trying to sleep. Those were hell.


    I dipped my head in respect as she stood and waited for her to walk ahead of me. Thomas was


    meandering nearby, dressed in casual wear, but I knew he took his job just as seriously as Tobias did.


    Even though they had been released from their full-time protection detail, at least one was always close


    and ready to take a bullet for their queen.


    He narrowed his eyes at me in a concerned gaze as he scanned me over when I walked past him. His


    body was tense and coiled like he was ready to strike.


    ¡°What?¡± I snapped, but he didn¡¯t react to my tone. He never did. He was always calm and collected.


    ¡°You feel different. Your power¡­ I don¡¯t like it.¡± He walked closely behind me and Natalie as we made


    our way to her study. She opened the door and turned with a crinkle between her eyebrows when she


    saw Thomas trying to enter behind me instead of waiting in the hall and minding his business.


    ¡°I am not a threat to her!¡± I snapped, spinning around and pinning him with my re¡­possibly my


    smell, too, from sweating so much in the gym. ¡°But if you don¡¯t back off, I will be a threat to you!¡±


    Natalie moves between us, grabbing the door and smiling at Thomas,¡± Thank you, Thomas. We will be


    fine. I promise. I will call for you if you are needed.¡±


    He seemed reluctant at first but eventually turned and ced his back against the opposite wall, giving


    him a clear path if he needed to burst through the door at a moment¡¯s notice.


    As soon as the door shut between us, I felt my shoulders drop and made my way over to the couch.


    Slumping down into the seat, I closed my eyes as she sat beside me.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Joselin?¡± Talking to her seemed easier than telling Tobias that I had someone


    actively trying to kill me instead of the empty threats I usually got, and telling Killian wouldn¡¯t be an easy


    conversation because he had said that he was counting on me to handle this. They both already knew


    something was happening, but they didn¡¯t know how serious it was.


    ¡°It was the hair she found. I think she¡¯s using it toe after me.¡± I rubbed my temples with one hand,


    holding it there longer than needed, enjoying the shade over my eyes from my palm.


    ¡°What have you been feeling?¡± She asked, her hand reaching out to touch my arm. I knew she could


    feel the difference in me, just as it seemed everyone had. My magic wasn¡¯t listening to me, and I felt


    like I was losing control of it as it slowly depleted.


    ¡°Lightheaded, sick, and like my magic is no longer a part of me. I feel like it is being tampered with.¡± I


    crossed my legs, taking my hand away from my face as I turned to look at her. ¡°I think Rona might be


    draining my magic like she did to her mother. I think she was working on Cora but turned to me when


    she realized I had broken into her house.¡¯


    Natalie¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You think she is draining two council members and behind the threat to


    Cyrus? Joselin! We can put her on trial and keep her magic suppressed with a shot until the trial is


    over.¡¯


    The excitement in her tone had me feeling like aplete disappointment because I had failed. I had


    yet to find any evidence. It would be pointless and would only piss Rona off more. Once she was


    cleared, she woulde back with a vengeance.


    ¡°We have no proof. This is nothing but spection.¡±


    Her fingers tapped against the back of the couch as she stared across the room to the far wall, lost in


    thought. ¡°There has to be proof. We can start searching now with her room here, and once she gets


    back, we can send a team to go through her house.¡±


    ¡°I checked her room here already. Nothing was there, but maybe someone will see something I


    missed.¡± I was sure if we brought in any of the other council members, they would find or nt


    something on her. If there wasn¡¯t a concern about her controlling one of them, I would have gotten


    them on board a long time ago.


    ¡°We can get to the bottom of this. Thank you for telling me.¡± She said, her eyes dulling as someone


    contacted her through the pack link.


    It was a pleasant break in our conversation, a moment for me to rx my tense shoulders and take a


    moment to breathe.


    ¡°I almost wish we could dissolve the council and just have you as Killian¡¯s Royal Advisor.¡± She


    muttered, and I felt my chest lighten with happiness that she kept me around even in the hypothetical


    situation.


    ¡°Please, I hate all the petty squabbles andints brought to us as much as Killian does. I¡¯m pretty


    sure if one more Alpha cries to either of us that someone pulled on their tail, one of us will bite it off


    myself.¡± I felt my anger rising and took a deep breath to calm myself.


    The door mmed open, smashing into the wall behind it as Killian burst into the room. Thomas


    scrambled behind him to grab the handle and yank it back closed for privacy once the furious Killian


    was inside.


    I hadn¡¯t seen him like this in a long time. For him to get this angry meant that I had fucked up, big time.


    ¡°You think a member of my council is draining your magic, and you didn¡¯t think to tell me?¡±

 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156


    Forty-Nine: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    ¡°Technically, it¡¯s my council.¡± I joked, not bothering to get up. We were alone, and there was no need to


    be formal with him. He knew I was trying to lighten the mood. I led the council, but we all worked for


    him.


    ¡°Joselin,¡± Killian snapped, his sense of humor gone as he stepped forward. He grabbed a chair and


    pulled it over until he was sitting only a few feet away, his re on me and his elbows on his knees. I


    had seen this face many-a-times. It was his disapproving older brother face, which he


    normally only used to pressure me or Charlie to spill a secret.


    His hands were sped in front of him, and he leaned forward. He had to have known that I didn¡¯t feel


    good right now. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be so calm.


    ¡°Full name, that¡¯s not good,¡± I muttered, regretting my workout. The longer I sat on the overstuffed


    couch, the more tired I became. My body wanted to shut down for the next few days to recover.


    His ck hair had one bright silver strand amongst the mass, and I made a note to hold that over him


    in the future.


    Killian let out an exhausted sigh of ¡°Josie¡± just as Natalie squeezed my forearm. He wanted me to go to


    him with this issue when he was already inundated with work and was now trying to bnce a baby-


    crazy mate with an insane sexual appetite.


    Even then, I was still frustrated with him because I had tried to talk to him. He was the first person I had


    gone to besides Tobias.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Josie, me,¡± I said softly, mimicking his sigh of my name. ¡°I am fine. As soon as shees back,


    I will be dealing with her. If I can¡¯t put her through a trial, I can challenge her to a duel.¡±


    I had been putting off the option for so long because it almost always ended with coteral damage.


    Magic of the proportion was dangerous. One slip and it could do flying. Innocents miles away would get


    hit by the sts. Hell, there were giant craters on the Earth that humans would travel to see, caused by


    two witches fighting it out.


    In addition, if I lost, it would put the kingdom in a terrible position. The council would be down by half,


    and Killian would have to choose a new Royal Advisor.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it needs toe to that,¡± Killian said, his eyebrows raised. How he looked at me


    screamed that he didn¡¯t think I was up for it.


    He might have been right, but I would rather go down fighting than wither away.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me what was going on? This is crucial information.¡± His body tensed as he sat up,


    his hands clenching into fists on the armrests. Killian always had a bit of a temper. He had kept his


    emotions locked away for a long time until Natalie showed up, but he was still finding the bnce


    between his position as the king and his feelings.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I sat forward, my anger overpowering the shitty way I was feeling. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I tell you?¡±


    Natalie¡¯s hand released my arm as she cleared her throat, shifting ufortably in her seat. She had


    nothing to worry about. I wouldn¡¯t physically hurt Killian, and he wouldn¡¯t hurt me, but that didn¡¯t mean


    he could get away with being an ass to me.


    ¡°You had a duty as my advisor and head of the council to keep me apprised of any misconduct within


    my walls.¡± His finger jabbed into the wood beneath his hand, and I knew he was a minute away from


    yelling.


    ¡°I have done my duty!¡± My voice rose, and a fire burned in his eyes as he stood, the chair sliding back a


    few inches as he looked down at me. ¡°Don¡¯t you try to intimidate me, Killian Amery!¡±


    My stubborn side won.


    I stood up quickly on the couch cushion where I had just been sitting to be taller than Killian so I


    could look down at him. My chest was heaving, and my hands were in fists at my side. He was doing


    the same, but his hazel eyes were ck.


    ¡°Watch it,¡± He ordered, tilting his head to the side slightly to gesture for me to get down, but I nted


    my feet like a petnt child and held his re. His nostrils were ring as he tried to control his temper.


    ¡°No! You don¡¯t get to talk to me like I¡¯m some insubordinate underling. I am your friend. I was there for


    you through everything with your parents, I gave you my jacket to cover yourself when you decided to


    go skinny dipping in theke when you were twelve and a sprite stole your clothing, and I was there for


    you during your first shift. If you want to talk to me, you can sit down and do it respectfully!¡±


    It must have been a sight to see, me standing on the couch ring down at the fuming Lycan king. His


    body was shaking, and I knew his beast wanted to demand respect. He had to hate that I was looking


    down at him in my failed attempt at a power y.


    It wasn¡¯t my best move, but my mind was not working as efficiently as I had hoped.


    Natalie¡¯s loud and joyfulugh rang through the room, causing Killian to rx. His shoulder¡¯s dropped,


    and he turned to look at her where she had remained seated on the couch.


    A wave of satisfaction washed through me that he had been the first to break our eye contact. It wasn¡¯t


    a submission, but I did take it as a win.


    Killian¡¯s love-sick expression was sweet, but I remained tense. With my luck, as soon as I let my guard


    down, he would push my shoulder and knock me over the arm of the couch to get thestugh.


    ¡°The two of you need to start talking to each other,¡± Natalie said, wiping under her eyes as she


    collected herself. ¡¯You both act like little kids fighting over a toy.¡±


    ¡°We do not!* We both said at the same time. The bite in my voice made me cringe, and my hands


    rxed at my sides.


    ¡°Yes, you do. Now both of you need to sit down, and let¡¯s talk about this.¡± The power resonating


    through her voice was that of a queen but would scare any child. She would be a good mother.


    I eyed Killian closely when she looked at me and gestured for me to sit down. He did the same to me,


    waiting for me to get down first, but I


    wanted to win. ¡°I said, sit!¡±


    My knees buckled under her Alphamand, and I instantly regretted being initiated into the pack. If I


    hadn¡¯t been, their orders wouldn¡¯t have affected me, but that was the whole point. They couldn¡¯t have a


    witch as their magical advisor without taking precautions.


    Killian let out a ¡®hmpf as he gave in as well, listening to his mate but still having the upper hand since I


    had fallen onto my ass first. My eyes narrowed at him, wanting to wipe that smirk right off his face.


    ¡°Now speak to each other like adults!¡± She ordered, but the amusement andughter were clear in her


    tone.


    A small part of me didn¡¯t want to have a serious conversation. I didn¡¯t want to keep fighting with him. I


    wanted him to sling his arm over my shoulder and pull me into his side like he used to. ¡°I¡¯m really gross


    right now from working out. If you talk to me like that again, I¡¯ll shove your face in my armpit!¡±


    ¡°That happened one time! I hadn¡¯t even shifted yet. You won¡¯t be able toy a hand on me now.¡± He


    grumbled as Natalie ced her hand over her mouth to hide herughter.


    With a flick of my finger, his chair slid forward, and I lifted my arm threateningly. His hands gripped the


    armrests as he stopped when his feet were mere inches from mine. ¡¯Don¡¯t test me.¡±


    Was itdylike? Absolutely not. Was it worth it to see the look of horror on his face? One-hundred


    percent.


    ¡°The two of you are like children.¡± Natalie pressed her lips together as Killian¡¯s cheeks turned pink, but I


    looked down at my hands.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to me with this sooner? Fuck, Josie! We could have been ahead of her and


    prevented this from happening.¡± Killian asked again, and I pursed my lips as I held his stare. He still


    looked exhausted, but at least we were suffering together.


    ¡°I did.¡±


    His head moved back as if he didn¡¯t believe me, but I could see the doubt in his mind as the ck eyes


    of his beast receded. He shook his head slowly while his mind raced to sort through our past


    conversations.


    ¡°You came to me about going through her house and then told me about Cora¡¯s leg and your hair. That


    was all recent! What about the weeks before that when you were investigating her? Did you not think it


    was important to keep me updated?¡±


    His usation had me ready to jump out of my chair again, but I held myself back. ¡°Don¡¯t act like I


    slighted you. I kept you as informed as you would let me.¡±


    Killian shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Exactly what I said! I first came to you weeks ago about this threat! You didn¡¯t even let me exin! You


    just brushed me off and said, ¡®Can you deal with it?¡± I leaned forward as I snapped at him. From the


    look on his face, he seemed to remember that conversation. ¡°Then, before I could even go to


    Natalie or Aurora for backup, you brushed me off for them by telling me they needed to focus on


    Natalie¡¯s training instead of fighting another battle so soon after thest one.¡±


    Natalie let out a grunt of irritation, and when I looked at her, she was ring at Killian.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.¡± I just wish you came to me with your theory


    when you started feeling bad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only been two days. When did you be so dramatic?¡¯ I rolled my eyes, wanting to lighten the


    mood. I didn¡¯t have it in me to hold a grudge right now, and I didn¡¯t want him mad at me either.


    ¡°You¡¯re my best friend, Josie. I can¡¯t do this without you. And I¡¯m not dramatic,¡± He argued, which


    prompted Natalie and me to respond immediately.


    ¡°Yes, you are. Love.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t kid yourself, Ian.¡±


    He sulked back in his chair, looking younger as he pouted, but the silver hair on his otherwise perfect


    head of hair was a constant reminder of his age and the stress he had to endure each day.


    Killian nced at me, surely seeing my exhaustion. ¡°What does Tobias have to say about this?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t told him directly. So, I¡¯m not sure how much he knows.¡±

 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157


    Fifty: Tobias


    Tobias¡¯s P.O.V.


    The young warrior next to me flinched when I let out a noise of impatience. My beast was twice his size


    and was covered in scars, while he was small, dainty, and void of battle wounds. That would change


    soon, but first, he needed to get a thicker skin and not be so jumpy.


    He wasn¡¯t wrong to be wary around me. My intentions for signing up for border patrol weren¡¯t good.


    Specifically, I wanted blood.


    Thomas and George were under strict instructions to always stay near the queen. They knew


    something was afoot. I just couldn¡¯t tell them what. Instead, I ordered them back on Queen Natalie¡¯s


    detail full-time. They weren¡¯t required to be as strict as before, but I wanted them to keep her in their


    sight. With them watching her, I was able to be here, to put an end to this.


    I had hoped that it wouldn¡¯t be long. I didn¡¯t want to be away from Joselin and Natalie with danger


    lurking over them, but the time frame depended on Rona, and she sure was taking her time.


    Rona had said she would be gone for a few days, and it had been a week.


    She was due back any day now. As soon as she stepped foot over the border, I would be there. I was


    going to shred her to pieces and present her heart to my mate as a trophy¡­maybe her leg too.


    But I was concerned that with her openly attacking Joselin, she might not return until Joselin was too


    weak to fight back.


    Joselin had been very careful not to tell me anything, but I knew that the way she was feeling was


    getting worse. She was acting unusual, wasn¡¯t eating as much, and her energy had drained


    dramatically.


    I didn¡¯t have a problem with our sex life slowing down if that was what she needed, but she refused to


    admit it.


    I did have a problem with my woman fighting not to pass out while riding my dick. At one pointst


    night, her face went green, and she was doing everything she could to hold on.


    True fear is being inside a woman and not knowing if she is about to throw up on your face. 1


    It wasn¡¯t like I could throw her off me, but I moved her gently away and then carried her to the


    bathroom for a long bath, where she passed out on myp, but thankfully not with me inside her.


    Whatever Rona had done to her needed to end now.


    I was going to make that happen.


    Several wolves of lower ranking had jumped when I issued the order through the pack link. They


    weren¡¯t prepared to hear me speak, let alone for me to demand forthem to alert me first of Rona¡¯s


    presence upon her return.


    Execution or dungeon be damned. I would rather die or spend my life rotting in a cell than watch my


    mate suffer another minute at the hands of that bitch.


    My paws dug into the packed dirt of the city borderline, and I let out a low rumble of frustration as I


    stared out into the thick masses of trees. I made sure to stay on patrol by the main road so I could get


    there quickly when Rona returned, but she was taking too long.


    The longer she made me wait to draw her blood, the more painful I would make it.


    Even the slightest movement in the distance had me stopping and waiting, just to be let down when my


    prey failed to show her face. I was antsy and on edge¡­.excited for a battle and to protect my mate,


    only to return home empty-handed.


    By the end of my shift, my irritation had increased tenfold, and I was on my way back to my mate,


    feeling helpless.


    The house was quiet as I approached, and I paused in the entryway.


    Joselin was curled up in a ball on the couch with a throw nket wrapped around her. Her side was


    pressed into the overstuffed back, and her head was tilted forward at an angle that would cause her


    neck painter.


    Yet, I couldn¡¯t help but stop and admire how beautiful she looked. Her long white hair sat high on her


    head in a thick bun, and my mark was proudly disyed on her neck. I smiled, knowing my favorite


    throw nket for rxing and watching television would smell like her.


    Her plush pink lips were downturned, and her eyebrows pinched together just before she began to stir.


    I turned and closed the door behind me quietly, but the little moan she let out had me spinning back to


    face her quickly.


    ¡°Mh, always a good day when I wake up to a naked man in my house.¡± She sighed, stretching her arms


    and legs like a cat as the nket slid down her body.


    I knew she was messing with me. I would have smelled it if anyone else ever came into our house. It


    was bad enough that I still got the whiff of Cyrus and nche asionally. Anyone else and I would


    have killed them and then built a tall wall around my sanctuary to keep everyone else out.


    ¡°There better not be any other naked men in our house.¡± My voice sounded rougher than usual, and


    she shivered as she smiled at me, her head still back against the couch. She looked exhausted, and


    the way she turned to look at me made me believe her head felt heavy and lifting it would be too much


    effort. She was beautiful but exhausted.


    ¡°No, just the one.¡± Her soft smile showed no teeth, and her eyelids were only open halfway.


    ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡± I nced at the time on the stove, seeing it was past dinner time, but something


    told me that if her stomach was empty, she would refuse to eat. I prayed that was not the case.


    I had watched her pick at her food each meal, which made dread flood my stomach each time. She


    would worsen this if she didn¡¯t stay physically strong enough to resist Rona¡¯s magic. She nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, I had one of those microwavable macaroni and cheese cups.¡±


    Heat rushed to my cheeks at that admission. Those had been one of the only things I could cook


    quickly as a kid, and my addiction to them had stuck with me through adulthood. They were not the


    healthiest food, but I wouldn¡¯t cut them out of my diet now. Any damage to my body from them had


    already been done. I kept a collection in the pantry for when I needed a fast and easy snack.


    I cleared my throat, ¡°Good. Let¡¯s get you to bed.¡±


    She stretched her neck to the side before getting to her feet and approaching me. Her arms wrapped


    around my waist, and her body pressed against mine as she kissed my chest. ¡°I was waiting for you to


    get home.¡±


    An emotion that I had never felt before settled into my gut, and my chest felt odd as I held her tightly.


    This was all new to me, being wanted¡­being loved. Knowing that she was here waiting for me,


    wanting to see me before she went to bed or to make sure I got home okay, was something I never


    thought I would have.


    I bent down, wrapping my hands around the back of her thighs and easily picking her up. Joselin¡¯s legs


    wrapped around my waist, but she kept her weight in my hands, too tired to hold herself up.


    She didn¡¯t need to. I had her.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    I leaned my head to the side, my cheek pressing against the top of her head as she shoved her face


    into my neck.


    ¡°I got you, sweetheart. Are you ready for bed?¡± She nodded in response as I carried her up the stairs.


    As I leaned forward and set her down in the bed, her arms tightened around me for a second before


    she let go, her eyes filled with worry. ¡°I¡¯m just going to rinse off and be right back.¡±


    She nodded again, her eyes closing as she rxed into the pillow. My fingers had a mind of their own


    as I brushed them over her cheek before leaving.


    I would do everything I could to protect her, and if that meant killing Rona myself, then I would.


    Consequences be damned.


    I didn¡¯t bother grabbing any clothes and rinsed off as quickly as possible before drying off and sliding


    into bed slowly. Joselin let out a low moan before rolling over and curling into my side. Her eyshes


    fluttered as she woke, and I felt my heart stop as she looked up at me.


    ¡°I missed you today,¡± She whispered, her fingertip dragging along my chest until it reached the base of


    my neck. ¡°You¡¯re still wet.¡±


    I felt her finger slide against my chest as she brushed it over a drop of water I had missed in my rush to


    dry. ¡°I missed you too. You should be resting while you can.¡±


    She twisted, cing her hand t over my peck with her chin resting on the back of it. I couldn¡¯t resist


    bending my neck and kissing her. Joselin met me halfway before pulling back with a sad smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, sweetheart?¡±


    Her sultry bottom lip was sped between her teeth, and she gnawed on it for a minute before sighing.


    ¡°You know I haven¡¯t been feeling welltely, but I haven¡¯t talked to you about why. I think Rona is trying


    to drain my magic and kill me. I don¡¯t know how she would do it with just a hair, but it¡¯s the only thing


    that seems usible.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I said, and her eyes widened slightly before she smiled.


    ¡°Of course you do. I should have known.¡± Her head shook back and forth, and my arm tightened


    around her waist.


    ¡°I n on killing her as soon as she crosses into the city.¡± My admission made herugh. That


    beautiful, melodic sound made my heart tighten and my mind empty.


    Her beauty had hooked me when I first found her, but it was herugh that had me seeing her as more


    than just a friend. Herugh had been the best sound in the world, and I had made it my goal to pull it


    from her as often as possible until I found Ana.


    ¡°I was nning the same thing. I told myself I couldn¡¯t justify doing it because I wouldn¡¯t want you doing


    it. Getting executed or living in the dungeons didn¡¯t seem worth it when there were other options still.¡±


    Her breathtaking smile had me stunned.


    I blinked a few times before letting my head fall back. She was perfect in every way. Her mind worked


    the same as mine, and I couldn¡¯t imagine a better fit for me than Joselin. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you get away


    from me, sweetheart. She will have to go through me to get to you.¡±


    If Rona didn¡¯t return soon, I would just have to go to her. She would regret the day that she fucked with


    my mate.

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158


    Fifty-One: Tobias


    Tobias¡¯s P.O.V.


    Joselin had never slept in this long. It was terrifying to know that she was feeling so under the weather.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Every morning up until today, I had woken her up with an orgasm. I had stayed true to my word. Either


    my hand, my face, or my cock would be between her legs as she moaned and wiggled beneath me.


    She would cum for me before giving me that heart-stopping smile and either thanking me for staying


    true to my promise or begging for more.


    But seeing the dark circles under her eyes and hearing how slow her breathing was, I couldn¡¯t find it in


    me to wake her this morning. I wanted her to sleep as long as possible to recover.


    Everyone I had ever loved had died. My mother died during my birth, so I never got the chance to get


    to know her. My father killed my soulmate, and I then killed my father.


    Joselin was thest person I had. I just couldn¡¯t do it. I couldn¡¯t watch Joselin die too.


    I couldn¡¯t count on Killian because our friendship had all but ended when I found Ana and pulled away


    from them, and Natalie was more of a job and a leader than a friend. She tried to break that barrier, but


    we hadn¡¯t yet reached that point.


    My knuckles rasped against the thick wood of King Killian¡¯s office, and the door swung open by a


    beaming Natalie in front of me. I knew she had been in there since George was in the hallway, and I


    bowed in greeting.


    ¡°Good Morning, Tobias. What can we do for you?¡± The rise of her right eyebrow and the smirk on her


    lips made me uneasy. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to hear all about what brought you in so early.¡±


    Ah. So, the taunting to get me to talk would start again. I hadn¡¯t dealt with that in years, not since I


    became an adult and worked my way up through the warrior ranks. Now that I let a few words out, I


    needed to prepare myself for the childish teasing and constant attempts from my peers to get me to


    talk again.


    I stared down at her, unamused.


    Natalie¡¯s pale green eyes were bright with mischief, and she leaned her shoulder against the


    doorframe, her arms crossed over her chest.


    After a moment of silence, she crossed one ankle over the other. I had talked to her before, so I knew


    she was just fucking with me.


    ¡°Love, don¡¯t be cruel.¡± Killian¡¯s tired voice called out from deeper in the office, and her smile dropped as


    she turned to re over her shoulder.


    ¡°Fine,¡± She let out an exhausted sigh. ¡°I¡¯m going to go see how Joselin is doing.¡¯


    When she turned back to me, I shook my head before changing my mind and stepping to the side to let


    her pass. Joselin had been sleeping when I left, but that was almost an hour ago. By the time Natalie


    got there, Joselin should be awake.


    I also knew that Joselin had been upset that Killian and I hadn¡¯t visited her when she had been


    stabbed, and I wouldn¡¯t stop someone from showing Joselin how much she meant to them. Joselin and


    I had worked through it. It had been too painful to know that she had almost died.


    Seeing her get stabbed felt like getting my heart ripped out, and I couldn¡¯t fathom the thought of losing


    her. So I had made the mistake of trying to get over her, to keep her out of my head so I could move


    on.


    It worked in my favor because we ended up getting together, not because of my distance. Still, I hated


    that it was time that I wasted.


    Natalie slipped past, gesturing for George to join her, and I knew as soon as she mentioned going into


    the city that he would have called for Thomas to join him on her detail and at least one other to cover


    for me while I spoke to Killian.


    My choice to keep my voice and thoughts to myself was second to my need to keep my mate safe.


    As soon as I closed the door behind me, Killian spoke. ¡°You¡¯re here about Joselin; I take it.¡±


    His statement was dead on, and I nodded before moving to the front of his desk, where he gestured


    with his hand for me to take a seat. It was so tense. So awkward. How did this man go from being one


    of my best friends to being this stranger?


    It felt like a lifetime ago, and really, it was.


    I respected him, and he was a great leader, but I didn¡¯t know him as a man anymore. Over the past few


    months, I had seen a side of him that he had tucked away when he had be the king. But that was


    it. I was watching from the outside, not a part of his circle or family anymore.


    Now that I had mated Joselin, I was, by title, back in that circle. Still, I didn¡¯t know if we could ever fix


    our friendship. If anything, we would need to build a new one. His answer to my request would


    determine whether we could reform a friendship.


    ¡°Is she doing okay?¡± The concern was thick in his voice, and I shrugged my shoulders.


    ¡°She¡¯s been better,¡± I answered honestly, unsure what to say. The curse seemed to be at the beginning


    stages, but her exhaustion andck of appetite were concerning.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she has.¡¯ He responded with a nod, waiting for me to tell him the reason for my visit.


    ¡°I want Rona brought back. Now.¡± My request sounded more like a demand. It hadn¡¯t been my


    intention, and he seemed to understand that as he raised his eyebrows in amusement before


    scratching his jaw.


    ¡°Rona is free to go and do as she pleases. For me to send someone to retrieve her without too much


    resistance, we would need proof, not spection.¡±


    I bit back a scoff. Some king. He could take and do what he wanted, but he always insisted on following


    the rules even though the dy in action could cost him his best friend¡¯s and his Royal Advisor¡¯s life.


    ¡°Joselin¡¯s health and life are not enough for you?¡± I wanted to rise to my feet, disy dominance, to get


    my way. But even I knew that was stupid. Standing up against a king would do nothing but get me


    killed.


    He wouldn¡¯t respond to a show of power anyway. He was the strongest of our kind, and I would get


    further with a discussion than with a threat. If it were anyone else on the other side of that desk, I would


    have him pinned to the wall already and forced their approval from them.


    ¡°Joselin is strong.¡¯


    I cut him off. ¡¯And growing weaker by the minute. Rona needs to be stopped!¡±


    Killian lifted his hand, palm facing me like a pretentious asshole. Is that how he nned to silence me


    when my mate¡¯s life was at stake? A fucking hand? ¡¯That is enough. I hear your concern, but Rona is a


    council member, and while I do not trust her, I cannot send out my guard to collect her without proof of


    foul y or brokenws.¡¯


    He gave an apparent emphasis on the word guard that had me sitting back in my chair.


    He was on board.


    ¡°She said she would be back in a few days, and it has been a week. If she is not back by tonight, then


    some of your pack may choose to check on her to ensure her wellbeing,¡± I said, making it very clear


    that if she were not back to pay for her crimes in the next few hours, thene sunrise, I would be


    going after her myself.


    ¡°And that would be their choice.¡± He said, leaning back in his chair with his hands sped over his


    stomach.


    My hands rubbed over the tops of my jeans as I nodded, epting the terms he had just indirectlyid


    out before me. It wasn¡¯t the answer I wanted, one where I would lead a team down to hunt this witch,


    armed with a sedative to prevent her from using her powers to get away.


    But it was better than nothing.


    I had an idea of who I would take with me. The fastest, strongest, and most cutthroat. Now if I wanted


    them to go, I would have to convince them myself.


    I hadn¡¯t been reliant on it being an order from the king.


    I knew he might disagree and not back my request to hunt down Rona. It made it more difficult, but not


    impossible. Definitely not impossible.


    I would be obliterating her.


    ¡°Then I would like to give you my notice of temporary leave for personal reasons.¡± My statement made


    him smile, almost as if he was proud that I would be going after the threat to my mate¡­that I was


    willing to fight for Joselin.


    She deserved someone to fight for her, and I would never let her go another day of her life without


    knowing that she had me in her corner.


    ¡°Noted.¡± He dipped his chin before rubbing the back of his neck, looking uneasy. It was part of my job


    to monitor bodynguage and look for signs of a potential threat.


    His tell was obvious. I almost wanted tough at how different he acted now. A rub of the back of his


    neck when stressed or nervous versus the nervous tick he had as a kid where he used to pull at his


    eyebrows. Just another reminder that he was no longer that kid.


    We both experienced horrors that made us who we are today. Mine should have killed me, but I had


    somehow managed to push through it. Killian¡¯s scarred him and sculpted the man and leader that he


    became.


    ¡°I know we haven¡¯t talked in a while,¡¯ He said, and I felt myself tense. Thest time we talked beyond


    orders and training was over a decade ago.


    Those were conversations that were toote and unwee in my life now. I knew this wasing


    from Joselin ripping into him multiple times about his failure as a friend. Charlie had done the same as


    his little sister in a very public manner, but I didn¡¯t want to be a part of his apology tour.


    Goddess, I hated interacting with people. I just wanted to do my job and go home to my mate without


    ever interacting with another person or dancing around someone else¡¯s emotions again.


    ¡°There are no hard feelings, your majesty.¡±


    Killian¡¯s head snapped back like he wasn¡¯t expecting the title toe from me at such a serious


    moment, even though I addressed him formally each time he gave me an order through the pack link.


    But I wanted to draw the line to prevent him from opening old wounds.


    He hadn¡¯t noticed my father¡¯s abuse, just as Joselin hadn¡¯t. I kept it well hidden.


    If he did notice, he never said anything. Then again, he also never said anything to me or told Joselin


    about my father¡¯s death or Ana¡¯s. So, who knows what secrets were buried in his mind?


    Killian cleared his throat. ¡°I just wanted to say that I am d you and Joselin mated. I think you are


    good together, always have.¡±


    It felt like the closing of our conversation, or at least a good time to do so and put us both out of our


    misery. So, I stood, and with a respectful bow in his direction; I made my way to the door.


    ¡°We will keep an eye on Joselin while you are gone. I¡¯ll have here back and stay in her tower.¡¯ He


    said, making me freeze. Joselin was not going to do well with being told where she had to sleep, and


    while it made me ufortable to have her staying here instead of in our bed, I knew it was also the


    safest option for her right now. ¡°Please let me know if you two need anything.¡±


    My inclusion in hisst statement felt like an olive branch, and I nodded in gratitude before taking my


    leave. Maybe one day, things between us wouldn¡¯t be so ufortable.


    Tomorrow I would head out to find Rona.


    Today, I had to face my mate and tell her I was leaving.

 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159


    Fifty-Two: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    I ced my hands in my back pockets, admiring the view as Natalie and I approached the small pool of


    water. The normal crystal blue water was murky and dark, showing that someone or something had just


    been active and disrupted the stillness and peace of the natural hot spring.


    It was only a few miles away from the city, but the time it took us to go there was twice as long as


    normal as we enjoyed a leisurely walk.


    My morning had started at lunchtime when Natalie rang the doorbell, something I was tempted to have


    Tobias uninstall. Even though I would never admit it, her visit to ensure I was okay meant a lot to me. I


    was right in choosing her as a friend.


    It also meant that I had slept the day away, missing my morning meeting with Killian to go over the


    day¡¯s agenda and the million other things I had to do each day. I was behind on my work already, but


    now it has impacted others, which bothered me.


    Yet, Natalie insisted I take the day off and walk with her. There wasn¡¯t much of the day left, so I agreed.


    By the time I had gotten out of the shower and dressed, it was into the early afternoon.


    Still, she ushered me out of the house with a bagel in my hand, insisting fresh air would do me good.


    I sat on therge rocks, slipping my shoes off and dangling my feet into the water below. I knew there


    were creatures in there, some that would love to drag me into the water to watch me drown, but it didn¡¯t


    bother me. We had a mutual appreciation for each other, and they kept me alone as long as I threw


    them some food now and then. Delicasies, like a fresh liver or a heart, if I wanted to spoil them. A


    whole body if they were starving.


    ¡®Tm surprised you could pull yourself away from your mate for this long.¡± I smiled at Natalie, wanting


    her to see I was only joking. She crossed her legs, observing the three-foot-long waterfall across the


    spring that led from therger hot spring above. This one was smaller but deeper.


    I watched as the water began to settle until I could make out two glowing pale-blue eyes below,


    watching and waiting.


    I looked over my shoulder at the guard filling in for Tobias, making it clear that I was speaking to her


    before returning to the creature.


    I didn¡¯t know or trust the new guard as much as the others and wanted privacy. ¡¯You, fetch a rabbit.¡±


    The creature blinked. Its double eyelids closed one at a time, ovepping before showing the glowing


    blue again. I corrected myself. ¡°Make it a deer, and be fast about it. I want it to still be hot when you


    return with it.¡±


    The woman turned to nce at Natalie, who nodded in approval. I almostughed at the smell of her


    fear as she took off to retrieve the animal for me. It really was good to have people scared of me from


    time to time.


    ¡°It was no big deal. If he didn¡¯t knock me up by now, it wont happen until next month. Plus, I was really


    worried about you.¡± Natalie said, leaning back on her palms but noticing the creature as well and sliding


    back a few inches away from the water¡¯s edge.


    ¡°I appreciate that, but I will be fine,¡¯ I muttered, angry that Rona was not back yet for me to end this.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a curse? What if you¡¯re pregnant? You¡¯ve been tired. Your appetite has changed, and


    the lightheadedness¡­ it makes sense.¡± Natalie said, trailing off as the creature disappeared. His blue


    eyes were made to blend into the water.


    Thomas stepped forward, looking down for the threat to his queen, but he couldn¡¯t see it. It could only


    ever be seen when it wanted to.


    The idea of a baby was far-fetched, but now that it was in my mind, my muscles coiled. I wasn¡¯t ready


    for a baby.


    ¡°Impossible. Tobias hasn¡¯t cum in me yet, and I doubt a baby would make my magic fade.¡± I said,


    waiving my hand dismissively at the idea, and bit back a smile as George made a noise that sounded


    like a mix of a choke and a snort. I didn¡¯t know exactly what it was, but when we all paused to look over


    at him, he had schooled his expression and looked out into the forest.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make it impossible.¡± Natalie insisted as she patted my knee twice.


    ¡°It¡¯s not an option. My body has had too much damage done to it.¡± The healers had gotten their hands


    on me countless times, but they couldn¡¯t touch scar tissue and healed damage. They could only fix


    what was currently injured.


    ¡°You¡¯re making assumptions instead of stating facts. Maybe you should let the doctor run their tests to


    see what¡¯s happening.¡± She shrugged, smiling softly as she leaned back. ¡°Can you imagine if we got


    pregnant at the same time? That would be something.¡±


    ¡°No one will be touching my blood.¡± All humor was gone from my voice, and I felt a shift in the air as


    something rubbed against the bottom of my foot. The beast felt my agitation, and small waves formed


    in the water.


    I pulled my legs out slowly, crossing them beneath me as I kept a close eye on the water until I found


    the glowing blue eyes staring up at me again.


    ¡°You could just pee on a stick then.¡± Natalieughed but sounded uneasy as she slid back another few


    inches until her knees aligned with my hips.


    I didn¡¯t bother responding to her. She was right. How could I justify killing Rona when she returns if all


    this time I was just pregnant?


    But I knew it had to be more than that. How could a fetus drain my magic? The female guard returned,


    a deer over her shoulders in a fireman carry. She tossed it onto the ground beside me, and I nced at


    the body as the water was disturbed again.


    ¡°You should make sure someone is feeding him,¡± I said to Natalie as I pulled a pocket knife out and


    sliced open the stomach with little difficulty. Still hot.


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    ¡°What exactly is ¡®he¡¯?¡± She rose to her feet, stepping back as the water became more violent, sshing


    on the rocks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But look how hungry he is.¡± I murmured as I grabbed the liver and rose to my feet. The


    giant creature broke through the surface as I tossed it into the air and over the water. His head was the


    shape of a dragon with a long snake-like body. The curious part was that none of it was solid. It was the


    same color as the water it lived in, and without being able to touch it to confirm, one would think it was


    made of water too.


    ¡°Holy shit.¡± The female guard whispered in shock as the ten-foot-long creature arched back into the


    water after catching the liver in hisrge mouth, his massive pointed teeth puncturing the organ and


    sending blood to spray out and hit the top of the water.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t have to pee, I do now,¡± George grumbled, his eyes wide in shock before Thomas hit him, and


    he regained hisposure, standing with his back to us to examine the forest around us for danger.


    ¡°On that note, we should return to the castle. If we leave now, we can get there in time for dinner.¡¯


    Natalie said, dusting her butt off as I bent down and pulled out the heart. As I tossed it into the air, the


    creature shot out again, and George let out a sound of freight before spinning around, not wanting to


    have his back to the beast.


    Iughed, peering down into the water. ¡°How hungry are you, boy?¡± His eyes blinked at me once, and I


    nodded. ¡°George, do me a favor and throw this deer, would you?¡±


    He looked positively sick. Theck of color in his cheeks was amusing, and Natalie pressed her lips


    together to bite back augh. ¡®Okay.¡±


    George was slow to move to the body, and as the water rippled in excitement, he stumbled back, falling


    on his ass and making the rest of us roar withughter. ¡°I¡¯m just fucking with you, Georgie. Just testing


    your limits. Luckily, these guys never leave the water, so you won¡¯t have to fight one. You can stick to


    the enemies on drynd to protect your queen.¡±


    With a flick of my finger, the carcass went flying up and over the water, the creature jumping for it


    again. Its body is adjusted to fit it. His jaw was unhinged, and he seemed to grow bigger as he sank his


    teeth into the animal before dragging it back into the water.


    ¡°You¡¯re as twisted as your mate,¡± George grumbled as he returned to his position. Thement filled


    me with pride, and I couldn¡¯t have been happier that he hadpared me to Tobias.


    On the long walk back, I couldn¡¯t help but toss Natalie¡¯s thoughts around my head. There was no way I


    could be pregnant. If I were, the world would be far more dangerous.


    A kid raised by me and Tobias would raise hell.


    Natalie understood that I was lost in my thoughts and stayed silent next to me, asionally ncing


    over at me to make sure I was okay. I was fine today. While I was still tired, sleeping in had been


    monumentally helpful.


    Therge form of my mate standing at the entrance to the courtyard made all of my worries away. I


    would talk to him about Natalie¡¯s theory and then pee on a stick, but not now. Right now, I just needed


    to get some food in me.


    Watching that water beast take down the deer made me hungry.


    I sank into my mate¡¯s side as he joined us, lovingly wrapping his arm around me. His smell made my


    mouth water, and I turned my head to kiss his peck as we kept walking. He returned the gesture with a


    kiss on my head that made me feel giddy.


    Throughout dinner, he kept his hand on my thigh, seeming pleased that my appetite had returned. He


    asked me about my day through the mind link, but I didn¡¯t have it in me to discuss needing to rule out


    pregnancy in such a public setting. Even if they couldn¡¯t hear me, I didn¡¯t know what Tobias¡¯s reaction


    would be. Happy? Angry? Scared?


    I would wait until we got home.


    My knee was bouncing, and I was growing increasingly more nervous about the conversation as the


    meal came to an end.


    As the servers cleared the tables to bring out dessert, all suspicion of pregnancy left my mind as Cyrus


    hunched forward, letting out a scream of agony that echoed through the dining hall, making every


    Lycan and wolf climb to their feet for battle.

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160


    Fifty-Three: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    His body rose. The oversized, wooden chair fell backward with a loud crack as his feet lifted off the


    floor. Guards, including Tobias, quickly removed Natalie and Killian from the table. It was his job. But as


    I watched Cyrus rise until his knees were aligned with the top of the table, possessed by an unknown


    force, I had one second where I wished Tobias had rushed to my rescue instead.


    I scoffed at that thought as quickly as it came to mind. We both knew that I could handle myself, even if


    I were feeling under the weather.


    I¡¯m sure Natalie could too, but I had way more experience with magic than her. She was strong and


    good with light magic, but I knew light and dark magic thanks to my time with Talia. This¡­ was dark


    magic.


    Cyrus¡¯s scream cut off as his head was thrown back. His veins bulged from his body, and his already


    pale skin turned a sickly shade of grey.


    I stepped toward him. Tobias¡¯s chair between us had been pushed several feet back during his rush to


    get the queen out.


    My hand lifted, and I slowly approached Cyrus, wanting to feel the magic at y, to taste and


    familiarize myself with it.


    The air was thin until I reached the wall of magic, and while chaos surrounded us from the packed


    dining hall rapidly emptying, I couldn¡¯t hear anything beyond the angry gurglinging from his mouth.


    The magic around him was thick and suffocating. Yet, I wasted no time jumping on the table and trying


    to force his head down to free his airway. A thick bloodstream spilled from his mouth before the pain-


    filled yell erupted again. The horror in his voice was haunting¡­familiar.


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    Aurora approached from his other side, holding her hands onto his body as she began chanting under


    her breath.


    As usual, the rest of the council had been eating in either their chambers or the private dining room,


    leaving us tobat this evil on our own while we waited for someone to fetch them.


    Cyrus shook, his body convulsing as fat tears slid down his cheeks. His arms were out to his sides, and


    he flinched as if he were fighting against restraints. His arms and legs were spread, his wrists bent so


    his palms were forward.


    I was very familiar with the position he was in.


    His pale yellow eyes were squeezed tightly shut as he gasped for breath.¡± No! No!¡±


    A force shot from his body, sending me flying through the air. I flipped once before hitting the ground on


    my side.


    I groaned as a wave of pain shot through me and then used the air to push me right back up. Several


    Lycans stood at my sides, growling as if Cyrus was the enemy.


    ¡°Stand down!¡± I ordered, and the sound cut off. Yet, they stood tall and proud, defensive as they waited


    for his next move. But it wasn¡¯t him doing it. It was his attacker. The person who tried to drain him in his


    mountain. Possibly, the person who had tried the ritual during the war.


    The person I had been hunting was so close, yet I felt like they were further away than ever.


    ¡°Help me¡­¡± The wet croak from thenky man made my chest ache and my heart clench.


    Grabbing a bowl from the table, I dumped the food onto the floor before holding the item under his


    dripping chin.


    If Rona wanted to y with dark magic, she would have to face me, and I learned from the best¡­for a


    few years at least.


    As the bowl filled with his ckced blood, I began to chant lowly in Latin.


    If she was active in his blood, then maybe¡­just maybe, I could tap into her.


    I could feel their magic feeding into Cyrus¡¯s blood like an infection, working its way through his system.


    It was different than when it happened to me fifteen years ago. I had felt the witches like a thread being


    worked through my veins, something I could grab onto and manipte.


    In Cyrus¡¯s blood, the thread was barbed. Each time I tried to grab it, it sent a painful stab through my


    head, encouraging me to chant louder, to fight harder.


    His chest thrust forward as if he were arching his back away from something. The sobbing cries for it to


    stop wereyered, echoing through the room.


    The sound of chains rattling in the distance was faint, but as I dug deeper into his blood, I could hear it


    more clearly with each jerk of his arms and legs.


    ¡°What can I do to help?¡± Natalie¡¯s voice called out, but growling returned as multiple guards tried to


    form a barrier between the royal couple and Cyrus.¡± Let me through.*


    The darkness moving through him was so thick I could almost taste it, and I turned my head to re at


    the guards. ¡°Get them out of here! Now!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that I couldn¡¯t use the help, but without knowing what we were up against, it was almost


    impossible to ensure the safety of Natalie and Killian, let alone a fetus.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! Stand down!¡¯ Her order forced the guards to clear a path, and I turned my hand to


    them, shoving her and Killian back toward the door. Killian wrapped his arm around her waist, stopping


    her from running back into the room, nodding at me with approval to take control of the situation.


    ¡°You¡¯re safetyes first. Even if you can help, the risk to you is too great.¡± My eyes dropped down to


    her stomach, hinting at the reality that she very well could be carrying the heir. Even if she could help to


    save Cyrus, the royal line came first. It would alwayse first.


    It was why I threw myself into danger first when I saw Natalie about to go after Agatha and Aurora that


    day on the battlefield before a dagger was lodged into my back. It was why they always had guards


    and why every time there was a threat, the pack would rise up to defend and fight for them without


    asking questions.


    Realization crossed her face, but her anger was still there. She knew she had a choice to make too.


    Either try to save an innocent man who wasn¡¯t a member of her direct pack but was still under her rule


    or to protect the life that could be growing inside her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty,¡± I said as the doors closed in her face, and my magic sealed them shut.


    Several guards were stunned and stood frozen as the sound of Natalie throwing magic at the barrier


    echoed through the room over Cyrus¡¯s begging for mercy and cries for help. There weren¡¯t many left.


    As soon as they realized the attack was on Cyrus and not an attack from Cyrus, they ran to take their


    positions in the city and castle, prepared for battle.


    I turned to those that remained. ¡°Stand guard at the door. If she takes down my spell, keep her away.


    Protect the crown!¡±


    They nodded, seeming both determined and uneasy about protecting the queen and resisting her


    commands while doing so.


    As I turned back to the bowl, I could see the crimson liquid boiling in the porcin. My stomach rolled,


    and I looked up at Cyrus. Aurora was still at his side chanting, but when she looked back at me, she


    looked hopeless.


    ¡°Go to the infirmary. Bring back some healers!¡± I turned, picking up a knife off the table, the de


    glinting under the fluorescent lights. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to slow this down. But I am going to need some


    help.¡±


    My arm sliced across Cyrus¡¯s wrist, and the tainted blood poured from the wound. His floating body


    was tense, and he let out another scream of agony. This one caused by me.


    I needed to bleed him out to slow their damage. The healers would be back in a moment with Aurora,


    and they could heal him before he became critically low.


    Henry carried over a dirty tray, one that had been holding food for the pack, and slid it noisily across the


    floor until it stopped a few inches short of the stream pooling from Cyrus. I dropped to my knees,


    moving it the rest of the way, and stuck my hands into the collection of hot liquid.


    shes of Rona¡¯s red hair appeared in my mind, and I reached for her, desperate to hold onto anything


    I could to get to her.


    Flora and another healer appeared in front of me with Aurora before the Descendant disappeared


    again, presumably to get more healers or to find the rest of the council. The two began to work quickly,


    and the blood dripping into therge tray slowed as they healed him.


    His cries quieted, but his soft mumbling for help continued. He wanted someone, anyone, to help him.


    He kept begging for his attacker to stop and screaming out in pain as if he were being sliced open.


    My hands moved in deeper, the bottom of the basin acting like a portal as I found myself elbow deep,


    eyed closed. I could see her¡­ Rona. Her eyes were closed too, and her hair was fanned out around


    her. But she wasn¡¯t moving, wasn¡¯t speaking.


    The blood around my arms thickened, rapidly congealing until it became difficult for me to move. I had


    been so close, able to feel and see Rona, before she stopped me.


    I gasped as I shot back up, my eyes meeting Aurora¡¯s as she watched me curiously, clearly


    ufortable with dark magic. She made that clear the morning she came to my tower when I tried to


    tap into Rona¡¯s blood.


    ¡°She¡¯s there. I feel her magic tied into his.¡¯


    The door mmed open, and Natalie stormed in, fury written on her face. Killian, Tobias, and several


    other guards were with her. All but my mate were trying to get her to back away and get to safety.


    Tobias seemed more concerned with getting to me this time. His eyes widened, and he rushed forward


    when he saw my arms coated in Cyrus¡¯s blood, looking at it like it was the gue.


    He lunged forward, catching Cyrus just as he copsed so he wouldn¡¯tnd on me. The healers stayed


    with him, working their magic as they tried to fix the physical damage that both Rona and I had done.


    ¡°I¡¯m going after Rona. We can¡¯t wait any longer. She¡¯s going to kill him.¡± I muttered, sliding one hand


    down my arm with a tight grip to wring my limb free of the blood before doing the same to the other


    side.


    He reached for me, and I wiped my palm on my pant leg before grabbing his hand.


    Natalie pushed forward with Killian at her side. ¡°We will go with you,¡± She announced, but I shook my


    head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not safe for you, Your Majesty. But I will take guards.¡±


    Several men and women stepped forward, eager to defend their King and Queen. Henry joined


    Aurora¡¯s side andced their hands together. I waited a few seconds as they all grabbed onto each


    other¡¯s forearms or shoulders. Aurora closed the chain, nodding at me. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    As the world faded around us, I felt my energy drop from pulling so many with me. I knew without


    Aurora there, I would have been able to take only three or four people.


    The dense forest appeared around us, and the lonely cottage looked bare, almost abandoned from the


    last time I had seen it. The abnormally thick vines were strewn across the yard, brown and lifeless. The


    poisonous fog was gone, seeming to have killed all the grass and nts on its way out. The pathway


    had many deep holes, and the rocks around them crumbled in as I picked up a stick and threw it.


    But it wasn¡¯t alive as it had once been before.


    ¡°I think we are toote.¡±

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161


    Fifty-Four: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    We moved carefully up to the front door. Thetch was still broken, presumably from when Tobias had


    destroyed it during our visit over a week ago. But the way the heavy barrier of wood hung from only


    one loose hinge had the bottom corner on the floor and the top leaning toward us like it could fall at the


    slightest gust of wind.


    Tobias moved in first, pulling the door right out of the frame and setting it to the side with ease. If it


    weren¡¯t for the interior looking like a tornado hit it and distracting me, I would have worried about him


    being the first to face whatever was on the other side of the door.


    Everything was out of ce. Therge television that used to be mounted on the wall was on the floor,


    the screen shattered. The couch was charred, clearly having been set on fire, and sat hap hazardously


    with one side lifted on the upside-down entertainment center, the back cushions missing.


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    Every drawer was open and thrown across the room as if a poltergeist hade through with a fury.


    The contents were scattered around, littering the ground and mixed with the shards of ss from the


    demolished windows.


    My chest dropped as the realization that I had been wrong sank in. All this time, I had been chasing the


    wrong person, and now another council member was either in danger or dead.


    As much as I hated her and wished for her to be reced on the council or for her to die, seeing the


    horror of the crime scene made my mouth water as my stomach rolled with nausea. Never before had I


    felt sick because of death. It was a part of life.


    But I did wonder if by targetting her if I had put her killer¡¯s focus on her. Was she already a target, or did


    I just turn on the spotlight that made the killer decide to use her as a distraction or a scapegoat?


    The problem was also that my failure could have killed Cyrus, someone I cared about. It was guilt


    making me feel this was. If I hadn¡¯t been chasing Rona all this time¡­


    I pushed away the thought. There was no room for emotion when I was on a mission.


    Whatever was going to happen here required my undivided attention, and I forced all emotions into a


    locked box in the back of my mind.


    My eyes moved to the blood stter across the wall. Someone had done some serious damage with


    that blow. I took tentative steps around the couch, seeing therger pool of blood behind it, followed by


    drops that went right out the back door.


    Whoever bled that much wouldn¡¯t have been walking on their own, and since there were no footprints, I


    assumed they had either been carried out, or someone used magic to get them through the door


    without dragging them.


    I knew I needed to follow the trail to see if there were any survivors or if there was a struggle still going


    on, but a nagging feeling was pulling me away and urging me toward the bedroom. The debris


    crunched beneath my shoes as I rushed down the hallway, grabbing the door frame.


    The room looked the same as when Tobias and I had been here. Better even, as the bed was made.


    But the dresser was bare beyond one long white hair hanging off one of the knobs of the top drawer as


    if it had been knocked off the surface without a second thought.


    I picked it up, shoving it into my pants pocket before looking up at the wood surface of the chest of


    drawers.


    The glowing blue electrical field was gone, and so were the bones that it had been protecting.


    I let out a deep breath as I nodded in understanding and disappointment before straightening my spine


    and spinning back around. Tobias was in the doorway, looking every bit the terrifying warrior that I knew


    him to be.


    His eyes scanned the room, looking for a threat. His gaze didn¡¯tnd on me for more than a second


    before he stepped to the side and allowed me to pass. He was in work mode, and I appreciated his


    lack of judgment on my mistake.


    ¡°Contact the king. Get him and the queen to safety. Lock down the castle; no one goes in or out. I want


    the rest of the council members restrained immediately. Let me know once they are all ounted for.¡± I


    snapped, and Tobias¡¯s eyes dimmed as he obeyed.


    I had the feeling that they would be reporting back at least one missing council member besides Rona.


    The Lycans were moving carefully about the room, and Aurora stood at the back door, staring out into


    the trees.


    It was time to get to the very bottom of this.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go hunting!¡± I called out, and a few men stepped forward, taking a deep breath to memorize the


    scent before racing out the back door. I moved with them, Aurora staying at my side as we took off at a


    jog.


    The Lycans swept the area but quickly settled on one path and moved in formation.


    Those that were not tracking the blood trail surrounded Aurora and me. I was tempted to teleport ahead


    of the group like I usually would instead of jogging to keep up with them. Still, I couldn¡¯t justify


    exhausting my magic any more than I already had when I had an enemy to face.


    I was grateful that Aurora had recently visited The Sanctum of Light to recharge because we wouldn¡¯t


    stand a chance against Cora or Rona if we were both weakened.


    I brushed my hair over my shoulder as I took a deep breath. The smell of death washed over my


    senses, and the beasts around me bristled in anticipation. The aura from the opening before us made


    the hair on the back of my neck rise. Dark. Evil.


    Tobias moved in closer, staying in position, but he was tense.


    ¡®Bears were here.¡¯ Tobias said to me through the mind link as the pack slowed, cautiously approaching.


    My eyes widen in surprise. The bears?


    The only bear sleuth openly on decent terms with the Lycans was the one Charlie, the king¡¯s little sister,


    had mated into. She and her mate, Damien, had been staying with us a while ago during the war.


    Killian had hated Damien at first but warmed up to him over time¡­ at least until Charlie left again to go


    back with Damien to live in the forest among the bears.


    Charlie¡¯s connection to their kind is the only reason they¡¯re on good terms with the Lycans. Killian had


    been furious when Charlie announced a bear was her mate.


    But what the hell were they doing here? Were they involved?


    The guards dispersed, taking up a protective circle in the tree line around us as the body came into


    view.


    The scene was so familiar, so hauntingly simr to my childhood, that I had to swallow hard to push


    down the acid that rushed up my throat. The smell alone was enough to make me want to vomit.


    Rona¡¯s naked body was chained to a b of rocks. Her eyes were open and lifeless, her head turned


    to the side, staring off into the distance. Blood dripped from the stones and onto the wet Earth below.


    Flies flew around her fresh corpse, stopping to walk along her torn and beaten flesh every few


    seconds.


    Runes and knots had been carved into her body, and my right hand gripped my left forearm


    instinctively as if I could hide the markings on my skin that mirrored hers. But while mine had healed to


    leave ck lines that moved and vibrated, hers were clean incisions. Open and draining her of her


    blood.


    Aurora lifted her hand over her mouth before moving to Rona¡¯s head. The older woman had nothing to


    say for once, which was unsettling. Her shaking fingers ran over Rona¡¯s eyelids, closing them before


    brushing her hair back.


    I looked away. Even though I wanted Rona to die when I thought she was a threat, no one deserved


    death this way.


    I dabbled in dark magic asionally, but this ritual would never sit right with me.


    ¡°What direction did they go?¡± I asked, and one of the guards pointed to the northeast.


    ¡°The bears went this way, but there is no sign of the witch.¡¯ He picked up arge trampled leaf and


    sniffed it before wrinkling his nose and tossing it away.


    I heard chains rattling, and I spun around. I half expected to see Rona returning to life and wanting


    revenge on her killer and everyone else who wronged her. But it was Aurora, working with her bare


    hands to get the chains off Rona¡¯s limbs.


    As a descendant of the Goddess, I expected she would respect the dead, but I had never seen her so


    bothered.


    Rona¡¯s arm hung over the side of the rocks, and Aurora lifted it by her wrist and gently ced it back


    by her side. The movement caused the light to glisten in the liquid and piqued my interest. Gone were


    the reservations of seeing another in this position, and instead, I found myself closing in on the body.


    While her skin was covered in blood, the crimson liquid on her stomach stood out. It was brighter and


    put off a little power as if it were still alive. It wasn¡¯t hers.


    The reflective ck shimmer in the blood was so simr to mine that I knew it could only belong to one


    person.


    Cyrus.


    ¡°The altar in the mountains,¡± I whispered as I lifted my finger and dipped it into the blood of the first,


    and possiblyst, spell caster in my lifetime. ¡°She wasn¡¯t just trying to drain their powers. She was


    using them as conduits to get to Cyrus.¡±


    Both attacks on him had aligned with the discovery of an alter, and now it was finally bing clear.


    This whole time, she wasn¡¯t after the queen or me. She didn¡¯t want to take my position or rule the


    kingdom. All f this was because she wanted Cyrus¡¯s powers, or at the very least, to kill him.


    But why? How long had she known about him, and what could she possibly have against him?


    His existence should have been a win for our kind. It allowed us the knowledge and possibility of


    breeding with another of our kind and producing a stronger line of witches for the next generations.


    I looked up at Tobias, and his eyes were dull, telling me that he was already speaking to Killian or


    another guard, ordering Cyrus¡¯s protection without me having to ask.


    ¡®Cyrus is in the queen¡¯s study with Killian and Natalie. The only council member missing is¡­.¡¯ ¡®Cora.¡¯


    We said at the same time.


    I let out a bitterugh of anger and frustration, feeling stupid for wasting months on the wrong person.


    ¡¯All this time and she was right under our nose!¡±


    My hands moved up to pull at the roots of my hair. ¡¯Cora. That fucking bitch!¡±


    A low growl surrounded me but dropped quickly as a figure moved toward us through the trees. Her


    curly brown hair and bright emerald green eyesnded on me. ¡°Joselin!¡±


    She rushed forward, and the giant man trailing behind her stopped halfway between us and the wall of


    bears lining up behind him.


    ¡°Charlie,¡± I whispered in shock. She shouldn¡¯t be here. I knew she could take care of herself, but if


    Killian heard that Charlie was anywhere near this, he would be livid. ¡¯Why are you here?¡± ¡°We were out


    on a hunt and headed this way when we felt the magic. It was stronger than anything I had ever


    experienced in my life.¡± Charlie grabbed my elbows, looking me in the eye as she shook her head back


    and forth. ¡°We tried to stop her, but her magic felt different than before, darker and stronger. When we


    finally got close enough to deal damage, she disappeared¡­teleported away.¡±


    One nce at Aurora confirmed she was under the same impression I was, thinking Cora couldn¡¯t


    teleport. It was a skill that had to be mastered and required a lot of power and training. We had never


    seen or heard of her being able to move through the realms.


    ¡°We searched the area, but there were no other signs of her. She¡¯s gone.¡±

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162


    Fifty-Five: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    Charlie was the definition of beauty. Everything about her was perfect and symmetrical. Her curls


    looked immacte even without products or styling tools out in the woods.


    ¡°Are you okay to be here?¡± Charlie asked lowly, but everyone around would still hear her question. It


    was the curse of not having a pack link.


    But I could talk to Tobias privately, which was good enough for me. He was all I needed.


    Most of the pack knew my story. Those who had been there the day I was found heard my story, and


    word was spread through the pack. But from the horrified looks on their faces when they saw Rona tied


    to the rock with her skin carved up, I don¡¯t think this is what they had expected.


    At least Rona had been knocked out during it. That wasn¡¯t a luxury I had been given, and from the way


    he was moving and screaming, neither was Cyrus.


    ¡°I am fine,¡± I said as calmly as possible. Because I was. I hade to terms with my past a long time


    ago, and after facing the alter in the mountains with Tobias, this one didn¡¯t seem so bad¡­even though


    there was a body on this one. ¡®You saw her? Cora? Did you see her here with your own eyes?¡±


    My head tilted down as I examined the dirt beneath us, seeing the signs of a small struggle in the loose


    soil. The indents from feet and paws were deep.


    ¡°Yes. I saw her. Damien almost had her too. He got a bite on Cora¡¯s arm before she got away.¡± Her


    words made my eyes widen, and I nced at the beast of a man with excitement. There was barely


    any on the corner of his mouth, but the tiny spot of red there was good enough for me.


    He drew blood.


    I bent my knees, squatting by the disturbed soil. My fingers slipped through the Earth as I closed my


    eyes and pulled the foreign object from the ground.


    ¡°Woah.¡± One the guard said, and as I opened my eyes, I watched as three drops of blood began


    forming at the top of the dirt. With a swipe of my hand, they collected, and therge crimson blob


    hovered over my palm.


    It wasn¡¯t until I looked up that I noticed all of Rona¡¯s blood had risen, too; the pool of liquid was far too


    large and sloshed angrily at the disruption. As I rose to my feet, the invisible wall holding it up broke,


    and Rona¡¯s blood rushed out and back over the dirt and grass before reabsorbing. There was no use


    for it now that she was dead.


    Aurora stepped back, the blood barely missing her toes as she released her hold on Rona¡¯s arm. ¡°No


    one deserves to die this way.¡±


    Her murmur made my chest tighten as I bit back my response that no one deserved to live that way


    either. Once you experience the horror that Rona did¡­ that I did ¡­that Cyrus did, it scars you.


    Nightmares still surfaced every few weeks, taking me back to that night. I would never be free of it.


    I blinked once as I nced back down at the redhead before turning my back to her. ¡°If she can


    teleport, we need to get back to the castle and track her. We are wasting time.¡±


    My hand moved to wipe the blood on the edge of my shirt, something I could take with me and keep my


    magic focused on teleporting instead of holding the liquid.


    ¡°Are youing with?¡± I asked over my shoulder at Charlie and the bear behind her as I ced my


    hand on Tobias¡¯s forearm.


    ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave the body like this?¡± Aurora asked, appalled, disgustcing her words and on


    her face. She could judge all she wanted, but taking care of the body of a woman who had tried to kill


    me through my childhood and who had killed her own mother was not at the top of my priorities.


    Aurora stepped back toward Rona in an almost defensive stance, her hand clutching the cold one of


    the corpse.


    Yet, I remained unfazed. ¡°There is no need to waste time on the dead when we are trying to prevent


    more from joining them.¡±


    Every second we waste could lead to another death. Now that Cora knew we were onto her, she would


    either gun for Cyrus, more determined than ever, or derail. Everyone knew once a serial killer was


    exposed, they tended to panic, and their actions would be more erratic, normally messier than


    before. She would be angry and possibly scared. She should be. I would make sure she never saw the


    light of day again.


    ¡°She is one of us! One of you!¡± Aurora argued, thrusting her finger back toward the body. ¡°She was


    being controlled! We have no clue which of her actions were truly hers and which were Cora¡¯s!¡±


    For a woman who had lived her life hiding in a cave, I had been stupid to assume that she would be


    used to seeing death.


    ¡°You are free to do as you wish, Aurora. But I will focus on protecting the rest of our people, the ones


    still living.¡± I turned back to Charlie, who shook her head at me.


    ¡°We will head that way soon. I¡¯ll help take care of the body.¡± She said as Damien stepped forward with


    a dip of his chin in respect and agreement.


    A hand grabbed my arm, and I watched as several guards linked together. A handful remained,


    determined to protect the princess and the mother of the queen, but the rest looked anxious to get back


    to defend their people, their families, their king, and their queen.


    ¡°So be it. We will see you soon.¡± I said firmly, subtly insisting that shee home to visit soon and


    assure her brother that she was okay.


    The world faded around us slower thanst time, and I had a brief moment where my confidence


    faltered. It was more people than I had ever taken on my own, and I felt like a kid trying to peddle my


    bike up a hill. But I did it.


    When the white realm around us cleared and wended in the castle¡¯s foyer, I let out a breath of relief.


    Tobias held under my elbow to keep me up, but I was already moving.


    I needed to get to Cora¡¯s room to look for anything that could indicate where she was hiding, to check


    on Cyrus, and then to track Cora with the blood that had dried on the hem of my shirt.


    The hallways were clear of stragglers. The only people in sight were the guards lining the walls. There


    were more than normal, two on every door and one blocking the entrance to each hallway.


    They were on full lockdown, just as I ordered.


    It felt good. Safe. I was confident in our warriors and guards to protect the crown. Since Cyrus was with


    them, I could focus on what I needed to do without the distraction of babysitting anyone.


    ¡°Where are Aisha and Margot?¡± I asked over my shoulder to anyone that would listen, and one of the


    guards responded immediately that they were in the dungeon from behind me.


    My hand shot out, breaking the barrier Cora had in ce to protect her room. Clearly, she had cast it


    before when she was weaker and felt no need to update it. Either that or she used minimal effort,


    knowing it was pointless.


    The door mmed into the wall behind it, and I surveyed the area. It looked clean and empty. Like she


    night here since arriving. Now that I knew she could teleport, it very well could be the case.


    She could have gone or done anything while she was here.


    With a flick of my wrist, the mattress lifted off the box spring, showing nothing was hidden beneath it


    before it fell back down. Drawers opened as I walked by, and I scowled.


    Empty. All of them.


    ¡°I want every maid who has ever touched this room since Cora¡¯s arrival brought to me. I want to know


    everything they saw and touched!¡± I shouted angrily, grabbing the tray from the dresser containing a


    water pitcher and an empty ss and throwing it against the wall.


    Even that had been untouched. The ss was dry with no fingerprints or lip marks. The pitcher was still


    fairly full.


    Tobias was also searching the room, the only warrior I would trust right now to find evidence and not


    tamper with it if she was in their head.


    The same guard from before spoke nervously, his voice shaking. ¡®There are none. She declined entry


    and said she didn¡¯t want anyone disrupting her space.¡±


    Witches usually locked their studies, but most guests allowed their rooms to be cleaned during their


    stay. The fact that she hadn¡¯t¡­.


    ¡°She was never even staying here.¡± I spat, stopping and taking a deep breath to calm myself. ¡®She had


    us all fooled.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My hands were in fists at my side, and I took a deep breath to collect myself. I didn¡¯t have time to think,


    but I needed to. I would first check on Cyrus to make sure he was okay, and then I would start the


    location spell on Cora.


    No.


    First, I would take a minute to think and breathe. I needed to collect myself, to calm myself before doing


    anything irrational.


    My hand moved out, and Iced my pinky with Tobias¡¯s only a few inches away. That one small touch


    made everything in my mind calm.


    ¡°What are your orders?¡± The guard asked, sounding scared.


    ¡°I have already given my orders. No one in or out besides the group who has yet to return. Princess


    Charlotte and her mate may be arriving with them. Any sign of Cora and I want to be notified


    immediately.¡± I snapped, releasing Tobias¡¯s hand and moving out into the hallway.


    The queen¡¯s study was in the other wing, and I moved quickly. My energy levels had dropped


    dramatically, and I didn¡¯t trust myself to teleport so soon.


    The guards in front of the door stepped aside and nodded for me to enter.


    As soon as I did, Natalie was out of Killian¡¯sp and barreling toward me. Her arms wrapped around


    me, and I kept mine at my sides. I had never been good with unsolicited touching, but seeing how


    much she cared made me feel good. It made me feel wanted and loved.


    Killian was right behind her, and his eyes scanned me over as if looking for injury, stopping at the dried


    blood at the hem of my shirt. Cora¡¯s blood.


    ¡°I am so d you two are okay,¡± Natalie said, pulling back and moving to hug Tobias, who seemed


    even more ufortable.


    Thomas snorted in amusement from where he stood against the wall, but as I turned to look at him, my


    eyes were caught by the sight of Cyrus. The healers were still with him as hey on the couch, his eyes


    closed and his breathing slow.


    I cleared my throat, hiding the concern and emotion building in my chest.¡± What¡¯s his status?¡¯


    Flora shook her head as she held her hand over his forehead. ¡°He hasn¡¯t woken yet. I¡¯m not sure when


    he will. The damage wasn¡¯t to his body directly, and we cant touch the soul. His vitals are strong,


    though.¡±

 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163


    Fifty-Six: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    My tower was my safe ce, myfort zone when I wasn¡¯t with Tobias. Yet right now, I stood in the


    middle of it, feeling like there were bugs crawling on my skin.


    The ward surrounding it hadn¡¯t just been broken.


    It had been shattered. I had seen the damage to it before entering. The shimmering surface looked like


    it had been attacked violently, like a ss window that had taken hail damage. Craters and spider


    webbing from the cracks covered the surface.


    No one would have seen it if they didn¡¯t have magic in their blood, but they should have at least heard


    her attack. Based on the damage I could see, she had been wailing on my shield for a while. There


    was even a charred spot on the floor where she appeared to have resorted to throwing fireballs.


    How had we been oblivious to this, and when did she do it?


    She hadn¡¯t been here during the attack on Cyrus, so it must have been before dinner. That would have


    left her time to get to Rona¡¯s, attack her, and perform the ritual while we ate.


    Meanwhile, I had been sitting at the hot springs with Natalie, distracted by the idea that I might be¡­


    No. Don¡¯t think about that. There are more important matters to deal with, and knowing won¡¯t do


    anything other than distract me.


    Still, the guards and servants, even Killian, should have heard it. Aisha and Margot, at the very least,


    should have recognized the sound of the magic mming into my ward.


    My skin prickled when I walked through it and opened the door to my tower. It felt like I was walking


    through a low-level electric fence. It was angry, yet so weak. I was almost expecting to find a trap in my


    tower, something to off me so Cora could be free of me and escape.


    But my study was clear. There were no tricks or traps, just a safe door that, by the way the metal was


    bent, had been forced open, exposing that there were many missing valuables. The only thing that


    remained was the small vial of Rona¡¯s blood. It was crusted to the ss, having dried up when she


    died.


    Cora clearly had no use for it. Either that or she left it as a clue, wanting to lure me to Rona¡¯s cottage


    so she could kill me too.


    If the bears hadn¡¯t attacked her, I had to imagine she had ns to deal with me. The real question was


    whether they got to her in time to prevent her from absorbing Rona¡¯s powers. I could assume so since


    she hadn¡¯tpleted enough of the ritual to take Cyrus¡¯s magic and seemed to be using Rona¡¯s magic


    as a conduit to get to Cyrus.


    But I had already made too many mistakes. I wouldn¡¯t underestimate Cora, not after everything she


    had done and nned.


    I reached in and knocked the vial over, picturing the smug look she must have had on her face when


    she left it there.


    The empty spot where Cyrus¡¯s blood had been made my body stiffen, and my hands curled into fists.


    She would have gotten his blood one way or another; I just made it easy for her to do it without being


    seen.


    The air whipped around the room, feeding off my anger as I tried to push back the me that rested


    squarely on my shoulders.


    I shook my head, trying not to think about it as Tobias swept through the tower, checking every corner,


    closet, and shadow. He would have smelt or felt it if someone was still in there, but I knew my safety


    was not something he took lightly.


    Grabbing a pair of scissors, I quickly cut out the bottom chunk of my bloodied shirt.


    Killian would have arger map in his office, and I didn¡¯t want everyone in my tower. Not that I had


    anything left to protect or hide.


    Cora had stolen all of the important items.


    ¡®It wasn¡¯t your fault,¡± Tobias said as he looked into the empty safe.


    I didn¡¯t respond because while I knew she would have found a way to get his blood one way or another,


    she still managed her most recent attack because of the blood I had been hiding. ¡°We need to get the


    world map from Killian¡¯s office to search for Cora. She could be anywhere, and I don¡¯t want to waste


    time looking at smaller locations one at a time.¡±


    His brown eyes pierced through me for a few minutes. I held his stare, determined not to let him see


    how affected I was by my indirect involvement in Cyrus¡¯s attack.


    When he stepped forward, ced his hand on the back of my head, and kissed my forehead, I felt


    myself start to crumble.


    ¡®Please don¡¯t,¡± I whispered. ¡®The more you touch me, the harder this will be. I can¡¯t let myself feel


    anything right now. I need to stay focused and handle this.¡±


    His arm dropped, and he nodded. I was grateful because I knew I would fall if he wrapped his arms


    around me and hugged me. ¡°We have a world map in themand center. I¡¯m having a few warriors


    bring it into the main conference room. We can use that one instead.¡±


    I smiled at his thoughtfulness. Killian hated when people went into his office when he wasn¡¯t there. A


    nce to my left and out my tower window showed a group of men running with a long piece of rolled


    parchment across the field from the war room attached to the barracks.


    It had to be at least ten feet tall, and I knew it was even wider. I nodded with determination. This could


    work.


    ¡®Have the room cleared. I want the tables and chairs out.¡± I gripped his hand, squeezing it


    appreciatively before releasing him and striding over to my cabs to grab supplies.


    Cora could run, but she couldn¡¯t hide. Not from me.


    A sharp pain shot through my stomach as I reached up, grabbing a few candles from my shelves. I


    sucked in a gasp of air, and it faded away, leaving me shocked and nervous.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Don¡¯t think about it, Joselin. Do your job. Now is not the time.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tobias asked, moving to take the candles from me so I could grab more.


    ¡®Nothing. I just realized how much I need to carry.¡± I moved past him, dropping my supplies onto my


    bed before grabbing my favorite dagger and adding it to the pile. It had drawn a lot of blood, and that


    made it powerful. For every life it took, that one piece of metal grew stronger.


    Once I had everything, Tobias gathered the corners of the nket and lifted it as if it were as light as a


    feather.


    ¡®Whatever you need, sweetheart. You let me know.¡¯ He walked by, the nket of items thrown over his


    shoulder, and dropped a passing kiss against my lips. My lips curled up as I admired the muscles in his


    back while he walked away, then I shook my head and trailed after him.


    He is a damn good man.


    As soon as we reached the hallway to thergest conference room, we could see the table pieces


    against the wall. It seemed they had deconstructed it instead of trying to find another ce to fit the


    giant b of natural wood.


    The chairs lined the pathway as well, and I lifted my chin, satisfied that they had done what I needed


    and did it so quickly. Perhaps the pack did respect or appreciate me after all.


    Or maybe they would rather I face off with Cora and risk my life so they don¡¯t have to.


    I knocked that thought from my head.


    The pack may be uneasy around me, but they still respected me and wouldn¡¯t offer me up to their


    enemies after I had saved their lives repeatedly. I was a part of their pack, and we had to stick together.


    The map had been stretched across the floor, and I carefully stepped around the edge as Tobias


    opened the nket of supplies in the doorway. He handed me everything one piece at a time, waiting


    patiently as I moved swiftly through the room to set them up.


    I tied my favorite scrying crystal to the end of a long piece of string, grabbed the blood-crusted piece of


    my shirt, and used my magic to hold it and the unused end of the string up to the center of the ceiling.


    The weight of the dagger wasfortable in my palm.n.ove.lx.o I tossed it underhanded, sending it


    flying straight up into the air, stabbing the fabric into the ceiling, the hilt pinning the string without cutting


    it.


    There was noise from the door, and I red at the few guards watching before Tobias closed the door


    on them, leaving me alone to work.


    Standing on the small strip of exposed carpet between the map and the wall, I began to speak. The


    wick of the candles I had spaced around the paper burst into mes.


    As the Latin mumbling left my lips, the crystal began to move. At first, it was a simple vertical swing, but


    it rotated the longer I stared at it. The string and crystal circled the map.


    The fluorescent lights in the room dimmed, n.ove.lx.o and the mes grewrger as the crystal


    stopped. My eyes widened. I had never gotten a location that fast.


    I jumped over the corner of the map rushing to see where she was hiding. She was back in the


    mountains where the war had been, where her first attempt at killing Cyrus urred. The smile on my


    face was uncontroble. This would be over faster than any of us imagined possible.


    Then it began to swing again. My stomach tightened. She was teleporting, moving to another location.


    I guess I just assumed she would go into hiding to devise a n. Maybe she was. Perhaps she was


    just trying to find a ce to hide. The mountains wouldn¡¯t be a good idea because she had to know we


    would check there. We would check everywhere that had any connection to her or her magic.


    When the crystal stopped again, this time on the other side of the map, I raced over. Only I was too


    late. By the time I got there, it was swinging once more.


    What the hell is she up to? Does she know I am tracking her and is trying to throw me off her scent?


    There had to be some reasonable exnation. Cora had been too meticulous and prepared up until


    this point. Even if the bears disrupted her n, she would have had a backup n. Or was she


    panicking now that the entire kingdom knew she was a threat and an enemy?


    I did my best to make a note of the locations each time the crystal stopped swinging, but it seemed


    pointless. She was all over the ce, popping from one location to another.


    A knock on the door pulled my attention away, and I looked up just as Tobias stuck his head in. His


    eyebrows raised in surprise when he saw the crystal had picked up a location before dropping them in


    confusion as it swung freely once more.


    He could have just spoken to me through the mate link, but I knew he also wanted to get his eyes on


    me to make sure I was okay for himself.


    ¡®It¡¯s Cyrus. He¡¯s awake. He¡¯s asking for you.¡¯

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164


    Fifty-Seven: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    I left the crystal hanging from the dagger in the ceiling.


    Two guards were tasked with the job of watching and writing down every location Cora went to. Once


    we had all the data, we would have a better chance of figuring out what she was up to. Once we found


    her final location, we could attack. But first, we needed to be prepared for whatever trap she was


    setting.


    The thought that she could be going around and capturing innocent witches, draining them to be


    stronger, came to mind. But she was moving too fast as she popped from ce to ce. She was


    going to exhaust herself and her magic quickly.


    I sprinted down the halls, Tobias hot on my heels. The guards opened the door to Natalie¡¯s study for


    me before I reached it, and I barreled in.


    They had brought up a bed from the infirmary. Flora and one of the other healers hovered over Cyrus,


    asking him questions. But his eyes were locked on me, and he didn¡¯t answer a single one.


    The need to drop to my knees and apologize was burning through me. I wanted to beg for forgiveness,


    but my regret and guilt turned my stomach to stone.


    His pale yellow eyes looked dull and lifeless as he ignored the healers. I stepped toward him, his eyes


    welled with tears, and my hesitant steps turned into a jog as I rushed across the room.


    I had never been one to seek physical affection orfort from others,and giving it to them was just as


    out of character. But seeing the familiar anguish and hopelessness in Cyrus¡¯s eyes, I couldn¡¯t help


    myself from wrapping my arms around him and holding his head to my chest as he cried.


    The room remained silent; even Tobias didn¡¯t react to the intimate moment. I think they were all too


    stunned by my reaction. Even I was a bit taken aback.


    Still, seeing the man, the one who had wormed his way into my family and my heart like the little


    brother I never had, crying broke me.


    My fingersbed through his blonde hair as I pulled myself up to sit next to him on his bed, and he


    gripped my waist. He felt so vulnerable and weak.


    For once, it was something that I didn¡¯t hold over him like I would anyone else.


    Talia had raised me to see weakness as a w, something that made people worth less. She was


    wrong. She had been wrong about everything.


    ¡¯I can still feel it.¡± His words had me holding him tighter, wanting to stop his pain and fight his demons.


    My chest was growing wet with what I could only assume were tears and snot as he let out a shuttered


    sob. ¡¯How do I make it stop?¡±


    My head shook back and forth slowly as I felt my eyes well up, and my lips trembled. It took a moment


    for me to collect myself, to swallow down the emotion that it wasn¡¯t my turn to show. Once I was calm, I


    pressed a firm kiss to his hair.


    ¡¯You can¡¯t. It will take time for the pain to lessen. The.Jhe feeling of someone ripping your soul open is


    traumatizing and hurts more than any physical pain ever could.¡± I felt his fingertips press harder into my


    back, and I clenched my teeth together as his cries grew louder.


    That had been the wrong thing to say.


    I turned my head, meeting Tobias¡¯s eyes, and I knew he saw my plea for help.


    ¡®Give him hope, sweetheart. Tell him something to look forward to.¡¯


    I closed my eyes, resting my cheek on Cyrus¡¯s head as I tried to think about what helped me. I had


    been a tortured soul when I was brought here. The trauma I experienced shaped me into the fucked up


    person that I was today, but there was only one thing that made it better.


    When I was hiding in that hollowed log, that little boy popping his head inside and offering me his hand


    changed my life. He felt and looked like a drop of sun in a dark world. After he pulled me out, I refused


    to let him go.


    I was covered by an oversized jacket, and questions were flung at me from all angles, but I pressed


    myself into that boy¡¯s side and held on for dear life. He had felt safe to me.


    I spoke to Tobias using the mate link and felt warmth flow through our bond from him at my words. ¡®It


    was you. You were what gave me hope and kept me alive. Have some guards collect nche and


    some of her belongings. She should stay here to be close when he is ready to see her.¡¯


    There was no need for me to wait for a response. I knew Tobias would run it by Killian and then do as I


    requested immediately. He trusted and loved me.


    ¡®It will hurt for a while. You will have nightmares and think about it often, but over time it will be less and


    less. At first, it may be every night. Then every other night. Until eventually, you only think or dream


    about it every few weeks or months.¡¯ From the noise he made, that wasn¡¯t the correct answer either.


    Fuck. It was so hard tofort other people.


    Was this the time to apologize and tell him it was all my fault? He asked me to protect him, and I


    handed him over on a silver tter. No. He couldn¡¯t know that this had happened because of me and


    the blood I had taken from him. Not right now. Not when I was the one he was seekingfort from.


    He needed someone he trusted, and even though I felt like I had unintentionally betrayed him in the


    worst possible way, I had to be the person he could count on right now.


    ¡¯I could feel it, Joselin!¡¯ He pulled back, his eyes boring into mine. ¡°I could feel her cutting into my flesh


    and the chains around my wrists and ankles.¡±


    I squeezed my eyes shut, remembering that feeling. It was horrible. There were times that I would


    wake up, and for a moment, my bed would feel like stone. The morning Tobias tied me up, the brief


    second of fear that I was back in the woods being chained up made me feel sick before I realized I was


    safe because I was with him.


    My trust in him pushed any thought of my past from my mind, but I would have reacted differently if it


    hadn¡¯t been over fifteen years since that traumatic experience. I had worked hard to ovee my


    trauma. Cyrus still had a very long journey ahead of him.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡®I can still feel it.¡± His voice cracked, n.ove.lx.o and I heard Natalie sniffle behind me.¡¯ How¡­ I can¡¯tJt


    was so dark in that ce.¡±


    ¡¯I know it was. But you made it. You¡¯re going to be okay.¡± I whispered, pulling his face back against me.


    It wasn¡¯t just because I wanted tofort him. I also couldn¡¯t look at him. I couldn¡¯t see the despair and


    the way his eyes had dimmed.


    He wore his expressions on his sleeve, and anyone who saw him could see that today¡­ he had died a


    little inside. Part of him had been stolen, and he would spend a long time trying to figure out how to get


    that part of himself back.


    He never would, but I wasn¡¯t going to be the one to tell him that. I was here to support him. People


    didn¡¯t seek me out forfort, so I had to imagine the he wanted me because I had lived through it.


    Cyrus wanted the reminder that people could survive what he went through. I wasn¡¯t the same person I


    was before, but I lived.


    ¡®You have people here, Cyrus,¡± I whispered. My voice sounded coarse, and I cleared my throat. ¡°You


    aren¡¯t alone. When you are ready, we can even call nche in. I¡¯m sure she would love to see you.


    Having people around you who care is the only way to begin to heal.¡±


    ¡¯I don¡¯t think souls can heal.¡± His mutter was heartbreaking, and he sniffled. ¡¯She didn¡¯t leave any


    physical marks behind.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡®Please. As if you could pull off these marks as well as I do.¡±


    My eyes rolled as if it were just light banter between us, the same way things always were. But my


    body was still tense, my mind was still in turmoil, and my heart hurt for him.


    ¡®Yeah, right. I would rock that look. You would be jealous.¡± His half-hearted reply was painful to hear as


    it came out devoid of emotion.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure I would.¡± There was a long silence in the room, even though several people were breathing


    heavily and sniffling. Flora seemed to be the loudest at the moment as they watched our interaction,


    but I knew once nche showed up, she would make everyone¡¯s ears bleed as she fawned over


    Cyrus.


    ¡®Don¡¯t call nche. I¡¯m not ready to see her.¡±


    I wanted to warn him against waiting. Tobias had found me right away, and without him, I wasn¡¯t sure


    how deep that darkness would have dragged me. The longer he let his trauma suffocate him, the


    harder it would be to breatheter.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be alone right now.¡¯ My fingers pushed back the hair that was tickling my chin as his


    cheek remained pressed to my chest. His face wasn¡¯t on my breasts, and I was grateful that my


    difort for being touched had been lessening. He needed this, and after seeing that his blood had


    been stolen from my chamber, I think I needed it too.


    I needed to feel him breathing and hear his annoying banter. If I didn¡¯t get to see that he was okay, I


    would have lost my mind or let my anger drive my actions.


    ¡¯I¡¯m not alone.¡± He sighed, and I felt his eyshes brush along my skin as he blinked.


    ¡®No, you¡¯re not.¡± I watched Natalie move to his other side, cing her hand on his arm to show her


    support. Initially, she had been unsure of him, but just like he did with everyone else, he wore her down


    quickly.


    Cyrus turned his head and smiled at her before letting his head fall back against my bicep beneath his


    head.


    ¡®Thank you for bringing me here.¡±


    Another stab of guilt washed through me, and I forced a smile. The thoughts swarming my head were


    so loud. Too loud.


    I should have brought you somewhere else. I should have kept you safe as I promised.


    ¡®Goddess! It¡¯s like I am still in her head. Every time I close my eyes, I am back there! I think¡­ I¡¯m going


    to be sick.¡± He groaned. I jumped from the bed, earning a dirty look from him as his head dropped back


    down suddenly onto the mattress. I didn¡¯t do vomit, let alone vomit on me.


    A trash can was handed to me, and I quickly shoved it to Cyrus as his words sank in. My eyes


    widened. ¡°Wait, you were in Cora¡¯s head? Did you see anything?¡±


    Cyrus could have the answer. He could tell me exactly where she was going and what she was up to.


    This could be our in.


    He shook his head, his face turning green. ¡®No, I was in Rona¡¯s. I saw everything.¡±

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165


    Fifty-Eight: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    Cyrus threw up for a long while. The healers pushed me aside when it went from stomach acid to


    blood. As much as I detested vomit, even though I was able to hold back some of my own, I stayed. He


    needed people, and I needed answers.


    A line of sweat appeared across his forehead, and every time his eyes instinctively closed as he lost


    his stomach, he would jerk them right back open. He hadn¡¯t been kidding about the darkness he saw


    when he closed his eyes.


    He looked haunted and terrified. The man, who typically looked like a teenager, was nothing more than


    a scared little boy right now, and it broke my heart.


    Tobias had his chest to my back with his hands on my hips. While half of my mind was on Cyrus in bed,


    there was nothing I could do until this wave of nausea passed.


    The other half of my mind was zeroed in on how Tobias had his thumbs sliding along my waist to show


    that he supported me.


    It was soforting, but I was still waiting for him to tell me that I smelled different or that he could


    hear or feel a little heartbeat inside me. I wondered if he would know before I did since I was stalling.


    Once again, I pushed aside those thoughts. I didn¡¯t have the courage to take a test right now, nor did I


    have the time to run to a store, get one and then take it without anyone seeing me.


    Deal with Cora first.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    I had to keep reminding myself to stay on task. Cora was the threat here; the potential of a baby inside


    me was not. It was a distraction, one that I could push aside until I received confirmation that it was


    even true. Until then, I could continue to pretend it wasn¡¯t real and focus on the actual issue.


    When the healers stepped back, they looked uncertain and uneasy. Flora¡¯s hands were up like she was


    backing away from a rabid animal and looked exhausted.


    She had healed him several times, but it hadn¡¯t held. Trauma and magic were powerful things.


    Cyrus was handed a ss of water. He took arge sip, gargled it, and spat it into the bucket.


    My stomach rolled, and my mouth watered as I fought back the bile pushing its way up my throat.


    ¡°Tell me what you know.¡± My demand made Tobias tighten his hands on my hips slightly, and while he


    was worried, I also sensed his amusement at my statement. I needed to get answers and get the hell


    out of this room before I was sick too.


    If I did that, I would look weak, and it would only raise suspicion. Neither of which I wanted.


    ¡°Always so pleasant,¡± Cyrus muttered with a grimace of disgust as he moved his tongue around his


    mouth, more than likely still tasting his vomit. His lips pursed, and his eyelids lowered as his stomach


    jerked as if he were going to gag again, but instead, Cyrus took a deep breath andid back.


    ¡°Now.¡± I couldn¡¯t wait any longer. We didn¡¯t have time for more dys. We needed to be ready to take


    action as soon as we located Cora.


    ¡°It was like there was a flimsy wall between me and Rona. I could feel and see her, but she was


    trapped. I had been able to talk to her, to Rona. I don¡¯t know how it worked, and it was only for a short


    period.¡± He looked off into the distance, his eyes staying open abnormally long between each blink as if


    trying to avoid returning to the darkness.


    ¡°Cora was controlling her.¡± My statement was met with a nod. We already knew that, but hearing the


    confirmation from someone who had actually been in Rona¡¯s head almost made me feel relieved. I


    knew she was a terror as a kid, and I assumed that Cora controlling her had been recent. So, I still


    wasn¡¯t a huge fan of Rona, but knowing that the motive behind her most recent actions wasn¡¯t her own,


    that she had been under someone else¡¯s control, made me hate her a little less.


    ¡°Yeah, but Rona had been resisting, fighting against her. She had been using Cora¡¯s leg to track her.


    Rona was trying to find out what Cora was up to, but she didn¡¯t figure it out until I showed up here.¡±


    This was it.


    Cyrus took another sip of his water, shuttering as he swallowed it. ¡°Rona suspected that Cora was after


    me after you brought me back here. That¡¯s why she was so determined to find out what I was. Rona


    didn¡¯t want my power for herself; she just wanted to find Cora¡¯s weakness. She wanted to figure out


    what my connection to Cora was.¡±


    I moved forward, cing my hands on the foot rail of his bed to stay out of the way of any vomit or the


    healers in case they needed to rush to him again.


    I had few choice words about Rona, but I didn¡¯t want to upset Cyrus even more by speaking so ill of


    someone he had bonded with before they died. They may not have been friends or anything more than


    that, but they went through something awful together. He had been there, in her mind, when she died,


    and that would be enough to make anyone protective of the other person.


    ¡°Cora had been trying to learn how Rona had taken her mother¡¯s powers without performing the ritual


    on her. Once she figured that out, she spliced the two spells and found a way to get to me without


    facing me.¡± A tear leaked from his eye, and he wiped it away quickly. ¡°The first attack hadn¡¯t been


    strong enough because she only had an item of mine that she found in myst hideout. She needed


    something stronger.¡±


    His blood. The blood I had all but handed over to Cora by leaving it in my unattended tower. I knew I


    was already going to hell from my past actions, but those were all intentional, and I owned those. This


    one was unintentional, and that made it hit harder. If there was any question about my afterlife, it was


    long gone.


    I had fucked up, and his life would never be the same because of my mistake.


    ¡°Then Rona woke up in her body, and it was like the wall between us had solidified. I could still feel her,


    but this time I could see through her eyes and feel her pain. We were trapped in her body, but I couldn¡¯t


    talk or move. Cora was ranting about how the love of her life had been taken from her, how she had


    tried to get them to stay, but they chose to side with someone else.¡±


    I turned to look at Killian, the only other person in the room who had been around Cora for most of his


    life, but he looked just as lost as I felt. Had Cora been with someone?


    She hadn¡¯t ever shown any interest in anyone I could remember, and I had to wonder what else I had


    been blind to.


    ¡°She was so angry at Rona, saying that she should have done what she was told when she had the


    chance.¡±


    I interrupted him. ¡°What had Rona been told to do?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. That was when Cora started cutting and chanting. I couldn¡¯t


    understand anything she was saying at that point. I didn¡¯t even know if it was Rona pulling at the chains


    or if I was, but neither of us were strong enough to break free. I couldn¡¯t use my magic while I was


    inside her body. I tried. Believe me, I tried.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I whispered as I remembered the force that had sent me flying across the dining hall when I


    was trying to save him. He had used his magic; he just used them through his body and hit me instead


    of through Rona¡¯s to get to Cora. I wasn¡¯t even sure if that was possible, but by hisck of attacks after,


    I had assumed Cora had gone far enough in the ritual to suppress his magic or weaken him too much


    to use it.


    ¡°I could feel Cora searching for it, my magic. Every inch of my body burned, and it felt like she was


    killing every cell she touched. I still don¡¯t know what she did to me versus what I felt from what she did


    to Rona. Then Rona


    died, and I was stuck in there.¡± He shook his head, closing his eyes with a wince at the memories.


    His eyes were brighter than ever before when he looked at me again. The pale yellow stood out sharply


    against the bright red of his bloodshot eyes.¡± Do you know what it¡¯s like to be trapped in a corpse? I felt


    her soul leave her body. I felt the darkness close in, wanting to suck the life from her empty vessel, but


    I was still in there. No matter how much I screamed or fought, I couldn¡¯t get out.¡±


    I swallowed hard. Any thought of apologizing and begging for forgiveness for his blood being taken was


    long gone. I couldn¡¯t bring it up now, not after that.


    ¡°Did she say anything else? Anything that might lead us to her, anything about her ns?¡± I pushed,


    wanting to get him out of the spiral the memories of the torture would drag him down into.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything about a n.¡± His response made Natalie¡¯s shoulders visibly drop with


    disappointment. ¡°She just kept speaking in Latin over our yelling. Then there was a lot of growling, and


    it went silent. I was brought back to my body after that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I had been afraid of. Cora had been so careful up until now. I think her n had been to


    use or absorb Rona¡¯s magic so she would be strong enough to take yours without having your body


    present. But since the bears interrupted her and Rona died, she could be up to anything. She is


    probably feeling frazzled and will be unpredictable while trying to devise a new n.¡¯


    I bit the inside of my cheek as I thought about what I would do if I were in her shoes. But until I knew


    what her end goal was, I couldn¡¯t. Was it really just to kill Cyrus or to take his powers? What did she


    want to do with them once she had them?


    ¡°She¡¯s probably looking for another power source now that she lost Rona.¡± A voice from the doorway


    stated, and I looked over my shoulder, seeming to be the only one unaware of the three unannounced


    people who had joined the room.


    Aurora stood in front of Charlie and Damien, and I tried not to look at the light coating of dust on their


    hair. It hadn¡¯t been there before, and there had been no wind when I was back at Rona¡¯s house.


    A lump formed in my throat as she nodded at me in acknowledgment, covered in ashes. She must


    have cremated the body.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to know who she was involved with, would you? Someone who had turned on


    her?¡± Natalie asked with hope in her voice.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been around the castle in almost two decades. Thatst person I had seen her with was


    Talia.¡± Aurora moved to sit down at the table, looking tired and distressed from today¡¯s events.


    I choked on my spit. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what? Did you just say that Cora and Talia had been together?¡±

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166


    Fifty-Nine: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    The news was so shocking that I had difficulty picturing it. Cora and Talia. I didn¡¯t even know they


    swung that way, but if they were happy¡­But, I guess they weren¡¯t happy since Talia had chosen


    Queen Lillian¡¯s side during the war a few months ago, knowing it would result in Cora¡¯s death if they


    won.


    It made sense for that to be who she had been talking about. But hell¡­ Cora and Talia.


    Two women so bitter and angry with the world, living in one house would have been like two angry


    hos trapped in a box together. Did they live together? They didn¡¯t two decades ago when Aurora


    had noticed their rtionship. Nor did they for the next decade while Talia lived in the tower and was in


    charge of taking care of me.


    I would never forgive Talia for choosing to side with the previous queen and vampires in their attempt to


    take the crown out of the hands of the Lycans. She had raised me from when I was found at eleven


    years old until I was an adult.


    Then Killian had chosen me to be his Royal Advisor. I was more of an advisor of magic, but I would


    never argue against the title; it made me feel badass. Talia was livid that she had to step down for the


    next generation.


    Talia had been losing her mind for years at that point, though, and even if he had chosen someone else


    to take over, I would agree it had been the right choice to remove Talia from her position.


    She had been best friends with the queen. Talia became furious, siding with the queen when Lillian


    went mad after her fated mate and unborn child were killed. The two women had joined together and


    created an army of vampires to remove Killian, Lillian¡¯s son, from wearing the crown.


    I had been heartbroken that the woman who had raised me had so easily thrown a dagger into my back


    on that battlefield. Talia had been willing to kill me just as easily as my own birth mother had.


    I had never been more grateful when Natalie killed her, heating her from the inside out until her organs


    burst and her blood boiled. It was part of why I would always deeply respect Natalie.


    But to think that Talia might have been seeing Cora the entire time, and I never knew it¡­


    Aurora¡¯s eyebrows pinched together as she eyed me with confusion as if I should have known. But I


    wasn¡¯t the only one in the dark here. Killian didn¡¯t know either. ¡¯I don¡¯t know how long they were


    together. After that, I got pregnant, and my visits were few and far between, and I don¡¯t know of the


    others she had been with.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Cyrus¡¯s pleading made me turn suddenly, but the healer had already injected the syringe


    into his arm.


    ¡®What are you doing to him?¡± I snapped, walking over with a re, but Tobias stopped me with an arm


    around my waist. I felt more protective over Cyrus than ever before, and I knew it was because of the


    guilt I had felt about his blood being stolen.


    ¡°His body and mind need to recover. It¡¯s a sedative that will put him out for a few hours.¡± The man


    muttered, but Flora looked just as bothered as I was.


    As Cyrus closed his eyes, I felt panic bloom in my chest. ¡°Did you not hear him? He doesn¡¯t want the


    darkness! He could barely close his eyes before!¡±


    ¡°He needs to rest. If he were to force himself to stay awake, he would just exacerbate the situation.¡± He


    meant well, but I was fuming. My hand shot out, and the healer flew back against the wall.


    ¡°Joselin!¡± Killian snapped, his voice deep andyered as his beast came forward. ¡°Stand down. You¡¯re


    out of line.¡±


    I held the man against the wall for a few more seconds as I debated refusing Killian¡¯smand before


    giving in and letting the man drop to the floor.


    ¡¯Let¡¯s take this somewhere else. We can get Cyrus to the infirmary with guards and have a private


    conversation in the office.¡± Natalie¡¯s soothing voice called out, but I shook my head.


    ¡¯Healers and guards won¡¯t be able to do shit if Cora shows up wielding her and Rona¡¯s magic,¡¯ I


    argued, knowing Killian was right. I was out of line. They may have been okay with me speaking my


    mind in private, but there were healers and guards in the room with us, and I was being unprofessional


    and insubordinate.


    ¡¯He¡¯s unconscious now anyway,¡± Charlie said, stepping forward as she looked at Cyrus. ¡°What is he?¡±


    His identity was no longer a secret. We had been discussing his powers for a while now, so everyone in


    the room knew he had magic. Those that weren¡¯t in the room would know because he had used magic


    in front of the packed dining hall.


    ¡®He¡¯s a spell caster.¡±


    Her emerald eyes widened with surprise, and I was relieved that she immediately understood and


    didn¡¯t ask any stupid questions. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of a male witch in a long time. I remember reading


    about them when


    I was a kid, but it was centuries ago that they werest seen.¡±


    Princess Charlotte, a fucking gift from the goddess. She may have abandoned both Killian and me for a


    life of chasing and hunting down monsters, but having her here was exactly what we needed right now.


    She had knowledge that no one else did, and her years of hiding from the toxic people of the court and


    reading books were nowing in handy.


    I wasn¡¯t ready to forgive her yet, and because her hunting party hadn¡¯t been at Rona¡¯s cottage, the


    bitter side of me just figured she had abandoned them too.


    ¡®Do you know what book that was in?¡± Natalie asked, looking around her study like the book would be


    there. If anything, it would be in the archives, but when Charlie shook her head, disappointment filled


    me.


    ¡¯No, I went back for it a few yearster, but I couldn¡¯t find it. But there had been a whole council of male


    witches. They had been wiped out, and the council had been reced.¡¯ Charlie moved further into the


    room, looking ufortable but forced a smile on her face and squeezed Natalie¡¯s hand in greeting


    before giving her brother a painfully awkward hug.


    Killian wrapped his arms around her tightly, d she was back. He missed her everytime she left, but


    when she returned and threw littlements at him about how he had let her down and wasn¡¯t a good


    king, he wanted her to leave again.


    She wasn¡¯t good for him, and I knew her selfish ways were the product of her upbringing. Charlie


    wasn¡¯t good for me either, but I continued as I had been since she walked out of our lives several years


    ago. I would ster on a smile, be polite, and show feigned excitement that the princess had returned


    home.


    ¡¯ No doubt reced by the ones who led the charge to get rid of them,¡± I mumbled bitterly. Just how


    many male witches had been killed? If we keptmitting genocide at this rate, there would only be a


    handful of species left in the next few centuries.


    I spun on my heels, making brief eye contact with Tobias before heading toward the door.


    ¡¯Where are you going?¡± Natalie called out, sounding curious.


    ¡¯I need to see the history of the council lineage.¡± My mind was going a mile a minute. There had been


    new bloodlines on the council through the decades, but I had suspicions.


    I heard Charlie chasing after me and Tobias. She should stay with her brother, see how he is holding


    up, and reconnect with him.


    Even though I doubted she knew they were trying for a baby or some of the changes Killian had made


    to better the kingdom, I was d she was joining Tobias and me to locate that book.


    ¡¯I noticed your mark,¡± Charlie said softly as we walked down the hallway quickly. I turned to look at her


    briefly, not sure if I wanted to catch up with her right now. Was there a point to bond when she would


    just leave us all again when this was over if she even stayed that long?


    I couldn¡¯t be mad at her for leaving, everyone had to live their own lives at some point, but the way she


    had gone about it was the coward¡¯s way, and I had lost most of my respect for her that day.


    ¡¯Yes.¡± My reply made Tobias smile as I nced at him for help.


    Yes. That was not exactly the correct response to that statement.


    Charlie picked up on my tension and let out a deep breath before trying again. ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    I bit my lip, pushing out a ¡°Thank you¡± as we reached the library. I was grateful for the subject change


    as I rushed to the back where the archive was and immediately located the ledger. I flipped through the


    pages.


    Tobias was reading over my shoulder, and he gripped the back of my seat.


    It was right there. There had never been a break in her chair¡¯s lineage. Her ancestors would have been


    a part of the genocide that wiped the Earth of the male spell casters.


    Cora wanted to keep magic controlled by women, by her.


    ¡®Her family was one of the original members. She would have known about what they did to the spell


    casters. She just lost her¡­ well, whatever Talia was to her, and now Cyrus popped up. She probably


    felt like her position on the council was threatened too. I wonder if Talia had tried to help her with the


    ritual in the mountains that night,¡± I muttered as Charlie continued to search the shelves.


    ¡®So, she is trying to keep the council run by women.¡¯ Charlie stopped at the end of the aisle, her fingers


    pushing at the leaning books and straightening them. When she released her hold, they slid back


    down. Charlie turned with a shake of her head. ¡°I still don¡¯t see the book on them.¡¯


    ¡¯She probably took it,¡± Tobias grumbled, and Charlie¡¯s eyes almost popped out of her head.


    ¡¯You spoke! He spoke!¡± She shoved her finger in his direction and turned her incredulous stare from


    him to me. I rolled my eyes as she let out a glee- filledugh. ¡°When did that happen? Holy crap! Is that


    a mark, Tobias? I thought the two of you¡­¡±


    ¡®We are. That is my mark.¡± I said nonchntly, looking through the names again. Two generations after


    the genocide, Aisha¡¯s family joined the council. Three after that was when Margot¡¯s family joined.


    I could only hope that meant they were clear of any involvement.


    ¡¯Wow! I didn¡¯t know you could mark someone. I am so happy for the two of you! I can¡¯t believe I missed


    so much over the past few months.¡± Her excitement switched to sadness as her curly brown hair slid


    over her shoulder to shield her face as she looked down at the book I had been studying.


    ¡®Yeah, well, that happens when you leave for long periods of time and don¡¯t ever check in.¡± The room


    fell silent. I closed my eyes and instantly


    regretted my words. She walked away for her mental health and left all her responsibilities to Killian


    and me.


    ¡¯So, you¡¯re mad about that too? I left to find happiness, and I did. I¡¯m sorry that I hurt you when I left.¡±


    Charlie whispered, reaching her hand out, but I stepped back with the book.


    ¡¯I¡¯m just saying next time, maybe let us know that the only heir to the crown is still alive asionally.¡±


    My tongue ran along my lips feeling just how chapped they were. I should really take better care of


    myself instead of always putting everyone else first.


    Charlie smiled sadly at me, and I knew without needing to say it that she understood I had been hurt by


    her leaving, but I had also been worried about her while she was away. When her handnded on my


    arm this time, I didn¡¯t move back. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll make sure to stay in touch.¡±


    I nodded, swallowing hard. Fucking horm¡­emotions. Just emotions.


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡¯I need to go check on the location tracker on Cora.¡± I couldn¡¯t get out of the room fast enough. Tobias


    laced his fingers in mine, giving me the support I needed without a single word.


    He pulled me into a side room, cupping my cheeks in his calloused palms.¡± Are you okay, sweetheart?¡±


    I nodded, leaning up and pressing my lips against his in a greedy kiss. He was all I needed. Even if


    everyone turned on me or left me, as long as I had him, I would be okay.

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167


    Sixty: Tobias


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Tobias¡¯s P.O.V.


    She had been hunched over the table for hours, staring at a smaller map covered in pins from the list of


    locations, trying to find a connection.


    Everyone who had been helping had long since gone to bed, deciding it would be safe to take a break


    for the night ande back with fresh eyes tomorrow.


    Joselin didn¡¯t.


    So we sat together, looking for a pattern or reason for why Cora was visiting all these ces. Her


    motive was hidden in there somewhere. We just had to find it, and the puzzle would drive Joselin mad


    if she didn¡¯t get some sleep.


    ¡°Please get some rest,¡± I whispered, taking her hand in mine and pulling on it gently to get her to face


    me. She nced my way before turning back to the list of locations.


    Joselin still had dark circles under her eyes, and I knew she was running out of energy. My worry for


    her only increased when I saw her find that hair in Rona¡¯s room. She had slipped it into her pocket and


    went on her way.


    After seeing that, I knew Rona wasn¡¯t cursing her as we thought. But she still felt like shit, and it was


    obvious. Her movements were slower, and her appetite was still suppressed.


    Her face would flush every now and then, and I could hear her swallow hard when a bought of nausea


    would hit her. Something was wrong, and I could only support her until she was ready to open up to me


    about it. With the stress of Cora running free, there was no way she would be honest with me right now


    if I asked her.


    She would probably tell me it was nothing to worry about and go on pretending that she was okay. But


    she wasn¡¯t okay, and I watched her like a hawk.


    ¡°There has to be a reason,¡± She muttered, her fingerscing into her hair as she rested her elbows on


    the table. ¡°I feel like it is right in front of me, and I just can¡¯t see it.¡±


    ¡°Even if it is only one hour, let¡¯s get some sleep, and we cane back to it with fresh eyes.¡± My


    insistence went in one ear and right back out the other. She was either intentionally ignoring me or was


    so lost in thought that she really didn¡¯t hear me when I spoke.


    The food I had asked to be brought to her tower sat untouched, but she drank the ss of water. It was


    a small win and a lot of worry.


    ¡°Josie,¡± I said, urging her again to look at me, but her hand was limp in my hold. My frustration grew,


    and I was ready to snap at her because I was worried and wanted to be heard. I wanted to know she


    was okay, but she didn¡¯t deserve me snapping at her. She was clearly burnt out, didn¡¯t feel good, and


    was stressed.


    Yet, I couldn¡¯t help myself as I stood, my chair sliding back loudly before I slid my arms behind her


    knees and back. Joselin struggled as I carried her away from the table, but she was no match for me.


    As much as I wanted to make her happy, her well-being also came first. I was doing this for her own


    good.


    ¡°Let me go. I was on to something!¡± Joselin shouted, her body twisting to break out of my hold.


    ¡°You stubborn woman! We both know you have no idea what the connection is between those


    locations. Right now, no one does besides Cora. You cannot fight her without being well-rested, so we


    might as well return to this once you are stronger.¡± I brought her to the bathroom, setting her on the


    counter with my body between her legs, keeping her in ce as I leaned over and grabbed a washcloth


    from beneath the sink.


    She watched me closely as I got it wet and wiped her face slowly and carefully. The fabric slid across


    her smooth skin, and her breath fanned my face as she sighed when I moved it down her neck and


    across her chest.


    ¡°Baby, I really don¡¯t have the energy to fuck tonight,¡± She whispered, and while I had no intentions of


    having sex tonight, the way the name ¡®baby1 rolled off her tongue sent a shot of pleasure right through


    me.


    ¡°I know, sweetheart. I don¡¯t want to tonight, either. I just want to take care of you.¡± Her hands rested on


    my hips, gripping my shirt as her lips parted as though she wanted to say something, but she snapped


    them shut.


    My eyes narrowed. ¡°What¡¯s going through that pretty little head of yours?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± She turned her head to look away from me. I wiped the cloth over her corbone once more


    before letting it fall on the counter and grabbed her chin to turn her to face me.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying to me. When did you start doing that?¡± My eyes were locked on her lips, and my thumb


    moved up from her chin to run along her plump bottom lip. It moved with me as I pulled it down slightly,


    and I leaned in and stole a light peck before pulling back to look into her eyes.


    Her longshes fluttered as she opened them slowly as if dazed from my kiss. Goddess, that kind of


    reaction from such a small touch made me feel like a fucking king.


    ¡°Nothing has changed,¡± Joselin replied, her fingers pinching and gently pulling at my shirt as she stared


    down at my chest. Her shoulders were hunched forward, and she leaned into me with her cheek on my


    chest. ¡°I¡¯m just exhausted. We should leave when this is over and go on a vacation. It could be just the


    two of us. No stress, no distractions.¡±


    I leaned down, pressing my lips to her head as I spoke into her hair. ¡°I had been thinking the same


    thing.¡±


    Her smell was intoxicating, and something about it drew me in more than usual, making me want to


    wrap myself around her and never let her go. After a few more deep breaths, I turned to rest my cheek


    where my lips had been.


    ¡°Where would you want to go?¡± She asked, excitement in her tone as her arms wrapped around me.


    ¡°I would go anywhere with you.¡±


    Joselin is silent for a long moment before turning her head and kissing my chest. I leaned back to look


    down at her. She had been slowly blocking me in our mate bond over the past few days, keeping me at


    a distance to prevent me from being able to feel her.


    As of an hour ago, she had built a wall between us so tall that I couldn¡¯t reach her at all. It wasn¡¯t just


    her emotions she cut off. She had silenced me. If I wanted to talk to her, I had to do it out loud.


    I had no problem with that in private, but I still wasn¡¯t a big fan of that when we were in public.


    ¡°Please tell me what¡¯s going on in your head. Why did you shut me out?¡± I felt sick with the distance


    between us, but I knew she was feeling even worse.


    Her eyes widened, and I watched the realization drop over her face that he had shut me out. Joselin


    shook her head before quickly apologizing as the wall crumbled slowly. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do that!


    There¡¯s just so much going on that


    She let out a sigh, looking terrified and guilty. So very guilty.


    My confidence in us was strong, and I was sure we could make it through anything, but seeing at me


    right then made my heart clench. We could survive anything, but that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t going to


    hurt.


    Whatever she needed to tell me, I could see on her face that it would knock me off my feet.


    ¡°Tobias, please just trust me.¡¯ Using my name made her plea for understanding and patience sound like


    an ominous threat.


    I closed my eyes, unable to look at the pain on her face any longer if I was going to push aside my


    doubts and trust her. ¡°I need you to tell me that we are okay. That whatever is going on has nothing to


    do with our rtionship, at


    My lips pressed together as I wished I could bite back the words. I did trust her, but I was also scared of


    losing her. Admitting my fears made me sound weak, and I hated feeling that way.


    ¡°No! We are okay, I promise! We are more than okay!¡± Joselin¡¯s hands were in a vice grip on my shirt,


    and I let her pull me into her closer. Her thighs were on either side of my body as she sat on the


    bathroom counter still, her back straight as she lifted her chin to look at me.


    ¡°You¡¯ll tell me if you¡¯re ever unhappy?¡±


    That question seemed to break her, and water filled her eyes. ¡°Of course! I am so happy with you,


    Tobias. You are a dreame true for me. It really is just me. I don¡¯t feel well, but there is nothing I can


    do about it until this is over. I¡¯ll deal with it then.¡±


    My thumbs slid over her cheeks, wiping away the tears that slipped free.¡± Then why do you look so


    scared? Why are you crying? There are medicines that can help with whatever it is. If it¡¯s not a curse,


    we can go back to the healers, and they can check if they see anything now that they missed before.¡¯


    When her lips parted, I stared at them, desperate for words toe out. I wanted her to share with me


    and trust that she could confide in me.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing that we need to worry about right now. Let¡¯s face Cora, and then I will go back to the


    infirmary and let them run their tests.¡¯ She pulled me by the grip she had on my shirt, pressing her lips


    to mine before pushing me back a step and hopping off the counter.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to hold you to that,¡± I threatened, knowing she would hear the underlying threat in my tone.


    Either she sought help, or I would throw her over my shoulder and take her back to the healers myself.


    She didn¡¯t bother to turn to me when she spoke, but I followed right behind her as she walked away. ¡°I


    think I know what it is anyway, and there is nothing we can do about it right now, so there is no point in


    dwelling on it when we need to focus on Cora.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sweetheart. You should know by now that I am really good at multitasking.¡± I chuckled, wrapping


    my arm around her waist and pulling her back against me. Her hand gripped my forearm tightly as she


    gasped, but it wasn¡¯t the excited sound I had expected. It was scared.


    I released her immediately. ¡°What did I do? Are you okay?¡±


    Joselin forced a smile before turning and kissing me. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just inhaled weirdly from the movement.


    I will get dressed and join you in bed for an hour. Only an hour.¡±


    I pulled my clothes off and slid beneath the covers, used to sleeping naked at this point. Yet, my eyes


    stayed locked on the crack of the closet door, and my heart sped up at the sight of Joselin holding her


    hand over her stomach and taking a few deep breaths.


    Holy shit

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168


    Sixty-One: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    Tobias held me tightly that night, and what was supposed to be an hour- long power nap ended up


    being a full night¡¯s sleep. I had a moment of panic when I realized how much time I had lost. We were


    lucky that nothing had happened with Cora while we were asleep, and I couldn¡¯t risk wasting any more


    time.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Yet, the way Tobias¡¯s breath fanned over my neck and he nuzzled against me, felt so good that it


    almost hurt me to pull away from him when I woke.


    As soon as I did, Tobias was up and on high alert. He scanned the room before his gazended on me,


    and I felt guilty that he was so on edge. I knew it wasn¡¯t just because of Cora. He was concerned about


    our rtionship too.


    His dark hair was in disarray, and his beautiful brown eyes could have melted my soul if he wanted


    them to.


    ¡¯Good Morning,¡± I whispered before approaching him and kissing his cheek, hoping he wouldn¡¯t smell


    my morning breath.


    Any concern I had about that was washed away when he wrapped his arms around me and kissed his


    mark on my neck. It sent a shiver through me, and when he pulled back, I could see the warmth and


    happiness in his eyes.


    He looked like apletely different man thanst night.


    ¡®You look beautiful.¡± His deep voice washed over me, and my cheeks flushed at hispliment. I knew


    it was a lie. I had just rolled out of bed. My hair and teeth hadn¡¯t been brushed, and I knew with my luck


    that I would probably have dried drool on my chin.


    ¡®Thank you,¡± My hands traveled up his biceps, and never in my life had I been happier that he preferred


    to sleep naked. It was, by far, one of the best sights a woman could wake up to. ¡°You look incredible.¡±


    ¡®Last night was one of the best night¡¯s sleep I have had in a long time,¡± Tobias murmured as he stepped


    back, pulling me with him to the bathroom. He looked happy. He sounded happy.


    The sudden switch in his demeanor fromst night, when he was concerned about our rtionship, to


    now was startling. Something had changed, but I wasn¡¯t sure what it was.


    ¡®Shower with me.¡± His insistence made my mouth water, and everything in me screamed to agree. I


    needed to shower anyway, but I could only ignore Cora for so long before she acted out again. Tobias


    noticed my hesitation as I nced back to the table where the list of locations sat. He turned my chin to


    face him. ¡®Please, it can be fast.¡±


    The day I said no to showering with him was when I had lost my mind, especially when he said please,


    like he would be willing to beg for that small moment with me.


    My body felt hot, and there was a needy throbbing between my legs as I allowed him to pull me into the


    bathroom. He stripped my shirt off first, his hands sliding down my sensitive breasts to my waist. His


    thumbs ran along the band of my shorts before he slowly lowered those as well.


    I almost expected him to pin me against the shower wall and fuck me hard and fast. But he didn¡¯t.


    He left me with a kiss, telling me to use the restroom before leaving the room. I was stunned and would


    have been embarrassed that he just turned around and walked away if he hadn¡¯t been sporting a


    raging hard-on.


    After I took care of my business, washed my hands, and brushed my hair and teeth, I found Tobias


    standing over the list of Cora¡¯s known locations. Only it wasn¡¯t the same list as before. A fresh sheet of


    paper was on top with ces I hadn¡¯t pinned on the map yet.


    Cora was still popping around the world, and I had guards tracking her movements. The list they had


    given me was shorter than the one before, and I knew she was slowing down. Her magic had to be


    exhausted.


    I would have to look at the bigger mapter to see if there was something in each location I had been


    missing.


    He smiled at me before kissing the top of my head and going back into the bathroom.


    It was only a minuteter that he was done, and I was being pulled from the list once more and


    dragged away right under the spray of the warm water.


    The hot, passionate sex I had anticipated was a distant dream. I had expected it, craved it even, but


    Tobias never gave in.


    He washed every inch of my body more than once, making sure to be thorough with slow and loving


    touches and strokes. Once satisfied, he took the shower head and rinsed my body with water before


    following the trail with his lips.


    My eyes closed, and I savored every moment of his attention and affection. It reminded me of when he


    told me that same thing all those weeks ago. Even without sex, having his undivided attention on me


    and having him show me how much he loved and wanted me was the best feeling in the world. My


    body melted in his hold, and I felt all my stress leave me briefly.


    When it was over, I felt brand new, ready to take on the day and anything that could be thrown my way.


    At least, I was until I saw Cyrus moving stiffly toward us through the hallway. He looked sore and in


    pain. The color hadn¡¯t returned to his face, and his eyes were just as bloodshot as they had been the


    night before.


    I was alone with two men that I was keeping important secrets from.


    The suspicion that I was withholding from Tobias could wait. I had a reason to keep that one to myself


    until after we dealt with Cora.


    But not telling Cyrus about Cora using the blood I had stolen from him, and she had then stolen from


    me¡­ it felt awful.


    ¡¯Hi,¡± I whispered, almost expecting him to yell at me or attack me for what I had done, but he nodded at


    us with a tight smile.


    ¡®How can I help?¡± His question was unexpected, but I also hadn¡¯t anticipated a greeting or pleasantries


    after what I had caused. I looked back over my shoulder at Tobias before ncing back at Cyrus. ¡°I


    was told you¡¯ve been tracking her, and she¡¯s up to something. Maybe I can help figure out what she¡¯s


    nning. I am the one she¡¯s trying to kill. I might see something that you¡¯ve missed.¡±


    His tone was hollow. The annoyingly chipper way he usually spoke was gone, and the wrinkles around


    his eyes that normally stuck out from his constant smiling were barely showing.


    If I hadn¡¯t felt so guilty when I looked at him, I might have snapped about the slight and seemingly


    unintentional dig at my abilities.


    ¡¯We would appreciate the help. After we eat, we can go to Killian¡¯s office and work there.¡± My stomach


    growled, and Tobias touched my lower back, gently guiding me toward the private dining hall. I was in


    no mood to eat with the rest of the pack.


    Cyrus opened his mouth to argue, but one low growl from Tobias had him snapping his jaw shut with a


    sigh of frustration through his nose.


    My stomach only rolled more when we entered the room and saw the group of people already eating.


    Killian sat at the head of the table with Natalie to his left. Aurora and Henry were on his right, with Aisha


    and Margot on the other side.


    There were still several open seats, and I moved forward to sit next to Natalie, dipping my head in


    greeting.


    ¡®Heard you had us locked up,¡± Aisha said snidely before taking an elbow to the gut from Margot. Those


    two women couldn¡¯t get along even when they had amon enemy. ¡°Would you stop doing that?!¡±


    It was a wonder that they always sat and stood by each other. Like siblings who were stuck together


    and loved to annoy each other and fight, but they still stood by each other when they had the choice to


    walk away.


    I hadn¡¯t realized I had been surrounded by so many families, chosen or by blood, until recently; it


    wasn¡¯t until I started thinking about having one of my own.


    ¡®She means to say that we get it, but you should know by now that we would never turn on our people,¡±


    Margot said with a sickly sweet smile that made me narrow my eyes.


    ¡® Maybe you¡¯re the one who turned on us, and you¡¯re just trying to shift the me so you can get away


    with it. You were close with Talia, and she turned on us. Why wouldn¡¯t you do the same?¡± Aisha pointed


    her fork of eggs in my direction, a chunk plopping onto the tablecloth.


    Tobias let out a feral growl as he red at the fork. She pulled it back and stabbed it into the food on


    her te to gather her next bite, silencing him. My eyebrows rose at his overly protective reaction, but


    he paid me no mind.


    ¡®That¡¯s enough,¡± Natalie said with the perfected look of a disappointed mother. Boy, she was ready for a


    baby. ¡°You have all been cleared, and we appreciate your loyalty to the people and the crown. We must


    work together to get to the bottom of this.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Margot said, with her back straight and her nose up, eating with graceful


    movements while Aisha dug in next to her like a prisoner, hunched over her te with an overflowing


    fork on its way to her big mouth.


    My eyes nced over to Cyrus as servers ced our tes down in front of us. Cyrus didn¡¯t bother to


    lift his fork as he stared at it with disgust.


    Yeah, food hadn¡¯t been appealing to me after, either.


    When there was a knock on the door before it was pushed open again, I turned to look over my


    shoulder. Everyone had been fed, and the guards knew to remain outside the doors to keep


    conversations private. The servers only came in and out when needed, and their presence was made


    known with a knock to inform the room to fall silent if they didn¡¯t want other ears to be privy to the


    conversation.


    nche stood in the middle of the double doors, shaking like an overexcited puppy. A server rushed up


    behind her with a te of food and waited patiently while nche curtseyed to Killian and Natalie


    before she took the seat next to Cyrus.


    Tobias turned to re at me, but I just shrugged. ¡®It wasn¡¯t me.¡¯


    Cyrus looked downright mortified to have her so close to him, and I didn¡¯t know if it was because he


    was scared for her to see the darkness he had fallen into now or because she had been there to


    witness it when he had been attacked.


    Aisha raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at her before turning her fork in nche¡¯s direction. ¡°Are


    we letting just anyone eat in here now? Who are you?¡±


    ¡¯nche is going to help us. We spoke brieflyst night, and I was very impressed with her quick


    thinking. She is very intelligent, and I would like her input.¡± Natalie said with a smug smile that faded


    when she realized what a mistake she had made trying to y matchmaker with that Chihuahua.


    The second nche opened her mouth, I felt my annoyance spike, and my knuckles turned white


    around my fork. I couldn¡¯t imagine living with that


    woman, and if Cyrus chose to be with her, I¡¯d imagine he would go insane rather quickly. My re


    turned to Natalie, and she forced an innocent smile.


    I was going to kill her for this, but it also would motivate me to find and get rid of Cora quickly to earn


    my freedom back.

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169


    Sixty-Two: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    It had been the longest day of my life.


    I had tried to build a wind barrier down the center of the room to prevent nche¡¯s voice from reaching


    me, but a sharp jab from Cyrus¡¯s elbow made me drop it. Tobias mmed the spell caster into the wall,


    and Aurora had to separate them because I was too shocked to do anything but watch.


    It was officially the most turned-on I had ever been, seeing him acting so protective and possessive


    over me. He was like my personal bodyguard, and I had quite a few fantasies I could make into reality.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    I would have jumped him during our lunch break if we didn¡¯t have an audience in the room. But


    everyone had their food brought to us and stayed to continue working. Killian was the only one not


    present, and that was because he had a to-do list longer than the hallway.


    Charlie and Damien were in his office, helping him, and I hoped they were catching up and bonding.


    That rtionship needed a little extra focus, but it was their business. I had said my peace with Charlie


    already.


    Aisha and Margot acted very civilly, and I think it was because their hatred for nche was strong


    enough to give them amon enemy. It made me feel good to know they didn¡¯t hate me as much as I


    thought they did. Or at least, they didn¡¯t hate me as much as they hated nche, and that was


    something.


    The girl had rattled on about everything from her morning before she joined us at breakfast to every fun


    and historical fact she could think of for each location Cora was popping around to. It made sense now


    why she stayed in the city and worked in real estate. The woman was book-smart, and I suspected that


    she had a photographic memory with how she was reciting information like an encyclopedia.


    ¡°This was where the war of 2042 started. I read that they had lost over fifty thousand humans in this first


    battle. It really is a shame that they couldn¡¯t get their act together and be a united front. They just had


    to let their government get in their heads and turn them against each other. If I were there¡­¡± nche


    rattled on, and I rubbed my fingers in small circles on my temple.


    She was annoying as hell but also very helpful. Every ce Cora had gone to had one type of historical


    event or another happen there. It was the only connection we had found so far. But even the kind of


    events didn¡¯t align. Some had mass deaths; others didn¡¯t have a single one.


    But a quick search found that there was always something document worthy in the history books or


    online.


    Tobias slid behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. They ovepped, his palms t on my


    sides as his thumb rubbed in soothing circles. I could feel his heartbeat against my back, and I leaned


    into him as my exhaustion caught up with me.


    ¡°You two are just the cutest! When I heard that you had been able to mark him, I just knew that the


    Goddess had her hand in it. There was no way the mark would have stayed if you weren¡¯t mates.


    Witches have never been able to mark another species before.¡± nche said, her eyebrows raised as


    she stared at us with doe eyes and a goofy smile.


    ¡°We are mates.¡± I snapped. I may have been his chosen mate, but we were mates nheless, and


    my short temper with her today didn¡¯t allow me to hear herpliment for what it was.


    ¡°Oh, I know. I just meant that maybe you didn¡¯t feel the fated mate bond because you¡¯re not a wolf or


    Lycan, but that doesn¡¯t mean that you weren¡¯t fated to be together. Wasn¡¯t he the one who found you all


    those years ago? I remember you showing up here with me. I was so excited there would be another


    girl in our age group for training, but then they said you were a witch and had to train with Talia. You


    never left Tobias¡¯s side whenever you were out of that castle.¡± nche sighed dreamily as she looked


    over her shoulder to where a tense Cyrus was hunched over the table, staring at the map.


    Even he had looked like he wanted to snap at her to shut up a few times. But he was a good man, and


    even though he was hurting and on the verge of taking it out on someone else, he refused to let that


    person be innocent, little nche.


    ¡°The Goddess works in mysterious ways. Perhaps nche is onto something. Lycans have difficulty


    finding fated mates they have for decades, but maybe it¡¯s because their mates aren¡¯t always the same


    species?¡± Aurora offered as she winked encouragingly at me.


    I wasn¡¯t sure she knew Tobias already had a mate before me. If she did, she probably wouldn¡¯t be


    saying that.


    I remembered the voice in my head during our bonding ceremony, telling me to bite him. It was so


    distinct, so mesmerizing.


    ¡¯I¡¯ve always said I didn¡¯t believe there was one mate for everyone. Who¡¯s to say that each person can¡¯t


    have multiple mates? Maybe they just haven¡¯t realized it because other species don¡¯t feel the bond.¡±


    Aurora raised her eyebrows at me in a knowing nce that had my hands over Tobias¡¯s forearms


    tightening.


    When she spoke again, I felt my chest fill with hope. ¡°I have always felt a pull to Henry, but his beast


    recognized the mate within his own kind. Even after he left me and began a life with her, that pull to him


    never went away. My love for him never lessened. Having him with me again only confirms that while I


    may not have been his match as a wolf, our souls have always been entwined.¡±


    Tobias tightened his hold on me, cing a kiss on my mark before resting his cheek against the side of


    my head.


    I had always felt a pull to him. From the day he found me hiding in that log, naked, covered in blood,


    and terrified, I hadn¡¯t gone a single day without thinking of him. I have always loved him, and I always


    would.


    ¡°You think I was able to mark him at our bonding ceremony because I am possibly one of his fated


    mates?¡± I asked, unable to hide the excitement at the prospect. I knew it wasn¡¯t likely, but it made me


    incredibly happy that this hunch wasing from the descendant of the moon Goddess. Maybe she


    knew something that I didn¡¯t.


    Had it been the Goddess urging me to mark my fate, mate? Was that the sign I needed that our mate


    bond had always been there even before he marked me and allowed me to feel it?


    ¡®Do you think that could be true?¡¯ I asked Tobias through our mate link, and he adjusted his hold on my


    waist toce his fingers with mine.


    ¡®It would exin why I always felt like I belonged to you. I found you first. You were always mine.¡¯


    Tobias nuzzled his nose against the side of my head, and I heard him take in a deep inhale.


    He had told me before how he had always felt guilty about Ana. It wasn¡¯t just because of her death but


    because even when he had found her, he couldn¡¯t find it in him to feel the way he thought he should.


    He had told me how he thought about me far too often and still craved mypany, touch, and the


    sound of my voice.


    It wasn¡¯t natural for someone to want another over their fated mate. The pull to a fated mate was


    stronger than anything. Even a marked, chosen mate wouldn¡¯t be as strong as the pull to their


    unmarked, fated mate. It was one of the reasons I had been so hesitant to make a move on Tobias for


    so many years. I didn¡¯t want to be left behind when his true mate came along.


    ¡°You two had the bonding ceremony? Oh, that is just the sweetest thing I have ever heard. When I fall


    in love, I want my man to have a bonding ceremony with me. Can you imagine how romantic it would


    be? Under the full moon, just the two of us, we would mark each other¡­.¡¯ nche cut off, startled by


    Cyrus snapping at us.


    ¡°How about instead of daydreaming about mates, you guys help me find the rogue witch on your


    council who¡¯s trying to kill me? Is that too much to ask?¡± His fingers ran through his hair, and he spun


    back to face the table without waiting for a response.


    The map was littered with pins, and as the day progressed, she started moving faster again. We didn¡¯t


    know where she had slept. She had to have an enchantment on her home to prevent us from locating


    her there, but as soon as she teleported, we knew about it.


    I pulled away from Tobias and moved to Cyrus¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re right. We got off track. Do we


    have the new list yet from the past two hours?¡±


    One of the guards immediately raced out of the room, and I knew he was on his way to collect it.


    ¡°We are going to find her and put a stop to this. Her moving around like this will only work in our favor.


    We will figure out her n or the pattern, and while her magic is exhausted, we will attack.¡± I grabbed


    and scanned over the pins, hoping to see a pattern in the design since the locations¡¯ significance was


    lost to us.


    But there wasn¡¯t one. They were so scattered and random that Cora had to have something specific


    she was doing or looking for in each location.


    ¡°Just keep looking,¡± He snapped. I turned to snap back, but his chin was down as he studied the


    papers, water lining his bottom lid. He must have sensed my stare because he flinched away as if I


    were about tosh out at him physically. ¡°Please, Joselin.¡±


    The plea for help cut me to my core, and I swallowed hard before nodding. The door burst open, and


    the guard returned, pping down a piece of paper significantly longer than thest.


    Cora was covering a lot of ground and would be weakened very soon. Even if she did have Rona¡¯s


    magic, and therefore Rona¡¯s mother¡¯s magic, no one could keep going for long at this rate.


    My fingers moved quickly, using the coordinates to pin markers in the map before handing the paper to


    Cyrus first to review and start research. I looked all the red pins over once before moving back to check


    for a pattern in the coordinates or the location names, but that was pointless. There was no pattern


    there.


    Cyrus nced up at me briefly before going back to researching the locations. It was just long enough


    for me to see the fear and panic in his eyes.


    He had survived her the first time with minimal damage; this second time had almost killed him and


    would haunt him for the rest of his life. If she dug her magic in him a third time¡­


    Cyrus wouldn¡¯t survive a third time. No one would

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170


    Sixty-Three: Tobias


    Tobias¡¯s P.O.V.


    ¡°Do we have anything on these locations being tied to a spell caster?¡± Joselin asked with exhaustion


    thick in her voice as she leaned her head back in her chair. ¡°If Cora¡¯s family took part in killing off all the


    male witches to keep control of the council, maybe there was something at each location that was tied


    to one of those spell casters?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have anything on spell casters, to begin with. Cora took that book; her family probably took


    and destroyed everything else over the years.¡± Charlie sighed, having joined us with Damien and Killian


    after getting Killian¡¯s work done for the day. ¡°Plus, that would be a lot of spell casters if one was killed at


    each location.¡±


    ¡°Well, her family and the original female council wiped out an entire gender of witches. I imagine there


    would have been a lot of them.¡¯ Joselin responded half-heartedly. She sounded exhausted. ¡°I wonder


    how many she has killed over the years without anyone knowing.¡¯


    The sun had set long ago, and I was beginning to feel anxious.


    If my suspicions about Joselin were correct, she needed all the rest she could get. It was bad enough


    that she had to deal with the stress of this situation. She shifted ufortably in her chair with a groan


    of annoyance.


    My fingers tapped against the table loudly, and I could see Cyrus growing more frustrated and angry by


    the sound.


    I tapped a little louder, almost wanting to egg him on. He was struggling but had also snapped at my


    mate too many times tonight.


    I was itching to knock him out.


    It would shut him up and make it so Joselin could get some rest without the guilt of leaving him alone to


    search for answers. Because of the guilt of what happened with his blood, she had already allowed him


    to get away with things she would normally have thrown someone through a wall for.


    My gaze shot to Joselin as she slid her chair back and stood, giving up on findingfort. A smile


    stretched over my face when she walked over and sat on myp, leaning back against my chest and


    resting her head on my shoulder.


    That¡¯s right, sweetheart. I¡¯m here.


    My hands instantly went to her stomach, holding her to me. When she was ready, she would tell me.


    Until then, I would continue to show her how much I loved and supported her. But that also meant that I


    would take care of her, even when she didn¡¯t think it was okay to put herself first.


    My eyes met Natalie¡¯s from across the table, and she was smiling softly at my hands on Joselin¡¯s


    stomach. When she looked up and met my gaze, I shook my head discreetly, hoping she would


    understand that Joselin hadn¡¯t said anything to me.


    ¡°We would have heard something about it over the years. How rare can it be for male witches to be


    born? It¡¯s not like you can kill off all the men and just pray for the women to stop birthing boys. There


    would have been at least hundreds, if not thousands, of reports each year of children being killed or


    kidnapped.¡± Charlie chewed on her lip. It was her tell that she was stressed.


    Joselin lifted her head off my shoulder but kept her back against my chest. ¡°Unless it is rare. Think


    about it. I was born to human parents, and I¡¯m pretty sure I only came out like this because I was born


    outside, under the supermoon. What if spell casters are simr? Maybe these are all locations where


    spell casters had been birthed. I don¡¯t know what she would get from those ces, but maybe that is


    what they all have inmon. Cyrus, when and where were you born?¡±


    The man shrugged, and I fought the urge to strangle him. It had been our only real lead, and he was


    not contributing. He barely took his eyes off the map, looking from one red pin to the next as if he were


    expecting them to move and spell something out like an Ouija board.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know. I was left at my grandma¡¯s doorstep as a baby. I just know the month and year. Not the


    day.¡¯ He flicked his finger against one of the unmoving pins before sitting back in his chair with a paper


    in his hands.


    Joselin yawned, lifting her hands from overtop mine to cover her mouth before melting back into me.


    ¡°Cora has stopped, and we need to get some rest if we are going to think straight,¡± Natalie said,


    standing from her chair.


    Cyrus gaped at her, his breathinging out faster and more panicked. I knew he didn¡¯t want to be


    alone and didn¡¯t want to give Cora more time to execute whatever n she was working on. nche


    sat in the seat next to him, finally tired enough to shut up, but she reached over and grabbed his hand.


    His eyes dropped down to her touch, looking shocked by the gesture, but he flipped his hand over and


    gripped hers tightly.


    ¡°We should take shifts.¡± Joselin offered, and I immediately knew she would suggest taking the first shift


    since she had felt guilty about sleepingst night. I slipped my hand to her hip, pinching her gently


    when she opened her mouth to speak again. Her jaw snapped shut.


    I would take the first shift for her if that meant that she could get some sleep.


    ¡°I can stay,¡± Aisha said, never taking her eyes away from theptop in front of her as she continued to


    read about the history of the locations on her list. The room went silent, and she looked up with a roll of


    her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not a bitch all the time, and I¡¯ve had more coffee than I should have.¡±


    Joselin¡¯s stomach sucked in sharply under my hands as she let a silent scoff.


    nche agreed to stay with her, and we all knew Cyrus would stay. The chance of him voluntarily


    going to sleep was slim to none. He made it clear that he didn¡¯t like the darkness right now, and I


    doubted he would want to be alone in case Cora attacked again.


    I turned my head, my nose brushing against Joselin¡¯s head as I tried to take in her scent once more. It


    was stronger than it used to be, but I smelled nothing that would confirm if she was pregnant. Not yet,


    anyway.


    I had never been so close to a pregnant woman and didn¡¯t know what I was looking for besides a


    change. But her scent was still stronger than it used to be.


    The idea of having children with her¡­ Goddess, I wanted them, but now that it was a possibility, I didn¡¯t


    realize how badly I needed them. I wanted enough to make my own pack. I couldn¡¯t wait to see my


    beautiful mate round with our child. Even better, I couldn¡¯t wait to hold our children, kiss them, and tuck


    them into bed.


    ¡®Let¡¯s get some sleep,¡¯ I thought to Joselin, and her back stiffened.


    ¡¯I sleptst night.¡¯ My thumb brushed in soft strokes over her stomach, and she looked down as if


    contemting before giving in. ¡®Okay, but not too long this time.1


    I didn¡¯t allow anyone to argue or speak before I stood, looping my arms under Joselin¡¯s knees and


    carrying her from the room. ¡°We will be back in a few hours.¡±


    I grumbled in annoyance at her cing a time limit on her sleep in front of a room full of people. She


    needed more than a few hours.


    Natalie called out behind us, ¡°Take as long as you need. We need everyone as well-rested as they can


    be.¡±


    We were back in her tower in seconds, and I quickly moved to the bathroom and started a warm


    shower. I knew Joselin liked to rinse off before bed, and I wanted to ensure she was asfortable as


    possible to get a good night¡¯s sleep.


    I couldn¡¯t stop my eyes from dropping down to her perfectly t stomach and the curve of her hips, but


    they looked the same. I knew they would, but a man can dream. When she was ready, she would tell


    me, but fuck.J wanted to know.


    By the time we got into bed, Joselin looked wide awake. I could practically hear the gears in her head


    turning as she continued to think about Cora.


    I pulled her to me, wrapping my arm around her waist and spooning her. Her ass was pressed against


    my hips, and she sighed in pleasure as she wiggled against me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about what Cyrus must be feeling. I know how hard it is and what he must be


    feeling to an extent. But the look on his face tonight, knowing she could attack him again at any


    moment, was hard to see. I can¡¯t imagine having to survive that a third time.¡± She whispered, but her


    words were heavy and loud in the silent room.


    ¡°We will stop her.¡± Goosebumps rose along her skin as I whispered into the back of her neck. ¡°What


    can I do to help you unwind and sleep?¡±


    The question had been innocent. I was thinking maybe a head or back massage. I could turn on some


    ssical music, get her some of that flowery-smelling oil she liked, or a warm ss of milk.


    But all of that innocent thought melted away as she moved her hips, rubbing her ass against my bare


    cock. The shorts she was sleeping in were so thin that the heat of her body teased me relentlessly, and


    I pressed myself against her ass firmly.


    ¡°You can help me get my mind off of it.¡± Her hint was obvious, and she tilted her head, exposing her


    mark. She wanted me to mark her, to give her that instant rush of pleasure.


    I leaned my head down, running my tongue over it before nipping her ear lobe. ¡°Do you think I would


    give you an orgasm without getting to enjoy myself first?¡¯


    My hand slid down from her stomach to the heat between her legs. She lifted her ankle, moving her leg


    back to ce it over my legs and spreading herself to give me more ess. She was slick with desire


    and ready for me. My fingers slid between her folds, moving to her entrance before dragging her


    wetness back to her clit and rubbing her in small circles.


    ¡°Mh,¡± Joselin hummed in pleasure, her head falling back against my bicep. I held myself up on my


    elbow, watching her eyes flutter closed, and her lips parted. It was the most rxed she had been in


    days.


    Every stroke pulled a noise from her that sent a thrum of pleasure straight to my cock. She cried out in


    protest when I pulled my hand away from her, only to moan loudly when I slid down the bed and spread


    her legs. My tongue found her wet clit instantly, and I groaned at her sweet taste.


    Everything about her was so fucking good. So fucking perfect.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    I sucked on her clit, flicking it with the tip of my tongue. Her hip bucked and ground against my face,


    desperate for more, and I looped one arm under her thigh and over her hips to keep her in ce.


    As she tensed and trembled beneath me, I felt myself wanting more. The cry out of my name as she


    came on my tongue was the best sound I had ever heard.


    Joselin came down a few secondster, releasing soft sighs with each exhale. She giggled when I


    moved up her body, kissing every inch of her skin along my way.


    We had no idea what would happen tomorrow or the day after, and I wanted to savor this moment. I


    wanted to make love to my mate and show her how much she meant to me

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171


    Sixty-Four: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    A tired and grumpy Tobias greeted me the next morning. It was wise for everyone to stay out of his


    way, which meant they also stayed out of mine. It was amazing.


    It helped that everyone was scared of him too. Cyrus practically shook like a leaf when Tobias lunged


    at him for bumping into me. Still, I had a feeling the shaking was more due to Cyrus¡¯s exhaustion and


    excessive caffeine intake over the past two days than anything else.


    My mate was being even more protective today, and I was ready for this to be over so I could face the


    next challenge¡­ the possibility of a baby. The more time that passed, the more I opened up to the


    idea, but I couldn¡¯t focus on it until Cora was dealt with.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Natalie insisted that we all leave the conference room after an early morning and head to the dining hall


    for breakfast, insisting that it would be good for our people if we would all show our faces. They needed


    to see that Cyrus was okay and that we weren¡¯t worried¡­even though we were.


    Aisha and Margot stayed behind with nche to keep working. Since they usually ate in the private


    dining hall anyway, it wouldn¡¯t seem odd to the pack that they weren¡¯t with us. Once we returned, they


    would turn in and get some sleep while we took over.


    As Cyrus entered the room, the volume dropped drastically. Everyone seemed to want to get a look at


    him. He forced on a smile and walked with his head held high. Still, the ck circles under his eyes and


    his slow movements gave him away. He was weak, tired, and traumatized.


    The room had been cleaned and was back to its former glory after the attack, with no trace of his blood


    anywhere, whereas it had been absolutely everywhere before. After what Cora did with it, I was sure he


    wasn¡¯t happy that someone had to clean up his blood or could have it again.


    I had given him an enchanted ne, simr to the one Natalie and Killian wore, but it was to


    prevent someone from controlling him. He hadn¡¯t been controlled when she tried to take his powers.


    She was ying with dark magic and was trying to steal his abilities, not control them. I had little faith


    that it would do anything for this situation, but he looked relieved to have it.


    The pack was no stranger to talking about others, but they at least had enough decency to do it


    through the pack link and not to the person¡¯s face.


    Yet as we waited for our tes to be served, the room¡¯s tension was almost palpable. Everyone was


    waiting for a repeat of the other night or a breakdown from the spell caster swaying with exhaustion in


    his chair.


    My stomach had tossed and turned since I had woken up, and my mouth watered with the need for me


    to empty the already hollow organ. But I had held it down.


    A few bites in, I felt better, but slow and steady would win the race. Any faster, and I would lose my


    breakfast in front of the entire pack.


    If it were possible, I would say that Cyrus was eating slower than I was. But after watching him for a


    moment, I realized that he wasn¡¯t eating at all, just pushing the food around his te.


    I disliked nche, not because she was a bad person, but because she was annoying. Yet, I still


    hoped that she would help Cyruse back from this, even if that meant I had to have her around


    more often.


    The fact that Cyrus was alive at all was a testament to how strong and powerful he was. If Cora were to


    try to face him head-on, she would be in for one hell of a battle. But she had potentially grown more


    powerful with Rona¡¯s magic, and since she hadn¡¯t been able to kill him with it, she would either need a


    stronger conduit or be more powerful herself.


    My hand shot out and gripped Tobias¡¯s forearm as I stared at the food before me. ¡°It¡¯s about power.


    That¡¯s what Rona was to her and what each location has inmon. We knew that, but I didn¡¯t piece it


    together until now. I thought it was what she got from each ce, but she¡¯s not getting anything. She¡¯s


    looking for something; if she had found what she was looking for, she wouldn¡¯t still be running around.¡±


    My chair slid loudly against the floor, and I rose to my feet. All eyes were on me as I bent forward and


    shoved a few bites of food into my mouth. It was just enough to satisfy my empty stomach.


    I chewed and swallowed quickly before rushing out of the room. Tobias was hot on my heels, and I


    could hear Cyrus, Killian, Natalie, Aurora, and Henry close behind.


    The guards quickly opened the conference room doors before me, and I ran through them. Aisha,


    nche, and Margot jumped at the sudden intrusion.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been looking at this all wrong. Cora knows she won¡¯t survive if shees here and tries to take


    Cyrus or fight us head-on. She used the witch in the mountains with one of Cyrus¡¯s things because she


    didn¡¯t know who he was yet. When that failed, and I brought him here for protection, she figured out


    who he was but knew she couldn¡¯t get him out of there unnoticed. She went to Rona to use her as a


    conduit because she had more power, but Rona wasn¡¯t strong enough.¡± I flung my hand toward the


    map, pausing briefly when I saw Tobias standing with my mostly full breakfast te in his hands.


    He lifted it slightly with raised eyebrows, silently telling me he wanted me to eat more.


    My head shook as I regained my train of thought. ¡°She isn¡¯t getting anything from these locations, and


    she isn¡¯t setting traps. The one thing these ces have inmon is a significant event that could be


    used as a power source. Cora is looking at ces of power for a new source to channel Cyrus through.


    She is looking for the Sanctum of Light! We just need to get there before she does!¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t she been there before?¡± Natalie asked, but both Killian and Aurora shook their heads.


    ¡°Not many people knew the location of it. The council was never with my father when he attended


    meetings nearby, and no one beyond guards came with us when you shifted.¡± Killian told her, and I


    nodded. ¡°When my father found out about it, he forbade anyone from going there or documenting it. I


    think it was to protect the descendants, but I couldn¡¯t be sure.¡±


    Talia used to pawn me off, saying she was too busy for me and that I needed to learn as much as


    possible. She would send me with the guards and the previous king on his travels, even when she


    didn¡¯t join us. He would feed and shelter me, but I was really on my own whenever she sent me away.


    Killian and I would then run off and y. He hated those meetings as much as I did, maybe even more.


    One day we discovered the Sanctum of Light. It was the most beautiful ce we had ever seen, and


    the pull to it was intoxicating. I wanted to both be there and run away from it at the same time. Yet, it


    never deterred us. We would run inside and y for hours until it was discovered that we had snuck


    away and would be ordered to return.


    The Goddess blessed the cave and was more powerful than any ce on Earth. The descendants of


    the Goddess hadn¡¯t even been able to leave it for long stretches. It fed their magic and kept them alive.


    Natalie had been the first of her bloodline to live fully outside the Sanctum and not lose her powers or


    die.


    Her birth mother, Aurora, had to return to the Sanctum to recharge frequently, and it sounded so


    tedious. But her power.Jt was out of this world. Natalie¡¯s too.


    ¡°How sure of this are you?¡± Killian asked, his arms crossed over his chest.


    ¡°I would say a solid ny-five percent.¡± I wasn¡¯t arrogant enough to say one hundred. I could be


    wrong, and whatever we nned, we needed to be prepared for the possibility of that.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s all take a seat and devise our n.¡± Killian held out the chair for Natalie before taking his


    seat.


    I smiled when Tobias did the same for me, cing my te before me. No one batted an eye when I


    continued to pick at my food over the next half an hour as we discussed tactics.


    Ultimately, I found myself with Henry, Aisha, Margot, three of the most trusted warriors, and a furious


    Tobias. He scared everyone to bits when I said I would be going. The ¡°No,¡± that came out of him even


    made Killian flinch. It was so loud, guttural, and angry.


    It sent a thrill right through me, one it was not the time or ce for.


    I won that argument, and as we entered the Sanctum, I began worrying. Never before had I been


    scared when entering a battle or a fight. I had always been confident and sure. I had been excited to


    draw blood.


    But there was the slight possibility that it wasn¡¯t just my life I was risking.


    I refused to allow Natalie and Killian to attend in case they had a pup on the way. The irony wasn¡¯t lost


    on me that I would be going, but I had no other choice. If anyone would take down Cora, it was going to


    be another member of the council.


    Cyrus needed to stay far away in case things went south. Knocking some blood out of her hand was


    one thing, but it would be another if she had her greasy little hands on his person. No. He needed to


    stay behind.


    The bright white moon flowers that covered the cavern walls reflected the sun through the small


    opening above, illuminating the room in a pale glow. The exposed sections of the wall had rough


    crystals of all colors. The low ones looked semi-polished, as if someone had rubbed them obsessively


    over the years. The rest were broken and jagged, guaranteed to draw blood.


    My body warmed just being in here, and I knew from when I yed in here as a kid that the feeling


    would fade once I got used to it. Tobias and the rest of the Lycans weren¡¯t fairing too well. A line of


    sweat had broken across their foreheads, and a few warriors were shaking.


    If we didn¡¯t need our presence to remain a secret, I would have told them to wait outside until Cora


    arrived.


    Henry looked ready to burst out of his skin, but I knew that was because he was so far away from


    Aurora. Her role was to make a subtle show of leaving for the Sanctum, leaving a trail for Cora to


    follow. Once Cora was inside, we would end this.


    I wiped the back of my hand across my forehead, removing the sweat that had gathered there as I


    eyed the stream that split the green grass. From experience, I knew the water would be hot. It was a


    natural hot spring, leaving the air humid and thick, but dipping in there as a kid had been the most


    rejuvenating feeling.


    ¡¯We don¡¯t know how long she will take to get here. You should get some rest.¡¯ Tobias said, gently


    pulling on my shoulder to force me back between his legs as he rested against the rock wall, out of


    sight of the entrance.


    ¡®I am fine,¡¯ I thought to him, but sank back into his body anyway, my fingersbing through the grass.


    The warmth of the cavern mixed with his body heat should have been unbearable, but thefort of


    his touch and smell had me rxing as we waited.


    It waste afternoon when Tobias ced his hand over my mouth and woke me from my sleep. A rush


    of adrenaline coursed through my body as Aurora entered the Sanctum. She would stay here for a


    short time before making a show of leaving as if she were to return home.


    The energy in the cavern shifted, the air feeling more electric. We all knew if my theory was correct,


    then after Aurora left, it was only a matter of time before Cora would arrive.

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172


    Sixty-Five: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    Aurora stayed for a while before doing her part and exiting, replenished, and stronger than before. She


    smiled widely as she spoke into a phone,ughing loudly and assuring Natalie that she would be home


    soon as she left the Sanctum.


    Of course, it was all for show. I doubted Natalie was even on the phone. As soon as Aurora was


    outside, she teleported back to the castle in case Cora was watching her location, and we all sat in


    wait.


    The longer it took for Cora to show up, the more nervous I became. I couldn¡¯t afford to have taken so


    many resources away from those who needed protection in the castle and be wrong. This had to be


    what she was searching for, a ce of unbridled power.


    If Cora could harness the power of the Sanctum, she would be unstoppable.


    ¡¯Joselin,¡¯ Tobias said through our mate link, and I felt my back stiffen at the sound of my full first name.


    No, Josie, no, sweetheart. It wasn¡¯t a good sign. ¡®Don¡¯t take any unnecessary risks. I need to know that


    you will put yourself first when she shows up. I need to know that you will make it out of here in one


    piece. I know how strong you are, but just humor me, okay?¡¯


    His arms around my waist tightened, and his thumbs rubbed circles into my stomach. I nced down.


    Could he know? Is this his way of telling me before I had the chance to test and find out for myself?


    I looked up, not wanting to spend more time considering it until after this fight. I had told myself that


    same thing hundreds of times, yet it still kepting to the front of my mind.


    ¡®This is my job. I¡¯m responsible for the council, and I am responsible for handling magical entities who


    pose a threat to the crown. I can¡¯t promise toe out unscathed, but I can promise to do my best, so


    we can go home together.¡¯


    He wasn¡¯t satisfied with my answer. He didn¡¯t like it at all.


    ¡®I would let the world burn down around us and everyone in it before I lose my family.¡¯ His firm tone left


    no room for argument, but I was distracted by his word choice.


    There it was again, that subtle hint. Family. As in more than one person. He wasn¡¯t just concerned


    about his mate. He was worried about losing a member of his family.


    It could be that he was referring to Killian and Natalie, but the feeling in my gut told me that was not the


    case.


    ¡®I can¡¯t do this right now, Tobias.¡¯ I felt water line my eyes, not just from the emotion pouring from him


    and the fear of what I was risking for the crown, but from anger. I was in a pure rage that Cora had put


    me in this situation. It wasn¡¯t like I could just walk away and let one of my rogue council members


    continue tomit genocide.


    I was in charge of her and should have figured out she was up to no good sooner.


    Tobias nodded, his brown eyes scanning my face before he leaned down and pressed a punishing kiss


    to my lips. It was the kind of kiss that made me dream about forever while also worrying if it was


    goodbye.


    My hand snaked up to his neck, and as he pushed me back to rest his forehead against mine, I felt the


    tears fall.


    His thumbs slid over my cheeks, wiping away the trail of liquid as I masked my emotions, letting the


    anger fuel me. I wanted the rage and bloodlust to win over the worry and sadness.


    I would gut this bitch and hang out her entrails to dry like potpourri.


    ¡®Has there been a recent update?¡¯ My demand for more information had been frequent over the past


    few hours since Aurora had left, and Tobias shook his head. It was time to set aside our rtionship


    and act as the warriors we had been trained to be.


    ¡¯There has been no movement yet.¡¯


    I sighed, pulling away and standing up to stretch. Cora was either still sleeping or hiding in her home.


    Either way, it was a good sign. If she were looking for the Sanctum, she would have a tracker on


    Aurora and be here soon.


    Tobias¡¯s voice echoed through my head as I crouched back into hiding. I knew he would have also


    informed the other guards and the Sanctum fell silent. Even the bugs and birds stopped making noise.


    ¡®The crystal stopped. She¡¯s here.¡¯


    I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm the crackling of power around me as my anger fueled my


    emotions. I could feel Cora¡¯s excitement as she drew near, moving through the cave entrance that led


    to the ambush we had set.


    Cora looked mesmerized by the cavern, spinning in a slow circle as she examined the brightly glowing


    area. She looked younger than before, the thick grey streak in her hair had almost vanished, and I


    narrowed my eyes, no longer doubting if she had taken Rona¡¯s magic and life force. She had.


    She looked excited like she had just won the battle she didn¡¯t even know was about to start.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    The nned sound of a rock hitting the wall across the cavern had Cora tensing. Her back was to me


    as her hands lifted, fingers slightly curled and spread as she widened her stance.


    I stepped out, leaving Tobias in hiding. I couldn¡¯t show all of my cards up front. This would be a duel of


    magic; the Lycans showing themselves before needed would only put them at risk. As terrifying as they


    could be in their Lycan form, the magic of multiple powerful witches being housed in one body would be


    a force to be reckoned with.


    Aurora stepped back inside the cavern.


    Cora turned to her, masking her surprise and hopefully forgetting about the noise she heard earlier.


    ¡°Why are you doing this, Cora?¡± Aurora asked, and I pulled the needle from my pocket. ¡°He has done


    nothing to you.¡¯


    Coraughed cruelly. ¡°Are you really so ignorant when youe from the blood of the Goddess? The


    males of our kind abused their powers. They were stronger than us women and used it to their


    advantage. Why do you think the first council was all men? They thought they could rule this world.¡±


    She shook her head, stepping forward toward Aurora. ¡°I have heard and read stories about them that


    would make you wish you didn¡¯t live among them either. I¡¯m doing my job! I¡¯m not going to let them


    abuse their powers again. We can reproduce our kind with anyone. We don¡¯t need them. My family has


    protected female witches for centuries, keeping women in power.¡±


    I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Cora was certifiable.


    ¡°This is not your job, nor is it your decision to make. How many Cora? How many innocents have you


    killed?¡± Aurora asked, and as I slipped out the second needle, I listened for the answer.


    ¡°They are not innocent!¡± She screeched.


    She wouldn¡¯t give us answers, and I had heard enough. The needle left my hand, the air pushing it


    faster than any creature could possibly throw without magic driving it forward. As soon as it left my


    fingers, I teleported through the vast, white emptiness and appeared behind her. She raised her hand,


    knocking away the flying syringe from her side with ease as I lifted my arm and stabbed it down toward


    the flesh of her back.


    A force field around her stopped my attack only inches from her person, and I gasped as a jolt of


    electricity and agony ripped up my arm as the object in my hand began to melt. I released it quickly,


    shoving my energy toward her and sending her flying into the wall.


    I had seen wards on locations or items before, but never on a moving person. It made me angry that


    she had been right. Her newbined powers were stronger than I expected.


    The sound of her body making an impact echoed through the cavern, and I stalked forward as she


    pushed herself back to her feet. ¡°Tsk, tsk. I wasted years eliminating those cockroaches the hard way


    when I could have been taking their power. Now, I know better. I have the power of four witches in me,


    Joselin! Do you really think you can take me on now? You don¡¯t stand a chance!¡±


    Whether she refused to admit it or dismissed the strength of my power, I held the power of four in me


    too. The difference is that I was strong


    enough to take their power when I was only eleven. I was strong before them.


    She was weak before them.


    Aisha and Margot stepped out of hiding until we had surrounded Cora. She wasn¡¯t going anywhere,


    and if she tried to teleport, I would follow her.


    Blood seeped through Cora¡¯s side, where her body had made impact with the crystals protruding from


    the wall, and I smiled. Every bit of damage I could deal to her was a win. Even if she had a ward-up to


    protect her from my magic harming her, she could still be injured by the world around her. I wanted her


    so weak that she couldn¡¯t lift her hands when she begged me for mercyter.


    My hands lifted at my sides as I sucked the air from around her, fighting against her magic as she tried


    to take control of the element.


    Her hands hit the ground as her knees buckled, and the Earth shook beneath us before cracking


    between my feet. I jumped back, letting my magic fall as I fought to keep the Earth from taking me


    down to the depths of Hell, where I would one day serve my punishment.


    Aurora flew through the air, several of her bones loudly breaking as she was thrown into a tree trunk,


    her body wrapped around it. I couldn¡¯t spare a second to nce at her to ensure her safety, but I saw


    Henry racing toward her in his fur from the corner of my eye.


    ¡°You brought me toys to practice my new powers on. How thoughtful!¡± Coraughed menacingly.


    I lifted my hand, a fireball burning bright before I threw it at her. The impact of it was enough to distract


    her from what she was doing to the Earth, but her ward shined brightly as the mes went out.


    Margot began to throw offensive castings toward the traitor, screaming out her anger. ¡°You turned on


    us! How could you?¡±


    I took a moment to turn and examined Auror quickly, seeing her dazed and holding her side but awake.


    Henry snarled, standing protectively before his chosen mate.


    ¡°I was protecting you! You turned on me!¡± Cora snapped back before closing her fist before Margot,


    sending her to her knees as she screamed in agony.


    My feet left the ground as Cora released Margot and turned back to me, sending me flying. Only I


    missed the trees and flew right into the uneven surface of the cavern wall, just as she had. Cora


    laughed loudly as I fell to the ground and blinked rapidly to clear the blurriness from my vision.


    I felt blood soaking my hair, and several drops trailed down my cheek as I pushed myself up quickly.


    I needed to get closer. I rushed forward at Cora, throwing every spell I could to weaken her ward, but it


    held firm. With each hit, I could see the shimmer of the surface as it absorbed my attack before


    hardening again.


    Magic wasn¡¯t going to work against her.


    The feeling of mes scorching the side of my waist from one of Cora¡¯s throws made me hiss in pain as


    I raced toward her.


    My stomach dropped when Tobias let out a feral growl of anger as he raged forward to protect me from


    further damage. He was faster than me and was going to reach her first. It was thest thing that


    should have happened, but I knew his protective instincts drove him forward.


    Cora¡¯s eyes lit up as the Lycans moved forward into view, like a predator spotting their prey. She lifted


    her hands for the kill.

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173


    Sixty-Six: Tobias


    Tobias¡¯s P.O.V.


    My teeth sunk into her flesh, hot blood filling my mouth as Cora screamed. The taste of it washing over


    my tongue was exciting. All the stress and pain Cora had caused my mate had me dreaming about this


    moment¡­ about ending her life.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    I wanted to rip Cora¡¯s throat out, but she turned just in time for me totch my jaws around her bicep.


    She rolled to the ground with me, using her powers to pry me off. I felt the Earth moving beneath us


    before two objects shot through the dirt.


    Joselin¡¯s scream of terror echoed through my head, and I wanted to get to her. I needed to.


    In my head, I could feel myself moving. I knew how to get my legs to work, but they didn¡¯t want to


    listen.


    Snarling and yips of pain could be heard as my warriors sprang into action, fighting the witch. I couldn¡¯t


    blink as I lifted my head, staring at the tworge spikes of wood impaling me.


    My hand wrapped around the closest spike, snapping it in half with a growl of anger before moving to


    the second one. The shaking was unavoidable as I pushed my body up and off the base of the spikes.


    Blood poured down my front and back as I felt my torso begin to heal itself.


    It took longer than I had hoped before the feeling returned to my legs, and the ringing in my ears faded


    behind the sound of the war around me.


    Aurora had risen and was at my side, helping me up with a groan of pain.


    ¡°Do something!¡± I ordered, knowing it wasn¡¯t my ce to order her around, but she was a descendant


    of the Goddess, for fuck¡¯s sake. She should be able to blink Cora out of existence if she wanted.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. Cora is at her strongest right now, having just taken another¡¯s magic, and I haven¡¯t had time to


    recover fully. I was away for a long time, and my magic doesn¡¯t recharge instantly. It normally takes a


    few days, sometimes weeks, to replenish.¡± She looked terrified as she peered around me, cringing at


    whatever she saw. 1


    The sound of Joselin letting out a groan of pain had me turning and forcing my damaged body to race


    toward my mate. Each step sent a stab of agony through me, and I stumbled forward to get to her as


    my skin tried to pull itself back together.


    If Cora thought that was all it would take to kill me, she had another thinging.


    My mate stood on wobbly legs, one hand aimed at the guards and the other at Cora. Blood dripped


    from her button nose, and her hands shook as she fought to reverse Cora¡¯s attack and deal her own


    damage.


    In the second that Joselin nced at me, Cora sent my men flying through the air and into the hot


    springs. I could hear them sshing and gargling as the water swirled around them violently. Aurora


    rushed past me to get to them, her hand up and her lips moving as she mumbled a spell in what I knew


    to be Latin.


    The Earth opened up, and Cora dropped into it just as Aurora pulled the men from the water with a flick


    of her wrist.


    They panted and coughed up the hot liquid as I limped toward Cora as quickly as possible. We weren¡¯t


    equipped to battle a witch this strong, and I worried that we were only in the way. Still, I wasn¡¯t going to


    give up.


    Cora rose higher by the second until she was out of the crater Aurora had created. The dirt beneath her


    feet lifted her back up as sheughed.


    ¡°Do you really think any of you stand a chance? I am more powerful now than you could imagine! I will


    no longer be under anyone¡¯s rule when I am done with you. After I deal with Cyrus, those ipetent


    children wearing the crown will be next! I am doing what is best for our people!¡± Cora¡¯s eyes were


    zed over, looking demented as she cackled.


    With each wave of power, Cora¡¯s shield continued to protect her, and I could feel Joselin growing tired.


    Still, her anger drove her on and matching her emotions, I pushed forward.


    The next st caused Cora to stumble back, her shield cracking, flickering angrily. My chest swelled


    with pride at my mate¡¯s power and strength, knowing we were getting closer to winning this battle.


    As I raced forward, Cora spun. Her hand shot out and sent me back toward the mouth of the cave. Wet


    bodies crashed into me as I fought against her, my ws digging into the moist Earth. I propelled


    myself forward and could feel small rocks cutting into my feet, knees, and hands.


    I was dragged three feet back for every step I made forward. But my need to get to Joselin motivated


    me to keep fighting, to resist her spell. Just as I broke past the other warriors, the Earth trembled, and a


    t wall shot up, leaving us inplete darkness and trapping us in the hallway that led to the


    Sanctum.


    ¡°No,¡± I growled out, feeling the panic of being unable to see, let alone protect my mate. My shoulder


    mmed into the thick wall of packed soil, causing dirt to rain down on us.


    Whatever was going on beyond the barrier had the whole ce trembling like an Earthquake. My body


    crashed into the wall again before I faced it and, in desperation, resorted to digging at it like a wild


    fucking animal.


    ¡°Tobias,¡± Henry¡¯s voice called out, but I barely heard him over my heavy breathing and my ws


    ripping chunks out of the wall. ¡°Stop. They will bring the wall down soon. Conserve your strength. Your


    body is trying to heal.¡±


    My muzzle snapped in his direction, spit speckling his face as he ced his hand on my shoulder. The


    layered voice of my beast was thick with anger as I snarled in his face but made my threat known to


    every warrior with us. ¡°If you guys don¡¯t help me tear this wall down in the next few minutes, I will spend


    the rest of my life destroying every ounce of happiness you have. Every night patrol, every supply run,


    double the training. Your families will never see you, and you will be so tired even the healers won¡¯t be


    able to help you. I wouldn¡¯t give up on your mates; if you give up on mine, I will make you regret it.¡±


    There was only a moment of pause before a body mmed into the wall next to me. I stepped back


    and matched their speed, crashing my shoulder into the wall, watching with satisfaction as even more


    dirt fell.


    My shoulder ached, and the gaping wound in my chest was still pushing out blood slowly as my body


    fought to heal while I continued to exert my energy. Henry even gave in and began helping after a few


    minutes.


    It felt like hours before the wall started to crumble, and as soon as my fist shot through it, we hit it again


    harder.


    Aurora was the first one I saw; her body was dripping wet as she gasped for air against therge rocks


    to our right. The blood that oozed from severalcerations made either apparent that she had been


    beaten to hell. From the way she stared at us, I knew she had a hand in us taking down the wall.


    My eyes widened, and as we rushed out of the tunnel and into the cavern, the sight made us halt. Cora


    was being held up in the air, screaming in pain as my bloodied mate panted below her. There was a


    The shimmer of her ward was still present, but it was shattered like ss and was going in and out.


    My mate was brutal and impressive.


    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± Coraughed, blood spilling down her jaw as she pushed herself onto her


    hands and knees before standing. Joselin¡¯s breathing was ragged, but Cora looked in my direction


    before I could move forward.


    The evil glint in Cora¡¯s eye immediately told me she nned to attack me again. I was Joselin¡¯s


    weakness, being her mate, and she would try to exploit that. Joselin never had weaknesses before, just


    an insane amount of anger and bloodlust.


    I had seen her on countless battlefields, and she never faltered. Yet, now that we had mated, she had


    taken her attention from her target several times to look at me. I knew she was aware of it, but she


    couldn¡¯t seem to help herself. She needed to make sure I was okay as much as I needed to make sure


    that she was okay.


    When her white eyesnded on me, her lids lowered with fear. It was the same feeling I had, knowing


    she was facing off against Cora. Joselin didn¡¯t like me being in the line of fire, but I would take every hit


    if it meant Joselin didn¡¯t have to take a single one.


    I let out a growl and charged toward the bloody and beaten Cora as she lifted her hand in my direction.


    ¡°I am sick of this!¡± Joselin growled out, sending arge rock flying from the ground and into Cora¡¯s


    chest.


    The woman cried out and stumbled back from the impact as Joselin rushed forward. My heart stopped


    as Joselin wrapped her arms around Cora, and the two flickered out of the Sanctum.


    Everything stilled. The groans of pain from my men were the only sound beyond my heavy breathing,


    but I couldn¡¯t think to spare them my focus.


    My mate had just taken one of the most powerful witches I had ever seen to an unknown location,


    somewhere I couldn¡¯t follow them to help. My mate and, potentially, my child was gone.


    From how she flickered like static instead of fading, she had gone into the darkness¡­ the ce she


    promised never to go again.


    ¡°Where did she go?¡± I screamed, my voice booming across the opening. Aurora shook her head as


    Henry moved to her side. I could hear my men letting out sighs of relief that there was a break from


    fighting if it wasn¡¯t over entirely.


    But I couldn¡¯t seem to pull air in.


    ¡®I need Cora¡¯s location.¡¯ I sent it to Natalie, knowing she was watching the map.


    ¡®It¡¯s stopped moving.¡¯ Natalie¡¯s hesitant voice made my anger spike. Queen or not, my mate came first.


    ¡®Where did it stop?¡¯ I pushed again. ¡®Where is she?¡¯


    ¡®No, Tobias. The crystal stopped. It¡¯s not searching for her anymore.¡¯

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174


    Sixty-Seven: Joselin


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    When Cora turned to Tobias for the second time, something in me snapped. I had watched those


    spikes impale him, watched him pull himself back up, and watched as he fought with everything in him


    to get to me. He wanted to fight for and protect me, and my need to do the same was just as strong.


    For a split second, when the pain of being skewered to the ground hit me, I thought I had lost him. My


    vision went red, and I was ready to take down the entire mountain.


    Then he got up, and I felt like I could breathe again, but I turned my anger to Cora.


    I couldn¡¯t stop myself if I wanted to. Her ward wasn¡¯t breaking as quickly as I hoped, and I knew


    everyone was exhausted already. As much as I hated to admit it, she was winning. She was so strong


    from the fresh pull of power from Rona and was only a few hits away from killing one of our people.


    She had already been close to drowning most of them.


    The risk of her ensuring the first to fall would be Tobias was too high. She knew losing my mate would


    weaken, if not kill me.


    Instead, my legs carried me forward until my shoulder dug into Cora¡¯s torso, and my arms wrapped


    around her back. Touching her felt like ying with fire, burning my skin, but when the darkness


    surrounded us, I knew it was worth it.


    The world flickered around us, and my stomach clenched when the familiar feeling of darkness


    surrounded us.


    ¡®What are you doing?¡± Cora asked as we stumbled and struggled to regain our footing after I tackled


    her. She gripped me tightly like a child who didn¡¯t want to be put down.


    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t have hurt my mate,¡± I replied, knowing there were so many more reasons behind her


    death today, but my mind was on the man back in the Sanctum with a gaping chest wound.


    Her eyes were wide as she looked around, and I smirked at the unease I saw when she felt them. The


    shadows.


    The low rumble of excited growls through the darkness made the hair on my neck stand up. I had


    several wounds still bleeding, and the memory of one of the creatures sliding its tongue over my


    shoulder de had my heart beating faster.


    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t have killed those spell casters.¡± My statement was met with her jaw clenching as I


    grabbed one of her arms and forcefully pried it away from me. It was quite literally a shot in the dark


    that she wouldn¡¯t be able to use her powers here. But even if she could, if I could get her off me and


    get out of here, she would be stuck. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have killed Rona and the witch in the mountains.¡± ¡°I


    deserve a trial!¡± Cora screeched, suddenly no longer as confident as she used to be. We both knew I


    wouldn¡¯t let her out of here. As soon as she was back on Earth, she would go back to wreaking havoc


    and trying to kill everyone that didn¡¯t agree with her or that she could steal power from.


    ¡¯I¡¯m sure you recognize this ce. You don¡¯t deserve the air currently in your lungs, let alone a trial. I


    am your prosecutor, jury, and judge.¡± My fingernails dug into her arm, puncturing the skin as I held it


    down and away from me. She may have been more powerful after taking Rona¡¯s magic, but I was


    physically stronger from training every day.


    ¡°But not my executioner?¡± She twisted her arm, grabbing at my forearm but unable to get a firm hold.


    ¡¯You know what this ce is.¡± I felt victorious when she struggled even more, desperate to cling to me.


    I could feel the hot breath on the back of my neck and the overwhelming presence of the creature.


    It took everything in me not to flinch away, knowing whatever it was, it had tasted my blood before and


    had enjoyed it. I dreaded the moment it would run its long and rough tongue along my skin. But it didn¡¯t.


    Instead, I could feel its body vibrating as the rumble of excitement grew louder from behind me.


    ¡®You can¡¯t leave me in here!¡± Her voice cracked as she yelled, and a cruelugh ripped free from my


    chest.


    ¡®Oh, Cora. After everything you did. I¡¯m not nning on just leaving you in here. Walking away from


    you while you¡¯re heart is still beating would be a mistake. You think you shit gold with your holier-than-


    thou attitude¡­


    consider yourself a sacrifice, then. An offering. I¡¯m not your executioner. He is.¡±


    Cora¡¯s scream echoed through the darkness as I stepped away, my back grazing the chest of the


    creature behind me before Iunched my foot into her chest. Her fingernails ripped the skin on my


    forearm as she fell to the ground, but I pressed my lips together as I watched, praying to the Goddess


    that I didn¡¯t make a mistake by letting her go. There was always the chance of the creature attacking


    me since I was closest.


    The rush of air at my side and the sudden chill on my back let me take a deep breath of relief, knowing


    the creature had moved around me.


    I watched with horror as the dark shadow took on a shape between us as a giant w stabbed through


    Cora¡¯s chest.


    The second the organ was ripped free, the panic set in. Shadows from all around grew closer and


    louder as chunks were bitten out of Cora¡¯s flesh and torn from her body.


    I knew if I stayed, I would be next.


    My eyes closed as I tried to focus on The Sanctum of Light and Tobias. I needed to get back to him.


    Humid air washed over me, and I fell to my knees before opening my eyes, my fingerscing with the


    grass. Every part of my body hurt.


    ¡°Joselin!¡± Tobias¡¯s deep voice yelled, and I heard him stumbling toward me. My eyes opened, and my


    head snapped up to see him just as his giant Lycan form crashed to the ground beside me and pulled


    me to his chest.


    It was bloody, and dirt was matted into the wet fur, but I pressed my body into his further, gripping the


    back of his neck with one hand as I listened to his heartbeat.


    ¡®She¡¯s dead. Let¡¯s go home,¡± I whispered, but the others heard and gathered quickly. As soon as


    Aurora¡¯s hand touched my back, I let the warmth of the white vastness wee me before the world


    around us faded back into view.


    The rows of beds were empty, and there was a flurry of movement as the doctors and healers in the


    infirmary guided everyone to one to be treated.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Only Tobias refused to let me go. He carried me over to the closest bed and stood by my side with his


    hand in mine as one of the healers immediately began working, holding their hands to my body with


    their eyes closed. The rush of heat and tingling sensation that apanied the rapid healing was


    oddlyforting.


    Yet, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes away from my mate. His chest was still bleeding, not as much as before,


    but I was surprised he was still standing.


    ¡¯Joselin.¡± Killian¡¯s voice filled the room, and the murmuring stopped. He stormed in with Natalie trailing


    behind him. Cyrus, Aisha, and Margot hung back near the door, but I could see the relief on the spell


    caster¡¯s face when theynded on me.


    Killian looked furious. His ck eyes faded away as he took inventory of the room and that everyone


    had returned. He didn¡¯t like how close this fight had been, and I knew it. I didn¡¯t like it either. But in the


    end, we won. I did what needed to be done, and the threat was eliminated.


    Killian¡¯s jaw opened before snapping shut when Natalie stepped forward next to Tobias and threw her


    arms around me. ¡°We are so d that you all returned safely.¡±


    Her eyes dropped to my stomach, where the healer lifted my shirt and began working on the melted


    skin on my side.


    I wanted to assure her I was okay, but my eyes closed in a rush of unexpected happiness as Killian


    ced his hand on my leg.


    He came.


    I had waited for Tobias or Killian to show up for me when I had been stabbed after the war, but they


    never did. But now, I had my family with me this time, and my fears about not being wanted,


    receable, and good enough faded.


    ¡¯I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you all so soon. I figured you would be busy dealing with the aftermath of all


    of this.¡± I responded, my hand waving in the airzily to gesture to the room around us and all the


    injured Lycans.


    Natalie smiled at me warmly before turning to the bed beside me, giving Aurora and Henry a hug.


    ¡¯Charlie is in my office working for today. She said they would be staying to help out for a bit. Last I


    heard, she was in a conference call with several Alphas, giving them hell.¡± The corner of his lips turned


    up, and I knew he was happy to have her home and her help.


    I turned to the healer. ¡¯I am healed enough right now; please make him stop bleeding.¡±


    Tobias nced down at his chest, staying in his Lycan form, but I knew it was because he had been


    too injured to shift back. The trail of blood had run down his chest and covered the tops of his thighs,


    but he refused to let my hand go when the healer tried to gesture for him to sit in one of the beds.


    They worked around him and our connecting hands. By the time they had him healed, one of the


    servants had already arrived with clothes for all the warriors. The healed warriors were rxing in bed,


    naked and proudly on disy for the blushing servants as trays of food and drinks were brought in to


    help them replenish from the taxing fight.


    Tobias slipped into the shorts he was handed after shifting back into his skin, grabbing my hand again


    as soon as he had them on. There was dirt on his face and dried blood covering his body, but he was


    still the most attractive man I had ever seen. I was lucky to have found and to be loved by him.


    Flora came over, finished with who she had been working on, and took over on myst few superficial


    injuries. ¡°How have you been feelingtely? Any better? You know, before today, I mean.¡±


    My eyes moved to Tobias, and I didn¡¯t care that we were in a room full of people and that it wouldn¡¯t be


    a private conversation. Now that the threat had been eliminated, I was ready to face our next


    challenge, and I didn¡¯t want to wait anymore before learning the truth.


    ¡¯No,¡± I whispered to her, holding my mate¡¯s stare. ¡°But I think it¡¯s because I¡¯m pregnant.¡±


    Arge smile spread on Tobias¡¯s face, making my heart thump wildly and quickly against my ribs. He


    looked happy and so excited.


    A small part of me worried he would assume I had cheated since he never came in me, but he didn¡¯t


    look concerned.


    ¡®You¡¯re okay with that possibility?¡¯ My question received a loudugh from him in response.


    ¡®Sweetheart, it¡¯s not a possibility. Do you think I haven¡¯t been aware of all of the changes and


    symptoms you have been having? Ever since you found that hair at Rona¡¯s house and discovered it


    wasn¡¯t a curse, I had the feeling you might be pregnant. I couldn¡¯t be happier.¡¯ His words made me tear


    up, and he leaned in and kissed my lips. ¡®Besides, if I can knock you up with a little pre-cum, you better


    be prepared for a whole litter of kids because I won¡¯t ever stop fucking you bare.¡¯


    Iughed as I pulled back, holding his stare momentarily before giving Flora my attention.


    ¡®We can do the blood test if you want to confirm.¡± Her offer made the smile fall from my face.


    ¡°I already told you that you¡¯re not touching my blood. Give me a stick to pee on or something.¡± I already


    had to burn these sheets on the bed and my clothes; I wasn¡¯t about to just hand over a vial of my


    blood.


    ¡®Let¡¯s get you a test then, and if it¡¯s positive, we can set you up for a pelvic ultrasound.¡±


    Within a few minutes, I stood alone in the bathroom, holding a stick in a small cup of my urine.


    I didn¡¯t think my anxiety could be higher, but when I set the test on the counter, I knew I didn¡¯t want to


    do this alone.


    Pulling the door open, I grabbed Tobias¡¯s arm and pulled him into the small room with me, ignoring the


    questions from everyone waiting outside with bated breaths.


    He pressed a kiss to my head, silently knowing that what I needed right then was just hisfort. I


    sank into his warm chest before pulling back, using the few minutes we had to wait to rub wet paper


    towels over his chest, cleaning it of blood.


    I felt him staring down at me, and my hands froze over the top of his abs as he lifted my chin with the


    knuckle of his index finger.


    ¡®We are in this together, no matter what.¡± ¡¯Together,¡± I repeated. Tobia held my stare for a few more


    seconds before reaching over to grab the test, and together we looked down at it.

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175


    Joselin¡¯s P.O.V.


    Traveling to a ce where everyone let their ignorance run their fear was genius. I used to think one


    had to be a special kind of stupid to let that happen.


    Yet, as I sat back on the lounge chair on a deserted beach oasis in the human town, I enjoyed every


    second of it.


    Every time someone was brave enough to join us, I simply turned to them and shed my innocent,


    pearly white eyes, and they spooked like a horse seeing a snake.


    It helped that my blindingly pale skin had my signature runes and knots vibrating away. I knew I looked


    like something from a horror movie, but Goddess, it was good.


    It wasn¡¯t even a human-only resort. Creatures of all kinds would vacation here, but they still ran from


    me.


    They knew who I was. The look on their face when they realized I was among them, was so worth it. It


    practically screamed that their asshole just puckered with fear, and then they booked it back into the


    resort, packed their shit, and rushed home to be as far away from me as possible.


    If seeing me didn¡¯t work, the giant Lycan walking toward me out of the water did the trick.


    A few humans had ventured down the beach from the other hotels and stared at him longer than I had


    liked as his swim trunks hung low on his hips. At first, he enjoyed seeing me jealous. But when I stood


    up and charged toward them, he started shifting into his Lycan form, and they ran.


    We were a good team and a terrifyingbination. The only people who had the nerve to approach us


    were the staff, but it wasn¡¯t to ask us to leave since we were disrupting their business. No. They were


    waiting on us hand and foot to keep up happy. Only one had been so terrified that they peed


    themselves and were immediately sent home.


    We had been here for two weeks, and I was in no rush to leave. After everything we had dealt with over


    the past year, we had earned this vacation, and I would enjoy everyst second of it.


    The sound of ss rattling gave away the human as soon as he stepped out onto the sandy beach and


    made his way to us from the resort.


    It was no wonder the humans lost the Great War so easily, I could hear himing a mile away, and I


    didn¡¯t have super hearing like Tobias did. Killian had tried to convince me to bring our own staff from


    the castle, who knew would ensure our food wasn¡¯t tampered with, but I wanted to get away from


    everyone and everything for a while.


    Plus, my sense of smell had been out of this world, and I could name every ingredient and seasoning in


    our food. Nothing would get past this nose.


    My mate¡¯s heated gaze was locked on me as he approached, water dripping down his broad chest and


    sculpted abs. His skin was tanner than usual from being in the water for the past two weeks, and I


    loved watching him move toward me.


    He put Greek Gods to shame.


    I felt myself grow wet between my legs, something that was constant nowadays. It was like I couldn¡¯t


    shut my hormones off. I wanted Tobias every second of every day in every ce I could have him.


    And I did. The staff at the resort got quite a show.


    Between him fucking me against the wall in the lobby, me riding him on the table after we got subpar


    massages from the terrified and sweating masseuse, and the way he not-so-subtly fingered me at


    dinner beneath the table in their restaurant a few nights ago, they had seen everything.


    ¡°Mrs. Jones.¡±


    A smile spread across my lips. I would never tire of hearing someone refer to me with Tobias¡¯sst


    name.


    I turned and grabbed drinks from the tray, cing them on the small table between the two lounge


    chairs. Tobias enjoyed drinking and eating to his heart¡¯s content, but I was overly cautious with


    anything I put in my body.


    I turned back toward my mate as I mindlessly spouted off a food order. The server practically sprinted


    back to the resort after I had dismissed him, but I didn¡¯t bother to turn. I was too caught up in the man


    approaching me.


    Tobias¡¯s smile was blinding, and I had never seen him look happier or more rxed than he had been


    over the past two weeks. After Cora was killed, it took a couple of months to get everything sorted out.


    Cyrus and two new witches from promising families with good histories were selected to join the


    council, bringing us back to seven so Aisha could stop bitching about making us an even number and


    messing up votes. I went back as far as I could in their lineage, researched every generation,


    investigated the pledges¡¯ lives down to how often they sneezed and interviewed everyone I could who


    knew them.


    It was a thorough and tedious process, but I would not be putting my people at risk again.


    As soon as they had settled into their roles, we took off with no return date. Just the n to rx and


    enjoy our much-earned vacation, or as we heard the resort¡¯s staff guessing, our honeymoon.


    I wouldn¡¯t deny it. With how often we were going at it, it was a honeymoon.


    I loved it.


    Tobias¡¯srge hand syed over my rounded stomach, rubbing it gently before leaning in for a kiss.


    His teeth nibbled on my bottom lip before he soothed it with a devastatingly delicious swipe of his


    tongue. My hands grabbed the back of his neck, my fingerscing in his hair.


    ¡°You wore this bathing suit to torture me,¡± Tobias smirked as he pulled back, his fingers pulling at the


    blue string of my bikini before letting it snap back against my skin. The fabric was minimal, barely


    covering my growing breasts, but it hadn¡¯t been my intention. It fit just fine before we left. Yet with each


    passing day, my body was continuing to change to prepare for the life we were creating.


    ¡°If you have a problem with it, why don¡¯t you take it off me?¡± My nose ran along his as I flicked the tip of


    my tongue against his lips. The groan he let out as he pulled back and dropped into his lounge chair


    sounded defeated and tortured.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who said you were sore. I have been nice to you all day, giving you a break to let you


    heal.¡± He grabbed his drink and sipped the ice- cold beverage but kept his eyes on me.


    Iughed. ¡°You woke me up with your head between my legs, fucked me against the shower wall, and


    fingered me in the elevator¡­ I¡¯m not sure that constitutes a break. You¡¯re the one who got me knocked


    up and worked up. Now, you must take care of my needs. As my mate, it¡¯s your job. You take care of


    me, and I take care of you.¡±


    I sat up from the chair as I licked my lips suggestively, thankful my towel was down to prevent my legs


    and back from sticking to the hard surface ¨C I learned that lesson on day one ¨C and climbed onto his


    lap.


    Tobias licked his lips, set his drink down, and grabbed my hips. ¡¯ Sweetheart, I¡¯ll take care of everyst


    one of your needs. Tell me what you want me to do to you.¡±


    With my knees on either side of him, I rolled my hips against his rapidly hardening cock. ¡°I want you


    inside me.¡±


    Tobias watched as I undid the string on the front of his wet swim trunks and freed him. He didn¡¯t need


    another invitation before he slid his hands around my hips to cup my ass and pulled my bikini bottoms


    to the side.


    I lifted my body, allowing him to guide himself into me.


    The staff and anyone who looked out the window of their room could see us. Humans were prudes,


    and any brave enough to stay would probably make a big deal about how scandalous we were when


    they watched me throw my head back as my man filled me. If they had a problem with it, they could


    pack up and leave the resort like the other humans instead of hiding in their rooms.


    The feeling of him cumming inside me had be addicting, and I wasn¡¯t even ashamed of how much


    I loved it. But I also wasn¡¯t ready for more than one kid just yet. As soon as I got the all-clear once our


    little one was born, I would be back on birth control and forcing him to pull out again.


    It didn¡¯t work for usst time. Still, maybe the Goddess would humor me for a bit and keep my uterus


    empty until we mastered the new waters of parenthood, even though Tobias had made several heart-


    stoppingments about raising a whole litter of kids.


    He wanted to ensure we did it right and that our kids would know how loved they were. Our shitty


    upbringings made it virtually impossible not to do better than our parents did. We wouldn¡¯t be perfect,


    but we would do our best, and I hoped our kids would be happy with that.


    As Iy curled against his side on the lounge chair, my bathing suit back in ce, our food arrived.


    Tobias had his arm around my back, his hand under the triangle of fabric covering my right breast, his


    thumb stroking the skin there.


    He had been enjoying the changes to my body, and even though I was getting bigger in every way, I


    still felt empowered and sexy.


    He used his empty hand to grab a slice of apple from the tray of fruit I ordered and brought it to my


    mouth to feed me. The burst of vor on my tongue was exactly what I had been craving, and I turned


    my head and kissed his chest when I swallowed my bite.


    ¡°I was thinking that maybe we could start decorating the nursery when we return home?¡± Tobias had


    been more excited for this child than any man I had ever known, and I had been putting off the nursery


    until I was sure the pregnancy would stick.


    Thest thing we needed was to put together a room for the baby and then have the stress of what my


    body went through make us lose it. He had been understanding and patient, but I knew he was excited


    to start nesting, which was usually the woman¡¯s job.


    At least, I thought it was until I saw that giant box for the jungle gym and swing set for our backyard in


    the corner of the garage. Our kid wouldn¡¯t even be able to use it for a few years, but he was really


    excited.


    Everything for their room was on a wish list online. Just waiting for Tobias to hit check out. It was


    adorable.


    ¡°I think that is a great idea,¡± I whispered.


    Tobias pulled me tighter against his chest with a kiss on my head, and I never wanted him to let me goN?velDrama.Org content rights.

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176


    Epilogue: Natalie ¨C The Beast and The Blessed


    Natalie¡¯s P.O.V.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing great, Lincoln! Keep it up!¡± I yelled, trying to encourage my son as he faced his opponent.


    Every kid had to go through it, the training, the cements, and thepetitions. If he could win at


    least 3 out of his five rounds, he would move up to the next level training ss. He had lost thest


    round, which had knocked his confidence down a notch, but he was still doing great.


    He had been working hard, training extra. The pressure to impress his dad drove him forward, but he


    had to know by Killian¡¯s yelling and cheering that it didn¡¯t matter if he won or lost. Killian would always


    be his biggest fan.


    I¡¯d stand by my decision that I was the biggest, but if I was honest, Killian put me to shame. The man


    adored his kid, and even when Lincoln lost thest cement challenge, Killian cheered him on and


    told him how well he did, and Lincoln ate up every word.


    I told him the same thing, buting from me, he didn¡¯t hear a thing. Everything his father said was


    like it came from the mouth of the Goddess herself. Our son looked up to him and wanted to be just like


    him. It was adorable.


    ¡°Keep going! That¡¯s my boy!¡± Killian shouted proudly from beside me. I let out a sigh of adoration as the


    corners of Lincoln¡¯s mouth twitched up at the sound of his father¡¯s voice before he regained his


    composure, his eyebrows dropping as he focused.


    ¡¯TAKE HIM TO THE GROUND, LINO!¡± Amara yelled angrily, on her feet, as her father red at my son


    from next to her. She sure was a spitfire, and I had a feeling whoever she ended up with would be in for


    one hell of a ride.


    Just like Joselin and Killian, Amara and Lincoln were best friends.


    Amara was born three years before Lincoln. The day Joselin had her, I cried fat tears of joy.


    There was some jealousy and heartbreak in there too, but I wouldn¡¯t ever tell anyone that. Each month


    that I failed to conceive, I would wait for Killian to leave our room and head to work for the day before


    letting the gut -wrenching sobs out. For years, I prayed to the Goddess, asking what was wrong with


    me and why I hadn¡¯t given Killian the baby and heir he wanted.


    My mother had asked me to consider going to The Sanctum of Light to conceive, thinking it had


    something to do with my connection to the Goddess as one of her descendants. But I knew my parents


    had conceived me away from The Sanctum, and I was fine.


    Where I made the baby wasn¡¯t the issue. I was the issue.


    I also didn¡¯t want to risk my child having the attachment to the Sanctum that my mother and each


    generation before her had. I wanted them to be free instead of having to go back to The Sanctum every


    few weeks to replenish their magic and energy.


    ¡°GET HIM IN AN ARM BAR!¡± Amara screamed again, throwing her fists above her head in frustration.


    She looked just like Joselin. Her long white hair and violent tendencies left little question in anyone¡¯s


    mind about whose daughter she was. It was the brown eyes that Amara shared with her father that


    Joselin was the most proud of, gene-wise.


    She gushed over how beautiful her daughter¡¯s eyes were from the moment she opened them. She was


    ecstatic when her three boys were born over the next few years, looking just like Tobias. I knew one of


    her biggest fears was passing on her white eyes to her children. They were unique and special, but


    they caused her difficulty growing up with people not epting her, and she didn¡¯t want that for her


    kids.


    Lincoln flipped his opponent, dropping down on top of him. They wrestled until he could securely lock


    the other kid¡¯s arm, on the verge of breaking it.


    Three taps to the groundter, Lincoln stood tall in front of the roaring crowd as he was dered the


    winner of this round.


    It was his fourth round but third win, earning him a spot in the higher-level training group.


    At eight, he was advancing faster than anyone had expected but considering who his father was; I had


    no doubt he would do well.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Killian shouted, up on his feet, thrusting his fist into the air. It seemed so stupid now that I had


    ever questioned whether Killian wanted children. Lincoln was his world. We had been trying for


    another, but this time around, I knew it would happen when the time was right. I just had to be patient,


    even though I felt my frustration building with every passing month. Those months turned to years; with


    it, my soul hurt a bit more each time.


    ¡°Good job, Lincoln!¡± Amara screamed, knowing her best friend had just earned himself a spot in her


    training ss. They would not get anything done now. The two of them together were just asking for


    trouble.


    Neither had shifted yet, and everyone was wondering what gene they would take after. Now that we


    knew both could reside in one body, we nned to train them on both regardless, but one gene would


    always be dominant.


    Joselin was down on the mat, pping as she stood next to the rest of her training ss. She was


    beaming with pride, but I knew she was sad that Lincoln would leave her trainees. He was thest to


    fight, and I knew it was because he was the prince. He was the final event, and he did not disappoint.


    As we made our way down the bleachers to the training mats, I watched my son wrap Joselin in a tight


    hug, thanking her for teaching him before sprinting past her.


    My arms opened wide, and I smiled as I anticipated one of his big bear hugs. Sweaty or not, I adored


    them. Whenever I wrapped my arms around him, I could feel how small he was and remind myself that


    he was still a kid even though he acted older.


    Killian choked on hisugh when Lincoln flew right past me, his hands grabbing Amara¡¯s shoulders as


    he shook her once in excitement.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to train together!¡± She cheered. ¡°Next time, just break his arm!-


    Killian stepped to my side, cing his arm around my waist, and he kissed the top of my head as I


    straightened back up. ¡°I think we have finally hit the age where we are no longer on his radar, my mate.


    It will get easier.¡±


    It was easy for him to say. Lincoln still hung on his every word. I wasn¡¯t ready to let go of my only baby,


    but it seemed he wouldn¡¯t give me much choice. Lincoln was eight now, but Killian had shifted around


    this time when he was a kid. Soon, Lincoln would too, and then he would be off training even more, and


    as he got older, he would start looking for his mate.


    My lips pursed together as I joined Tobias in ring at our children. They were still just kids, but I


    wasn¡¯t ready for them to grow up this fast. He was protective of his baby girl being around a boy, but I


    was just upset that my boy no longer needed me.


    ¡¯There will be no breaking of any limbs until you shift. That applies to both of you.¡¯ Killian¡¯s voice was


    thick with amusement as I leaned into his side, still pouting.


    Neither of the kids reacted; their selective hearing for when a parent spoke was turned on. Instead,


    they talked over each other and made ns to celebrate with the others from their training groups for


    ice cream sundaes in the dining hall.


    I didn¡¯t even get to congratte him before the two ran off to meet up with their friends.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing great, Nat,¡± Joselin said, bumping my shoulder with hers. Raising children together


    brought us even closer, and every day I was thankful that she had her vision and kicked Killian into


    gear toe to find me.


    ¡¯You are too.¡± I picked up on my toes, watching as my son and her daughter made their way into the


    castle. ¡°Where are the boys?¡±


    Her three boys were always out causing trouble, and she wouldugh it off, but I knew sheid down


    thew whenever they took things too far. ¡°Last I heard, they were trying to craft homemade bows and


    arrows, so I¡¯ll be in the infirmary with at least one of them to see the healers within the next day or two.¡±


    I nodded, but my eyes were wide at how rxed she sounded. She trusted her kids fully, and they lived


    a very free and exciting life. My blood pressure always went through the roof when Lincoln would run


    off to y with them.


    ¡°Do you want to go celebrate with the kids?¡± Joselin asked, rubbing her slightly rounded stomach. I


    could practically see her salivating at the idea of ice cream over a hot brownie.


    ¡°No.¡± Killian¡¯s sudden response made me jump, and I pressed my lips together to stop fromughing.


    Tobias smirked before looking away, still not being asfortable around Killian as my mate had


    hoped. Their friendship was still beneath everything, but Tobias preferred treating Killian as the king


    instead of his friend. I didn¡¯t know what happened between them, but I would continue to pray forthem


    to work things out soon.


    I was sure they would get over it one day, but I was surprised they had taken so long.


    ¡°Message received. Have fun!¡± Joselin chuckled before grabbing her mate¡¯s hand and dragging him to


    the dining hall to steal some dessert, even if she wasn¡¯t nning to stay there with the kids.


    Killian wanted another baby, and I would spend every free second we had wrapped around him if it


    meant I could give him another one someday.


    ¡¯Let¡¯s go back to our room.¡± He whispered against the side of my head, nibbling on my earlobe.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s go to your office.¡± My chest rubbed against his as I spun around in his arms to face him. ¡°I


    have a few things I want to do in there.¡¯

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177


    The Bear and The Beauty ¨C One: Charlie


    The Bear and The Beauty


    Chapter One: Charlie


    Charlie¡¯s P.O.V.


    I could hearthemughing from here. There were a hundred yards of thick trees between us, and I


    could still hear themughing at me.


    The corner of my lips pulled up at the sound. Even if I was the butt of the joke, it felt amazing. Before


    them, I never had someone willing to treat me as an equal. Let alone to be so bold as tough at me to


    my face.


    But as I grabbed arge glob of the thick green slime from my chest, I let a chuckle slip out too. It


    dripped through my fingers, stringing through them to the ground just as I reached the river¡¯s edge.


    I deserved this. I knew better.


    Yet, I still ended up covered in troll snot because I was careless. There were worse ways to end up


    after a battle with a rogue troll, but being drenched in their mucus was not my favorite.


    Flicking my fingers to the side, the slime smacked loudly against the leaves of the overgrown bush next


    to me.


    He would bring in a nice payday, but getting his remnants from my clothes and memory would take


    forever.


    Oh, if my brother could see me now. He would be furious. Risking my life to chase monsters and


    sleeping in the forest with five men. Of course, they were in separate bed rolls and tents, but just


    thinking about him seeing how I lived now¡­ I could picture the vein in Killian¡¯s forehead threatening to


    burst.


    He hated having his heir so far away and out from under his thumb. It was part of the reason why I left.


    Whenever he vocalized his dislike for my upation, he always said it wasn¡¯t suitable for ¡®the heir¡¯ to


    be putting herself in danger. Not once had he said he was worried about ¡®his sister.¡¯


    There was a big difference. One I resented.


    As soon as I had the opportunity, I fled home like the hounds of hell were on my heels.


    To be fair, they technically were. An angry Lycan was one thing, but the Lycan king? Forget about it.


    A thickyer of sweat coated every inch of my body, and I excitedly eyed the water. The only good


    thing toe of identally puncturing the pocket of mucus that trolls had under their chin, like a


    croaking frog, was that I was given first rights to bathe.


    As the only woman here, I usually let them go first.


    Five filthy men waiting on one woman seemed unreasonable, even though they argued otherwise, but


    now it was my turn to enjoy the cool water instead of having to sit in damp clothing as the sweat dried


    along my skin.


    Not bothering to remove my disgusting clothes, I waded into the water. The chill in the stream sent a


    shiver along my spine as I bent my knees and sank down. My hands fisted into the sand, and I rubbed


    it over my top first. It had been the easiest way for a quick clean, and when the small pebbles washed


    away through my fingers, I reached down and grabbed more.


    Once I felt confident that the sludge had been forced from the fabric, I began the struggle of pulling the


    wet long-sleeve top from my body. I should have learned my lesson by now and switched to leather.


    The men had offered to make me some so I could sew it into a functional top, something easier to


    clean, but the idea of wearing that through the hot summer sounded horrendous.


    I knew what those men smelled like by the end of the day. Somehow, it managed to be more pungent


    after a day of working around camp than when we were out stalking, chasing, and ughtering


    creatures for the bounties.


    How that happened, I had no idea. While I appreciated my family of misfits and monster hunters, I


    didn¡¯t want to smell like them.


    I rang out my top before climbing back up the river bank andying it over the rocks to dry. I knew I


    would still go to bed with it at least damp and would have to hang it up around camp, but it was better


    than it crusting with mucus. My pants were next, and as I pulled them over my thighs with a groan, my


    heel caught a rock and sent me down on my ass.


    A sharp cry left my lips as the uneven stones beneath me bruised my tailbone, and I kicked the fabric


    free from around my ankles.


    I didn¡¯t bother toy them out. They deserved their punishment of sitting tangled up in a wet ball for the


    time being.


    ¡®Hm,¡¯ A deep hum of amusement reached my ears, and my cheeks burned brightly as I looked up. A


    beast of a man was bent over the bank of the river almost 20 yards downstream, rinsing what looked


    like blood from his hands. His thick forearms were massive, and the veins were prominent as hisrge


    hands sshed water over them.


    His broad chest and shoulders made my mouth go dry, and my jaw dropped at his size. Growing up


    surrounded by Lycans, I was used to shirtless, muscr men walking around. But he put them to


    shame. I was sure if one wanted to, a full-grown Lycan could hide behind him, and no one would be the


    wiser.


    His dark eyes were alight with amusement, with his eyebrows raised as he held my stare and


    continued to clean himself. I couldn¡¯t tell if they were a deep brown or ck from the distance, but I


    wanted to find out. I felt stuck in ce for a moment as the breeze shifted and his delicious scent


    wafted over to me. I had never smelt anything so enticing before.


    It was addictive and burned into my mind. I could drown in it and would greet the Goddess with open


    arms and thank her for creating such a perfect man and smell before ever even meeting him.


    Him. My mate.


    I could feel the excitement of my wolf as the man sat back on his heels, watching me. He looked


    entertained but not as excited as I felt. My hands were still behind me, holding my back off the rocks,


    and my knees were bent as I held my injured butt off the rocks.


    Any redness in my cheeks promptly burned down my neck and over my chest as I realized my position.


    His eyes roamed over me greedily, stopping to examine the thin see-through bralette I was wearing


    and the mismatched thong.


    The way I saw it, the less fabric to clean and dry, the better. But now I was second-guessing


    everything. Nudity wasn¡¯t umon for Lycans or wolves, but he didn¡¯t smell like either one.


    I took in another deep breath, my muscles tensing. I may not interact with their kind often, but I


    recognized them when I crossed one. They had a subtle undertone of pine.


    A bear shifter.


    He tore his gaze away from me, and somehow that made me feel even more exposed than when he


    was staring. I wanted his eyes on me. I wanted to know that my mate liked what he saw¡­ even if I was


    propped up like I was ready to crabwalk.


    ssy.


    The man pushed his wet hands through his ck hair, clearing the strands back from his forehead. I


    was hypnotized.


    If he could make something that simple look so sexy, I was doomed.


    I scampered to my feet, determined to make the most out of meeting my mate, but I couldn¡¯t do that


    covered in slime. I dove back into the water, arching my back slightly and straightening my legs. Maybe


    he would enjoy the sight I offered as much as I enjoyed watching him.


    The cold water in the hot summer heat was exactly what I needed to regain myposure. So far, I


    had done nothing to attract him to me, and I wanted to make asting impression.


    As I broke the water¡¯s surface, I noticed he was now standing, and giddiness filled me at the prospect


    of him joining me. Perhaps he was as excited about finding me as I was about finding him.


    His pink lips were turned up in a smirk, and I couldn¡¯t tell if he was happy or if the look was because he


    knew something I didn¡¯t.


    I sank down until the water touched my neck, using my hand to discretely wipe over my chest to ensure


    there wasn¡¯t any evidence left of my time with the troll.


    He crossed his arms, the faded ck fabric of his shorts hung low, and I swallowed hard as he raised


    an eyebrow at me, openly curious about what I would do next.


    Did he want me to seduce him? I had never seduced anyone in my life.


    My entire life, I had been waiting for my mate, the man that would love me and that I could love. There


    was no point in sharing myself with anyone else when nothing more woulde from it beyond


    damaging my reputation and possibly upsetting my future mate.


    Most wolves enjoyed sex like it was a sport; nothing was sacred or taboo about it. But the idea of my


    mate being with other women, of having to possibly face those other women one day, made me sick to


    my stomach. Why would I put my mate in that position if I didn¡¯t want to be in it myself?


    I rose slowly, watching as his dark eyes dropped down to my scantily d chest, where I could feel that


    my nipples had hardened to peaks beneath the fabric.


    My arms spread out at my sides, dancing along the top of the water in a silent invitation for him to look,


    to join me, maybe even for him to touch.


    But the amusement was gone from his face. He looked confused, almost spooked.


    I raised an eyebrow at him, challenging him to make the next move.


    He lifted his hand and pointed at his hair before gesturing to me. My hand flew up, and I felt it¡­ the


    moment my heart stopped beating.


    All arousal was gone, the blood had drained from my face, and I swallowed hard to keep the tears from


    welling up.


    My fingers slid into the thick goo, sticking to it and making me cringe as my eyes closed.


    ¡®Don¡¯t cry, Charlie. You are better than that. You are a princess, heir to the crown, and nothing, not


    even having your hair full of troll snot, should embarrass you.¡¯ My pep talk didn¡¯t work, and I let my


    head drop back, my chest pressing out toward my mate as I quickly ran my fingers through the long,


    curly strands of brown hair to clean them.


    I kept my eyes closed, not ready to face him again until I collected my thoughts and emotions. He didn¡¯t


    need to see all of my crazy right away.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    My lungs shook with nerves as I lifted my head slowly, my hair heavy with water that loudly dripped


    back into the river.


    The harsh afternoon sun began to rapidly heat me back up as I straightened, ready to try again.


    Meeting my mate shouldn¡¯t be this difficult. He was made for me by the Goddess, and I had no reason


    to be so nervous.


    My eyelids cracked open slowly, and I took a deep breath before ncing at where he had been


    standing. The empty river bank made my stomach twist into a knot, and I rushed to the side and lifted


    myself out of the water. The breeze had shifted, and my mate¡¯s scent was gone¡­as was he

 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178


    Two: Charlie


    Charlie¡¯s P.O.V.


    I could feel him. His eyes were on me. The hairs on the back of my neck were raised, and goosebumps


    littered my skin, even as I warmed under the afternoon sun.


    It didn¡¯t seem to matter how fast I ran or where I turned; he was faster. It was like he didn¡¯t want to be


    found, and since he had been the one to run away, to begin with¡­ I was smart enough to know that


    might have been the case. I just didn¡¯t want to ept it.


    The deeper into the trees I went without my clothes or weapons, the more humiliation I felt. What kind


    of dignified woman, let alone a member of the royal family, goes chasing a man who doesn¡¯t even want


    her?


    Water dripped from the ends of my hair, flicking around me when I turned my head quickly at a sound


    to my left.


    I could have let him walk away. I could have given him space, but I didn¡¯t know if he was just traveling


    through or if he lived here. If he were just traveling, finding him again would be difficult or even


    impossible. I could spend months or years trying to locate him.


    I had dreamed about meeting my mate for so long, and I was terrified that if I let him slip through my


    fingers now, I would never find him again.


    It was that fear that kept me moving forward. I couldn¡¯t lose him.


    Even if he didn¡¯t want me, I needed to hear it for myself so I wouldn¡¯t spend the rest of my life


    wondering, ¡®What if?¡¯.


    There was no sign of life between the trees. The thick trunks blocked most of my view, and I stepped to


    the side quietly as I tried to peer around them. The breeze was still blowing to the southwest, the same


    direction my mate had taken off in.


    It also made it so I couldn¡¯t catch the scent of whatever was lurking nearby, but I knew they would catch


    mine.


    A deer stepped out between the trees and into my line of sight, grazing. I felt my chest drop in


    disappointment. Surely, if my mate were nearby, he would have spooked the animal a while ago. I


    doubted a deer would be confident andfortable enough to graze with a bear in its presence.


    Yet, I was still aware of the distinct feeling of being watched. I could still feel the heat of embarrassment


    on my chest, knowing my mate was doing a better job of hunting me than I was him.


    I knew how to hunt and stalk creatures of all sizes, yet he was outsmarting me. Just another way for


    me to humiliate myself in front of him before even getting his name.


    When the sun sank down further, and I could hear the sound of one of my men calling out to me, I


    realized how far I had wandered. My feet had sunk into the soft soil as I continued to stare between the


    trees. I had been watching and waiting, desperate to see him again.


    ¡¯Charlie!¡± The deep and gruff shout of my name from Paxton made me turn my head slowly. The


    darkness that had taken over surprised me, and I looked up and around. How long had I been standing


    here listening for my mate or hoping the breeze would shift so that I could catch his scent again?


    ¡®For fuck¡¯s sake, Charlie! What the hell are you doing out here?¡± Paxton¡¯s eyes widened when he saw I


    was in my undergarments. It clearly hadn¡¯t been what he had been expecting by the shocked look on


    his face. There was no need for me to be dressed this way as we remained clothed in our skin and


    were naked in our fur. Any in-between was almost scandalous. ¡°I told you to stop trying to seduce me.¡±


    Paxton was thedy¡¯s man of the group, tall and confident. He could make a woman melt by shing


    his perfectly symmetrical grin and setting their panties on fire with one heated gaze.


    I knew he could. I had seen it for myself, but it had never worked on me.


    He tried. Oh, trust me, He tried.


    It was how we met.


    Paxton had ced his hands on the bar where I sat, caging me in, and leaned forward with the


    weirdest pickup line about loving women with long hair and how if I left with him, he would braid it for


    me in the morning.


    When Iughed in his face, the charming devil faded away and left one confused man. He hated the


    chase, and my rejection made him flip like a switch from seductive toid-back. The way he had put it,


    why would he spend time chasing a woman who wasn¡¯t interested when he could turn to the next


    willing one and bag them with minimal effort?


    Too bad for him, I was the only female in the bar then, as it was early morning. So, he decided to take a


    seat next to me. He tried a few more lines on me with no conviction, all of which I shot down. But our


    conversation after that was great.


    I ran into him a few more times around the town over the next few days, and we got to know each


    other.


    We bonded after that, and he introduced me to Barley. Barley was the Papa Bear of the group. An


    older, jolly fellow, taller than most Lycans, but with a bigger gut than them too. Yet, seeing him in battle


    was like watching a


    child on Christmas morning. I had never seen such arge and round man move so quickly and fluidly


    with as big a smile on their face.


    My eyes locked with the grey orbs of Paxton, and I blinked my dry eyes once as I tried to focus on him.


    It was then that the feeling of being watched faded away, and I knew my mate was no longer around.


    My chest dropped as disappointment flooded me.


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    It made me want to crumble, but I was stronger than that. The things I had dealt with in my life had


    forced me to have a harder shell and be tougher to break.


    Still, having it be the one person I had been counting on, the person I was going to love and who would


    love me unconditionally, that walked away made my heart crack.


    It wasn¡¯t fair to put that kind of pressure on him before I even met him. He could still reject me, or


    perhaps he had already imed another. If not, maybe he wanted to choose one of his own kind to


    im.


    A Lycan with a bear¡­ not many would be happy about that. But I would.


    Even if he changed his mind and came back, deciding that he did want me, I wasn¡¯t sure my brother


    would be able to see past my mate being a bear for him to give him a chance. If something happened


    to Killian, I would take the throne, and having a bear at my side could send the Lycans and wolves into


    an uproar.


    The wolves and bears were always in one territory dispute or another.


    Bears like to roam free, unlimited by invisible borders and territory lines, while wolves like to establish a


    set territory for their pack to live in.


    ¡°Charlie? For real, you¡¯re scaring me. You were gone so long that we went looking for you and found


    your clothes. We thought you went for a run. I bravely volunteered toe after you when you didn¡¯t


    come back.¡± He puffed his chest with pride, and I narrowed my eyes at him. He was freshly washed,


    and his hair was still damp, so I knew he hadn¡¯t been that concerned.


    Paxton was excellent at ying the selfless hero. But that was all it was, pretend. He put on a good


    face, but it was mostly just to make himself look good, especially if he was putting on a show for a


    woman.


    ¡®So, you drew the white stone?¡¯ I stepped forward. It felt odd to move again after standing with my body


    tense and still for so long.


    Paxton smirked, and I knew I was right on the money.


    Neil, our resident gambler, kept a few bags on his belt of dice, cards, and a bag of six stones. Five


    were ck, and one was white.


    It was our way of deciding who would be stuck with the chores and jobs that no one wanted to do. We


    each drew a rock in our closed fists and then opened them at the same time. Whoever had the white


    stone lost.


    It was fair enough, or at least it would be if Neil lost more often. I was sure he was rigging it in his favor,


    but when he did lose, he took the truly awful jobs to make up for giving away all the small ones to the


    rest of us.


    ¡®I didn¡¯te because of the stone.¡± Paxton pressed his hand over his chest; his head pulled back with


    the practiced offense. ¡°I was worried about my friend. How was I supposed to know you were out here


    waiting for me in lingerie?¡±


    My eyebrows pinched together as I looked down at the old and faded fabric covering me. Definitely not


    lingerie.


    ¡±Be careful, Pax. If you keep spewing your heroplex bullshit, your eyes may turn brown. Your


    ladies would hate that.¡¯ I rolled my eyes at him as I walked past with my chin up, even though my chest


    felt tight, and I could feel the heat building behind my eyes.


    Paxton was the biggest flirt I knew, and women flocked to him in droves, but he had nothing on my


    mate. Paxton was a pretty boy. I had seen enough of them at court.


    But my mate¡­my mate was rugged and handsome. He was a man. Just by one look, anyone would


    know he preferred being in the wild. It sounded like a peaceful life, one I would enjoy.


    I couldn¡¯t get the image of my mate standing on the river bank, smirking at me like he knew all my


    secrets out of my head. He was so attractive I was surprised I didn¡¯t melt into a puddle. Then he was


    gone, and I had never felt more alone in my life.


    Paxton jogged up next to me, blinking his grey eyes rapidly. ¡°Darling, my incredible eyes are just a


    small part of a very big package, massive even.¡±


    He shed his charming smile with a wiggle of his brows, but it onlysted a second as he seemed to


    pick up on my mood.


    ¡®What¡¯s going on, Charlie?¡±


    I shook my head, mumbling before diving into the water to cross the river. ¡¯ There are bears in the


    forest.¡±


    ¡®There are also wolves.¡± He said, sounding more rxed and almost as if he were trying not tough at


    his own joke. We had never had a bounty for a bear before, so we tried to avoid them when we could.


    I ignored him. Leaving Paxton behind as I swam across the chilled water to where someone, probably


    Barley, had moved my clothes to hang from a tree branch.


    As I pulled them free and began to make my way back to our camp, Paxton called out from behind me.


    ¡°There are a lot of bears in these parts, but you shouldn¡¯t be wandering out there after them. It would


    be best to stay away from their dens.¡¯


    I nodded, unable to avoid the rogue sniffle as I wiped under my nose with the knuckle of my index


    finger. But as Paxton¡¯s words settled into my head, they gave me hope.


    My mate had to have known these woods. He had moved so swiftly and seamlessly to escape me that


    I knew he must have been here before, maybe even lived here. I could only hope that his den was


    nearby.


    When the sun rose in the morning, I would find it

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179


    Three: Damien


    Damien¡¯s P.O.V.


    She had been wandering my woods for a week. A week of me following her like a lost cub, trying to


    figure out what her intentions were, before she finally snuck up on me.


    I had been stalking her each day as she moved so effortlessly through the trees, watching with


    fascination as she examined every abnormality. Disruptions in the dirt, broken branches, and torn


    leaves.


    asionally, I would leave a trail just to steer her in a different direction and get her away from my


    cabin.


    She had been getting closer to finding it each day. She had never given up or taken a break beyond


    stopping to relieve herself or munch on food. I gave her privacy but never let her wander too far away.


    Thest thing I wanted was for her to actually find me or where I lived.


    The second the sun was up, she was sneaking through the woods.


    When it set, she would go back to the river to stare at the spot I had been in when I first spotted her.


    Eventually, she would turn in for the night, and there was always an ufortable feeling that would


    settle in my gut, knowing she was going back to sleep in a camp of men.


    It was unreasonable and unwarranted, but I wanted to cross the river and drag her back to my side of


    the water like a caveman, but I shook that thought away quickly.


    It had been a while since a female had crossed mynd, and I had given her my attention. Even then, it


    had only ever been for one night. Once it was over, they went on their way.


    I didn¡¯t see it necessary to seek them out, and it had been a while. Still, seeing her, even covered in


    some disgusting slime, sparked an interest in me that I couldn¡¯t shake.


    It took everything in me to walk away that first day and not cross the river to enjoy what she was


    offering as she held her arms out and invited me to join her. Her emerald green eyes pierced my soul


    so deeply that I initially thought she was a witch.


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    Someone as hypnotizing as she had to be casting an enchantment. But no. She was just that


    breathtaking.


    I hadn¡¯t been expecting an uneventful day today. I had assumed it would be the same as every day


    before of her wandering the woods, searching for me. But she was one step ahead and switched the


    roles in our game of cat and mouse.


    When she stepped into view, I had been in my fur, hunched over my lunch. Her bright green eyes were


    wide, so innocent and happy. It was the kind of happiness that belonged there, that should be there


    forever.


    We held gazes as I ripped another chunk of meat from the deer and chewed it slowly. If anything, her


    happiness turned to amusement as I growled at her.


    It was pointless and sounded pathetic. My hackles weren¡¯t even up, and I felt no aggression toward


    her. It was simply a warning, one I hoped she took to heart because I wasn¡¯t sure I could fight her if she


    attacked me. There was a protective need in me, telling me to keep her safe. Fighting her would go


    against that, and just the idea of it made me feel sick.


    Instead, the green-eyed hunter simply sat down at the base of a tree and watched me. It was


    invigorating, but the long sword strapped to her back reminded me not to underestimate her. Any


    woman willing to run after a bear in their underwear and then hunt them for a week had a motive.


    I knew it wasn¡¯t a normal reaction, but I liked having her eyes on me. I liked being the center of her


    attention.


    Maybe I did need to getid. The next bear that came through my woods would do the trick if she were


    interested. But the Lycan hunting me could also do the trick, satisfy the itch. It was so tempting.


    She waited patiently, her fingers slowly moving as she rubbed the tip of her thumbnail over the pad of


    her middle finger, the only indication that she was nervous or bored.


    She held herself with such confidence and elegance that I knew she didn¡¯t belong sleeping in the


    woods.


    Her plump pink lips parted several times as if she wanted to speak, but each time I narrowed my eyes,


    went back to my meal, and she would press them together with a small smile.


    She was a determined little thing. I would give her that. But so was I.


    I couldn¡¯t let myself get distracted by her, and knowing she was not here alone, having seen several


    men in the area recently, I needed to be cautious. Wolves and Lycans had never gotten along with


    bears, and I suspected this was a trap.


    Send the beautiful woman to catch my attention, so her hunting party can ambush me.


    My lip curled at the thought, and I stood over my kill with a roar that everyone would surely hear within


    a mile. That had to be it. I had never had a woman as beautiful and poised as her wander into my


    woods. Never before had they ever had any interest in me either. Yet, she wouldn¡¯t leave me alone.


    The huntress¡¯s eyes widened at my change, and I watched as she dropped her hands to the ground as


    if to push herself up. The action was confusing and made me growl. She was foolish. She should have


    grabbed her weapon. Even the small one on her thigh would have worked.


    I could attack her before she could get to her feet, but she might have been able to pull her sword or a


    dagger in time. Why wasn¡¯t she preparing to defend herself?


    I stepped back, panic finally showing on her face.


    ¡°No, wait!¡± She called out as I continued to move away from her. Her voice was like warm honey, so


    soothing and sweet. I could sit back and listen to her talk for hours. But that was probably their n.


    With her bright doe eyes, the addictive sound of her voice, and the pull I felt to her¡­ she had to be


    using magic. Maybe she was tampering with siren blood, or perhaps she had a witch in her hunting


    party who had managed to escape my notice.


    Either way, I didn¡¯t want to wait and find out. It was bad enough that I had allowed her so close while


    eating. Wolves couldn¡¯t be trusted.


    I had let my guard down, which wasn¡¯t a mistake I was willing to make again.


    As she scampered to her feet, I spun around, running through the trees as quickly as I could and as far


    away from my cabin as possible.


    Either she didn¡¯t follow, or she was stealthier than I had thought because not once did I hear her soft


    footsteps behind me.


    I was on edge the rest of the day, waiting for her to appear as she had before. There was a sadistic


    part of me that wanted her to, regardless of her intentions.


    If she wanted to skin me alive, the risk might be worth seeing her smile at me again like she did earlier.


    I stopped, my feet nted in the dirt in front of my cabin. I spent all of twenty minutes with that woman,


    and I was already contemting allowing her to pull her de on me just to see her look at me with her


    lips curved up.


    It was ridiculous.


    Yet, as I reached for the door handle to enter my home, my legs stopped moving. The sun had just


    started to set, and I knew she would be sitting by the river, staring at where I had been standing when


    she first saw me.


    I¡¯ll admit that I knew she was there when I walked up to clean my hands. She wasn¡¯t exactly silent and


    put on one hell of a show.


    I could have walked away, but something wouldn¡¯t let me.


    Even back then, I wanted her to see me.


    I wanted to get a closer look at her too.


    Just one look at her.


    Before I knew it, I was stomping back through the forest, furious with myself for needing to see that she


    made it back to her camp okay. She had never had any problems doing so over the past week, but


    something was different about tonight.


    I was so blinded by my anger and frustration that I almost ignored the sounds of metal nginging


    from the river and barged right to my spot, the same spot I had been watching her from at night when


    she went to the river.


    A man¡¯s shout of pain made me slow, and I ducked behind a tree.


    ¡°You should know better,¡± The huntressughed. My eyes closed briefly before I shook my head and


    opened them back up to the rapidly darkening forest.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so cocky.¡± The man said coldly, and as the sound of metal sliding into the leather


    sheath reached me, I peered around the trunk.


    ¡°Come on, Roman.¡± She said, nudging the bottom of his boot with her the toe of hers. ¡°You never said I


    had to fight fair.¡±


    A smile pulled at the corner of his lips as he looked away from her. For a moment, I wondered if he had


    seen me, but his eyes nced right over where I was hiding.


    The proud look on his face as he nodded and lifted himself from the dirt, made my chest puff with pride.


    Whatever she had done hadnded a grown man on his ass and proved that she was every bit the


    threat I assumed her to be.


    ¡°Was that it? You said we were training.¡± She turned her back to me, lifting her arms in exasperation


    before putting her weapon away.


    ¡°It was sparring. I have trained you already. Now we just practice. You did well.¡± He didn¡¯t bother


    looking over his shoulder as he lifted his hand and waved at her dismissively. ¡°You two, have fun.¡±


    I watched as her back tensed, and she held still until he had moved out of sight.


    Clearly, she hadn¡¯t realized I was here, or she didn¡¯t know the man would have been aware of me. I


    wasn¡¯t upwind, and I had been quiet.


    For several minutes she adjusted her sheath, pulled her wild hair up into a bun, and washed her hands


    in the river.


    She didn¡¯t look up when I stepped into view and leaned against the tree trunk.


    There was no reason for me to be here still. I had seen that she was safe for myself, but I stayed


    instead of turning around and going to my home.


    ¡°My name is Charlotte.¡± She called out, her right hand moving again as she subtly rubbed her


    thumbnail against another fingertip. Even with her head down, I could see when she bit down on her


    plump lower lip nervously. The sight drove me crazy, and my eyes narrowed as I waited for her next


    move. ¡°Charlie.¡±


    Was she trying to seduce me, or was this just her natural mannerisms?


    Charlotte. It was a beautiful name and matched the woman it belonged to.


    I opened my mouth to respond, but I couldn¡¯t decide how I wanted to respond. Should I give her my


    name, tell her it was nice to meet her, or demand answers for why she was following me?


    When she looked up at me, my mouth snapped shut. Those green eyes made the air catch in my


    throat.


    ¡°Why do you keep running away from me?¡±


    My head jerked back with my eyebrows raised as I failed to hide my amusement. I wasn¡¯t expecting her


    to speak at all, let alone for her to be so direct.


    ¡°You intentionally leave me these little trails and tracks to follow, but they never lead anywhere. Then


    when I do get close to you, you run. Why are you doing this?¡± She was an intelligent woman to have


    seen through the fake trails I left her. Still, she sounded so confused, and it caused a sinking feeling to


    form in my chest.


    I didn¡¯t like that some woman I barely knew was making me feel this way. I didn¡¯t know her or owe her


    anything. She wasn¡¯t even one of my kind.


    Hope filled her eyes when I opened my mouth, but I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡¯(¡­Goodnight, Charlotte.

 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180


    Four: Charlie


    Charlie¡¯s P.O.V.


    There were three things I knew for sure:


    My mate had the most incredible voice in the world. The way he let my name roll off his tongue had


    been reying in my head all night, keeping me awake.


    I didn¡¯t even like my full name. I preferred Charlie.


    There was no reason for me to have given him my full name, but it came out instinctively like I was


    trying to impress him with a long, ssy name even though I bathed in a river and slept in the forest. I


    had hoped he would reciprocate and give me anything in return. His name would have been nice.


    He came after mest night, which meant we were making progress. I felt butterflies in my stomach at


    the idea that maybe, with time, he would be willing to have a real interaction with me.


    I didn¡¯t chase him when he left me beside a fresh carcass yesterday. Instead, I watched him go, shifted,


    and ate my fill. It obviously hadn¡¯t been his intention when he left it there, but eating the kill of my mate


    satisfied my beast in a way I hadn¡¯t been expecting. He had provided for me¡­ even though I had done


    something to spook him away from his food and then stolen it. It still counted.


    Okay, so it didn¡¯t sound so romantic when I thought about it, but somehow it was also the best-tasting


    meat I had ever had.


    Growing up in a castle and being served only the finest, hand -crafted meals, it had been a startling


    realization that the bloody, raw meat was my new favorite meal.


    I was done allowing him to send me on these wild goose¡­ well, bear chases. We had broken down a


    wall between us yesterday, and I wouldn¡¯t humor him anymore in ying these games.


    At first, I thought they were cute. I thought maybe my mate was leading me somewhere.


    Instead, he was just keeping me busy. I felt his eyes on me the entire time, and each day I got more


    excited than the one prior.


    The thoughts would flow through my mind, ¡®Was today the day he was going to introduce himself to


    me?¡¯, ¡®Was he taking me somewhere beautiful he wanted to share with me? ¡®, or the most humiliating


    one¡­ ¡®Was he taking me to his den?


    Thatst one was the hardest because I allowed myself to get my hopes up. I had ignorantly thought


    that maybe he had been taking me back to his den so we could spend time together without the


    possibility of anyone stumbling upon us. We didn¡¯t have to do anything intimate or physical, even


    though I was eager and nervous to finally be with the man I had saved myself for.


    Just talking would have been nice, but he didn¡¯t want to do that based on the three words I had gotten


    from him over the past week.


    At the end of the first day, the realization that he had been trying to throw me off It hurt so much that I


    almost stayed in camp on the third day after giving him a second chance and humiliating myself again.


    But like the stubborn woman I was known to be, I kept going. Whatever this test was, I wanted to pass


    it. I wanted to prove myself.


    Today was different because I was done ying by his rules.


    If he wanted me to leave him alone, all he had to do was reject me.


    My stomach hurt as I got ready for the day, wandering around camp and making coffee over the fire


    while the others slept. They would be up as soon as the sun started rising, but I was too impatient to


    stay in my tiny tent and sleep in.


    I stared into the mes, watching them grow higher as the water pot heated. My mind was swirling with


    thoughts of my mate and my past. Did he know who I was? Was my past the reason why he didn¡¯t want


    me?


    My family and childhood had been less than ideal, and I still had the heavy burden of my title weighing


    on me since my brother was so resistant to finding a mate and having an heir. Until he did, I was stuck


    as his backup.


    It used to be the two of us against the world until he ascended to the throne, then it became the king


    versus his


    heir. If Killian didn¡¯t think I wasn¡¯t doing enough to help him with his workload, I was failing my duties. If


    I had done more, going above and beyond to support him and earn his respect, he said I was trying to


    take control and needed to learn my ce as someone beneath him and the crown on his head.


    Yet, for some reason, I kept going back home. I would feel homesick after a few months and want to


    see my older brother and be around the familiar faces I had grown up with.


    As soon as I vocalized an opinion or suggestion that deviated from his by even the smallest amount, I


    made was shut down.


    If I told my brother publicly, he would berate me for being unprofessional. If I did it in private, he was


    free toy into me and remind me that my opinion did not matter since I did not wear the crown; he did.


    Eventually, I stopped caring and just started talking to him as my brother. Public or private, I no longer


    gave it a second thought. All I wanted was for him to hear me. As soon as he gave me his memorized


    speech about when and where I could open my mouth, I would leave.


    Getting away from the castle was one of the best decisions I ever made for my mental health.


    Arge handnded softly on my shoulder, and I turned to face Barley. The giant man smiled at me as


    he sat beside me. ¡°You okay, kid?¡±


    My instinct was to shrug at him, but my years of training told me it was better to remainposed and


    keep your heart tucked under your sleeve instead of on it. He reached his freckled arm forward, proof


    of his constant time in the sun, and used a stick to adjust the wood in the fire before he reached back


    and grabbed anotherrge log.


    I hadn¡¯t realized how low it had gotten, the fact that the water was boiling, or that the sun was up and


    the men were moving about. Roman and Paxton had made their way out to relieve themselves, and I


    covered my mouth when I heard one of them let out a long morning fart as they peed.


    Diego, our pocket-sized thief, was lying in his bed roll, exposed to the elements where he preferred to


    sleep in case of an attack. Even in the rain or snow, he would just move to the base of a tree and


    weather the storm. Diego¡¯s hands were behind his head as he stared at the sky. He was minding his


    own business, always did, and I appreciated him for it.


    Neil was nowhere to be seen, so he probably hadn¡¯t left his tent yet.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, resisting the urge to wince at using the f- word. They hadughed about that a time or


    two when Paxton got into fights with his one-night stands. He was smooth and tended to leave most of


    them with a smile on their faces, but one or¡­ten had gotten angry when he tossed them aside the


    following day. They always used that word either during their yelling or to end the conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you are.¡± He poured the fresh coffee into our mugs, the lightweight metal heating my hands,


    and I took in a deep inhale of the rich aroma. ¡°But you also keep running off, and each night when you


    I took a long and much-needed sip of my drink, ignoring the burn of overheated liquid on my tongue.


    ¡°And I will be doing the same today.¡±


    He nodded, smiling behind his mug as I stood up, wanting to escape this conversation. If anyone could


    get me to spill my guts, it was Barley. The man was as dangerous in battle as he was in a conversation,


    and he knew it.


    He watched with amusement as I finished my coffee and brushed my teeth. By the time I had my


    weapons strapped on, filled the pouch on my hip with a few sticks of dried meat, and was ready to go,


    the other four men had made their way to sit around the fire.


    I waved at them over my shoulder and received a grumble of grumpy goodbyes in response.


    ¡°Good luck with the bear today,¡± Barley called out, and I stopped in my tracks, not wanting to turn back


    to face them, as they allughed.


    ¡°So, everyone knows?¡± I confirmed, and the big man just grunted in response. ¡°I¡¯m so d to hear my


    mate avoiding me is so funny.¡±


    Theyughed even harder, cracking jokes about a wolf chasing a bear as I went down toward the river.


    It wasn¡¯t funny to me, not even a little bit.


    A short way down the river, there was a tree we had knocked down to be able to cross and remain dry


    several weeks back, and I rushed over it, eager to get away from the men still hooting and hollering.


    The only one who didn¡¯t engage was Roman, but that was because his mate had rejected him. He


    knew how hard it was to survive a rejection. Some days, I would look at him, and there was nothing.


    His face and eyes were just empty. Half of his soul was gone, and he was constantly hurting.


    My mate had been hiding from me, and I knew what I was likely to face when I finally got him to talk to


    me was noughing matter.


    If my mate wanted me, he could have had me by now.


    I moved to the west. I didn¡¯t need to be quiet today. I wasn¡¯t hunting him, not this time. Over the past


    week, he had steered me in every direction except this one, so I knew this was where he had been


    hiding.


    The further I moved, the more apparent his presence became.


    There would be a noise in one direction, and when I nced over, I would see footprints in the dirt or a


    noticeable scratch on a trunk. He was trying to catch my interest and get me to chase one of his fake


    trails.


    But I walked right past them. I wasn¡¯t falling for this shit today. I was going to go exactly where he didn¡¯t


    want me to. Eventually, he would have toe out of hiding, and that was when I would demand an


    exnation.


    The deeper into the woods I went, the more I could feel him.


    I could also feel just how frustrated he was getting.


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    I was no longer trying to track him, and he was in no way being discrete about following me this time.


    As he got angrier, he got more careless, stomping through the woods behind me, letting out little growls


    of irritation.


    My lips were pressed together to hold in myugh when the forest became very silent. I slowed. The


    feeling that I had entered somewhere I shouldn¡¯t have gone sat heavy in my gut, and I couldn¡¯t hear


    him anymore. My hand moved to my thigh to grab my dagger but met warm flesh as my weapon was


    stolen from me.


    He pulled me against his front, my sword between us. His arm wrapped around my chest, keeping


    mine down as he lifted the dagger to my throat with his other hand.


    The sharp edge of my de bit into my skin, and I let out a low hiss.


    ¡°Why are you following me, Charlotte?¡± His deep voice sent goosebumps over my skin, and I sank


    back against his hard,rge body.


    It seemed to confuse him briefly before he tightened his hold on me. I held my head still, trusting that


    he wouldn¡¯t hurt me but not wanting to be the cause of an idental slip -up.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be following you if you just talked to me!¡± I wanted him to say something¡­anything so that I


    could enjoy the sound of his voice once more.


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    My eyebrows pulled together as I risked turning my head to look over my shoulder. He moved the


    dagger away from my throat a few inches, but it wasn¡¯t enough for me to spin around in his hold and


    face himpletely. Still, his face was so close to mine as he looked down at me that I could easily


    brush my lips against his jaw if I moved a millimeter closer.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re my mate.¡±

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181


    Five: Charlie


    Charlie¡¯s p.o.v.


    My lips were damp from licking them, and his warm breath blew across them like a silent siren song,


    begging me to give it to the source and let him devour me. I expected a smile, maybe even a kiss. Any


    reaction telling me he was happy about the news would have been weed.


    Instead, he shook his head, his eyebrows pulling together as he loosened his hold on me.


    That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. He should want to hold me close, smile, and maybe even mark me.


    My stomach turned to concrete as he pulled his arms away entirely. My dagger dropped to the ground


    from his loose hold on it, the de embedding itself into the moist soil.


    His body heat leaving me as he stepped back felt like I had just walked outside into a blizzard as all my


    fears surfaced. I spun around, not wanting to let him run out of my sight this time. He had escaped from


    me too many times before. We needed to have this conversation, even though I was terrified of what


    might be said.


    My smile fell when I saw the horrified look on his face. The whites of his eyes were bright in contrast to


    the ck irises, and I hated that as he let them roam over my body, I felt inadequate. He looked


    bothered by what he saw as his gaze returned to my face.


    I wasn¡¯t what he had expected from the Goddess¡­ that much was clear.


    ¡°No.¡±


    That single word made me wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole. The heat behind my


    eyes began building rapidly, and I knew tears woulde next if I didn¡¯t do something.


    ¡°No?¡± My echo seemed to amuse him as his lip twitched, but I didn¡¯t find this funny. ¡°You carry half of


    my soul, and your response is just no?¡±


    He tilted his head to the side, a heavy focus taking over his expression as the tears I had been fighting


    back filled my eyes anyway. ¡°I don¡¯t have a mate.¡± ¡°You might not have known you had one before, but


    you do now.¡± My voice cracked, and I couldn¡¯t even find it within myself to be embarrassed.


    ¡°Bears don¡¯t have mates.¡± He repeated, his eyes locked on me with unashamed pity. He didn¡¯t know


    me, but how could he be so casual about ripping my heart out?


    My chest felt heavy, and my spit thickened as I felt the dam about to burst. ¡°Just because you don¡¯t feel


    the mate bond doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t have a mate.¡±


    I felt it. I felt it enough for both of us and if he would let me, I would love him with everything I had, even


    after myst breath. Was it how I looked? Was he not attracted to me? Was it because I was the


    Princess? Did he even know who I was?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Charlotte.¡± It came out so formal as he stepped back, and my lungs shuddered with each


    pull of air.


    It was almost instinct to correct him, to tell him to call me Charlie. But that was what my friends and


    family called me. The people and the court members all referred to me as Princess Charlotte. He may


    be my mate, but he was a stranger. A stranger that was holding my heart in his hands and squeezing it


    in his fist without a care in the world.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s it? Are you just going to reject our mate bond? Aren¡¯t you even going to give me a chance? I


    don¡¯t even know your name!¡± My hands flew to my chest before gesturing toward him in anger. Talking


    with my hands was a bad habit I had when I got worked up. My etiquette instructor had tried to break


    me of it, training me to remain calm,posed, and emotionless even when I was dying inside. They


    would be so disappointed in me right now. Everyone always was.


    Most of the time, I seeded in keeping my mask of indifference in ce. Killian had been the only


    one I had ever shown my emotions around, and even then, I tried not to. He had higher standards for


    his heir than some emotional girl.


    Killian never said it in those words exactly, but that was how he made me feel everytime he did scold


    me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ that¡¯s¡­.¡± He shook his head, his mask cracking as the first tear slipped over my lid and


    down my cheek. He looked startled and a little scared at seeing it.


    My heel snagged on a rock sticking half out of the ground, and I stumbled. He rushed forward, his


    hands raising toward me to steady me, but I caught myself and flinched away from him.


    ¡°Charlotte,¡± he said but stopped when he met my stare again.


    I couldn¡¯t stand to be touched by him again, not when I was about to lose him forever. The fewer


    physical interactions we had, the better. I couldn¡¯t have him keep touching me when he would reject


    me. It would make it more difficult for me than it had to be.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I warned, my tears stopping as I red at him. He held his hands up as I took a deep breath.


    My anger allowed me to collect myself, and I schooled my emotions, just as I had been raised to do.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    There was no need to embarrass myself any more than I already had.


    He hadn¡¯t officially rejected me yet, and even though I had wanted to know what was going on in his


    head bying here today, now I wanted nothing more than to get away from him before he could say


    those dreaded words and sever our bond for good.


    My mate didn¡¯t say anything when I turned around and walked away. He didn¡¯t try to stop me, but I did


    feel him following me. Like every day before, he trailed after me, ensuring I returned to the river before


    he left.


    Only this time, when I crossed the river, he stayed. He stood on the other side, showing no emotion, as


    I nced over my shoulder for onest look at him. His hand flinched at his side as if resisting the urge


    to wave goodbye.


    Because that was what this was. It was goodbye for now until I could work up the courage to confront


    him again and have him sever our bond.


    Time apart could be a good thing. He didn¡¯t know we were soulmates before, but now he does.


    Perhaps giving him time to sit on that information and consider it would be beneficial.


    I wasn¡¯t going to get my hopes up, but he didn¡¯t know we were mates before. He does now.


    The men were loud when I returned,ughing and joking about returning earlier than usual to camp for


    food to refuel since I would ¡®need my energy,¡¯ but I couldn¡¯t focus on what they were saying, let alone


    respond. My eyes stayed on the ground as I felt all the emotions surfacing once more now that I was


    safe. Now that I was with my family.


    Roman was the first to his feet, and when I looked up and met his stare, my chest caved in, and the


    tears fell. The men went silent, Barley standing as Roman raced around the fire pit, catching me just as


    a sob broke free and my knees buckled beneath me.


    He held me tightly, shielding me from the world as I broke because he knew what it felt like. Roman


    had told me once about the pain he felt every day, the constant pull at his soul like an open wound that


    would never heal.


    During that conversation, I had asked him, ¡°Does it get easier with time?¡±


    The silent shake of his head as he refused to meet my gaze told me everything I needed to know about


    how much he was hurting, even years after his rejection.


    From that point on, I had felt protective of him. He was a man who deserved happiness. He was the


    kind of man who loved unconditionally and would give anything for his family. A man who wanted


    children and a lot of them.


    If a man as good and full-hearted as Roman couldn¡¯t get his happily ever after, I didn¡¯t know why I ever


    thought I would. 1


    *¡ï*


    My men stayed close to camp for the next day, sending me worried nces when I woke upte, and


    then stayed in camp myself. I used to hate staying still. After being trapped in the castle for so long,


    always being told where to go and what to do, always having guards reporting on my whereabouts, and


    keeping people away, I enjoyed my freedom.


    When we weren¡¯t on a bounty, I would be hiking around our camp, exploring all the ces the world


    had to offer that I had only ever read about in books. The Earth was beautiful, but for the next several


    days, I couldn¡¯t see past the memory of my mate standing before me, telling me, ¡®No.¡¯


    I knew we were about to set out to our next location soon, to the next town, in search of a new bounty


    or adventure.


    Before we left, I would have to suck it up and return to my mate to hear him officially sever our bond. I


    wanted to leave here with a clean break. Once I left, I wasn¡¯t going toe back. Not ever.


    I didn¡¯t want anything to be left unsaid or any doors to still be open. If I didn¡¯t get his rejection, I would


    always wonder, ¡®What if.¡¯ What if I came back to see him? Would he want me eventually? What if he


    mates someone else, and I have to feel his rejection through him marking them?


    The worst was, would I survive it?


    The chances of someone surviving their mate¡¯s death were slim to none. The likelihood of them


    surviving a rejection was about 50/50; of the half that didn¡¯t survive, it wasn¡¯t the rejection itself. It was


    them putting themselves out of the constant pain and misery yearster, no longer wanting to live with


    the agony.


    It was almost a weekter that Barley growled at me as he walked by, demanding that I gather my


    belongings and that we had a job to do.


    He must have seen the panic on my face at the idea of tearing down our current camp and leaving


    because he quickly exined. ¡°You¡¯re going on the hunt today.¡±


    My hand instinctively went down to my thigh, the loss of my favorite dagger had been a hard pill to


    swallow, but that was nothingpared to the pain of my mate not wanting me. ¡®What¡¯s the job?¡±


    ¡°Rabid Oread.¡±


    That made me want to smile, but my body wouldn¡¯t listen. That had been my first bounty all those years


    ago, and I had royally screwed up. If Paxton and Barley hadn¡¯t been there to bail me out, I would have


    been killed by the rogue woond Nymph.


    I had learned everything I could about them since and could kill one in my sleep. It would be my easiest


    payout ever and get my mind off the bear.


    ¡°Where?¡± I closed my eyes and looked away from him, staring into the mes. I was praying to the


    Goddess that it wouldn¡¯t be on the other side of the river. I had avoided my mate for almost a week now


    and wasn¡¯t ready to see him yet.


    ¡°About a mile south of the town.¡±


    So far away from the man who had broken my heart? ¡°Then let¡¯s go hunting, men.¡±

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182


    Six: Charlie


    Charlie¡¯s P.O.V.


    It was like I was doomed to make the same mistakes repeatedly.


    Twice. Twice in two weeks, I had returned to camp covered in another creature¡¯s bodily fluids. Only this


    time, it wasn¡¯t because of my carelessness.


    I had gone savage.


    All of my pent-up anger and emotions were set free, and I unleashed a fury on the Oread that I hadn¡¯t


    known I had in me. My parents, brother, and every tutor I ever had would have been appalled by my


    behavior today.


    It thoroughly impressed the men, and they sat back and watched as I dropped my sword and took the


    woond nymph on in hand-to-handbat.


    I knew my team wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to me. They would have jumped in if I were about to get


    seriously injured. But they didn¡¯t have to.


    Typically, I made executions quick.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    But one thing Roman insisted on was training to be better when unarmed. I could take almost anything


    down with a de, whether a sword or a dagger. But going into one of those fights without a weapon


    was a suicide mission.


    The Oread was unstable and weak enough that I knew she would be an excellent creature to start with,


    and she was. Her disease-ridden body and manic state made her attacks sloppy and easy to predict.


    I had maintained the upper hand during our scuffle until she copsed and fell onto me.


    Woond Nymphs were known for being one with the woods. Their skin had spots of growth with


    moss, mushrooms, and flowers. If one were to touch it, the growth tended to leave a thick green


    residue behind, staining anything it came into contact with.


    Simr to a tree, and probably the one she was bound to, she was diseased. Her body had been


    rotting, stinking to the high heavens.


    When she copsed into me, her rotten moss-covered body pressed against my front with a squishing


    sound that would be burned into my memory forever. But the smell, oh Goddess, the smell was


    horrendous.


    There was no way I could go to sleep without rinsing off first. Even having my dirty clothes near the


    camp would keep everyone awake from the putrid smell.


    I knew the river was safe during the day, but I had never had a reason to inspect it at night. Several


    creatures only came out when the sun had gone down, and the water couldn¡¯t be seen through. But it


    was a risk I had to take.


    The night vision my wolf granted me allowed me to see several feet into the running water, and after


    determining the coast was clear, I waded in. It was the first time that the cool water had been


    unwee. It felt unreasonably cold without the sun, and I knew getting out to sleep with wet hair


    would be horrendous.


    Still, I walked forward until I was able to submerge myselfpletely. Grabbing fistfuls of sand, I began


    scrubbing at my clothes. The faster I could get this over with, the better.


    I wanted to be as far away from my mate¡¯s side of the river as possible. Today had been a nice


    distraction, but Roman had been right.


    I hadn¡¯t even been officially rejected. Yet, the pain of what had happened hadn¡¯t lessened at all. Even


    when I was mid-fight, the bear with the ck hair and eyes was on my mind.


    A disruption in the water made my eyes open. I squinted as I tried to see what creature had joined me


    and what fight I was in for, but the bubbles from their movement obscured my vision. Just as I pushed


    off the bottom, arge arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me against him.


    I hadn¡¯t been deep. The deepest part of the water was only six feet. But I had beenpletely


    submerged to clean myself and my clothes with the sand as quickly as possible.


    Sparks erupted along my skin, and I melted into the touch even though I knew better.


    My hair washed away from my face as I tilted my head back upon breaking the surface.


    ¡®What the hell are you doing?¡± The deep, familiar voice made me gasp, not out of shock but from the


    wave of desire it sent rushing through me as our bodies pressed together beneath the surface.


    My hands grabbed the back of his neck, holding him closer. I blinked several times as the water ran


    down my face.


    He was here.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± I gasped, feeling him moving us closer to the shore until the water only went up to


    our shoulders.


    ¡°I¡­ I came to return your dagger. I wasn¡¯t expecting to find you trying to drown yourself!¡± He sounded


    furious, but with his arms wrapped around my back, I could feel his fingers digging deeper into my


    sides.


    ¡°What?¡± I shook my head, thoroughly confused and trying to hide my amusement.


    ¡°Do you know how terrifying that was to see? I walked up, and you were under the water, struggling! I


    thought something had dragged you down!¡± I figured his yelling would have alerted the men from camp,


    but the world was silent beyond our heavy breathing.


    ¡®I wasn¡¯t trying to kill myself,¡± My voice came out in a whisper as understanding dawned on me.


    Whether he understood it or not, he felt the mate bond too. It was why he came back to the river at all.


    He could have turned around and walked away when he saw me here, whether I was underwater or


    not. He could have either kept or gotten rid of my dagger. It would have fetched him a reasonable price


    in town. He also didn¡¯t need to jump into the water to fight an unknown, nonexistent creature for my


    freedom.


    His eyes scanned over my face, looking concerned and confused. When theynded on my lips, I


    couldn¡¯t help but lick them, even though they were already wet from being in the water.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t?¡± His question made me smile, and as he watched my lips curve up, he rxed. But he


    didn¡¯t let go, and I didn¡¯t want him to.


    ¡°No, I was cleaning Nymph slime from my clothes.¡± I wanted to tell him he hadn¡¯t hurt me that bad


    when he said he didn¡¯t want me. Not bad enough to make me suicidal. I would never let a man bring


    me to that point. But with how tight he was holding me and how close his face was to mine, I couldn¡¯t


    find it in me to bring it up.


    Going back to the subject of being mates, before I had a chance to win him over would just be asking


    for him to reject me.


    I knew he would just shut down on me again once I mentioned it. He nodded slowly, forcing his eyes


    away from my lips but not letting me go.¡¯ Oh.¡±


    The flow of the river pushed my legs further against his, one slipping between his. I pulled them back


    and then wrapped them around his waist. His eyelids lowered, and he made a low noise in the back of


    his throat, making my core heat.


    There was a moment when I thought he would push me off him, pull us out of the water, and leave me


    here to return to his den. But he didn¡¯t. Once again, surprising me with his actions.


    I had no idea what to expect from this man, which was terrifying.


    How was I supposed to make him happy when I didn¡¯t know what he wanted?


    ¡°Tell me your name.¡± My face moved closer to his, and I wanted so badly to steal a kiss but knew I


    couldn¡¯t. He had made it clear that he didn¡¯t want me.


    Now, just because he was confusing me with mixed signals, it didn¡¯t give me the right to kiss him


    without knowing it was what he wanted first.


    ¡°Damien.¡±


    My eyes closed, and I felt the tip of my nose brushing against his from our proximity, but neither of us


    was pulling away.


    Damien. It suited him.


    It was a strong name, one that matched the man, and as I repeated it in a soft and unintentional sigh of


    happiness, he shivered. ¡°Damien.¡±


    I opened my eyes as his hands slid from my hips to hold me up by my butt. Damien didn¡¯t look


    embarrassed as he gripped me firmly, pressing my hips into his. Instead, he let out a low growl when I


    adjusted my legs and locked my ankles behind him, unintentionally rubbing my core against his


    hardness.


    I could feel howrge he was, and a shiver went down my spine in anticipation, even though I knew


    nothing more would happen. I couldn¡¯t let it, not when he didn¡¯t want me.


    Even touching him now would make it harder to walk awayter when he rejected me. Having sex with


    him wouldpletely destroy me.


    Not just mentally. I knew if I let things go too far, Damien would ruin every other man out there for me.


    No one would make me feel or satisfy me the way I knew he would.


    ¡°Charlotte.¡± He groaned as one of his hands slid up my back andced through the hair on the back of


    my head. When he pulled my head back, I looked up at the stars, practically panting when he ran his


    nose up my neck.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I moaned, unsure if I was responding to him groaning my name or encouraging him to continue


    and take what he wanted from me. He was so close to where my mate¡¯s mark wouldy, and my hands


    pulled his head closer to me until his lips gently brushed against my skin.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I knew exactly what he was asking. He wanted to understand why the Goddess had paired us and why


    he felt this way toward me when he didn¡¯t know me. But I wanted to hear him say it.


    ¡°Why what, Damien?¡±


    ¡°Why does it feel like this?¡± His hand pulled on my hair harder, and a cry of pleasure escaped my lips. I


    pressed them together, not wanting any of the men in camp to hear me ande down to ensure my


    safety.


    I almost sobbed with happiness when he ran the tip of his tongue over my neck. It was the smallest yet


    most erotic thing I had ever experienced.


    ¡°Because we are soulmates.¡± My thighs tightened on his hips, knowing I had said the wrong thing as


    soon as the words left my lips. It wasn¡¯t what he had wanted to hear. Damien had made it clear thest


    time we had spoken that he didn¡¯t believe in the mate bond for his kind.


    As I expected, he dropped his hand from my hair, ced it back on my butt, and slowly walked through


    the water. When we were standing on my side of the river, he rubbed his hands from my butt along the


    underside of my thighs until he had reached my knees and gently pulled.


    My legs loosened, and as I lowered them to the ground, Damien grabbed my wrists and untangled my


    hands from his hair.


    I felt like a puppet, unable to move on my own and using all of my strength to keep my heart from


    breaking once more.


    ¡°I will take my dagger back now.¡± As the breeze hit my soaked body, I crossed my arms over my chest


    to stay warm. My goal of distracting him from a possible rejection again seemed to work as he looked


    back to the other side of the river.


    Between the pale moonlight and my night vision, I watched as his cheeks and the tips of his ears


    darkened. His hand went down as he adjusted himself, making me blush too. I was proud that I had


    that effect on him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll return it to youter.¡±


    Later. I tried not to hum in excitement that Damien was volunteering to see me again.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see youter,¡± I whispered, stepping back.


    He nodded before turning and walking down the rocky beach, up the bank, and to the fallen tree. I


    waited for him to make it across before even considering returning to camp to change my clothes.


    Damien nced at me onest time, and I felt victorious when one corner of his mouth moved up as I


    waved.


    He didn¡¯t reciprocate, and before I hit the tree line, I looked over my shoulder to see him running his


    hand over his mouth and jaw. He shook his head and walked away from me as giddiness swarmed in


    my stomach. His hands were empty, as was the band of his shorts.


    My dagger was nowhere in sight

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183


    Seven: Damien


    Damien P.O.V.


    I hated not having control over my actions. I told myself repeatedly to let the delusional and


    breathtakingly beautiful wolf go and to mind my own business. Whatever misguided feelings she had


    for me were just lust. Not a mate bond.


    Bears didn¡¯t have mates.


    Most of them didn¡¯t even settle down. When one did, it was a huge deal to my people. They would


    migrate from all over the world to witness the union.


    Most of them would enjoy thepany of strangers during their travels. It wasmon for them to


    reproduce, but the two parties would separate and go their own way once they had enjoyed each other.


    Very few mated for life.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    I didn¡¯t even know who my sire was; not many bears did. I would smell our rtionship if I ever crossed


    him, but my father leaving my mother wasn¡¯t traumatic or hurtful the way other species experienced it.


    There were no abandonment issues under the surface. It was just a part of our life and culture. Our


    mothers would raise us for the first thirteen to fifteen years of our life, and then we would leave the den,


    old enough to wander.


    I hadn¡¯t wanted to live that way, though. As a teenager and in my early twenties, I did my traveling and


    exploring, but now I was ready to settle down. I built my cabin and wanted to spend my life here.


    The asional woman would pass through mynd, but they were always just looking for someone to


    fuck, perhaps to impregnate them before they went on their way, taking the baby with them whether the


    man wanted them to or not. Most men didn¡¯t even know the women were pregnant


    when they parted.


    I never had, nor would I let them put me in that situation. I would only fuck in my skin and always


    wrapped myself up. Even then, I would pull out, trying to be as cautious as possible.


    I had nned to make a home. Maybe one day, I would settle down with another bear, fall in love, and


    have the cubs that my mother pestered me about whenever I visited her. I wasn¡¯t going to choose


    some wanderer who didn¡¯t want monogamy and let her take my cubs away from me.


    My mother knew my stance on it and was over the moon that her grandchildren would be close enough


    to visit her.


    But now I was confused by everything.


    There was a wolf, one of Lycan blood, based on her smell, iming that I was her soulmate. As much


    as I wanted to deny it and had, I still found myself being pulled back to her every second of the day.


    I hadn¡¯t intended to show up here, but my feet started moving when I saw her men leaving without her.


    Before I knew it, I was at the edge of her camp, watching her carry in a deer and drop it down on an old


    torn piece of fabric in front of the fire that they had clearly been using for years.


    She had already skinned and cleaned it, and I watched as she moved to a pot of water by the side of


    the camp and poured some over her hands.


    Her back stiffened, and I knew she had caught my scent, but she didn¡¯t turn. ¡°Damien.¡±


    Goddess, the way my name soundeding from her lips was incredible. When I returned to my home


    the night before, I still felt her. I was dreaming about the sweet way her skin had tasted and the sound


    of her soft moan as she rubbed herself against me.


    I had been able to smell her on my skin still and knew she would be on my shorts as well. Had they not


    been soaking wet from the river, I would have slept in them. As soon as that thought went through my


    mind, I stripped out of my clothes and threw the shorts across the room before sliding into my bed.


    Dozens of timesst night, I had talked myself down from marching back to her camp and giving in. I


    wanted to take her lips with mine. I wanted to know if her tongue, among other ces, tasted just as


    good as her skin.


    When I finally fell asleep, it was the best one I had in a long while. I dreamt of her, of Charlotte. When I


    woke up, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from seeking her out even if I wanted to, and I didn¡¯t want to.


    I wanted to explore this feeling. I wanted to understand it even if I couldn¡¯t act on it.


    I let out a loud exhale through my muzzle in response to her greeting, and she nced over her


    shoulder, her hypnotizing green eyes widening when she saw me in my fur. Clearly, she hadn¡¯t been


    expecting me to show up this way, and it made me second guessing at all. I felt like a teenager


    again, questioning whether I was wanted or if I was making a fool of myself.


    Bears were never wanted by other creatures. The only ce I ever feltfortable and safe was in the


    forest, alone.


    My body froze when she began walking my way. She wasn¡¯t dressed the way I had seen her before.


    Typically, when she was moving through the forest, she wore long pants.


    But today, she was in shorts that showed her tanned legs. They were toned and looked like they could


    go on for miles. There were several positions I wanted to put those legs in.


    Her tank top exposed a small strip of skin just above her waistband, and my eyes wanted to roll back in


    my head.


    I had seen her almost naked before. But seeing her here, dressed for a day around camp instead of


    trampling through the woods, she was in her element. It looked good on her.


    ¡°You¡¯re a lot bigger than I imagined,¡± Charlotte whispered, moving slowly as if not to spook me.


    My head tilted to the side, and I knew she could tell I was smiling at thatment. Her words had been


    innocent enough, but after a night of dreaming about how she would feel pressed naked against me, I


    couldn¡¯t my mind from going down a dirty path.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how I meant that, and you know it.¡¯ Her finger pointed in my face as she stopped before me.


    She was so close I could bend my head forward and touch my nose against her breastbone. Did I want


    to touch her? Would she even let me after how many times I had walked away from her before now?


    My thoughts cut off as she ced her hand on the side of my neck, her fingerscing into my ck fur.


    I shivered at her touch.


    Never in my life had I been more attracted to a woman. After how crazy she drove mest night, I was


    ready to shift to my skin, back her into a tree, and m deep inside her. While my body screamed for


    me to give in and enjoy her, my mind told me it was wrong.


    Charlotte wanted something that I didn¡¯t know I could give her. She wanted a soul mate. While I felt


    drawn to her and more than attracted to her, I couldn¡¯t get in the way of finding her true mate.


    I would settle down and start a family one day, but I didn¡¯t know her or if she was the one for me, even


    though she imed she was. If she wasn¡¯t, it would be cruel for me to im her as mine and take away


    her chance to find her other half. Plus, her kind didn¡¯t like mine, and mine didn¡¯t like hers.


    My cheek brushed against her breast as I turned my head to face her at the same time she stepped


    forward, and I wasn¡¯t even ashamed that I didn¡¯t move away.


    Pressing my cheek against her chest hadn¡¯t been intentional, but she wasn¡¯t pulling away. If anything,


    her breathing became deeper, and her fingers curled into my fur, holding me to her. If I ever allowed


    myself the luxury of fucking this woman, I knew she would be a wild one. No matter how regal she


    seemed, I knew without a doubt that she would be the kind of woman to ruin a man.


    ¡°Would you like to stay for lunch?¡± Charlotte offered, and I paused for a moment before nodding. It was


    still early morning, and it would be several hours before lunch, but while my mind said no, my head


    nodded yes.


    The smile that spread across her face made my heart thump furiously against my ribs, and I stepped


    back, needing to regain myposure and sanity. My body shook as I shifted back to my skin, slightly


    amused when her eyes immediately dropped to my cock, but not at all ashamed as I grew hard under


    her stare.


    There was no reason to hide my attraction to her, and by the pink in her cheeks and the way she licked


    her lips, she enjoyed seeing my reaction.


    ¡°What are you going to feed me?¡± The rasp in my voice surprised me, but as I looked her over, thinking


    about all the ces I would put my mouth and how I wanted to worship and feast on her body, I


    couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡°Some stew. It¡¯s going to take a little bit to cook. You don¡¯t have to help me make it, but if you¡¯re hungry


    now, I can get you a snack.¡¯ Her left hand rubbed her hip as if drying her palm, but it only forced my


    attention back to her curves and how badly I wanted to touch her again.


    I wanted to joke with her about making her my snack, but I wasn¡¯t sure how she would respond.


    ¡°From how you¡¯re looking at me, it seems you might be the one in the mood for a snack.¡± I raised my


    eyebrows at her suggestively and watched her shoulders roll back so slowly that it would be hard to


    notice if I hadn¡¯t been staring at her so intently.


    A beautiful blush covered her cheeks, but if the color hadn¡¯t given her away, she would have hidden it


    well behind her mask of indifference.


    I had to remind myself to take deep breaths and calm down. I needed to figure out this pull to her and


    then move on so she could find her true mate and get over her infatuation with me.


    A voice in my head told me she was only attracted to me because I was a bear. We were looked down


    on and frowned upon by her kind, and therefore, spending time with me, and especially fucking me,


    would be the perfect way for her to rebel.


    But I wasn¡¯t sure who she was rebelling against. The men in her hunting party didn¡¯t seem to mind me.


    If they did, they would havee after me weeks ago when I first crossed paths with her.


    Her eyes looked from my face to my hard-on and then back up. ¡°I was offering you a snack. That would


    be a full meal.¡±


    I felt my eyes roll to the back of my head at the image that came to mind of her feasting on me. When I


    opened them, ready to throw caution to the wind and make a move on her, she had already turned her


    back to me and was walking back to the fire

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184


    Eight: Charlie


    Charlie P.O.V.


    I watched Damien out of the corner of my eye as he moved to the line of clothes Paxton had left up


    overnight to dry.


    Paxton was probably the closest to Damien¡¯s height, but Damien¡¯s thighs and hips were a lotrger and


    way more muscr than Paxton¡¯s.


    My jaw dropped as Damien pulled them on, getting the zipper up a few inches but leaving the button


    undone. The trail of dark hair leading down beneath the fabric made me very happy indeed, and I had


    to swallow hard to keep from drooling.


    His hand slid into the pants, adjusting himself and making my body burn hotter. Could he smell how


    aroused I was?


    My cheeks felt like they were on fire, and I turned away from him, running my hand over my chest to


    wipe away any perspiration. The less evidence there was of my wild hormones, the better. I had never


    understood how out -of-control mates would act in public, but I finally understood because I wanted to


    throw caution to the wind and climb Damien like a tree.


    Everything I had ever been taught aboutposing myself and masking my emotions went right out


    the window with him around. I felt Damien walk up next to me as I bent down, grabbed the knife, and


    easily sliced through the meat.


    He was too damn close. I knew if I lifted my hand, I could touch him.


    I cleared my throat before speaking to save myself from the additional embarrassment of my voice


    cracking. ¡°Did you bring my dagger this time?¡±


    He sat on the ground next to me, leaning back against the log behind him where I usually sat. I had


    moved the log back before bringing the deer in to make room for me to work.


    It was proper not to sit in a chair higher than the princess, and I felt myself tense. Did he know who I


    was, or had he just wanted to sit next to me?


    He didn¡¯t look at me, his eyes glued to the small fire I would have to build up before hanging the pot


    over it. ¡°Do your men leave you here alone often? ¡ö


    My head pulled back at the anger in his tone. ¡°We take turns. We can¡¯t all leave the camp at once.


    Whoever stays behind is responsible for cooking for the day and ensuring no animals or people


    ransack our things.¡±


    He didn¡¯t like the answer. His hands sped together with his forearms resting on his knees.


    ¡°I can handle myself,¡± I whispered, suddenly feeling inadequate. Damien didn¡¯t need to say it for me to


    know what was happening in his head. It was the same thing Killian said when he saw me walking


    around without bodyguards, that I was an easy target, weakpared to most men.


    It was ridiculous. I could cut down a full-blooded Lycan with my sword before they couldy a finger on


    me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that.¡±


    I let out a deep breath, relieved that he wasn¡¯t treating me like my brother did. Even my men had taken


    a while toe around to the idea of me being left on my own. I had to knock them to the dirt several


    times before they epted that I was one of them and could hold my own.


    I earned my spot here and wouldn¡¯t ever be ashamed of it.


    Things were quiet butfortable between us as I cut up the meat and ced it in the pot with the


    vegetables and potatoes Diego had, hopefully, purchased in town. His slippery little fingers were good


    for saving money, but we never needed to worry about that.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    I didn¡¯t carry it around with me, but I had more money in the bank than we could ever require and took


    care of my men.


    When I was done and had washed my hands from the pot of clean, boiled water we kept on the edge of


    the camp, I sat back down next to Damien. He had been so patient with me, but I felt his stare the


    entire time I cooked.


    I even felt him press his thigh against mine a few times, but he would pull away after a few seconds.


    ¡°Why do you call me Charlotte instead of Charlie?¡± I whispered, wanting to break the silence but keep


    thefort between us. Thest thing I wanted was for him to leave again. I wanted to spend as much


    time with him as I could.


    ¡°Because that was how you introduced yourself first. I figured there was a reason you gave me that


    name before your nickname.¡± His head tipped to the side as he stared at me for a long moment. ¡°Do


    you want me to call you Charlie or Charlotte?¡±


    Both variations of my name rolled off his tongue so beautifully that I wanted to ask him to repeat them.


    ¡°Either one works,¡¯ I choked out, pushing at one of the rocks surrounding the fire pit with the toe of my


    shoes.


    Damien let out a low chuckle, and I bit my lip to stop from smiling at the sound.


    ¡°You confuse me,¡± I admitted, turning to stare at him. His beard had grown longer over the past two


    weeks since I first saw him.


    It wasn¡¯t extreme. Damien kept it trimmed, and it looked incredible on him. It was slightly lighter than


    his jet-ck hair and made him look dangerous.¡± You refuse to ept that we are mates or even the


    possibility of it. But you¡¯re here, and you don¡¯t have to be. You chose to be here. What do you want


    from me, Damien?¡±


    The pull to him was undeniable, and it didn¡¯t make sense how he could so easily dismiss it. ¡°I feel


    drawn to you, Charlotte. More than I have to any woman before.¡±


    My head pulled back, and a sick feeling swirled in my gut. I wanted to be happy that he felt a bond with


    me, but hearing him admit that he had been with other women was hard to swallow. It wasn¡¯t even


    singr; it was plural ¡­. Multiple women.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t like hearing that,¡± Damien said, his eyes narrowed. His tone sounded confused and curious,


    and I knew it was because he expected that I had been with other men. Lycans were very intimate


    creatures; most had been with several different partners before hitting their twenties, let alone finding


    their mates. Instead of addressing it, he avoided that conversation altogether. We weren¡¯t there yet.


    ¡°The pull toward you is strong, Charlotte, irresistible.¡±


    His arm dropped from his bent knees in front of him, and he trailed his finger up my thigh. Goosebumps


    followed his touch, and sparks shot through my system as he moved it higher in delicate circles.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I agreed with a gasp.


    He released a low growl as his hand ttened against the top of my thigh, his fingers curling around to


    slide between my legs but staying several inches below my shorts.


    Damien was challenging me. I knew it, but I still fell for his trap anyway. I was furious that he had been


    with other women when I had been waiting for him, but it was more than that. I felt this primal need to


    im him as mine.


    I wanted him to know and ept that he belonged to me, and I belonged to him. Other women needed


    to stay away from him, and if he wanted to seek release¡­


    My body was moving before I could think rationally. Damien let his legs slide out in front of him as I


    threw my leg over his, straddling him.


    ¡°Because the only woman you should be touching is me, Damien. ¡®We¡¯ are just a matter of time. I can


    be patient. But if you want someone to take


    care of you, I¡¯m the only one you should being to.¡± My hand trailed down his chest, and his body


    shook. I wanted to brand him, mark him¡­ im him.


    ¡°Charlotte.¡± His growl when I reached the trail of hair leading down into his pants made me grow


    instantly wet and managed to ease all of my worries.


    I hadn¡¯t known what I was doing, but he seemed to enjoy it. I could fake confidence. I had been doing it


    for over two decades.


    ¡°Damien. Tell me to stop if you don¡¯t want this.¡± I leaned in, my lips brushing against his as I spoke.


    The silencested a second too long for myfort, and I was about to pull away when he grabbed


    the back of my head and crashed his lips against mine. It was rough and primal. He sucked on my


    bottom lip, nibbling on it.


    My lips parted with a sigh of pleasure, and his tongue met mine.


    I moaned as his hands grabbed my ass and pulled me against his hips, rubbing my core against him.


    As much as I wanted him there, I wanted to touch and taste him more. I wanted to show him that I


    could take care of him and that he wouldn¡¯t need anyone else.


    My hand slipped into his pants, the zipper working its way down thest few centimeters as I wrapped


    my fingers around his thick and hard cock. It was awkward to stroke him beneath the pants, and I


    pulled at the fabric with my other hand, trying to free him.


    He lifted his hips from the ground, and I grabbed his shoulders to steady myself as he worked the pants


    down a little, breaking our kiss. ¡°Fuck, Charlotte.¡±


    His groan did something to me that made me feel wild and seductive. As I grabbed him again, I


    watched my hand go up and down his length. He was massive, and it took everything in me not to tear


    off my shorts and sink down on him.


    I was mesmerized by how the skin moved with my hand as I pumped his length, and a small bead of


    white formed at his tip. It was the most attractive thing I had ever seen, and the thumb of my other hand


    ran over it before pulling my finger up to my mouth.


    ¡°Mh,¡± I hummed at the delicious taste just before he grabbed my head and pulled me back to him. His


    fingers fumbled with the button to my shorts, and I was about to tell him to rip them off when he pulled


    back, panting.


    Laughter in the distance startled me back to reality, but he held me tightly to him, not ready to let go.


    I wasn¡¯t either, but I knew he wouldn¡¯t befortable with my men finding us in this position. I jumped


    off hisp, running my tongue over my raw lips and fixing my top that had ridden up to be just under my


    breasts as Damien got to his feet.Books Chapters Are Daily Even after he pulled his pants back up,


    the tip of his cock was still visible above the waistband, and I couldn¡¯t help the rush of desire that made


    its way between my legs. Touching it was one thing, but now that I had a taste¡­ I wanted another.


    The tip of it glistened with a small amount of wetness from where my thumb had wiped away his pre-


    cum. I swallowed hard, still able to taste Damien on my tongue.


    I wanted more. More than what he had given me, more than what he could give me, and more than my


    heart could take if he didn¡¯t want me forever.


    Damien¡¯s fingers grabbed a section of my hair, pulling on it so slightly that I barely felt it before he


    fingered the front of my top and pulled me to him again. My chest pressed against his, and he bent


    down, stealing onest scorching kiss that made my toes curl before walking us toward the river with


    his hand in mine.


    ¡°Why did youe here today?¡± My question made his ck eyes shoot over to meet mine when we


    reached the fallen tree we had been using as a bridge, and I felt my heart thump unevenly in my chest


    when his lips pulled up.


    ¡°To give you back your dagger,¡± He said, his voice thick with amusement. We had already established


    that he didn¡¯t bring it. A wide smile stretched across my lips as he repeated the same words from the


    river, promising me more time with him. ¡°I¡¯ll return it to youter.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185


    Nine: Damien


    Damien P.O.V.


    Five men.


    She lived with five men who snored louder than most bears. It wouldn¡¯t have been a problem if I hadn¡¯t


    found myself back at her camp listening to them for the past few hours after they had all gone to sleep.


    Four were in tents, but the smallest one slept by the low burning fire on a bedroll.


    He didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by the drop in temperature once the sun went down and snored the


    loudest. It disrupted the peace of the night and reminded me of why I enjoyed the solitude of my cabin.


    I loved hearing the chirping of the crickets and the cooing of owls. I liked the sound of birds in the


    morning and how the wind would whistle through the trees.


    It could be a little lonely at times, but it was peaceful.


    I had crossed the river and shifted into my beast, only to sit about ten meters from Charlotte¡¯s tent


    upwind. Even with the space between us, I could hear her teeth chattering and the tiny whimpers that


    left her perfect lips as she slept.


    I wondered how she would react if she woke up to me climbing into her small one-person tent and


    curling around her to share my body heat. After what happened today, I didn¡¯t think it would go over


    well.


    She would either tell me to get out, or we would wake up the rest of her camp as we finished what we


    had started by the fire earlier. I would give anything to have her wrapped around me again. But I was


    also trying to be responsible.


    The same concerns had been swarming my head since we first crossed paths.


    We clearly came from different social standings, and she deserved better than a cabin or house in the


    woods, even if she was sleeping in them for the time being. That wouldn¡¯t be permanent. I knew one


    day Charlotte would end up back in society with a house filled with everything she could ever want and


    men falling over themselves to get her attention.


    She wanted her soulmate, and I wasn¡¯t that.


    She was a wolf, and I was a bear. Our kinds didn¡¯t get along, and I couldn¡¯t imagine how difficult that


    would make our children¡¯s lives.


    I closed my eyes tightly, shaking my head as I tried to get the image of Charlotte holding our baby from


    my mind. Having those thoughts so soon wasn¡¯t healthy, and I couldn¡¯t do that to myself or her. Did she


    even want kids?


    She was easily the most attractive woman I had ever encountered, and the way she took control today


    was the hottest thing I had ever experienced. Our mutual attraction felt like two mes crashing


    together, ready to burn down this entire forest.


    The sound of someone moving made me tense, and I watched as one of the men exited their tent. It


    waste, so I knew they weren¡¯t up for the day. Probably heading out to take a leak.


    It was the man she had been training with. I had heard her address him as Roman, but she and I hadn¡¯t


    talked about any of the men¡­or talked at all. That was something that bothered me. I wanted to know


    her. It was a burning need in me to learn everything I could about her.


    If I didn¡¯t, how would I know if she was a match for me? Pushing aside all of the things that would


    prevent us from being together, even if they were a factor in my decisions, I didn¡¯t know her well


    enough to see if we would bepatible beyond our insane physical attraction.


    He moved toward me slowly with his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. His eyes locked with mine,


    and my body rxed. He could be a threat if he wanted to be, but nothing about his demeanor told me


    he was here to cause trouble.


    Roman reached me, sitting on a tree stump about seven feet in front of me and to my right. His


    forearms rested on his knees, and his hands were sped together.


    ¡°She¡¯s told us about you.¡± There was no tightness or anger in his voice. He was simply stating a fact,


    and I appreciated that he didn¡¯te out here with hostility or aggression. A man in his line of work


    with a level head and temper was rare, and I would hear him out. ¡°Damien, right?¡±


    I stared at him for a moment before nodding my head. My body shook as I began the shift to my skin,


    but he held his hand up to stop me.


    ¡°No need, man. It¡¯s pretty cold out here tonight.¡±


    I appreciated it but shifted anyway, wanting to show him the same respect he had shown me so far.


    ¡°You¡¯re Roman,¡± I stated, pulling on the pair of shorts I had brought and left by the tree. After squeezing


    into that scrawny, pretty boy¡¯s pants this morning, I made sure toe prepared this time.¡± How did


    you know I was here?¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s tent was silent beyond her soft breathing and asional shivering, and I worried she knew I


    was here too. Would it bother her that I was out here, and why did the thought of her catching me


    watching over her embarrass me? She hadn¡¯te out to see me. Perhaps she didn¡¯t want to see me.


    ¡°Diego saw you and signaled me,¡± Roman exined, not looking back over his shoulder to the man still


    snoring on his bed roll, the only one not in a tent to have been able to spot me. Diego¡¯s mouth was


    open, and his pinky twitched. I would have never guessed that he had ever woken up, let alone that he


    hadmunicated with someone.


    ¡°Through your pack link?¡± I rified. I knew wolves had them, but bears didn¡¯t. They had always


    fascinated me; it was how the Lycans had


    managed to take control of the world. They and the wolves were always so fluid and in synch when in


    battle because they couldmunicate and n attacks with only a thought. Something no one else


    could tap into or use against them.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t a pack. But you don¡¯t live the way we do without having other ways tomunicate with


    each other discretely.¡± Roman cleared his throat. ¡°Charlie can be a very stubborn woman.¡±


    I nodded, having seen that for myself when she came after me the first week. She saw something she


    wanted and didn¡¯t want to let it go. It was empowering that she felt that way for me, and one of the


    things that intrigued me about her.


    ¡°She is one of the strongest women I have ever met. She has put up with a lot of shit in her life, but I¡¯ve


    never seen her cry until you showed up.¡±


    Roman¡¯s words felt like a dagger sinking into my gut, and I had to restrain myself from stepping back.


    I had known she was upset that I didn¡¯t feel the bond she imed was between us, but to have made


    her cry left a sickening feeling in my chest. That had been thest thing I wanted.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°When I was a teenager, I was head over heels for a girl in my pack.¡± I raised an eyebrow at him. This


    was not how I expected this conversation to go, but Roman continued. ¡°She was everything I ever


    wanted until she rejected me for my best friend. The feeling of our bond being severed was so severe


    that my wolf faded, and I tried to kill myself a few monthster.¡±


    I stared at him, the whites of his eyes faintly bloodshot from exhaustion, but he didn¡¯t look as upset as I


    had imagined. This was a man who had lived with pain for so long that it became normal for him, a part


    of life he just had to live with.


    What was I supposed to say to that? The guy just hit me out of nowhere, in the middle of the night, with


    the story of the most traumatic moment in his life. I had been expecting the big brother talk, not¡­ this.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you experienced that,¡± I said, and I meant it. I couldn¡¯t imagine the kind of pain one would


    have to be feeling to attempt to take their own life. No one deserved that.


    He chuckled, but it sounded emotionless and forced. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that happens everytime someone


    is rejected. All I want you to consider is that I have the experience to back my words when I say, don¡¯t


    reject Charlie unless you are not only willing to live with the pain yourself, but you are willing to put her


    through it. It doesn¡¯t fade with time. If anything, it gets a little worse with each passing day that the bond


    ced by the Goddess is dismissed. Give yourself a chance to get to know her. You won¡¯t be


    disappointed. The Goddess chose Charlie for you for a reason.¡±


    My body felt tense, and I was instinctively defensive. Roman, nor anyone else, had the right to assume


    I would reject the will of the Goddess.


    I couldn¡¯t feel the bond for myself, but I was still here. I wanted to ensure her safety and get to know


    her to see if we werepatible. If I were going to reject the possibility of a mate bond, I would have


    done it by now. ¡°It doesn¡¯t always work out. You were disappointed.¡±


    Roman shook his head, looking bothered by my sudden retort. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t always work out. Nothing


    is guaranteed, but the difference is that my mate left me for power. Charlie¡­. Charlie has already had


    a life people could only dream of, and she was willing to walk away from it for happiness. You, as her


    mate, would make her happy. She would live and die for you. She would give you the world in the blink


    of an eye.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even fathom a connection and love that deep. To live and die for someone was a lot of


    pressure.


    Roman wasing from a good ce, and while I knew he hadn¡¯t intended it, I was filled with guilt. I


    couldn¡¯t subject Charlotte to that constant pain, but it also didn¡¯t seem fair that I would be required to


    stay with her if things didn¡¯t work out just to keep that pain from her.


    My only option was to continue as we were, slowly spending more time together and getting to know


    each other. We didn¡¯t need to make any decisions right away. We would take it one day at a time.


    ¡°I hear you.¡± It was all I could say to let him know I would take his words under advisement without


    directly telling him to mind his own business. He cared for her and wanted her happy and safe. I


    appreciated that because I wanted the same thing.


    Roman nodded at me before pushing his hands on his knees and getting to his feet. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    As he walked away, I shifted back into my fur, the sound of Charlotte shivering still reaching me. I


    would have to do something about that.

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186


    Ten: Charlie


    Charlie¡¯s P.O.V.


    I used to think that redheads had the shortest tempers. That was until I watched Paxton throw a fit


    when he thought his favorite pair of pants had blown away from where they had been hanging. He had


    a terrible habit of never putting his clothes away after they dried and would get angry when the wind


    took them.


    It became a running joke. When it was time for Paxton to do hisundry, we always expected to find


    them strewn about the forest floor at some point. Sometimes, even with no wind or storms, Diego


    would take something and hide it just for the hell of it.


    Paxton never learned his lesson. It was hrious.


    I had never stolen his clothes myself, nor had I hidden them before. That was all Diego, so Paxton


    didn¡¯t bother to use me when the men returned to camp, and he saw they were missing.


    He had been searching the woods around the camp for over an hour before giving up, cursing and


    grumbling under his breath. It wasn¡¯t an attractive look, and if any of his countless women saw it, they


    would probably change their minds about him. But it was hrious.


    I was grateful that Damien walked off in Paxton¡¯s pants, ill-fitting as they may have been. After what I


    had done with Damien in them, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to meet Paxton¡¯s eyes while he wore them.


    The next morning, it seemed that Paxton was still on the hunt as his loud cursing had woken me up.


    ¡°This is such bullshit!¡± He sounded put out, immediately bringing a smile to my face as I pulled my


    sleeping roll closer to my chin. Only it wasn¡¯t my sleeping roll. The nket was thick and heavy, and I


    tried to keep things light since we traveled with so much.


    I opened my eyes to see the unfamiliar brown fabric draped over my body and smiled even wider when


    Damien¡¯s scent hit me. Had he brought me a nket? How did I not hear him entering my tent, and


    where was he now?


    The sweet gesture warmed my heart, and I clenched the nket tightly in my fists as I held it to my


    chest. The sun had been up for a while based on how warm it was, and it had to have been the longest


    night¡¯s sleep I had had since living in the castle.


    I enjoyed it for one more moment before getting dressed and tripping over myself to get out of my tent.


    My foot snagged the bottom of the nket as I tumbled out of my tent. Arms wrapped around my waist,


    catching me before I could hit the ground.


    ¡°Easy there, girl,¡± Neil said, spinning us around fluidly like a dance before letting me go and walking


    toward the fire. ¡°Running a bitte today?¡±


    I nodded, rushing to make myself some coffee and grab breakfast to head out. I had already lost so


    much time from sleeping in and wanted to see Damien. After what happened yesterday, I needed to


    know if his showing up here and what we did was his way of giving me a chance.


    Maybe I had been too bold, I tended to do that, but no one had ever had a problem with it before. If


    they did, they didn¡¯t say anything. They couldn¡¯t. They had no right to address the actions of the


    princess. Only Killian had ever spoken against me. When he did, it was always so direct and almost


    cruel.


    I looked forward to the day Killian found his mate and could stop being such an ass.


    ¡°Slept in, but I have to get going.¡± My words were followed by my chugging the hot cup of caffeine,


    although I probably didn¡¯t need it with how much sleep I had gotten. I was running on pure adrenaline.


    ¡°Off to see ourte-night trespasser?¡± Neil pulled out a deck of cards, bending and shuffling them faster


    than my enhanced eyesight could follow. Diego had rolled up his bedroll and sat a few feet down from


    him, straddling the log as he waited for Neil to deal.


    ¡°He is bold. I¡¯ll give you that. I sent Roman after himst night, and the guy still came back an hour


    later, walked right into our camp and to your tent.¡± The smirk on Diego¡¯s face made me blush. They had


    known he had been in camp while they were gone yesterday. Not only could they smell him, but the


    stew I had been making had boiled over when Damien and I had walked away from the camp to part


    ways by the river, and theyughed at me for getting distracted. I was slightly disappointed that Damien


    didn¡¯t even stay to eat it, but I was too happy about what had happened between us to let it bother me.


    At least, they did until Paxton noticed his favorite pants were missing.


    ¡°So he did,¡± I mused with a small smile as I considered his visit and what it could mean. If anyone


    approached himst night, I was d it was Roman. The man was the most level-headed and collected


    of the group.


    Between him and Barley, it was a toss-up for which one would remain the most civil. Barley was the


    Papa Bear of the group, but Roman was the calm and civil protective brother who would support me to


    take on any challenge I set my heart on.


    Neil dealt the cards between him and Diego.


    ¡°Make sure you thank him properly for the nket when you see him. The man risked his lifeing in


    here to keep you warm.¡± Diego said, waggling his eyebrows at me.


    I wrinkled my nose at him and hid my blush by turning around and grabbing some food.


    ¡°Please,¡± Neil muttered, ¡°The man didn¡¯t risk shit. Even if you had been standing and fully armed, he


    could have just stepped on you.¡±


    Diego let out a growl, and I heard a grunt as heunched himself onto Neil. Short jokes were the


    easiest way to work Diego up. He was like a little stick of dynamite. You only had a few seconds after


    lighting his fuze before he blew.


    I turned back, ripping into a chunk of bread as I turned back to face them, finding the cards strewn on


    the ground and the two men wrestling behind the log.


    ¡°Where did the others go?¡± I asked and received a curt grunt of ¡®hunting¡¯ in response as Neil got Diego


    into a headlock. ¡°Alright, you two have fun.¡±


    They didn¡¯t bother saying goodbye when I left, and I had rushed away so quickly that I didn¡¯t really give


    them a chance.


    It was the closest I had ever gotten to Damien¡¯s den, and I slowed when I heard the distinct sound of


    wood being chopped. I was waiting for him to stop me, to tell me that I needed to turn around and


    leave. But he didn¡¯t.


    As I broke the tree line, my breath caught in my chest. There was a beautiful cabin that, had it not been


    in the woods and made out of logs, rivaled the size of a small house. The strangest thing was that he


    had arge fenced-off garden flourishing with fruiting nts.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    It was beautiful and not what I had been expecting from him, but it was exactly the kind of ce I had


    dreamed of living in as a teenager. The small, quiet life in nature where I would grow my family and live


    in peace.


    I had almost expected him to be one of the bears that preferred to live in a cave. Many of them lived


    that way, and I was pleasantly surprised that wasn¡¯t the case.


    Damien¡¯s voice sent a chill down my spine, and I had to force my gaze from his incredible home to the


    man standing by the front corner of the house with an ax on his bare shoulder and his shorts hanging


    low on his hips.


    ¡°Charlotte.¡±


    My eyes closed as I let out a breath of relief at how happy he sounded. A small part of me had been


    expecting him to be angry that I hade here after he had made it clear that he didn¡¯t want me near


    his den.


    ¡°Damien,¡± I whispered, forcing my eyes to stay on his face and not drop down to his chest, which was


    glistening with sweat. ¡°I wanted to thank you for the nketst night.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t brought it with me, and unless he asked for it back, I wouldn¡¯t return it. I liked having something


    that smelled like him and proved that he did care for me, no matter how resistant to the mate bond he


    was.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± He said, looking uneasy before spinning around and moving back behind his home.


    Stunned, I waited a few seconds, and when I heard him resume his wood chopping, I followed him. It


    sure was a sight to behold, and my thighs pressed together as I watched his muscles flex and move


    beneath his skin as he grabbed another piece of wood, ced it on the stump, and sliced his ax


    through it.


    I didn¡¯t want to leave it at that, so I moved forward to help. Damien eyed me wearily, but then surprise


    covered his face as I picked up the already chopped sections of wood, carried them over to the open


    shed several paces away, and began stacking the wood with the rest.


    There was a lot in there already, but I imagined he would add a lot more as he prepared for winter. I bit


    my lip and hid augh, and let the thought slip from my lips as I gathered the next armful of wood.


    ¡°Do you hibernate in the winter?¡± My smile broke free. I had intended it as a joke, but his cheeks and


    ears turned pink.


    ¡°No,¡± Damien said, grabbing another log and cing it on the stump before mumbling, ¡°I just sleep a


    lot.¡±


    Myugh broke free, and he paused with the ax over his head, staring at me as I covered my mouth.


    ¡°Well, what about you? Do you spin three times in your bed before settling down to sleep?¡± His


    offended tone made meugh again as I stacked the wood in the shed.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m a very restless sleeper.¡±


    He hummed, and when I turned, his head was tilted to the side as he stared at me with evident desire.


    ¡°If you keep looking at me like that, I¡¯ll assume you¡¯re thinking about what it would be like to have me


    tossing and turning in your bed all night, keeping you awake.¡± My joke fell t when he licked his lips


    and nodded.


    ¡°I was.¡±


    My hands shook when I approached him before reaching down for more wood. I would lose my mind if


    he continued to say things like that. The man could make me melt with two words. How was that even


    possible?


    I wanted him to drop the ax, grab me, and take me inside to show me exactly what he wanted to do to


    me. Instead, he shook his head and went back to work. ¡°What is your favorite ce to have traveled?¡±


    His question caught me off guard, and I choked out the immediate response, ¡°Here.¡±


    ¡°How long have you been traveling?¡± Damien eyed the wood by his feet before looking back up at me,


    and somehow his silentmand to get back to work made me feel better. It made things feel more


    normal between us.


    I was positive he just wanted me to be busy so he wouldn¡¯t have me just staring at him. From the red in


    Damien¡¯s cheeks and how unsure he sounded when he asked me questions, I could tell he was


    ufortable holding conversations, or maybe he just didn¡¯t know how to talk to me.


    But his wanting to learn more about me made me so happy that I would cut down the whole forest if it


    meant he would continue talking to me.


    ¡°For a few years now. The men call us bounty hunters, but I prefer the term mercenaries. It just sounds


    better to me. My brother hated that I left home, but I needed to. Out here, he cant control me.¡±

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187


    Eleven: Charlie


    Charlie P.O.V.


    ¡°Did you feel unsafe?¡± Damien asked, and I shook my head, but there was a slight dy in my


    reaction. The truth was there were several times that I had felt unsafe. There were more moments


    during my time in the castle where I was either in immediate danger or was looking over my shoulder


    for it than I liked to admit.


    ¡°Not with him. My brother scared me a lot, he let his anger and beast get the better of him, but he


    always walked away. He never physically hurt me. He just yelled and shifted to intimidate everyone


    around him. It¡¯s what the pack knows him for.¡± I kept to myself how many people he had killed in his life


    because there were too many to count.


    Executions alone were in the high double digits; if you bring in all the wars and battles he had fought,


    Killian had killed at least several hundred creatures, maybe thousands.


    Regardless of how cruel he acted at times, he was still my brother. Killian was the only family I had left,


    and I wanted him to be happy. I wanted him to find his mate so he could see that he could be good.


    ¡°Do you feel safe now?¡± Damien watched me closely. I could still feel his stare when I turned away from


    him.


    I nced over my shoulder at him. I wasn¡¯t sure if he was asking if I felt safe around him or if I felt safe


    around my men, but the answer, either way, was, ¡°Yes.¡±


    That made him smile.


    Never in my life had I thought of a man as beautiful before. Pretty, sure. But never beautiful, not until I


    met Damien. His smile was so pure and genuine that I was determined to see it every day for the rest


    of my life. It was the kind of smile that would make the Goddess fall to her knees before him if She


    were to see it.


    When I returned to his side, he had stopped chopping and held the head of the ax down on the stump


    with both hands on the end of the handle.


    ¡°Is he your only sibling?¡±


    ¡°Yes, do you have any?¡± I asked as I grabbed thest few pieces of wood and stacked them in the


    shed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I do, but none I have met.¡± His eyes were alight with amusement when he saw my surprise,


    and he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°My father is a wanderer. I have to assume that I am not his only


    offspring.¡±


    The reminder of our different cultures made me feel sick. Would Damien be like that? Would he walk


    away once we had children? Had he already? How many women had he been with while traveling who


    ended up pregnant?


    ¡°Is that how all bears live?¡± It was almost impossible not to offend someone by asking how many love


    children they might have wandering around.


    ¡°No. Most of them do, but not all of us. Some settle down for life.¡± Damien picked up the ax, walking


    past me to ce it in the shed.


    He was very clear in his distinct difference between ¡®them¡¯ and ¡®us.¡¯ It was as if he wanted to rify that


    he hadn¡¯t been a part of the wanderers that lived their life freely with no concern for those they left


    behind. But settling down for life? That meant there was a chance.


    A chance for us.


    ¡°What was your favorite job?¡± I blinked at him, surprised that he wanted to continue our conversation


    even though he seemed done chopping wood. I followed him up the front steps of his porch and sat


    down on the bench he had there.


    It had clearly been handcrafted, and I was wildly impressed when I sat down on it, and it swung


    backward. Had Damien built a glider? My mate was a man of many talents, and that impressed me.


    The bench rocked back a few inches as he sat down next to me, and I curled my legs beneath me as


    he began rocking us, pushing off from his feet on the bench.


    ¡°It was recent. The men left to deal with a Sprite causing trouble in the town.¡± My cheeks burned, and I


    looked out at the forest. It was so peaceful here. Everything about the location he had chosen was


    perfect. People would pay millions to have a house here, and he was a smart man to im it while he


    could.


    ¡°The men went off; what job did you work?¡± Damien¡¯s thigh pressed against my knee as he adjusted in


    his seat, and I turned to him with my best attempt at a seductive smile.


    ¡°I stayed in the camp to watch our stuff and cook lunch.¡±


    It took him a fraction of a second to understand the meaning of my statement, and his eyelids lowered


    slightly as he nced down at my lips.


    I wanted him to make a move, to lean in and kiss me after I had practically jumped him yesterday. But


    he held still, so still, I was questioning whether he was even breathing.


    Embarrassment washed through me at the realization that maybe I wasing on too strong. I had


    jumped the man and grabbed his dick yesterday, for fuck¡¯s sake.


    I adjusted, nning on pulling my knee away to give him space, but as soon as I moved, hisrge hand


    grabbed my thigh, holding it in ce. I cleared my throat, rxing again as I stared at his hand. ¡°An


    Ogre.¡±


    He chuckled as I shouted the words loudly, failing to regain control over my body and mind.


    ¡°My real favorite was an ogre. He had been picking off kids and teenagers in a small town, about two


    days¡¯journey from here. It turned out that he hadn¡¯t been eating them as quickly as we assumed he


    would. He was keeping most of them in cages forter. We dealt with him and returned most of the


    missing kids to their families.¡±


    Damien hummed in acknowledgment, nodding slowly as he thought about my answer.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It was horrific, and I knew those children would be traumatized by what they saw. But I had been


    hoping that witnessing the ogre¡¯s death would give them closure and being with their families who


    loved them and would support them in their healing, that they would be okay¡­one day.


    It probably wouldn¡¯t be any time soon. The trauma those kids experienced would impact the rest of


    their life. Some would probably wish they were dead at first, but with the right support system, they


    could return to a semi normal life.


    Damien looked unbothered, but from how his grip on my knee tightened, I knew my story bothered him.


    ¡°There is too much darkness in the world today. I wish you could just stay somewhere safe.¡±


    My heart plummeted to my stomach. The fear that Damien could be like the other men I had grown up


    with made me feel sick. They did their best to lock me in a tower, wanting to keep me from the horrors


    of my parents and outside threats.


    But everything was a threat to the Princess, the heir to the crown. That¡¯s all I was to them.


    ¡°Most people don¡¯t realize it doesn¡¯t matter where you hide. The world always has evil, and it will find


    you.¡± I whispered. My life now was safer than when I had lived in a castle surrounded by guards. There


    had been limited happiness between my parents, my brother, the toxic women of the court, and my ex.


    Now I was free and at peace. I had chosen my own family and had been chosen by them in return.


    ¡°That is true.¡± Damien rxed his hold on my leg, his thumb sliding up and down, unintentionally


    driving me wild. ¡°You are strong and beautiful. I imagine many evils would want to break your spirit. I¡¯m


    happy that you did not let them.¡±


    ¡°There is very little in this world that I would let break me.¡± There was an unspoken continuation to that


    sentence, and I wasn¡¯t sure he would hear it. ¡®But you, you can break me.¡¯


    Damien held all the power in our rtionship. I was ready to dive in head first, but he had reservations.


    I understood them, but I wasn¡¯t happy about it. Still, I could live with not being marked by him, but I


    didn¡¯t know if I could live without him.


    ¡°Good.¡± His deep voice sent shivers down my spine, and I felt so out of control around him that I knew I


    needed to address what happened between up yesterday.


    ¡°Damien,¡± I started, and the low growl I received from him in response made a rush of pleasure course


    through me. ¡°Yesterday. Was that okay? I mean, did you enjoy¡­¡±


    I was on cloud nine after he left, but my mind started getting the best of me. Every action and every


    word from yesterday was on rey until I had second-guessed myself so much that I just shut down


    and decided to talk to him about it today.


    Now, we were here. It was time for us to talk about it, and I felt utterly humiliated addressing the


    elephant in the room.


    His calloused hand tightened on my leg, and I stared at it, too embarrassed to make eye contact with


    him. ¡°Yes, Charlotte. I enjoyed it.¡±


    My eyes closed as I let out a sigh of relief. I didn¡¯t know what I was doing with him, but I wouldn¡¯t tell


    him that. I couldn¡¯t imagine how many women had thrown themselves at him as I had but had


    experience¡­ women who knew how to please him.


    ¡°I know we are figuring things out between us, but the rule you put in cest night stands, and it


    applies to you too.¡± Damien¡¯s hand slid further up my leg, wrapping around my inner thigh.


    My rule?


    The only thing I could think of was my humiliating deration to be the only woman Damien should turn


    to for pleasure when he had given me no indication of ever wanting more.


    ¡°Are you saying that if I want an orgasm, you should be the only man I go to?¡± My body twisted,


    wanting to face him head-on to read his expression; I wanted no confusion or misunderstanding


    between us.


    ¡°For now, yes.¡± He nodded, his free hand moving to grab my jaw. ¡°We¡¯re just getting to know each


    other, Charlotte, but that doesn¡¯t mean that we can¡¯t enjoy each other while we do it. I want to take care


    of you. I want to please you. If you¡¯re wet because of me, then only I should be able to touch you.¡±


    Yes, please.


    I nodded, licking my lips. My eyes dropped, but I couldn¡¯t see Damien¡¯s hand as he used his thumb to


    pull down on my bottom lip.


    ¡°If things don¡¯t work out between us as we get to know each other, if we decide the obstacles to get


    there are bigger than what we would be worth if we did be something¡­.¡± Damien looked angry as


    he spoke like the words tasted wrong or were being forced from him, but I understood where he was


    coming from.


    He had already told me he didn¡¯t believe we were mates. But I did. And I knew he was mine. I would


    just have to prove it to him.


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen, but I can agree to that. I¡¯m going to get you to see this my way. You may resist the


    idea that you can have a soulmate, but it doesn¡¯t make it any less true.¡± I pressed forward, stealing a


    kiss. He moved his hand from my jaw to grip the back of my head, but I pulled away. I was going to let


    him make the first move the next time.


    Until then, I would enjoy teasing him. I would make him want me so badly that he couldn¡¯t think of


    anything else.


    ¡°Come on,¡± I whispered as I stood up and put some space between us, my hips swaying more than


    usual with each step. ¡°I¡¯m ready for some food. Let¡¯s go hunting.¡±


    Looking over my shoulder, I saw Damien following behind me. The light in his eyes and the smile on his


    lips made my nerves melt away.


    I would win this. It was just a matter of time.

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188


    Twelve: Damien


    Damien¡¯s P.O.V.


    I never expected that I would enjoy having someone at my home. Specifically, I made a point of


    keeping people away from my house. But each day that she showed up and worked alongside me, the


    more I wanted to keep her here.


    She never once pushed me to go inside. Charlotte simply helped me stock up on firewood and assisted


    in caring for the garden and pulling the ripe vegetables.


    The best part was that every time we spoke, I learned something new about her. There hadn¡¯t been a


    single thing that I hadn¡¯t liked.


    I watched as she carried the buckets of water with me from the river to the tank I had in the back of the


    house. I usually would catch rainwater in it, but we hadn¡¯t had rain in a while, and filling it up from the


    fresh water in the running river was my only option if I wanted to keep the limited amount of running


    water I had in my cabin.


    I had tried to get them to run something from town, but you had to have money for that. A lot of it.


    Living in the forest and off thend my entire life, I had little need for money. I would do odd jobs here


    and there, enough to livefortably and buy what I needed from town, but spending my life working


    for someone was not how I wanted to live.


    It sounded miserable, especially if I had to deal with others while working.


    Charlotte seemed like she would be good with people, and I hated the idea of her working and hunting


    down other creatures for money. She could take care of herself, but the potential for her to get hurt was


    still there.


    I felt overprotective of her to an unhealthy degree.


    I was torn between wanting to throw away my reservations and make her mine or stepping back and


    putting some distance between us to gain my bearings.


    It had been several days of getting to know one another with innocent flirting. As nice as it was, the


    tension between us was getting thicker by the day, and I was about to snap.


    Whenever I looked at her, I thought about how incredible it had been to have her straddling me.


    Whenever she let out a deep breath afterpleting a task, I remembered how she moaned when she


    tasted my pre -cum.


    I knew her favorite food was steak cooked medium rare with buttery mashed potatoes. I knew her


    favorite color was green. I knew her parents weren¡¯t around anymore, even though she wouldn¡¯t


    exin. It was just her and her brother, and they didn¡¯t get along. She had told me most of her likes


    and dislikes but not much about her childhood or life outside the forest.


    That had been next on my list to talk to her about.


    I would ask her everything I could think of, wanting to learn every detail about her. The more she told


    me, the morepatible we seemed, and I was starting to think that maybe a rtionship with her


    wouldn¡¯t be so bad.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    But the one thing I didn¡¯t know was how she tasted, and I was almost desperate to find out.


    I dreamed about her, thought about her when she wasn¡¯t here, and when she was, I was constantly


    stealing any touch I could get.


    We stopped by the water reservoir, and I ced my buckets down first, rushing to grab the ones in her


    hands to dump them for her. Charlotteughed as I did so, trying to refuse my help. It was adorable.


    ¡°I got it!¡± Her front pressed against mine as she stepped forward to try and take the bucket back from


    me.


    ¡°Charlotte, let me be a gentleman, damn it!¡± I said as I tried to lift the bucket over our heads to dump it


    in the tank. Herughter was infectious, and I couldn¡¯t stopughing as we struggled for control.


    Charlotte pulled on the handle in a swift tug, trying to get it out of my hand, subsequently sending a


    wave of water over the lip of the pale. The cool liquid sshed between us, and we both froze.


    Her emerald eyes burned brightly with shock and amusement as she stared at me. Her wet chest was


    pressed against mine and rose and fell quickly.


    It was then that my restraint cracked. ¡°What are you doing to me?¡±


    I didn¡¯t give her the chance to answer my question. My lips crashed down on hers just as the bucket in


    her other hand dropped to the ground, water sttering over our legs. She released the handle we had


    been fighting over, and I groaned as her hand gripped the back of my head, holding me to her.


    I had lowered the bucket that had been above us in seconds, dropped it down safely, and spun her


    around to have her back against the water tank. Charlotte moaned loudly in my mouth, spurring me on


    as I grabbed her ass, lifting her until she had wrapped her legs around my waist.


    ¡°Damien,¡± Her cry of my name as I began kissing and licking down her neck, wanting to mark her with


    my scent, had me hard in my shorts. Her legs were locked around me as she used the leverage to rub


    herself against my shaft, breathy moans leaving her as I matched her pace. ¡°More.¡±


    One word. That one fucking word had me storming through the back door of my home and lowering her


    to the couch. She gasped as I tore her shorts and underwear down her legs, but my temptress didn¡¯t


    shy away.


    I had to stop, to pull away for a moment as she sat before me in her flimsy little tank top, one she had


    been torturing me in with her legs spread. I could see her glistening with arousal and her nipples


    pebbling beneath the fabric of her top. That had to go too.


    Dropping to my knees, I reached up and pulled the shirt off, my eyes almost rolling to the back of my


    head at how perfect her breasts were. Fucking beautiful.


    I didn¡¯t realize how fast I had been breathing, how desperately I needed her until that moment. I was


    torn between shoving my face between her legs and bending her over the arm of the couch so I could


    be inside her.


    My hands slid up her thighs, over her sides to y with her breasts, my gaze returning to her perfect


    pussy as I watched her grow more aroused. Each pinch and roll of her nipple had her pushing her hips


    forward toward me, weing me in.


    Her hand cupped the side of my head, her fingers pressing on the back of it, guiding my face between


    her legs as she whispered again. ¡°More.¡±


    That¡¯s my girl.


    I didn¡¯t waste any more time. I would be seeing a lot more of her naked after this. There was no way I


    could keep my hands off her after knowing if she tasted as good as she looked and smelled.


    I kissed right above her slit, my arms going under her thighs, pulling her closer to the edge of the


    couch. Charlotte fell back, and as my mouth closed around her clit, I looked up at her. She was


    magnificent.


    Her hands cupped her breasts. Her nipples pinched between her knuckles as I sucked on her clit. Her


    eyes were open, locked on mine as she cried in pleasure, ¡°Oh! Oh! Yes!¡±


    My tongue moved down to her entrance, and I groaned at how sweet she tasted. It was better than I


    had hoped, and undoubtedly, it was my new favorite vor.


    Her hips began grinding against my face, and I returned to her clit. I wanted her toe undone for me


    and on me. As I licked, sucked, and even nibbled on her clit, her hips and thighs began to tremble. Her


    moaning became louder, and her back arched as she came undone.


    Her cry of my name as she orgasmed burned into my memory, and I continued to eat her out like it was


    myst meal, letting her enjoy everyst wave of pleasure that came with her release.


    ¡°That¡­ that was incredible.¡± Charlotte panted as I turned my head and licked and kissed her thigh. She


    didn¡¯t move as I worked my way up her stomach, capturing her nipple in my mouth before eventually


    returning to her lips.


    ¡°You taste so fucking good.¡± I swiped my tongue against hers, wanting her to understand exactly how


    maddening her cum tasted. It could bring a grown man to tears.


    ¡°Damien,¡± Her body writhed beneath me, her eyelid lowered with desire. Her beast hade forward.


    Her emerald green eyes had turned ck, making me want her even more.


    ¡°Yes, baby?¡± The name slipped from my lips before I could think to stop myself, and I loved that she


    shivered in response. ¡°Tell me what you need.¡±


    ¡°More.¡±


    I stood up, stepping out of my shorts as she turned on the couch,ying her head on the cushion next


    to the armrest. She looked so dainty and so damn beautiful in my home.


    A smile graced Charlotte¡¯s lips as I climbed over her, settling between her legs. She looked nervous


    and excited but wasted no time leaning up to kiss me, rubbing her wet pussy on my hard cock.


    I wanted to remind her that this was just sex. It didn¡¯t mean anything and wouldn¡¯t change anything


    between us, but I knew that was a lie. Reaching


    between us, I lined myself up with her entrance before pushing inside her slowly.


    She was so tight that my jaw clenched, and I groaned in pleasure.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Charlotte cried out, and I pulled back before mming into her as deep as I could go. Her back


    arched, and her body pressed against mine as she lifted her hips with each thrust. The ck of her


    beast¡¯s eyes melted away, and she stared up at me with the bright green eyes I adored.


    My arm wrapped under her knee, pulling it up to my shoulder as I leaned down for her lips.


    ¡°Damien, yes!¡±


    I tilted my hips forward, the angle allowing me to rub against her clit with each thrust, and my head


    dropped into her neck as I felt her walls tighten around me. ¡°Fuck, baby.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold it anymore, and as soon as she came, I pulled out and did the same, right on her pussy.


    The possessive side of me took over, and I slipped my hand between us, rubbing my cum against her


    clit. Her pelvis trembled as I did so, and I continued to y with her until her body had rxed.


    With onest kiss, I got up, reaching out to help her, but the sight of blood on my fingers made me


    pause.


    ¡°Mh, I think we should do that again,¡± Charlotte said as she sat up, but she paused when she saw my


    hand between us and the evidence of what just happened on it. ¡°Damien, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    But it was a big deal. I could feel my heart mming into my ribs. My brain couldn¡¯t focus on anything


    besides the blood on my hand. I hadn¡¯t hurt her, but I had taken her virginity. On a fucking couch.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how long she had been talking to me that I didn¡¯t hear her. I was focused on the horror of


    taking a woman¡¯s virginity when she had clearly been saving it for her soulmate. Wolves didn¡¯t usually


    wait, but she did. It made me both proud and anxious at the same time.


    My mind kept repeating the same line over and over again. ¡®Bears don¡¯t have mates.¡¯


    When she finally caught my attention by throwing my kitchen towel over my hand and wiping off the


    blood and cum, I blinked into focus as her lips pressed against mine.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to head home and give you some time alone, but don¡¯t make this into something more than it


    is. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Charlotte strolled to the door with her head held high as I stood there with a dish


    towel over my hand like an asshole. ¡°Don¡¯t shut down on me, Damien. I need you, and I n on fucking


    you again very soon.¡±

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189


    Thirteen: Damien


    Damien¡¯s P.O.V.


    My palms slid against the fabric of my shorts as I rubbed my legs, trying to distract myself from what I


    had done. I felt like aplete asshole. I couldn¡¯t sleep and ended up torturing myself all night thinking


    about it.


    I wanted Charlotte again. I craved her.


    Yet, the guilt of not only taking her virginity but doing it so hard and deep and on the fucking couch


    when there was a bed one room over had me feeling sick. She deserved so much better.


    I should have made her some food and then taken her to my bed. We could have gone slowly until she


    had adjusted to my size. I didn¡¯t need to thrust into Charlotte the way I did. I would make it up to her


    and ensure she had a better experience next time.


    Flowers, candles¡­romance. Women loved that shit. I couldn¡¯t sit back without doing something. I


    nned to give her a tour of my home when she got here this morning, demanding she rx while I


    cooked her breakfast. We could talk as we ate our food, and I would make sure she was okay with


    what happenedst night.


    While I appreciated her help over the past week, I didn¡¯t intend to make her do my chores. She just


    started helping me one day, which meant a lot to me. No one had helped me before without wanting


    something in return. Charlotte only wanted to spend time with me to see if we could be more.


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    I didn¡¯t say anything about it, but I didn¡¯t stop her either. She wouldn¡¯t listen to me, even if I did tell her


    to stop.


    She had no problem doing manual work and getting dirty. Charlotte was incredible. I could picture us


    doing our daily chores around the house while our kids ran around the yard, and the image was just too


    good to dismiss.


    I wasn¡¯t ready to let her go, but I needed to make up for my carelessness before we moved any further.


    I walked back and forth from the river all night, wanting to make sure the tank waspletely full today


    before she showed up. There were a lot of chores that if she wanted to help with, she could. But taking


    over a dozen trips back and forth from the river, carrying buckets of water was not the kind of work I


    would want my woman doing.


    The idea of her bing my woman sounded better each day we spent together.


    I was excited. Nervous but excited.


    When morning passed, and the sun began the descent of the afternoon sun, my excitement turned into


    anxiety. Charlotte hadn¡¯t shown up like she had every day before, and I debated going after her. I didn¡¯t


    know if what happened yesterday had hit herst night after she left or if she truly was happy about it.


    She said she would give me space to think but that she would be back. I wanted to offer her the same


    consideration.


    I wanted to, but I didn¡¯t. I needed to know she was okay.


    My hands pressed into my knees as I pushed myself to my feet and stormed out of my cabin. I ended


    up across the river and standing in the middle of her empty camp before I knew it.


    There should have been at least one person here. Charlotte said they always left one person behind to


    protect their belongings.


    Yet, their camp was empty. Worry settled deep in my chest.


    Something had to have happened. They wouldn¡¯t abandon their camp unless there had been an


    emergency. Was someone injured?


    My head spun from side to side as I scanned the area, looking for any sign of struggle. Was Charlotte


    okay? If she was my mate, would I be able to feel it if she were in danger or hurt?


    I could hear my blood pumping loudly in my head as my breathing picked up. Her scent was still here,


    and I couldn¡¯t pick up traces of blood. Yet, I wasing up with a million thoughts and ideas about


    what could have happened, and each one was worse than thest.


    They had done an excellent job of limiting any marks or tracks someone could follow, but Charlotte¡¯s


    scent made it easy for me to chase her band of mercenaries down.


    I wanted to shift to get there faster, but I knew a bear sprinting through the woods would be louder and


    catch more attention than a man.


    It was only an hourter that I reached the outskirts of the town.


    The humans had done a good job building a new society after the Great War when Lycanstook control


    of the world and all supernatural creatures came out of hiding, but their poption was still only an


    eighth of the size it used to be.


    Their towns and cities were significantly smaller, and most were hidden, still geared up for war against


    supernatural creatures. Ones like this, though, weed the new way of life¡­to an extent.


    The humans still weren¡¯t happy with our kind being around, but it was their new normal, and they had


    epted that it was better to work with us than to be against us.


    As I jogged past them, a woman ushered her children into her waiting car. She knew I wasn¡¯t human


    from her tone and the look she sent me. It was one of the reasons why I hateding to town, but I


    had done it enough that people knew of me. They knew I existed, lived nearby, and put up with me,


    even if they didn¡¯t like my kind.


    Charlotte¡¯s scent was diluted by everyone walking around, and I pushed myself to move faster. I


    couldn¡¯t lose it.


    Just as I was jogging past one of the inns, a small body came rushing through the door, smacking into


    my side.


    Sparks erupted across my chest as I wrapped my arms around her and held her to me, steadying us.


    ¡°Damien?¡± Charlotte¡¯s soft voice was full of confusion, but a smile stretched across her face when she


    pulled back and looked up at me.¡± Damien! What are you doing here?¡±


    She pulled her arms from where they were squished between us and threw them around my neck. It


    was not the greeting I had been expecting, but I was so happy to see she was okay that my hand


    grabbed the side of her head, and I kissed her.


    She responded eagerly and pushed up on her toes to be closer to me.


    ¡°Well, I was not expecting that.¡± A familiar voice called out from my right, and I pulled away to bare my


    teeth at the pretty boy. Charlotte had told me about the men she traveled with, and I knew this man,


    Paxton, was the one I liked the least. His constant flirting with Charlotte made me want to tear out his


    tongue.


    ¡°Damien, why did youe to town? I could have picked something up for you if you needed.¡±


    Charlotte didn¡¯t bother to look at Paxton; her bright green eyes were locked on me, and it made me


    happy that she didn¡¯t feel he was worth her attention when I was present.


    ¡±You didn¡¯t show up, and your camp was empty.¡±


    Paxton snorted with amusement next to us, looking as though she were about to make fun of me for


    rushing into town to find Charlotte before a look of horror crossed his face. ¡°My stuff!¡±


    I raised my eyebrows as he turned on his heels and ran toward the forest.¡± Don¡¯t mind him. Someone


    stole his favorite pants the other day, and he¡¯s been a bit jumpy about leaving camp since.¡±


    Charlotte¡¯s arms were still around my neck, and she leaned up, kissing my jaw. How could one woman


    make me feel this way? The small touches she did were everything, and I was addicted to her.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to worry you. I was rushing out to see you right now. We had toe here to cash in for


    ourst bounty, and they gave us another one.¡± I heard the paper in her hand crinkling as she waved it


    behind my head, but I was unsure if I wanted to know what danger she was about to put herself in.


    Her cheeks lit up in a soft pink glow as she smiledrger than I had ever seen. ¡°You were worried about


    me. You came after me.¡± ¡°Of course I did. Why wouldn¡¯t Ie after you? I needed to make sure you


    were okay, Charlotte.¡± My voice lowered as I began walking her backward and out of the way of a


    passing couple.


    She seemed to pick up on the double meaning of my words, and she kissed me again, nodding as she


    assured me, ¡°I am more than okay. I¡¯ve never been happier. I could do without all the human women


    checking out my shirtless mate, but other than that, I am wonderful.¡±


    I didn¡¯t bother looking around to see if she was just joking with me or if people had stopped to stare. ¡°I


    almost showed up in my fur. Then I would be naked.¡± ¡°If you had shown up naked, we would have been


    giving them a different show altogether.¡± Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and I felt mine widen with


    surprise.


    ¡°Charlotte, what happened yesterday¡­.¡¯ ¡°Was perfect, and I would love for it to happen again.¡± She


    interjected, her body tense, and her smile fell as she went on the defense.


    ¡°It will happen again, but not like that.¡± I shook my head, my hands sliding under her shirt to rest on her


    hips. ¡°If I had known that was your first time, I would have done things differently. I am going to do


    things differently the next time.¡± ¡®Starting with protection.¡¯ I thought to myself. I had been careless and


    desperate to get inside the beautiful woman offering herself to me, begging for me, that I didn¡¯t use my


    brain. A child was thest thing either of us needed, but the thought of not going bare, now that I knew


    how good it was, was infuriating.


    I didn¡¯t want anything between us, ever.


    ¡°There you are, girl! It¡¯s time to go.¡± Arge man I recognized from her camp came pushing through the


    crowd, the others trailing behind him.


    ¡°Barley! This is Damien. Damien, this is Barley.¡± Charlotte excitedly gestured between us, and he gave


    me a nod before discretely looking around.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Damien. We can get to know each other betterter. We need to get a move on.¡±


    Barley gestured for us to begin walking, and I felt myself on high alert, pulling Charlotte behind me by


    the hand to shield her from whatever had set the big man off.


    I began heading toward their camp, but the giant wolf shifter quickly cut in front of me and steered us in


    the opposite direction. Once we were deep in the forest and out of sight of the town, the group turned


    and began the long journey back to their camp.


    There were only three men with us, so I had to assume one had stayed behind after all. Diego, the loud


    snorer, was missing from the group, and Paxton had presumably run back when he heard their camp


    was unattended.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Charlotte asked when the camp came back into view through the trees.


    ¡°Seems someone heard you being referred to by Charlotte instead of Charlie, and gossip began to


    spread about you being in town.¡± Roman chimed in, walking behind us and ncing back and around


    us every few seconds to ensure we were alone.


    My back stiffened. I had called her Charlotte several times, but that was her name. Still, I wondered if I


    had put her in danger without even knowing it. It didn¡¯t make sense, and I wanted to know how people


    knew her and why it was a big deal for her to be there.


    ¡°That¡¯s her name. Why would that cause problems?¡± I asked, not liking the way they nced at each


    other. I looked down at Charlotte, but her gaze was locked on the ground, and even when I gently


    pulled on her hand, she refused to look up.


    ¡°I think it would just be best if you called me Charlie when we are in public.


    I can¡¯t be Charlotte there.¡±

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190


    Fourteen: Charlie


    Charlie¡¯s P.O.V.


    Damien had walked with us back to camp, and I could practically taste the dread bubbling up and


    poisoning my good mood. I could feel how bothered he was, but I wasn¡¯t ready to bring him into that


    part of my world. He was learning who I was as a person. My crown wasn¡¯t tainting his perception of


    me just yet. I preferred that.


    I was more than my title, and I knew if that were thrown into the mix, he would be bothered by it.


    I had to take baby steps with him, and as excited and eager as I was to finally have my mate, I was


    ready for him to want me as much as I wanted him. My impatience was going to drive me insane.


    Damien sat on the log beside me as Neil and Diego argued over their dice game. Roman sat quietly,


    staring into the fire, as usual, lost in thought.


    Barley and Paxton loudly joked with each other, sipping the liquor they had purchased from town. We


    hadn¡¯t been able to do our entire supply run because of me, so we would have to return in a few days.


    I was hoping things would have settled down by then. Thest thing I wanted was for Damien to see


    how wild people could get when they realized the princess was among them. Most of the time, they


    were happy and excited to see me. But asionally, when they realized I didn¡¯t have guards, they


    would take out their anger and annoyance for what was going on in the world on me.


    When it got out of hand like that, and I was outnumbered, threatened, and asionally getting


    attacked, it was almost as scary as facing my brother in his Lycan form on the battlefield. People could


    be cruel, but I had to ept that early on in life. As an adult, I had to be careful to dodge that minefield.


    I pressed my leg against Damien¡¯s, feeling my heart drop when he pulled away. Having him sitting


    here, staying with us instead of returning to his home, was confusing. Whatever battle he was fighting


    in his head seemed to consume his energy because he wouldn¡¯t even look at me.


    ¡°Do you want to go for a walk?¡± I whispered, my cheeks heating up when Diego, Neil, and Paxton


    started hooting and hollering. They were the worst.


    I loved them. ¡°To talk.¡±


    My rification received a few chuckles as they returned to their game and conversations. I felt Damien


    tense at my question, and I worried I had done something wrong. Why was he here if he didn¡¯t want to


    be around me?


    ¡°No, I think I¡¯m going to head home.¡¯ He stood, and I almost expected him to turn to me to help me up


    or to ask me to walk back to the river with him for a proper goodbye, but he started walking without


    another word.


    ¡°Wait!¡± I called out as I jumped from my seat and chased after him. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°No.-


    Iughed coldly, grabbing his arm and encouraging him to face me. ¡°Then why are you treating me like


    this? You haven¡¯t said a word to me in hours; you¡¯ve pulled away each time I try to touch you, and now


    you¡¯re leaving without a goodbye, a kiss, or maybe, I don¡¯t know, even looking at me.¡±


    Damien spun to face me, his ck eyes burning into my soul as I saw that he had built his walls back


    up. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    My jaw dropped open. I knew Damien wasn¡¯t stupid and that having to run from town when someone


    recognized me would raise some questions, but I wanted to keep that part of myself tucked away for


    now. ¡¯I¡­ I¡¯m me.¡± ¡°And who is that? Are you Charlotte, or are you Charlie? What¡¯s the difference


    because I¡¯m starting to feel like they may be two different people?¡± Damien¡¯s hand grabbed my hip as I


    stepped closer, but it almost seemed instinctive. He dropped it as soon as he realized he had done it.


    ¡°Ie from a prominent family. A lot of people know of me, but they¡¯re all strangers. They only know


    of my full name, or they¡¯ve seen my picture.¡± I stepped in front of him to stop him from leaving when he


    moved toward the fallen tree on the river bank.


    I looked between his eyes, silently begging him not to push me for more information¡­ information I


    wasn¡¯t ready to share. It was a double-edged sword. Telling him would push him away, and keeping it a


    secret would push him away. It was just a matter of deciding which one I could return from.


    I wanted him to fall in love with me for who I am, not hate me for being Princess Charlotte.


    Ironically, my biggest fear when I was being courted by men in the past was that they always wanted


    what they would get from being associated with me because of my status. Not a single one of them


    cared to learn more about me.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    With Damien, I knew without a doubt that being Princess Charlotte would have the opposite effect and


    push him away from me.


    ¡°You¡¯re still keeping something from me,¡± There was a pause where I could almost hear him debating


    between calling me Charlotte as he had been and calling me Charlie as my friends and family do. He


    was obviously bothered that people who I didn¡¯t know or trust called me Charlotte when that was what


    he called me.


    ¡°Damien, I¡¯m not ready to talk about it yet.¡± I pleaded, begging him to understand.


    ¡°Yeah, I got that. Goodnight.¡±


    I gaped at him as he turned and walked away, crossing the makeshift bridge before I could collect


    myself to stop him. ¡°We all have secrets, Damien. One day, you will know all of mine, and I hope to


    know all of yours.¡±


    I waited a moment longer, staring at his back as he walked away before making my way back to the


    camp. The cold mask I reserved for the court fell into ce as if I had never left the castle as I returned


    to the very tense and silent camp that had just heard us arguing.


    Barley gestured me over to sit next to him, and I knew if I let himfort me, I would crumble. A hug


    from him had the power to open the floodgates, and I wasn¡¯t ready for that. It shouldn¡¯t be this hard to


    be with your soulmate.


    Most wolves found their one, fell in love, and mated for life. It was the stuff from storybooks and


    fairytales.


    I had dreamed of that since I was a kid.


    My parents had an awful rtionship. My father had chosen my mother as a breeder after failing to find


    his fated mate, and their forced mating destroyed them.


    I didn¡¯t want that. I wanted what everyone else had. The instant connection, the happiness, and the


    promise of forever and family.


    Yet, I had been bound to a man who didn¡¯t believe we were mates because he couldn¡¯t feel it and was


    also on the fence about giving me a chance because I wasn¡¯t one of his kind.


    I wouldn¡¯t give up on us. After everything I had been through in my life, I deserved to find happiness,


    and he was it. There wasn¡¯t a doubt in my mind that Damien was the only one I would ever want, and I


    was going to fight for him.


    I would be mad first, angry that he had walked away from me just because I wasn¡¯t ready to spill my


    guts to a man that was already looking for reasons not to be with me.


    I would allow myself one night of anger, and in the morning, I would start fresh. My etiquette tutor


    taught me that trick when I was a little girl. She realized I had difficulty hiding my emotions, an essential


    skill for any royal family member. She was the only person to tell me it was okay to let those negative


    emotions surface as long as I didn¡¯t let them impact my reputation.


    It just so happened that while it wasn¡¯t healthy to go to bed angry, nighttime was the only time I ever


    had to be truly alone. There was no schedule for me to attend meetings or visit different ces in the


    city for publicity. There was no training I had to be at or fake people I had to give fake smiles to in the


    court. No guards were in my room waiting to report their gossip like they were in the hallway.


    I crawled into my bedroll and pulled Damien¡¯s nket to my chin. His smell made me want to cry with


    frustration because it made me feel better to be surrounded by it even though I was angry, but I


    couldn¡¯t because everyone would hear me. So instead, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply until I


    had forced myself to sleep.


    The sound of the men getting ready in the morning made me stir, and I dressed quickly. We knew the


    rules. Once a bounty was out, we needed to be the first ones there. We wouldn¡¯t be the only ones to


    receive the notice, and we wanted to be the ones to get paid for it.


    I strapped on my weapons and pulled my hair into a high bun to keep it out of the way. Damien¡¯s smell


    continued to reach me, and the reminder that we had foughtst night dampened my usual excitement


    for a hunt.


    As I climbed out of my tent, my heart stopped when I looked up and saw Damien sitting across the fire,


    watching me. His ck eyes looked emotionless, and I didn¡¯t know what to do or say.t ¡°Morning, girl,¡±


    Barley said, sping his hand on my shoulder as he shoved a cup of coffee into my hands. ¡°Hope you


    don¡¯t mind, but I invited Damien to see us work today.¡±


    I tore my gaze away from my mate, wanting to scold Barley for interfering, but I knew he had no ill


    intent.


    Still, excitement filled me, knowing that Barley had gone to Damien¡¯s cabin to talk to him, and not only


    had Damiene back with him, but he didn¡¯t look as angry as I had expected. If anything, I imagined


    Damien would have been even more bothered by Barley going onto hisnd.


    ¡°Morning,¡± I whispered back before sipping my coffee. Never in my life had I felt so out of ce, not


    knowing if I should greet Damien or how to do so afterst night. It hadn¡¯t been a big fight, but knowing


    I was the one in the wrong made me uneasy.


    The problem was that the only way to make it right was to tell him the truth and risk losing him.


    Damien watched me closely as I made my way around the fire, wanting to sit next to him even though


    we were both still angry. ¡°Coffee?¡± I offered to hold out my steaming mug, but he shook his head.


    ¡°Already had some.¡± ¡°Right.¡± My fingers tapped against my mug, and I pressed my lips together. Well,


    this was going to be awkward.

 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191


    Fifteen: Damien


    Damien¡¯s P.O.V.


    She was angry. Charlotte was glorious when she was angry.


    Charlie. I kept having to remind myself that she was Charlie, not Charlotte. I didn¡¯t know who Charlotte


    was. The woman that was able to cause a stir in town just by being recognized was a mystery to me. I


    thought I had known a decent bit about her, but now I had no idea who she was again.


    It all made sense why she avoided discussing her life beforeing here to be a mercenary. Whatever


    her secret was, it had to be huge.


    Realistically, I knew it was probably something simple like a noblewoman going rogue and wanting to


    live in the wild, but she would have to return eventually. It was an uplicated exnation, an easy


    one. Probably the right one.


    Yet, my mind kept going to the worst-case scenario that just maybe she was on the run from something


    or someone. I wasn¡¯t sure why my mind kept returning to the idea of a man at home waiting for her,


    searching for her.


    I was jealous. I was absolutely jealous of a man I had created in my head, and I had just stormed out of


    my house first thing in the morning to wake Charlie so we could finish our argument. I was ready to


    demand that we return to normal when I found Barley sitting on my front porch.


    For such a big man, his ability to move and exist inplete silence made him deadly. I had either


    been so distracted by Charlie that I hadn¡¯t heard, smelled, or sensed him, or he had mastered the art of


    masking himself from living in the wild for so long.


    It had taken me years to perfect it, but I only used it when I needed to.


    ¡® The girl she was and the woman she is today are too different people. Learn who she is now, don¡¯t let


    who she was forced to be in the past impact what you are and can have in the future.¡± Barley got to his


    feet, slipping his hands in his pockets before walking past me and down the stairs. ¡°I think you should


    come with us today. We¡¯re taking on a rock troll. You might have some fun and get to see a new side of


    Charlie. She is a fighter.¡± i


    He nced at my garden as he walked past it, a slight smile on his face. ¡°I see she hasn¡¯t killed any


    nts yet, but best to keep a watchful eye on her while she¡¯s in there. She told me stories about the


    nts she tried to keep alive as a kid. Said they killed themselves from how toxic the environment was,


    but I¡¯m not so sure she didn¡¯t have a hand in it.¡±


    I had stood there for only a few seconds before giving up and following after him. It wasn¡¯t just because


    he was now the second man who really knew Charlie to tell me she was worth it and not to give up on


    her. It was also because I wanted to know her on the same level they did¡­. Well, on a higher level


    than they did.


    They knew her mentally, but I wanted her brain and body. I could be very territorial over what was mine,


    and while I knew we weren¡¯t together yet, she sure felt like she was mine.


    Now, I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes off her. The group, minus Neil, was marching through the forest at a brisk


    pace. Charlie was at the front, leading the pack, with fierce determination across her face. I wasn¡¯t sure


    if it was because she was set on ending the rock troll causing trouble for wanderers or if she was just


    that motivated to stay away from me.


    Each time she had looked at me this morning, she seemed momentarily remorseful before her anger


    returned. I hated that I caused it, even though I was still angry too, but it looked good on her.


    I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes off the sway of her hips as she moved through the trees. Each time I met


    Charlie¡¯s fiery gaze, I imagined holding her up against a tree and fucking the attitude right out of her.


    ¡°Have you ever dealt with one of these before?¡± Roman asked, falling back until he was in line with me


    at the back of the pack. I hadn¡¯t intended to get involved. I just wanted to watch. As Barley had put it, I


    wanted to see another side to her, another piece of the puzzle that was Charlie.


    But I had the feeling that this was a test, my chance to prove myself to her team.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Roman nodded, pointing to the back of his neck. ¡°There is a small pebble in the back of their neck;


    think of it like where our brain stems connect to our spines. It¡¯s about the size of your fingertip. We get


    it out, and we win. It will be dead within a minute.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± My sarcasm was thick, but he just nodded and shrugged at me, like it was as easy as


    pulling a loose hair off a shirt.


    ¡°Just watch your head. They can throw rocks faster than you would believe and don¡¯t get close enough


    for it to touch you. One hit will pulverize every bone in your body. Charlie is the best climber out of us,


    so she will be


    taking point.¡± He jogged forward, breaking from the group and moving to the side. I slowed as I


    watched everyone do the same, crouching and preparing for battle with their weapons drawn.


    I didn¡¯t have a weapon and felt out of ce. A bear against a rock troll? It just didn¡¯t seem possible. It


    made sense why they, as wolves and Lycans, would be armed.


    There was arge pile of boulders the size of a house in the middle of a clearing, and I grimaced as I


    pictured one of those being thrown at me. They wererger than I was and would crush me in a second


    t. Anything that could pick one of those up had to be a nightmare to deal with.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Several bodies were around the clearing, none were whole, and most were unrecognizable. A few were


    only noticeable from where legs or an arm were sticking out from under a rock.


    Charlie nced back at me, worry crossing her face as if she could sense my unease, and she


    signaled with her hand for me to stay back. I scoffed. Tough chance of that. If she thought I was going


    to let her¡­


    The ground shook, and I widened my stance, bracing myself as Charlie tore her green eyes from me.


    My head turned from side to side, waiting for the troll to make itself known.


    My green-eyed beauty raced forward, jumping and propelling herself off the pile of rocks and higher


    just as the mountain of stone unfolded, rising to tower over us, taller than most of the trees. Charlie was


    on his back, holding on for dear life as the creature roared in outrage at being bothered.


    Diego ¡®whooped¡¯ from the side like he was watching a sporting event, and I felt every ounce of anger


    and frustration with Charlie melt away, only to be reced by fear.


    The rock troll spun around, each footstep shaking the Earth. My knees bent further, and I ced one


    hand on the tree truck at my side to steady me. My eyes were locked on Charlie with horror as she lost


    her footing and her body smacked against the rock troll¡¯s back. 1


    ¡°No.¡± The word slipped from my lips before I could stop it, and Charlie pushed herself up just as the troll


    turned to me. His entire being was made of rocks, and as his hand grew, I knew I was in trouble.


    His arm pulled back before he lobbed the giant boulder my way. I ran a few steps before diving to the


    side just as the bounder crashed into the tree trunk. The wood splintered as the giant stone went


    through it, only for the top of the tree to fall loudly against those around it. i


    I spun to face him, his hand reforming as he prepared to throw again.


    Never before had I hated witches, but all their little pet projects that had gotten out of hand, like this


    one, suddenly colored me with a new distaste forthem.


    Granted, whoever tried to create and tame this one was probably dead, but knowing most of these


    creatures were designed as weapons and then set loose on the world was a real thorn in my paw.


    The men let out a loud sound in an uneven round that knocked the troll¡¯s equilibrium off. The creature


    shook hisrge head from side to side, and I used the moment to race around the troll, desperate to get


    my eyes on Charlie.


    She was hanging with one hand from the troll¡¯s neck. Her fingers were between the head and body,


    and I knew he if looked up, causing his head to tilt back, her hand would be crushed to dust. 1


    I had never felt fear to this extent before¡­ I had never truly feared anything until now. But my blood


    boiled when I saw Charlie, my Charlotte, on the back of a beast and in danger.


    She swung as he spun, but I moved with him, getting closer to catch her and take her away from here


    before he could step on her if she fell. A small yelp left her mouth as her hand started to slip, and she


    threw her body up, catching herself with her other hand.


    Using her now dangling hand, she pushed off the troll¡¯s back, nted her feet against him, and went for


    the kill.


    I felt like I was watching in slow motion as Charlie shoved her entire hand into the crack between the


    rocks, groaning out in pain before pulling her fist out. Blood began to bead on the scratches on her


    fingers, and I held my arms out to catch her as the creature stumbled forward.


    It went down on one knee first. The roar it released as it fell sounded like a distortion of a human and a


    monster.


    Charlie¡¯s eyes met mine over her shoulder, and she pushed off his back with both feet, flying backward


    into my arms. I grunted as she hit my chest, but it was right where she was supposed to be. I copsed


    back into the dirt with her against my front, and as the creature hit the ground, the boulders that made


    up its body separated upon impact. A wall of dust and debris filled the air, and I covered Charlie as best


    I could.


    I could hear her men cheering and moving forward, but I ignored them and grabbed her closed fist,


    inspecting her wounds. They were already closing up, the skin pulling together.


    The men cheered louder when she opened her hand to expose the bright white stone glowing with


    magic.


    ¡°That was the smoothest takedown I have seen yet!¡± Diego said, sticking his hand out to me, and I


    epted it, letting him help us up.


    I expected Charlie to pull away from me to celebrate with her men, but she turned in my hold, leaning


    back against my chest as she spoke animatedly about what had just happened. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes


    off her, and my arms around her waist were locked in ce, not ready to let her go.


    Charlie rubbed her hand over the back of my forearm as she nodded with excitement. ¡°You guys head


    back. Damien and I will be just behind you.¡±


    The white rock in her hand flew through the air as she tossed it, and Roman grabbed it easily.


    I couldn¡¯t move as we watched her men leave, but as soon as they were out of sight, Charlie spun to


    face me. This wasn¡¯t the time for us to have the much-needed conversation. I was too focused on the


    fact that I could have lost her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with you right now, Charlie,¡± I said, and the corners of her mouth dropped down


    slightly at my use of her nickname.


    ¡°Good. I don¡¯t want to fight, either. I want to celebrate.¡±

 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192


    Sixteen: Charlie


    Charlie¡¯s P.O.V.


    Adrenaline coursed through my blood. I could feel every inch of Damien as he held me to his chest,


    and I was sure he could feel just how fast my heart was beating. Any second, he would be able to smell


    how turned on I was, too.


    After taking down a bounty, the men used to go to town to celebrate. The adrenaline and excitement


    fueled their desire to drink, gamble, and find a partner for the night. I always returned to the camp to


    relieve whoever had stayed behind so they could enjoy themselves too.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    I never understood the rush they got after killing. Not until now.


    Now, I was so hyper-aware of Damien that I wanted nothing more than to wrap myself around him and


    im my prize. As soon as my men left, I turned to face him, breathing deeply. He had awoken


    something in me that I didn¡¯t know was there, and all I could think about was having him inside me


    again.


    Damien¡¯s ck eyes scanned over my face, and I licked my lips, wanting to encourage him to take


    what was his.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with you right now, Charlie,¡± The sound of my name leaving his lips was exciting


    and heartbreaking simultaneously. I liked being his Charlotte. Charlotte was a person I had never met


    or known before him. I had always been Princess Charlotte, and I hated her. Being just Charlotte was


    new to me. It had felt so good like it was who I was supposed to be this whole time.


    ¡°Good. I don¡¯t want to fight, either. I want to celebrate,¡± I said, tightening my hold around Damien¡¯s


    neck. It was evident the second he smelled my desire. I watched his eyelids lower and his jaw


    clenched.


    ¡°How do you want to celebrate, baby?¡± His arms loosened around my waist, and his handsnded on


    my hips. A shiver went down my spine as his fingers worked their way under my shirt and brushed


    against my skin.


    ¡°I want you inside me.¡± My request felt more like a demand as it crossed my lips, and I stared at him,


    praying he felt the same way.


    ¡°I told myself it would be different the next time I was in you. You didn¡¯t deserve to have your first time


    be the way it was, and I want to make it up to you.¡± Damien¡¯s voice was deeper than normal, and while


    his words were nice, I knew he was feeling the same way I was. Energized. Excited. Horny.


    ¡°I thought it was perfect. What did you want to change? We can make a list, and then we¡¯ll fuck until we


    have checked off every want and desire you have right here and now. Was it the position? Did you


    want me bent over or maybe on top?¡± My fingers trailed down his neck, drawing small circles where my


    mark would one dayy.


    He shivered but shook his head at me. ¡°You deserve romance, baby. I would have wined and dined you


    if I had known that was your first time. We would have fucked in my bed, not on the couch. I would


    have taken my time and made love to you all night instead of fucking you in my living room.¡±


    My mouth went dry at his words, and I was sure a small moan left me, but I couldn¡¯t stop it.


    ¡°In your bed?¡±


    Damien nodded, leaning forward to ce his mouth on my neck. The open- mouthed kisses and small


    nibbles had my knees feeling weak, and I pushed my hips against his for support, feeling his hardness


    against my stomach.


    ¡°Yes. In. My. Bed. All fucking night.¡± His teeth gently pulled on my earlobe, and he slipped his thigh


    between my legs, allowing us to get closer.


    ¡°What about up against a tree?¡¯ I moaned, rubbing my hips against him.


    Damien¡¯s head dropped back as he looked up at the sky and deeply breathed. ¡°I¡¯m trying to be a


    gentleman again, Charlie. Work with me here.¡±


    Iughed, making him look down at me with a heated gaze as I spoke. ¡°But you¡¯re not just a


    gentleman, are you? I thought you were also an animal. You can wine and dine meter. Right now, I


    want to celebrate with you. Right now, I want to be fucked.¡±


    My lips connected with his bare chest. My tongue slid up the skin there and pulled a moan from him.


    His hands tightened on my hips, and I knew he was giving in.


    ¡°Most women want romance. I¡¯m just trying to give you what you deserve.¡± I cringed, bothered that he


    had brought up other women right now. He noticed and pulled back to look deep into my eyes. ¡°I only


    want to make you happy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to romance me right now, Damien. I want you to use me.¡± I couldn¡¯t even me him


    for unleashing this side of me. It wasn¡¯t his doing. As amazing as it was to be with him, I had been


    ready for this for years. There was only so much one could do by themselves.


    I had my own list of things I had heard about, read, or even seen that I wanted to try. Having adrenaline


    rushing through my system only heightened what I was feeling.


    ¡°Why are you making this so difficult?¡± Damien smiled as he asked me the question. Iughed,


    reaching down and gently tugging on the waistband of his shorts. He didn¡¯t pull away, and I took that as


    a sign that he was willing to continue.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually making this very, very easy.¡± My hands moved back to my body, unclipping the sheath and


    dagger from my thigh before removing my sword and sheath over my head. They dropped to the


    ground, and he grabbed the bottom of my shirt, pulling it up slowly.


    It was torturous, but I allowed him to take control. When my shirt was gone, I reached up and pulled


    mythin bralette off.


    The growl he let out made me tremble with excitement, and my pants and thong were around my


    ankles before I could blink.


    Damien grabbed the back of my thighs, picking me up and capturing my lips in a punishing kiss. The


    heat between us was enough to start a fire, and I couldn¡¯t help myself as I began to grind against his


    cock over his shorts. I knew my wetness was soaking through the fabric, but I didn¡¯t care.


    I reached down between us, trusting him to hold me up as I worked his shorts down and freed him.


    ¡°Mm,¡± I licked my lips, excited to wrap my hand around him again, to feel him against me and hear his


    groans of pleasure as I yed with him.


    But just as my back pressed against a tree trunk, Damien grabbed my wrists and pulled my hands


    away from him, locking them above my head.¡± Is this how you wanted me, baby? You want me to fuck


    you up against this tree?¡±


    His cocky pressed between the wet lips of my pussy, and he rocked against me as he held me


    against the tree. My back arched off the rough bark as I let out a moan of pleasure. It was


    ufortable, and I knew it would leave scratches, but the pain also added an unexpected pleasure.


    ¡°Yes!¡± My cry for him had him grinding against me harder and faster. My clit throbbed with ecstasy, and


    he pulled back, lining his tip up with my entrance before thrusting into me slowly. I had expected hard


    and fast, wanting him to match my rush after taking down the troll.


    Yet, he pleasantly surprised me. Damien¡¯s slow and deep thrusts into me had me crying out in


    pleasure. He was stretching me and being patient as I adjusted around his size, something we hadn¡¯t


    done the first time.


    ¡°Does this feel good for you, baby?¡±


    My eyes opened, and I met his stare. His jaw ticked, and I could see he was holding himself back.


    But he wanted more, and I wanted more.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I gasped, my nails digging into my palms, puncturing the skin as I tried to pull my hands free


    from his grip instinctively. I didn¡¯t want him to release me, but I wanted to move freely to take what I


    wanted. ¡°Harder. Fuck me, Damien.¡±


    His restraint snapped, and with his other hand holding me from under my ass, he thrust in harder and


    faster. I could feel Damien hitting something inside me that made my eyes roll to the back of my head,


    and I gasped out a breathy moan each time.


    ¡°Yes! Just like that!¡± His mouth swallowed my cry, covering mine for only a moment. But the new angle


    caused him not to move as freely. Damien pulled away after our kiss, pumping into me again with a


    newfound determination.


    ¡°You feel so fucking good.¡± Damien groaned, his hand moving further under me. His fingers


    unintentionally spread my ass cheeks, allowing him to go even deeper.


    ¡°Damien!¡± The gasp of his name leaving my lips was a desperate plea for more. I didn¡¯t know what I


    needed but I knew I needed something. Once I had more experience, I was sure our sex would be


    Earth-shattering.


    ¡°I know, baby. I¡¯ve got you.¡± He said, pulling me away from the tree and making me lose the high I had


    just been chasing but failing to reach.


    With augh, I let out a gust of air as he spun us around and lowered me to the ground, never taking


    himself out of me. He released my wrists, and my hands immediately found their way to the back of his


    neck, pulling him down for another kiss as he held himself deep inside me.


    ¡°You¡¯re so tight, baby.¡± Damien slipped his fingers between us, spreading my lips before pressing


    forward. When he pulled his hand away, each movement caused his body to rub against my clit, and I


    found myself quickly growing toward the climax that I had been so desperate for.


    ¡°You feel so fucking good.¡± A thrust followed each word, and my head tilted back as I moaned loudly.


    Waves of pleasure shot through me, and I moaned out his name as I came around him.


    He thrust into me several more times, his lips parted, and his eyes locked on mine before he pulled out


    and came on my stomach.


    Each time he called me baby, I felt my heart grow bigger until I was sure it would burst. I had never


    known how good it could feel to belong to someone, but I was his. Everything about me was his, and I


    knew it always would be.


    I couldn¡¯t help myself as I leaned up and kissed him, cupping his cheek and pouring all my love and


    want for him into the kiss.


    Damien groaned and kissed me back, holding his body against mine. It was so gentle and loving that I


    felt hopeful. I could see the future for us, and it was beautiful.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy that you¡¯re mine,¡± I whispered against his lips as he pulled away. His body tensed


    momentarily, and I was flooded with regret that I had opened my mouth until he rxed again, kissing


    me once more before smiling at me.


    ¡°Come on, beautiful. I¡¯m sure your men are eager to turn in for the bounty.¡± Damien stood up, eyeing


    my body as he did so. It was empowering to see how much he enjoyed what he saw¡­ or it would have


    been if he hadn¡¯t just dismissed what I said.


    I sent him a weak smile as I gathered my clothes and dressed. Damien looked torn, almost in pain,


    staring off into the trees. I knew he wasn¡¯t entirely mine yet, and I had put my foot in my mouth by


    saying anything. But knowing he was still resisting the mate bond hurt.


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