Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
A shiver ran through my body at the rage burning brightly in her eyes. She really, really would’ve liked to have gotten there first. That thought was both exciting and terrifying. Also a little endearing. She was providing safety for her people, not just for me. There were no strings. She enjoyed meeting danger head-on. She belonged with that golden king; they were both clearly a little unhinged.
Or maybe they were just dragons.
“I’m going to fly ahead,” she said. “I can feel Nyfain’s suspicion through the bond. I’m going to go antagonize him so that he forgets how long I was with you and fucks the hell out of me instead. Weston’s got you covered. He had the pack watching you closely through the woods earlier. He’ll be having them guard you now. I’m sure I’ll get an ass chewing about stalling with you in the town, but . . .” She shrugged. “I’m the queen. I do what I want.”
She made like she was brushing off a speck of dirt from her shoulder before winking at me.
“Hand over your clothes. I need to go.” She put out her hand.
Trying not to be self-conscious in front of the wolf still waiting near the trees—I was really trying to desensitize myself to nudity, since I shifted a lot now—I stripped out of my things and handed them over.
“No dallying this time,” she said, stuffing everything into the bag. “Straight back to the castle. Take the main roads. The pack will guide you in.” She paused, looking me straight in the eye. “You reacted well tonight. Remember I said that. You have excellent instincts. We can build on them, and next time you won’t need to stall. You’ll just need to kick a little ass.”
She shifted before pushing off into the sky.
Chapter 31
Weston
My wolf lay on the castle greens, trying to keep his composure. We both were. I’d known the ladies were going to the towns and villages and had prepared, but when the worst happened, the pack wasn’t there in time.
Again.
It had happened twice—once in the castle, and now this. It would not happen a third time.
There would’ve been no point in sprinting through the wood trying to get to her. By the time we knew something was happening, it was a moment from being over. A mad flight to her location would’ve been seen for what it was: panic. That wasn’t something an alpha should show his people, not in this situation. It would make them worry our perimeter wasn’t secure and their loved ones were in jeopardy, and for what? Our mate was fine. There had been no pain, no real fright. There had been a thrill of surprise, determination, and a cool-headed decision. She and the queen had handled it.
Instead, out of respect for Aurelia, we’d stayed right here, now facing the direction where she would likely emerge from the wood.
She trotted along in wolf form. I felt each member of the pack drawing close to her and then pulling away again once they reached the edge of their security zone. With each greeting, an offer was extended for her to join them, to join the pack. They really shouldn’t have. That wasn’t something a pack extended to an alpha; it was something an alpha extended to potential members of a pack.
It was especially risky because she was considered a lone wolf. Usually, lone wolves would either leap at the opportunity to join a pack or vehemently reject it, choosing to stay on their own.
She did neither, politely refusing with a soft touch. No hard feelings. Even after a situation where it would’ve been safer had she been in the pack, able to call people to her aid immediately, she was careful not to damage our internal structure. She did what was necessary to preserve it.
Finley’s dragon appeared over the tree line. She caught sight of us and blew a puff of fire before circling, fluttering her wings to land beside us. She reduced down into a woman and brought over the sack that had been in her dragon’s mouth.
“Here’s her clothes.” Finley dropped a messy pile beside my wolf, who didn’t bother getting up. “She was fine. She was in no danger.”
She told me what happened, surprising me with the details about Aurelia’s magic. I’d felt her panic, and then her confusion. That must’ve been when it happened. Like how she reacted with Nyfain, she seemed to reach for the fairy magic when she was at her most terrified.
“She has great instincts, Weston. I know you want to wrap her up in a blanket and lock her in a gilded cage to keep her safe, but that’s impossible with your position—and her personality. She’ll be safer with training and the ability to use it.”
Now I was thankful to have stayed in wolf form to monitor our mate. I wouldn’t have to be obvious about refusing to answer Finley. She was right, I knew, but still . . . Stashing Aurelia away in safety sounded so much better.