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)
“Did you know right away?” he asked, his voice subdued. I could see Finley fighting with her dragon to keep from jumping off her throne and attacking me. It was probably her and Nyfain’s four-way bond that helped her keep her head. They, too, were true mates, and I imagined his bond was likely feeding her soothing emotions.
“Yes, even from a distance. I lost my head the first night I saw her and fucked her in the middle of a path in the woods behind enemy lines. Obviously, that was a problem. The next night, we captured her as intended, and I tried to maintain my composure throughout the rest of our journey. It . . . mostly worked. Sometimes. We fought, but I didn’t do a great job of keeping my hands off her. It’s been a rocky journey.”
“Even fighting a true mate is a turn-on,” Nyfain said, and I released a breath.
“Yeah,” I replied, thankful he’d been through it and understood. “Honestly, I was doing my duty despite the sex with her. It wasn’t until things stopped adding up that my opinion started to change. I had her journals. I had the truth, a truth that she hadn’t realized herself.” I paused. “I know, based on my bond with Aurelia, that my judgment in this situation is compromised, but I ask that you keep an open mind. The rest of the sub-pack that went can attest to all of this. It wasn’t just me that started to question things. I wasn’t even the first, not even close.”
I worried for a moment I sounded like I was pleading with them to give her a chance, and honestly, maybe I was. I didn’t want to go to war with these dragons. It wasn’t because of their power, which was substantial, but because I respected them and what they’d done for this kingdom. I admired them as leaders and trusted them. I didn’t want to push against them. I certainly didn’t want to destroy the pack that I’d painstakingly put together. This place was just as much a labor of my love as it was theirs.
But for my true mate, I’d do anything. It wasn’t even a question. I would protect her at all costs.
“Basically,” I said, getting back on track, “she creates the fun, someone else creates the danger, and Granny controls the operations. Aurelia didn’t know what had become of her product. She didn’t know about the coating. She nearly died when she saw it in the market, and took it to see what changes Granny had made. If we hadn’t had the phoenix healing elixir, she would have died. Aurelia—that’s her name—still doesn’t know she is my true mate. She only met her wolf earlier today—”
“Wait.” Finley screwed up her face, holding up her hand again. “What? She just met her wolf?”
“She was suppressed.”
“But if she’s your true mate, she is powerful. If Granny is as strong as people say—”
“Granny kept her suppressed on purpose and lied to her about it.”
I explained why Aurelia had believed she lacked magic and how she’d come to make the drugs at a young age.
Nyfain’s fingers were still steepled as he studied my every move. “You certainly did seem to encounter a few complications, yes,” he finally said, humor laced through his tone. I wished it had eased the tension somewhat, but there was too much on the line here.
“I’ll say,” Finley mumbled.
“You said the pack learned about Aurelia as you did?” Nyfain asked.
“Yes. You can ask them about it. Any one of them. I can release their bond if you want to question them without my influence.”
“Releasing the pack bond won’t be necessary,” he said. “But yes, we’ll need to question them. Her as well.”
The idea of them questioning her, of making her stand in judgment and punishing her for a shitty life that was forced on her, made rage blister through me again. More power pumped into the room. I closed my eyes and tried to regain control.
“Oh gods, his rage is setting off my rage, and this is getting dicey.” Finley blew out a breath and bent, nearly putting her head between her legs. “How are you so fucking calm, Nyfain?”
“Because I know what he’s going through. Weston, I hear you—I want you to know that. But you have to realize that yes, your judgment has been compromised. You can’t help that. It’s primal. I promise you that we will be thorough, and when we know the truth, we’ll be fair. We’ll figure this out. Can you accept that?”
“Yes,” I said, not knowing if that was true. We would all be walking a very fine line.
“Where is she now?” he asked, usually the easiest to set off and this time the calmest of us.
“Hadriel recommended putting her in the tower. She’ll be locked in. I could not suffer her being placed in the dun—”