Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 49459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
I sat at the edge of the bed, staring at her in amazement this was my life. I had my mate even if my wolf was silent. He may never return, and for the first time, I didn’t care. Because I have my female and everything finally feels like it’s setting right into place.
I’d touched her. Claimed her.
And yet, the beast inside me—the one who howled for blood, who had clawed and snarled since the day I lost my wolf—was quieter now. Still wounded, still broken, but calm in a way I hadn’t felt in years.
I dragged a hand down my face, exhaling all my emotions that coiled tightly inside me. I wanted more time. Just a little more of this. But I knew Adryan and the vampires would arrive soon, and I needed to be present for the shitstorm about to happen.
With one last lingering look at Aisling, I gave her temple a soft kiss, careful not to disturb her, and got dressed. I was downstairs by the time the first knock landed on the heavy oak front door. It wasn’t polite. It was purposeful. A sound that said all civility would be left at the threshold.
An older Lycan male employed by the family opened the door.
Sebastian stood at the front, tall, broad, and cold-eyed. Beside him was his mate, Ada, a tiny, fire-eyed fae with her arm linked possessively through his. She looked me over like she was already calculating how many bones she could break if I even breathed wrong.
Small but fucking mighty. That was for sure.
Behind them, Adryan loomed like the blade of a longsword, and beside him was Kayla, his mate. Kayla was strong in her own right–I could sense that much—but being mated to a male like Adryan would have driven anyone fucking insane. And then there was Kane, Sebastian’s brother and Adryan’s cousin.
They brought an army of vampires who stood in the shadows behind them.
I sensed Cian and his mate Evelyn step behind me ,and then my father, brothers, and the rest of the Guard.
Sebastian walked past me, scanning the hall. The rest followed suit.
Their children were silent, each one young but knowing danger loomed.
Adryan stood in front of me, and the war we’d fought in together replayed through my mind like a punch in the gut. The psychopathic vampire eyed me and then smirked. “You’re different, Lennox.”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to. My business wasn’t for the vampires to come sniffing around.
And then the air changed. Electrified. My entire body tightened when I sensed my mate. I turned to see Aisling come down the stairs. She seemed nervous as she stopped when she saw the horde of Otherworld creatures in the foyer.
Her eyes met mine—brave but uncertain—and then slid to the assembled vampires. Every protective instinct in me roared right then. I didn’t want any males to see her, to even breathe in her direction. I was striding toward her in seconds, placing my body partially in front of hers and eyeing each motherfucker to know my claim had been made where my mate was concerned.
“She’s mine,” I said with a low growl in my voice and a warning pouring off me.
“You don’t say,” Adryan replied dryly. “Out here, all but pissing on her to make that shit known.”
“Adryan,” Kayla hissed. “Don’t be an ass.”
Adryan looked at his mate and grinned before pulling her in close and kissing her like they were alone in their room and he was about to fuck her.
There were a few coughs of discomfort as Adryan kept making out with his mate, but then–thank fuck–Adryan’s cousin spoke.
“You’ll need to lock this place down tighter than it is, especially with our females here.” Sebastian smiled at his wee mate. “I’m not taking any chances with Ada.”
Aisling was watching them all, visibly unsure of what to do or say. I tugged her gently to my side.
Father cleared his throat, my mother stepping beside him and smiling at everyone, especially her brother Adryan. “Let’s get everyone settled.” She held her hand out to Kayla. “There’s food in the kitchen. Wine, too.”
“Say no more,” Ada said and rose on her toes to kiss Sebastian on the lips.
I looked at Aisling, my beautiful mate still seeming unsure. I kissed her on the center of her forehead. “How about ye go with the females, darlin’?”
“Come on, sweetie,” my mother said and smiled at Aisling.
With one more soft look, I leaned in and kissed her slow and deep before swatting her on the ass. Her cheeks turned pink at the public display of affection, and I grinned wide.
The females and children headed off toward the kitchen, and once we were alone, I glanced at Sebastian. “They’ll be safe here.”
“They better be,” Adryan was the one to speak. To warn.
“Because if even a whisper of danger touches our mates, we’ll take this place down stone by stone.”