BackatLyr’sundergroundhideout, the mood was bleak. After our arrival, we’d only had time to dress before Lyr had announced an urgent meeting. Surrounded by the alphas and higher members from the different houses, Nic had explained that he hadn’t been able to convince Mabel, alpha of the high house of shadows to join us. Darian couldn’t confirm whether Cordelia and the sirens had been swayed, but he made it clear there was a strong possibility they’d remain allied to Warrick, and Locke sharing news of a fae scout being present in the forest wasn’t well received.
As soon as the meeting ended and the monsters disbanded, I went with my mates to one of the massive training rooms. Honestly, I would have preferred to head toward the washroom, but the tension during the council had been high, and it seemed wrong to be bathing after talking about the impending war.
I grunted as my fist landed in Kade’s open palm. I was starting to learn how to use some of my monster abilities while still in my human form, and Kade let out a grunt of his own, fur rippling over his hand and disappearing again as he absorbed the strong hit.
“Good,” my wolf growled, and I grinned. “But you need to stop holding back,” he added.
My brows lowered as I readjusted my stance. “If I do that, you won’t have a hand left for me to punch,” I said matter-of-factly, though Kade didn’t so much as smile at the comment.
His shoulders remained tense as he faced me, and I knew he wasn’t just on edge because of the meeting we’d come from. All around the room, the monsters were watching us as they trained, some being more subtle about it than others. The fact that we’d been the ones to see the fae scout hadn’t worked in our favor given the rumors that had circled about us siding with the fae, and there had been more than one snide comment suggesting we’d purposely let the fae go. When I’d gone to point out that it was my fault as I went after the fae in my dragon form without really understanding the situation, Locke had been quick to cut me off.
Now as Kade and I trained, Asher, Darian, and Locke were busy sharpening their blades close by, but it was clear they were also keeping guard.
I was still lost in thought when Kade’s chest pressed against mine, his intoxicating scent filling my nose as he leaned toward my face. “Don’t worry about me. My wolf can take it.”
I bit my lip, remembering what Lyr had said about me being the only dragon shifter to have existed. “But what if you can’t?” I asked, genuinely concerned. I didn’t even know what I could do, so how were they supposed to know?
A low possessive growl rumbled from his chest, and his breath puffed on my face. Speaking so quietly only I could hear him, he growled, “I don’t care what the fae prince said about the protection curse binding us to you, you’re my mate and my feelings haven’t changed now that you’re a shifter as well. My wolf wouldn’t still be intent on claiming you if I couldn’t handle you. Now,” he said, his voice becoming louder again. “Show me what damage you can do, because when we go to war, I need to know that you’re going to be able to tear through those outliers and face off the fae. I need to know you won’t hesitate.”
I swallowed, my thoughts again going to my sister and my fae heritage.
“Kade’s right,” Asher agreed, striding toward us. “When you’re on the battlefield, we need to know you’ll be able to hold your own, no matter who you’re facin’. It won’t be like fightin’ the newbloods.”
I hated all the talk of war, but I knew they were right. If the fae didn’t accept our offer of peace, we’d have to fight, and I wasn’t going to stay behind while my monsters walked into battle. I appreciated that they never once asked me to either. As much as I still liked the idea of grabbing my monsters and hoarding them away in some hidden cave, we couldn’t run from this, and I needed to know what I was capable of.
“Well, well, I suppose at least you’re preparing her for the war you created,” said a masculine voice.
We all turned to where Quinn stood a few feet away with a sneering Cassar by his side. Locke was beside me before I could blink, and Kade moved closer to me, lifting to his full height. Asher gripped tighter onto his axes, and Darian slid all of his stars back into his belt except one and stood watching the scene unfold from behind us.
“Move along, shifters,” Locke warned, his black claws extending from his fingertips. “We all need to train, and we’ve already explained we’re not responsible for the war.”
Quinn cut his pink gaze to my vampire, and I didn’t like the calculated glint in his eyes. “Oh, we understand perfectly. Even if your little pet here isn’t a spy and you haven’t sided with the fae, it’s your father who tortured the fae prince and created the outliers. For all we know, you were aware of his intentions to take over the city this whole time.”
Lock’s expression remained passive, the vampire not showing an ounce of emotion at his words. “Careful. I could take your heads before you’ve even shifted.”
Quinn glared, and Cassar bared his teeth as tusks grew from between his lips.
“As fast as you are, you can’t fight all of us,” Cassar jeered. Like his words were some kind of silent command, the shifters from the House of Silat stopped sparring with one another and began to form up behind Quinn and Cassar.Great. Well, this is just what we need.
It was so fucking stupid. We were at war with the fae. We didn’t have time to be killing each other.
“We saved your lives,” I blurted incredulously. “When you were going mad from the poison in your veins,wehelped you. We’re not spies or accomplices, or whatever the hell else you think we are.”
“Oh no, you’re supposedly a dragon shifter who’s going to be a great weapon to have on our side,” Cassar mocked. “So far, I haven’t seen anything to make me believe this. Everything bad that’s happened has been since your arrival in Katakin, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence. Unlike some of the other monsters, I never thought you were a sign the curse would be lifted. I always knew you were a sign of something much more sinister. And to think, Losak had offered you a place in our house.”
I frowned, entirely pissed off and tired of the situation. Didn’t they know we had more important things like awarto plan for? I didn’t like where this conversation was headed, and I definitely didnotappreciate how the shifters were circling in on us like we were their next prey.
“Clearly, you’re delusional, perhaps a side-effect from the poison, but I’ll say this one last time,” Darian said calmly, spinning the star in his fingers as he stepped up to Locke’s side. “Turn around before you no longer can.”
Quinn only smiled, his body beginning to shift as he attacked. In an instant, his clothes fell to the ground and white fur sprouted over his skin as his nose stretched into a fanged snout. Following his lead, Cassar and the other shifters did the same, some of them falling onto all fours as their bodies twisted and remolded into their monstrous forms.
I didn’t bother trying to hold back my dragon as she roared internally in response to the threat to my males. Flicking my head back, I gave in to my creature, changing into the freaking badass monster I was. My large, scaled body pushed Locke and Kade to the side, my huge maw snatching up the white fox as it leaped into the air, its claws outstretched toward my demon.Oh no you don’t, you fucker.
Cassar squealed, and I turned my head to see Locke slam the massive boar to the ground. Kade’s fist slammed into the side of a bear shifter’s head, and Darian’s star lanced across an attacking leopard-shifter’s eyes, momentarily blinding her.
The remaining shifters halted, no longer looking sure of themselves as they watched us through their creatures’ eyes.
Quinn struggled, held firmly between my teeth, and I glared at the shifters as I tossed the fox to the side. I’d meant to throw him a few feet, but I underestimated my strength, and the fox flew to the opposite side of the training room and smacked into the wall before falling in a crumpled heap to the ground.Oops.A crack sounded as he landed, and I tried not to think about how satisfying the sound was.Goddess, I’ve turned into a psycho.
