“Gods, Evan.” Lake wiped at his mouth and softly coughed.
But Onyx found it funny. His half smile grew to a full one. “Even as you are now, thin and with no muscle, I’m sure you’d taste nice. At the very least, adequate.”
“Gee. Thanks.”
He breathed out a light laugh. “You seem disappointed. Would you rather me have repeated my words from last night? That you’d taste exquisite?” Hunger darkened his eyes. “A meal to be savored.”
Heat prickled at my scalp.
Lake glanced between the two of us as he ate, ears perked.
“My apologies,” Onyx told him, placing a hand to his chest in a gesture to match the sentiment. “I shouldn’t be so forward with your mate, even in jest.”
“Do you fancy Evan?” Lake lowered the lamb to his plate. “Is that why you welcomed us here?”
The demon lord’s attention moved to me. “I wouldn’t say I fancy him. However, he does intrigue me.”
“As he does to anyone who’s fortunate enough to know him.” Lake softly smiled. “He gave me a true home.”
It was awkward being talked about like I wasn’t in the room, so I fidgeted in my chair.
“You share him with four other males, do you not?”
“I do.” He nodded and wiped at his mouth, returning his other hand to my thigh. “We’re all fond of each other as well, only not in a romantic way.” His ears drooped a little. “They’re my family.”
“I see.” Onyx focused on the stone hearth and drank from his goblet. Firelight gleamed over his long black hair and shone in his eyes, setting his deep red irises ablaze with orange embers. “Alas, Bremloc can never truly be your home, can it? Demi-wolves are treated abhorrently. Any found within the kingdom are either imprisoned or executed. Like what happened to your father.”
“Home isn’t a place.” Lake lightly rubbed my thigh. “It’s being with the ones you love.”
A deep ache spread through my chest. We needed to return to our men.
“Lord Onyx?” I bowed my head to him. “I appreciate you welcoming us so warmly, but we need to leave soon.”
“Leave? And go where?” A shadow passed over the demon lord’s face. “Every knight in Bremloc is searching for you. Placing yourself in danger is one thing, but are you willing to do the same to your wolf? Put him in another situation where he risks his life to save yours?”
I recoiled at the implication in his words. That Lake’s injury was my fault.
Because it was. Everything was my fault. Maddox, Callum, and the others being torn from the knighthood. Briar unable to return to his clinic. Rowan, Draven, and Reign possibly being in questionable standing with the Secret Order. Captain Remy and the twins knew about the mercenaries, but they didn’t know about Cedric’s involvement. As far as they knew, I’d been the enemy all along.
A traitor.
“Evan isn’t to blame for any of this,” Lake snarled.
Onyx averted his gaze. “Regardless of who’s at fault, the result is the same. He can never return to the kingdom. Not unless he wishes to have his head removed and placed on a pike outside the castle walls. You two are similar in that regard. Both of you are outcasts.”
A low whine sounded in Lake’s chest, and his grip tightened on my leg.
“Why are you helping us?” I asked.
“You believe I have ulterior motives.” Onyx slowly turned the goblet in his hand, drawing my attention to his long, pale fingers. “I suppose I do have my reasons. And no, Evan, it’s not to eat you.”
I pressed my lips together.
“Part of the reason is you,” he told Lake.
“Me?” His spine stiffened. “Why? You owe me nothing. We’re little more than strangers.”
“I’m sure you’ve heard the stories about demi-wolves allying with me.” Onyx took a drink and rubbed his lips together—another action that caught my attention and held it. “It’s true. When the kingdom turned on them, I welcomed them here. Starting with a demi-wolf named Varys.”
