Watching as the warriors file out in a hurry, I fold my arms over my chest and look to Wyatt. He has a haunted expression on his face,which I understand all too well. He came as close to losing his mate tonight as I did; I’m surprised he’s sitting quietly rather than throwing things across the room. I’m equally surprised that I got through the conversation without tearing someone’s throat out.
Meeting my eyes, he grates, “I almost lost Leisel. I’ve known her for such a small amount of time—all of which she’s spent disliking and distrusting me—and she was almostgone.”
I know the depth of anguish he feels; the same anguish I felt when Kyron was holding Sierra just before she destroyed him. My heart stuttered and my very being felt like it was shriveling. I couldn’t imaginenothaving her, though I’m yet totrulyhave her. The fear I felt still lingers within me, though on a much smaller scale.
“Be grateful to Sierra,” I tell Wyatt, knowing that he doesn’t particularly like her, primarily because she tries to keep him away from his mate, though I don’t believe he trulydislikes her either. They just don’t know each other yet.
Wyatt nods. “I am. She displayed a great deal of power today, Brother. Power is what we respect. Once news of this spreads, Sierra will be even more accepted by the Rockwell Pack, as well as shifters everywhere.”
He’s right. Though Sierra will be accepted by shifters simply because she’s my mate, this situation will draw shifters to her as a person, not simply her title. She eliminated a threat that’s been terrorizing us for quite some time.
Kyron was known for invading rural shifter towns to rape and pillage and persecute the citizens—he’d often lead a battalion of men with the sole purpose of killing as many shifters as possible. Though the vampire hoards reside on a different continent than us, they periodically teleport groups over to cause mayhem and remind shifters that they’re never entirely safe. Many people have tried to kill him. Allof them have lost their lives until Sierra took him down with what seemed like relative ease.
She’ll be vital in the coming warifshe decides to fight for us. Which is a very big if. Commanding her to do so wouldn’t yield any results, she needs towantto help, and I don’t know why she would ever want to aid us.Unless, of course, there was a direct benefit to her…such as the safety of her sister.
“I’ll set about rebuilding a boundary,” Claude says, walking towards the entry to the room. “You’ll get progress reports regularly, though it should be done by dawn. If Sierra agrees to help ward, everyone on the royal territories could rest easily.”
Knowing that this will be a grueling, taxing ritual, I grit, “Thank you, Claude. I’ll work on Sierra.”
As Claude strides out, Wyatt says, “I heard a bit of advice from a mated shifter male once, on how to deal with his female when she was rightfully angry.”
I turn to look at him, equal parts exhausted from the evening and intrigued. “What would that have been?”
Anything that could help cool Sierra’s malice towards me would be most welcome.
Wyatt smiles, and from that smile alone, I know whatever he suggests isn’t going to be enjoyable for me.
“Provoke her,” he says simply. “Get her angry enough that she explodes. Then listen to everything she says while her words aren’t being carefully thought out.That’swhere you’ll get true information. That might help you get insight as to what steps you need to take with her.”
“Provoke her?” I echo incredulously. “Anger her? Wyatt, I do not need to give my female yetanotherreason to hate me.”
“But you do need to know more about her if you want to get anywhere,” Wyatt points out. “This is the fastest way.”
Although everything within me rebels against causing Sierra upset, I have to admit that Wyatt has a point. Sierra has a quick mind and it’s easy to see she thinks through everything she says before she speaks. Her words are always measured, as is her demeanor—her only obvious grievance is that she has a grudge against all mythics. It would be prudent to learn more about her. I know that her parents died due to lack of medical care among other tidbits I learned from Aspen back in Aesara but not much beyond that.
“This might get me killed,” I admit, “but I see your point.”
Wyatt smiles, appearing reluctantly entertained despite the taxing evening. “You’re impervious to her magic, are you not? The bond should protect you from it.”
Recalling the time she slapped me with her flame-covered hand, I nod. The fire felt faintly warm when it touched me, but in no way harmful. I believe it’s fair to assume that I’m as impervious to it as she is.
“Nevertheless, good luck,” Wyatt says. “I have a feeling you’re going to need it.”
By all the gods, I know he’s right.
Chapter Twenty-One
Camden
Half an hour later, I’m knocking firmly on the door to Sierra’s suite. I hear footsteps approaching before the door opens to reveal my fiery mate. She’s holding an ancient-looking book in her hand with a cracked tattered leather binding, and her expression is one part focus, one part anger, and one part exhaustion.
Before I can speak, she sets the book on a side table in her room, and says, “I just got done warding Leisel’s and my rooms against intruders, so it’s time for us to chat.”
It shouldn’t surprise me that Sierra’s already taken action, but it does. It’s been less than an hour since she killed the vampire, but she didn’t take any time to calm herself down—the color is high in her cheeks, her eyes are sparkling with malice, and she looks ready to incinerate the next person who even mildly irritates her.
Unfortunately, that person will be me. Despite my reservations about angering an exceptionally powerful witch, I can feel that mymate’s soul is heavy and burdened—I sensed that the moment I met her.One of the reasons we’re a perfect match.We’re both damaged, we both have our own set of demons. Maybe if I can draw hers to the surface, I’ll find that they match mine in their own twisted way.
“Thank you,” I say.
