I’d learnt a lot about my wolf in the past months, and though it made me a bastard of the highest order, I knew it would be easy to ruin him. Shane craved to trust someone. That someone was me because he knew I could protect him from all the bad shit life had thrown his way. When he gave me his submission, it was a gift, one I wouldn’t refuse. Especially when all he wanted was to stop thinking and surrender to my dominance, mainly because we both knew I was the only one who could subdue him. My wolf was complicated and messed up and so godsdamned sexy, and I loved that he challenged me.
I glanced at Sorcha, then tilted my head and smiled. “Hello, beautiful witch.” Her big, beautiful eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open. I didn’t bother to hide my grin. She pressed her lips together, a twinkle in her eyes as we connected without words. “Hi.”
I sat back, still smiling. It was nice to connect with someone as genuine as Sorcha Solomon. Usually, I didn’t trust anyone enough to even bother trying, but Sor was different. Shane might ignite a fire in my blood, but Sorcha was the calm, the ice that cooled it to a manageable level. She soothed my frayed edges in ways no one ever had. It was disconcerting and wonderful at the same time, and I already hated myself for what I was going todo to her. Unwilling to consider that hateful future, I turned my attention fully to my wolf.
Shane stood right in front of the desk, big arms folded over his chest in such a way that it made his considerable muscles pop. His eyes flashed with a ruby red that betrayed his hunger, and it only deepened when he glanced at the leather desk top.
I shifted back a little, opening my legs enough that my arousal was obvious, but kept my composed exterior. Shane’s irritation only increased at my suggestive position but distant attitude. It was so fucking satisfying, riling the beast. He was getting angrier, and an irate Shane was so fucking hot. I loved that he wasn’t cowed by me, that he always gave me attitude or fought back. No one had ever dared before him, and it did something to me. Made me want to kiss the hell out of him, while I fucked him senseless.
I curved my lips into the kind of half-smirk that always got a reaction from him. It used to be confusion and even a little embarrassment; now it was defiance and lust. Damn, I’d fallen hard for him. My only saving grace was that he didn’t know how much power he held over me. “Yes, Fledgling? Did you want something?”
“Damn right I do. Or rather, we do. You are being a complete and utter dick. And I don’t care who the fuck you are. You need to stop treating us like we are nothing more than the shit on your shoes. You fucked us and then ghosted us. And when we nearly die, you save us and then disappear without a word—again. Not only that, you drop a massive fucking bombshell about Sor being a witch, then ignore it. Has it even crossed your mind how scary that is for her? What the fuck is going on? Because I know I don’t understand, and neither does Sor. She's just too nice to say anything. So tell us, Count, or we walk.”
I kept my cool as he slammed both palms down on the desk, though my cock twitched at the challenge in his eyes. Myattention drifted to Sorcha before moving back to his furious face. I wanted to be inside them both at the same time. The fact that it was impossible didn’t make that desire any less true.
My emotions and my heart were all over the place with these two. The urge to pull them closer and tell them what they were to me constantly warred with the knowledge that I had to freeze them out of my life. It was the sacrifice the witch had warned me about. She said destiny didn’t mean happiness. Would we be happy together eventually? Pain lanced my heart at the thought of letting my fire and ice go.
I breathed deep, forcing calm. Maybe I could keep them for a bit longer. My smile was almost gentle. “You’re right. I’m…sorry.” And I was. For everything that I’d done, and everything I would do to hurt them.
Shane’s look of surprise made me chuckle. Sor stepped up behind him and wrapped her arms around his middle, peering at me from behind his bicep. He visibly relaxed as she slipped her small hands under his top, her skin connecting to his. His eyes closed, and he took a deep breath.
“Sor…”
“He’s apologised, Shane. Let’s give him a chance to explain.”
Part of me wanted to act on the lust that heated my body just because they were near, but he was right, they deserved more. Even if I couldn’t tell them everything, I could still give Sor some clues about her heritage.
I pushed my chair back further and held Shane’s gaze. “We’ll discuss my failings and Sorcha’s heritage, fledgling. First, we should return to Dundean.”
His strong throat bobbed. He wanted to push, but I could also scent his burgeoning desire as Sor’s fingers brushed across his skin. His gaze dropped to where my hardness pushed against my trousers.
“Aren’t you going to try and distract us first?” He sounded almost disappointed. He was right, normally I would use sex to deflect their questions. Not this time. I needed to give them something—more.
“As much as I’d love to, it’s more important that you both understand the risks of being with me.”
He gave a bitter laugh. “Oh, I think we already understand that.”
“No, Shane, you don’t, or you would both have left already.” Not that I’d let them, but they didn’t need to know that.
His nostrils flared, the scent of his desire fading. “Then fucking tell us, Count. Why did you keep Sor’s heritage from her? You never do anything without an agenda of some fucking kind. And those mages knew about her. They said you had the knowledge to save me. And you did, didn’t you? You knew Sor’s blood would neutralise the poison.”
I sighed. Clearly he wasn’t going to let me get them to Dundean before discussing this. “Yes. I knew.” I slid my fingers around Sor’s wrist and urged her to move from behind Shane, pulling her into me. “I’m sorry, little witch. I should have told you, but you are so innocent in some ways. I wanted to protect you from more suffering.”
“What suffering?” A frown line creased her brow, and I smoothed it away with a soft brush of my fingers.
“From the way your life will change once you understand what being a witch means. They are so very rare now, that you will be hunted. Especially by mages.”
“Why? They were the ones who saved her.”
I glanced at Shane’s tight face. “Because mages can only reproduce with witches, and to keep their race going they hunt witches and coerce, or force, them into a life of breeding and slavery.” That wasn’t entirely true, but if that’s what Sorbelieved, it would make her more wary. That mistrust might keep her safe.
“If that’s the case, Bal, why didn’t you tell me before?”
“Because I believed I could keep you safe. That you didn’t need to know. Besides, I didn’t think anyone else knew about you.”
Her smile was gentle but her words held an edge of steel that surprised me. “But you didn’t keep me safe, and if we’d both understood the risks, then I could have been more aware and Shane more vigilant.”
“No, you couldn’t. How would you have spotted that woman? She didn’t look any different to any other customer.”
