“He didn’t get close enough to cause a problem,” I told her, leading her back to the fires. “You’re safe.”
“I felt him.” She huddled in close to me as we walked. “I felt him here. He’s come for me.”
“He won’t get you,” I said as I spied Hadriel jogging closer. I motioned him over before turning her to face me and bending down to look her in the eye. A swell of protectiveness sent adrenaline through my body. “Listen to me, Little Wolf. He will not get you. Okay? I won’t let him take you. You’re safe. I’ve got you. I won’t let anyone hurt you—ever.”
Her relieved expression made my heart thump. I kissed her long and deep, loving the way she clung to me.
“Hadriel is going to take you back to camp, okay?” He stepped forward as I said it. “I have to ask our captives a few questions. I’ll meet you shortly.”
She nodded again, licking her lips, before stepping away hesitantly. It was clear she didn’t want to leave my side, and that sent warmth spreading through me. My job wasn’t done, though.I had information to acquire, and I didn’t plan on being nice about it.
“Well?”Tanix said after we’d finished interrogating the prisoners. He wiped his crimson hands on a rag. He’d exacted a little vengeance for what Granny’s organization had done to his family, and I’d offered up some payback for what those people had done to Aurelia and her village.
I looked out at the trees, feeling Aurelia calling to me. I wanted to go reassure her, with my warmth and then my body. She didn’t like fucking in front of the pack, but she’d need to get over it tonight. I needed to be inside her.
“We have a couple things going for us. First, they don’t know who I am. That means the dragons aren’t implicated.”
“It also means they don’t know what they are up against.”
“Exactly. But the best news is that the local royalty don’t seem to be involved. My suspicions that they would be were off.”
“In this situation, I’m damn glad you were wrong.”
“No shit. It’s one less thing to worry about.”
Apparently, Granny’s product was causing dissent within many communities, and while the royalty were content to take the gold while things went smoothly, they cut and run at the first sign of discourse. They would not lend a direct hand to the organization’s efforts.
“Without royal pressure, all we need to worry about is getting past the port patrol,” Tanix said.
I took a deep breath. “That, and actually gettingtothe port. We have to join the main road leading to the port tomorrow. There won’t be any trees to hide in. Without royal backing, Alexander won’t be able to stage a fight in the city or near the port. Tomorrow, in the open, is where he’ll have to make his last stand.”
They wanted my true mate. Aurelia was a prize they would clearly sacrifice for. Kill for. Her worth couldn’t be measured by her humble lodgings and cheap attire. Granny had known the diamond she’d held, safeguarding it at the very edges of the kingdom, isolating it in the wilds. It wasn’t just Aurelia’s abilities, it was her intelligence and her ingenuity. Her hardworking nature and need to be of value. Those traits ranked higher than her power level, a prize for any shifter kingdom in its own right. Aurelia, simply by being herself, had blessed Granny with all the gold she could want.
Aurelia was a rare find and Granny had somehow known it upon their first meeting. That, or she’d taken a chance and gotten incredibly lucky.
My true mate was something special. Something rare. I could only hope the dragons would see it, too.
“So tonight was about Alexander preparing,” Tanix surmised.
“Yes. And tomorrow he’ll hit us again. Hard.”
Chapter 32
Aurelia
“No, Urien!” Hadriel shouted. “You pencil-dicked sonuva donkey,” he muttered. “Stop manhandling that horse. He doesn’t like—“ He stormed up the line. “I swear to the gods’ balls, I am going to thump that kid. What in the bloody cleavage is he even doing? Urien, that horse is going to—well, there you go. Don’t you dare cry to me, you deserved to get bit!”
I watched with what I knew was a lopsided smile as Hadriel went after Urien. I loved watching his antics.
Weston walked beside me in wolf form, sparing a brief glance for Hadriel before looking back at the trees. A lot of the other powerful members of the pack were also in wolf form. They were taking no chances in case Alexander ambushed us on the road.
A shiver of fear rolled through me and I did my best to put the thought out of my mind. There was nothing I feared more than falling into his hands.
Dante walked behind me in human form with a simple strip of fabric around his waist in case he had to shift quickly. As Hadriel bustled away, Dante stepped up beside me and I decided to bring up what had been on my mind since last night.
“Dante, I’ve been meaning to ask you...” I slipped my hands into my pockets as nervousness fluttered in my belly.
“Don’t put your hands in your pockets when you walk,” he said in response, scanning the trees to the left. “If you trip, you’ll fall on your face and chip a tooth or something.”
