Malice’s mouth opens and closes. Finally, he settles on, “Blood contracts are forbidden.”
“My father has sought to control me since the day I was born, Malice; there is no line he won’t cross. The blood contract was an out for both of us. At the time…” She glances to Emrys, regret in her eyes. “At the time I thought I was doing the right thing, despite what I was sacrificing. Despite…” She swallows. “WhoI was sacrificing.”
The day Aerin came to Emrys with the news of the offer was the same day Wolves from the pack came upon them. That Elara came upon them. The King was threatening Emrys; Elara was threatening Aerin. There was no other way out.
“I will forgive far larger sins, Alpha,” Emrys tells her lowly, aware of the Dragon-Fae listening in. Aerin nods slightly, looking back to Malice and continuing.
“When my father told Bruin to assign you to me, he unknowingly broke that contract. Blood contracts are very specific things, and his use of liberties violated it. I don’t think heknowsthe contract is broken. He likely thinks it only renegotiated itself around having a personal guard. Ideally, I want to keep him in the dark about this development for as long as possible.” Emrys watches Malice nod tightly.
Emrys doesn’t know much about blood contracts. Doesn’t know much about Fae culture or histories in general. He doesn’t like the idea of Aerin and Malice being bonded-mates, but he can’t deny their connection came in handy when Aerin was injured.
“There has been a lot my father has kept from me, secrets about myself, about my magic. I want to know the full scope of what I am and what I can do. I want to know the entirety of my strengths and weaknesses before I usurp him,” Aerin explains.
“Like why your magic was able to form a pack when you aren’t a Wolf?” Malice asks, a glare flicking to Emrys. His skin crawls under the force of the Dragon-Fae’s gaze.
Emrys knows about Dragon-Fae from his homelands in the North. They are vicious, dark, and deadly creatures who can hardly control the beasts that live inside of them. Legend says Dragons died out, but something dark rolls off the magic Malice possesses. Emrys has no doubt the Fae is dangerous, whether or not he houses a Dragon.
“That, among other things,” Aerin concedes.
“Well, if you want to know the extent of your powers we can go train right now.” Malice folds his arms against his chest, the muscles in them bulging. Emrys swallows.
“I need to keep up appearances; I’ve already been gone from the spotlight for too long. We also have a trip to take, so that there are no questions as to why I suddenly have a Wolf walkingby my side.” Emrys flashes his eyes away from the other male and back to Aerin.
“I am fine to take this form to be with you,” Emrys assures Aerin. He will take any form she wants, just to be near her, no matter how uncomfortable this skin feels stretched against his bones.
Emrys has spent a good amount of time during his life in Fae form, but eight years away is proving to be a long time. He is awkward in this body, unskilled and feeble.
“Perhaps I need training as well.” Emrys hates the idea as soon as he says it, but he glances to the Dragon-Fae whose eyes widen fleetingly. “I need to be able to protect her in any form.”
Aerin grips his hand on the table.
“Soon you will be able to be a Wolf as much as you’d like.” She exchanges a glance with Malice. “But training isn’t a bad idea. That and research. I’m hoping we can gain some clarity from some of the old texts inside Echelon. Both about the Pack magic and about the blood-bond.”
Aerin goes on to explain that Echelon is the old Fae archives underneath the university library. That she’s hoping they can finesse their way inside without her father growing too suspicious.
The males nod in agreement.
“Well, great.” Aerin stands, stretching her long muscular body. The hem of her top rides up, and Emrys shifts in his chair, thinking back to the memory of her perfect body bare before him. How he hadn’t buried his cock inside of her he doesn’t know, because even the sight of her now has him twitching in his shorts.
As if Malice can sense his thoughts, a growl erupts from the kitchen.
“Keep your hands to yourself,” he warns Emrys.
Aerin rolls her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I will fuck whoever I want,” she snaps. Then she fixes that hardened glare on Emrys. “Youbothwould do well to remember that.”
33
AERIN
The sexual tension is going to drive Aerin into madness; she is certain of it. Yesterday, she barely made it out of their conversation alive with the way Emrys and Malice eye fucked her while she was trying to have a serious and open discussion with them.
Now, a day later, they aren’t faring any better. Emrys has a pair of boxing gloves, Malice has the mitts. He’s greatly enjoying the way he keeps catching Emrys by surprise, knocking the Wolf upside the head, arms, shoulders, or stomach as they spar. Malice barks orders at him while Emrys grits his teeth and takes it.
Aerin tries her best to ignore them, but after her final round of sprints she collapses onto a bench, leaning against the wall. As she drinks water and wipes sweat from her body, she can’t stop herself from watching them.
Both shirtless, Emrys is strained, his muscles trembling. Each cut seems even more defined, chiseled from marble as he throws punches. Aerin can practically see each individual muscle in his back as sweat runs down his spine. Malice, on the other hand, is thick with corded muscle, broad where Emrys isnarrow, tan where Emrys is pale. His muscles seem to move in tandem as he swings, hitting Emrys on the side of his head again. Aerin is sure the Wolf’s ears are ringing from the hit, but Emrys doesn’t stutter a step, throwing more punches that Malice easily blocks.
