Thorn leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the top of her head and affection shot through our matebond. “I suppose this means you won’t be making that contract to come with me to my realm.”
Amusement rushed through her as she shook her head. “I was never going to make that contract.”
“I know,” he whispered.
“Nothing’s changed,” she told him.
His eyes met mine in an accepting manner as he nodded toward me. “Some things have.”
“Not us.”
His Adam's apple bobbed. “Never us.” He stepped away from her and headed toward the door.
The door clicked shut and Wren turned to me.
“I made you an appointment with Rhett for tomorrow.”
Excitement pulsed through the bond, and I tilted my head. I knew they had something going on, but clearly, it was more than I had thought. Just how many mates was my sweet girl going to have?
“I’ve got some work to do. Will you be okay here or would you like to attend with me?”
She nibbled on her bottom lip and glanced back toward the guys. “Can I stay here?”
Closing the distance between us, my hands cupped her face. I leaned down to kiss her lips and inhaled our scent again. “You don’t have to ask permission. You’re free to do as you wish. Just let me know what you’re doing so I don’t worry.”
And with the men who were her potential mates, I had plenty to worry about.
THIRTY-TWO
Damien
Mylittlebirdhadbeen mated by the most powerful firedrake in Kalista, and if that didn’t show how utterly special she was, I didn’t know what did.
Rowan Barrington wasn’t initially on my radar as Wren’s potential mate, but when he’d shown interest in her the day we investigated the careless kills of the four students who had threatened what was mine, he’d shown an intense interest in Wren’s safety.
With their matebond in place, her protection would be greater. He would be able to feel her emotions when I wasn’t around her, and that gave me more time to indulge in my own extracurricular activities of gaining collateral on those on campus.
I still had to pay a visit to my most hated wolf shifter for speaking to my little bird twice, even after I’d warned him. Maybe this time, I’ll take his entire fucking hand.
Nah, that’d be too easy. This time, I was going to tear some tendons from his arm and see how it works without it.
My lips curved into a grin as I stalked through the shadows on my hunt for Grayson. I was fucking delighted when Trixie was able to break the bond between him and Wren.
Wren’s face was utter bliss after the ritual, and seeing my little bird free, uncaged from the moronic wolf, was like a drug.
Her attraction to me still safely in place was something I knew would happen. She was mine, always.
As I shifted toward the doors of the dorms on my way to Grayson’s room, I paused. The fire pit had a very small, controlled fire going with the fire fae I noticed there a few weeks earlier crouched over it, whispering into the flames.
If he wanted to be nefarious, he was doing an awful job at being inconspicuous—which obviously piqued my curiosity.
After a closer look, I realized the redhead was Nate. This was the fae Thorn despised and Trixie had started dating.
Deciding Grayson could wait, I crept forward in the shadows of the fire so I could hear what he was saying.
“Yes, Mother, Thorn does have someone he cares for. I’ve started dating her friend,” he whispered. “But she’s actually a nice girl.”
A small hissing voice came out of the fire among the crackling. “I don’t care. Do what you must to weaken Thorn.”
