“Damien took her back to my room and… distracted her.” He took a deep breath and flicked his gaze to the sphere that was swirling with his built up magical energy.
Lucky fucking demon. His scent stayed on her skin permanently, thanks to the bond. I couldn’t wait to have her bear my mark too, but just like Damien had said before I met her… I wanted to see her writhe in pleasure beneath me.
“Blair said that Wren would play a big part in the war.” I ran my hand through my hair. “But how? What could her power be?”
“I wish I knew. I just hope it’s nothing that can hurt her. Damien’s shadow poses enough of a danger.”
There was a beat of silence between us, our concern for our mate lingering in the air.
Wren had a fire in her. That much was obvious. But with her strength, like with all of us, came weakness. She was smart and kind, but she lacked the ability to take on a threat in a fight. Her first instinct was to freeze, then run. And that scared the fucking shit out of me.
Fear leaked into my bloodstream, and I cleared my throat. “What did the Supernatural Council want us to do?”
“They want me to convince the other villages to join our side over the dragons.”
“Well, that’s a great fucking idea.” I leaned back in my chair and crossed my leg over my knee. “How are you going to do that? You’re needed here. Did they not think of the fact that you’re the headmaster?”
“They never think of anything but what’s beneficial for all of Kalista.”
“Well, that is their purpose.” I sighed. “What about having the staff or some trusted students go and speak on your behalf?”
He rubbed his chin as smoke plumes blew out of his nose again. The man had an anger problem unless Wren was around. I wondered how long it’d been since he’d shifted. “I’ve already decided that. Problem is, the majority of the ones I want to send that I trust are Wren’s mates, and I’m not sure how she would feel about being apart from them.”
“If that’s what is needed, Wren will see that.” The woman was understanding to her core. It’d suck, but she would handle it—and she has her other mates too.
“Yeah, I know, you’re right. She just worries me so much. She’s been through hell as it is.”
“Yeah.” I swallowed hard. “What about her guardian, Alice? Any word?”
He shook his head with a growl. “No. Truthfully, I’m fearing the worst.”
My chest squeezed. I’d hoped he hadn’t thought that. “Even after what you did to him?”
The dumb wolf who’d rejected her may have been an alpha, but he was weak. They’d let Damien go into detail about all the ways he wanted to kill him, and they’d roughed him up a bit. Not enough to cause any permanent damage, but enough to put fear into him. They thought it worked, but Thorn didn’t.
Evidently, when he read his mind after, his thoughts were filled obsessively with Wren.
Rowan jerked his chin up. “No, actually. Before that. I don’t think she was alive when he came back to the academy after the bond was broken. But for Wren’s sake, I’ve been hoping I’m wrong.”
A lead ball dropped into my gut. She would be devastated if Grayson had killed her.
“I can go to the village and check,” I offered.
He shook his head. “Wait a little longer. If I’m right…”
“Right.” A growl rippled through me, and my horns sprouted from my skull. Pheromones poured from my breath, and my fingers clutched the arms of the chair.
“Rhett,” Rowan snapped, cutting through my anger. “I could be wrong.”
“And if you’re not, our mate will feel like it’s her fault.”
“I know.” Scales formed on his arm, not fading, even as the sphere exploded with fire inside. “If that happens, we kill him.”
“Done,” I growled, feeling my tail form behind me. “There’s something else I have to tell you, and you’re not going to like it.”
“What?” The literal fire within his irises flared.
I shifted in the seat and shoved my hand into my front pocket before pulling out a crumpled paper reeking of perfume and handing it to him over his desk.
