Brayden nodded. “For nearly all the gold in Moon Valley, yes.”
I sat up straighter. “But it didn’t work?”
“That was the day I realized I wasn’t strong enough to take them on myself. Even at full power. Especially not after they siphoned the power of six Greywolves.”
Maddy reached out to stroke his arm. “But when they cursed Lena to die every twenty years, it left us no time to try and formulate a plan. We are constantly waiting for her.”
“They just let you and Lena go?” I asked.
“With Silas to watch over us and a yearly fight to hang over my head,” Brayden said.
“Bastards!” I growled.
Brayden’s arms went furry and his fingers lengthened to claws. “Yes, they are.”
I threw off the covers and leapt off the bed, starting to pace the room. “Maybe we should go back to the Elder and have him uncap my power. I could break your brothers and Lena’s sisters out and—”
“No,” he said. “I’ve tried, and even Wren tried. She got free and tried to break the others out and barely left with her life. They are too powerful for a single Greywolf.”
I crossed my arms and stuck my bottom lip out, feeling a bit like a toddler having a tantrum.
“What about for two Greywolves with full power?” I asked him.
He frowned. “We don’t have two wolves at full power.”
“But what if—?”
Tires crunching on gravel outside caused all three of us to freeze.
Brayden stood, reached down to grasp the hem of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head, revealing his glorious, tanned abs. I was so stunned by the sudden removal of clothing I had forgotten about the car until I heard banging on the front door.
Maddy flew to the window and peered through the blinds. “Silas,” she growled.
Brayden unbuttoned his jeans next and my throat went bone dry. For a hot second I wondered why he was getting naked. But I didn’t really care, I was just here for it. He tore out of the room in his boxer briefs and the spell his nearly naked body had over me broke. Brayden hunched over in the hallway and the sound of snapping bones brought me back to myself.
He was shifting.Silas.
Focus, Averly!
“He’s probably here for you.” Maddy wrung her hands together, a pelt of fur popping out on her neck and then disappearing. “For the attack on his wolves in the parking lot.” She lowered her voice.
“We can’t leave Brayden alone with him. Silas could injure him before the fight,” I told her, and moved to the doorway to follow Brayden.
Maddy looked conflicted, her gaze flicking from me to the doorway. I wasn’t waiting for her permission. Storming out the room, I ran down the hall and stopped at the sight of Brayden’s wolf. He was crouched in front of the front door, hackles raised as Silas banged on it.
“Open it or I’m kicking it in,” Silas screamed.
Maddy stalked towards the door and yanked it open and Brayden shot forward like a bullet. He was all snarls and snapping teeth and Silas stumbled backward at the sight of him. We all stepped onto the front porch and glared him down. He’d brought four guys with him, the same guys from the bar the other night and the one from the hotel. I looked at the bald dude who I’d sucker punched at the hotel and had hurt my hand on, and he winked at me.
Jerk.
“Get off our land,” Maddy snarled from the porch.
“I’m on official Fae Lord business. Here to see—” I moved behind Brayden and Silas’ dark eyes fell on me. “Averly.” He grinned.
“Get off our land,” I parroted Maddy, and reached out to stroke Brayden’s fur. The gesture worked to calm me but only seemed to irk Silas.
“You aren’t Lena,” Silas said and I froze.
