Lucie sat there quietly. They all knew. Aedan must have explained the situation to them, so her family was down the hall interrogating him. She appreciated it, but this was her relationship. It was between her and Derrick. Besides … she wanted to see him. No, she needed to see him. She felt her insides being squeezed, and the deep need for her mate was reconnecting the energy Mikah had worked so hard to subside.
“I can handle Derrick myself,” Lucie growled, not liking the idea of anyone touching what was hers.
It wasn’t intentional. There wasn’t anything she could do about it. Her instincts were taking over, and she was in heat. This wasn’t something she could fight off, not when she wanted her mate. She knew what she’d heard from Stella, but it couldn’t be true. Derrick would never … A strong wave of realization hit her. She wasn’t marked by Derrick, but she could feel him. She could feel his feelings. There was never insincerity in them. Worst-case scenario, Stella was his past and he was trying to spare her feelings. She didn’t care, as long as it was his past. She just wanted his present and future.
“Easy, Lucie. You’re making your energy collide again,” Mikah grunted painfully.
“Lucie,” Freja cooed to her daughter softly. “You’re in a very delicate state. I know you’re a fighter, but this time, please lay back down. Control your breathing.”
“I can’t control it. I can feel it lashing around inside me, but it’s wild. I—” Lucie shook her head. “Why is it out of control like this? All because of the heat?”
“Because you’re a lycan and a fairy princess, the demand for a mate and offspring is overpowering you.” Freja could see Lucie was barely hanging on from the pain. It was taking guardians down fast, and they were adapted to handling pain. She couldn’t imagine the suffering Lucie was going through.
“I can’t keep it separated,” Mikah gasped.
The two energies were about to clash again wildly when a green energy filled the room. The light swirled around Lucie and lifted her up. The green energy began to form together into a figure, and soon, a man with the scent of anise was holding Lucie against his chest.
“Damn goddess tried to put me to sleep. She’s the real menace in this world,” Abaas said, clicking his tongue angrily. His eyes fell to Lucie in his arms and turned gentle. “How amI supposed to rest when you’ve already caused me so much trouble from day one?”
Reiya and Lita gasped as they stared at the man holding Lucie. His scent hit their noses, and there was no doubt who he was.
“How can this be?” Asher whispered out. His eyes turned black as he watched his old foe holding his granddaughter.
“Oops … secret’s out.” Abaas chuckled. “Lucie, focus.” He met her green eyes. “Feel my energy in you. It’s separating the two energies battling inside you. You’re going to be just fine.” He raised his gaze and looked over the room. “Where is her damn mate at? We don’t have time for games,” he snarled angrily as he clutched Lucie protectively.
Noticing the tension rising from his family and his grandfather’s murderous glare, Aedan quickly jumped in front of Abaas and Lucie. He held his hand out to stop them from interfering. “It’s a long story. He’s Lucie’s protector now. He is the servant bound to her. Look … he’s helping Lucie now. That’s what’s important.”
“He can’t be trusted. He’s evil!” Reiya snapped angrily.
“Don’t talk about him that way!” Lucie growled back at her aunt, shocking everyone in the room. Abaas was hers, though. He was her servant. And she had seen what happened in the past. A bond was forming between the two of them, one of mutual respect and care. And this bond was making the djinn’s powers in Abaas stronger. Their connection was already stronger than Lucie had thought possible. Maybe the connection between master and servant was like a mate bond, where it helped you connect and understand each other.
Abaas looked up at Lita and Reiya. “Hate me. I deserve it. Don’t trust me. Think of me how you want. Honestly, I deserve it all. But don’t upset Lucie any further. She needs our support right now.”
Lita and Reiya were both shocked and not sure what to think of this person in front of them.
“You should be resting. You don’t have the energy for this.”
“As if I can rest when your energies are on the verge of tearing you apart. You come first, Lucie. Above everything. Above myself.” Abaas was honestly touched by how she’d snapped at her family on his behalf. Him! The enemy. The monster that had plagued her family … and she defended him. He listened as she let out a small yelp from the pain. He couldn’t help her with the pain, only with separating her energy. He stepped away from Aedan’s protective barrier and carried Lucie back over to Mikah.
“I can’t help her with the pain.” Abaas looked at Mikah, who nodded and took her back into his arms. “I’ll keep your energy separate. Relax until we get your mate in here.”
“Thank you,” Freja said to Abaas. She didn’t know this demon, but he was helping her daughter and that was all that mattered to her. He looked over at her and nodded once, a faint smile on his face.
Lita and Reiya stood there, frozen. They didn’t know how to react. Abaas was here, though he seemed different. His energy was different. And he was here helping Lucie. They didn’t know what to think about all of it. For now, Lucie was all that mattered. They would figure out the rest later, but they were staying on high alert.
Derrick’s eyesmet Jasper’s the moment he walked into the room. “Jasper! How’s Lucie? What the hell is going on?!”
“She’s—” Jasper’s bottom lip quivered and he shook his head slightly. “She’s struggling. She’s in so much pain. They’ve been cycling through the guardians and can barely manage the pain.”
Derrick’s eyes grew dark. “I’m going to her.”
“Wait,” Hunter said firmly. “Lucie’s in heat. This means the only thing that can stop this is for her to be marked and mated.”
“She’s my mate. It was going to happen soon. I don’t understand what the problem is.” Derrick was agitated beyond belief.
“We’re figuring out who should be the one to mark and mate with her,” Grandpa Sage said with a flicker in his eyes.
“Anyone else that touches her will be ripped apart. Lucie is MINE!” Derrick’s eyes grew dark at the mention of someone else touching what was his. Over his dead body.
