Page 85 of Israel

The dragons stared at them, shocked. Israel looked at his hand, squeezing it into a fist and opening it again. He held it in front of him, palm down, and the blue light sank into the ground.

Holy fuck. The only time he’d ever seen anything like that was when Jace invoked the perimeter magic around the Silverlake territory.

But this wasn’t his territory.

The dragons were gazing at him warily. “What magic have you, Wolf?” the king demanded.

Israel flexed his hand again. “It used to be a ring,” he said. “The dead guy in there stole it from the Dragonlands—or his ancestor did. Now, it seems, it belongs to me.”

He raised his eyes and locked gazes with the king. “And I belong to Ashley.”

“You have no rights to her,” Maximilian snarled.

“No, I don’t,” Israel said. “She’s free to choose.”

“And I’ve chosen Israel.” Ashley’s hand slipped into his grasp. “I’ve pledged to him, as my alpha, and we’re a pack.” She shook her head. “I know you’re disappointed, Father, but you’ll just have to figure out some way to cope.”

“This is unacceptable,” Maximilian thundered.

Asshole, Israel thought. She was much better off without him.

“Indeed,” the king said. “Askleii, don’t be foolish. Come here.” He held out his hand.

She shook her head. “No, Father.”

He looked surprised, then angry. He strode forward, hand still out. Israel gestured again, and the blue-white light sprang up, stopping the king in his tracks.

“She told you, we’re a pack,” Israel said. His mind had been putting together pieces, and suddenly it all made sense. “And since this stone,” he held his palm out to the king, “is from the First World, the Dragonlands, it’s magically tied to every piece of earth in this world. That means our territory is wherever we stand.”

A chill went through him. This meant he could protect Ashley wherever they went, with the full power of an alpha inside his own territory.

He turned to Ashley. “It’s your call. Does he get to come in?”

She considered for a moment, and then nodded. “Yes.”

Not the call Israel would have made, but he had to trust her. Israel created an opening in the perimeter magic and the Draken king stepped inside.

He gazed down at Ashley for a long moment. “You’ve made your decision?” he asked finally.

“Yes, Father,” she said steadily.

Israel noticed the king hadn’t asked her if this was what she wanted. He still didn’t care if she was happy.

“He is still mortal,” the king said.

“I know.” A smile crept onto her face. “It’s going to be the best eighty years of my life.”

Israel squeezed her hand.

The king shook his head. “He is not worthy of you.”

Ashley just sighed and shook her head in despair.

The king went on, “But I can make him so, if he is strong enough, and has the will.”

Both their heads came up. What the hell was he talking about?

“What say you, Wolf?” the king challenged. “Will you risk death one more time, to be worthy of a Draken princess?”