Page 9

Drake kept his hand on my cheek, and a soft calmness washed over me, my nerves settling. I drew comfort from his touch. My inner wolf rolled onto her back in my mind, preening for our fated mate.

I should pull away. This is wrong. I have to stop letting him touch me like this …

Yet…I couldn’t tear myself away. My feet remained rooted in place as if I were held hostage by Drake’s mere touch—a captive.

After several long moments, Drake slowly slid his hand from my cheek.

The instant coldness left in its wake was like ice water doused over me.

My eyes snapped wide. Drake stood before me; his lips twisted, brow hard.

Indecision flashed in his eyes. I knew then that he was as conflicted as I was.

And somehow, that thought comforted me. It made me aware I wasn’t the only one at war with myself and this new ground we found ourselves embarking on together.

A growl roared in the air. My breath caught in my throat. My damn stomach was grumbling with a lack of food.

Drake raised a brow, his head whipping about as he searched for the source of the noise. Heat swept all the way down to my toes. I willed my stomach to settle. Of course, it didn’t listen to me.

Another growl, this time louder, sounded. Drake’s amethyst gaze snagged on my belly. I wished the ground would swallow me up right then and there.

A slow smirk toyed with the edge of his lips. “I see someone is hungry.”

I ducked my head. A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest. He drew away. “Come on,” he said, extending a hand toward me. “I’ll take you to the dining room and have the kitchen staff whip you up a meal.”

My eyes were riveted on his strong hand, the long graceful fingers.

Does he really mean for me to hold his hand ?

My questioning gaze drilled into him. He narrowed an eye at me in irritation. “I’m allowing you skin contact just this once.” His jaw clenched. Then he muttered, “You’re hurting. I’m not a bastard to let a female go on suffering. You wolves take comfort in touch, right?”

“How’d you know?—-”

“One has to research the opponent he’s coming up against.”

That’s right. It would serve as an advantage on the battlefield to know everything about your enemy, every intimate, closely guarded secret.

I bit my lower lip, still eyeing his hand. My inner wolf whined, pawing at the confines of my mind, yearning for his touch. The longer I hesitated, the more she pawed. In the last swipe, I felt a rake of claws at my insides.

Fine, you mangy fur ball, I snapped at her.

Reaching out an arm, I slipped my hand in his. Drake interlaced our fingers, and the contact of his skin sent delicious jolts of electricity dancing over my skin.

“Let’s get one thing clear,” I told Drake. “I’m only accepting this once.”

His eyes hardened. “And I’m only allowing it once.”

“Then we have a deal?” I raised my brow.

“You got it, princess.” He said the word princess more like a tease. I glowered at him. Shaking his head, he stepped forward, and we walked hand in hand to the dining room.

“So this is the werewolf princess everyone has fussed over,” a shadow fae male said, looming over the back of my seat.

His sheet of long dark hair draped over my shoulder, and I bristled at the contact.

Turning around in my seat at the dining room table, I glared at him.

Then I blinked at the familiar ruby-red eyes I’d glimpsed at the summit.

That’s right…he’s Drake’s younger brother.

“Solarus,” Drake said from across the table. His voice was low in warning. Too calm. I glanced at him and flinched. His narrowed eyes glowed an unearthly violet, wisps of the color leaking out from the corners of his eyes like tongues of fire.

The male hovering above me, Solarus, unsheathed his black talons and hooked them into the chair's frame. He gave a wicked grin at his older brother. “Already protective of her, are we?”

Dark flame flared to life, pooling around Drake’s form and licking at the air.

I scented the air. A sharp bite of dominance wafted into my nostrils…

protectiveness. A delightful heat settled in my belly, and a tingling buzzed through my insides at Drake’s concern for me.

At the same time, however, I couldn’t help the prickling irritation that needled my scalp.

I didn’t need any male to fight my battles.

I turned my gaze back to Solarus. Letting my claws slice out, I said in a sweetened tone, “You have five seconds to remove your talons from my chair before I rip off your crown jewels.” I hovered my claws over his groin, my lips curling into a harsh grin.

Solarus’ deeply tanned skin turned sallow as his eyes dropped to how close my wicked claws lingered from his groin. He sprang away, cupping his groin and shooting me a dark scowl as he circled around the length of the wood table to Drake’s side. My inner wolf wagged her tail, quite pleased .

Drake’s shadow flames receded. If I didn’t know any better, I'd say he was amused. Our gazes connected across the table. He offered a subtle wink. My cheeks heated to scorching proportions. I dropped my gaze and quickly pushed the food around my plate with a fork.

It was an exotic dish I wasn’t familiar with. I detected grilled chicken, but the aromatic spices that danced on my tastebuds were unfamiliar but delectable—except for the heat of the spices that nipped.

“What is this dish?” I asked Drake.

“It's called Chicken Shapala,” he said, taking another bite. He paused mid-chew. “Is it not to your liking?”

“Oh, no, it's delicious!”

A slow, tiny smile curled his lip.

Footsteps sounded from the left. I turned to find a female shadow fae entering the dining room.

She had long ebony hair that streamed behind her.

Her curvaceous body moved like liquid silk as she approached.

I blinked rapidly, taking in her black leather skirt that barely passed her bottom.

Wicked black boots were rising to mid-thigh.

A tight-fitting bodice completed her daring ensemble.

Werewolves were known to be sensual in our clothing, but we didn’t quite go to the length of the shadow fae, apparently.

Her amber eyes slid to mine. She offered a slow grin, her eyes narrowing a fraction. I gave a hesitant smile in return.

She turned her attention to her brothers. She blinked at Solarus.

“Why the hell are you holding your cock ?

Solarus shot her a withering glare, quickly tucking his hands into his tight navy blue pants’ pockets. “No reason,” he grumbled.

She quirked a brow at Drake.

“Ember threatened to slice off his crown jewels.”

“D-drake!” I spluttered, not wishing him to divulge such information.

She threw her head back, and laughter pealed from her throat. When she wrapped her arms around her stomach and doubled over, I found my own grin returning.

“It’s not that funny, dammit,” Solaris muttered. He folded his arms across his solid chest.

“I find it hilarious,” Drake said in a forced, monotoned voice. He glanced up at his siblings with a half-lidded expression.

Solarus snarled. “Of course you would, you bastard!”

Drake looked back at his plate, scooped a forkful, and said before taking a bite, “If you weren’t making such an ass of yourself all the time, I wouldn’t have found it amusing.” He took a bite. “That’s your own fault.”

“What did you just say!” Solarus exclaimed.

Laughter tore from Alaria’s throat.

I blinked slowly, my mind not comprehending what I was witnessing. The ribbing of siblings…it wasn’t unlike what I’d witnessed at pack outings amongst the werewolf youths. Even my brother Xanu and I had cracked a few hard ones on each other—all in good-natured fun, of course.

They’re acting so…so ordinary. I’d always imagined the shadow fae to be cold, callous, just like in battle .

My mind flashed back to the flower of my homeland, existing here amongst the fae, as I was—a werewolf in a land of shadow fae. Coexisting.

My mouth parted in wonder.

Perhaps we can all coexist…one day. One day soon…

“Well, what do we have here?” A soft feminine voice sounded.

All heads turned toward the source. Another shadow fae female stood under the arched threshold of the dining room.

Chocolate brown hair cascaded down her shoulders in loose waves that fell to her waist. Her molten brown complexion gleamed under the soft light of the chandeliers, making her appear as if she were haloed in amber.

As she entered the room, her willowy frame moved with lithe feline gracefulness that put my wide hips and large bust to shame.

I could never be that graceful, and seeing her caused an inexplicable knot to lodge under my sternum. I fought the urge to rub at my chest. The knot throbbed as the female drew toward Drake’s side and placed a palm against his cheek. The same manner in which Drake had touched me in the garden.

Her gray eyes gleamed silver with relief and…affection.

“I’m glad you’re safe, my Drake,” she said.

No one could miss the possessive note in her voice.

Solarus and Alaria exchanged a knowing look.

My inner wolf snarled and rammed against my insides, trying to force a shift to rip the rival female’s throat out.

My hands gripped the table lip, unsheathed claws biting into the oak as I fought to keep my primal side leashed .

No! I growled at my inner wolf. Stop fighting me. Drake does not want us fully, not in the way you want him—there’s no need to challenge the female.

Though I struggled to instill reason into my inner wolf, my own heart ached in protest. Would I really be okay with Drake having an attachment to another female?

He’d made it perfectly clear this was to be a mating in name only, but where did that leave me in the scheme of things?

Would I be okay with him bedding another on the side?

A low growl, barely audible, punched from my vocal cords.