Page 108 of Locke

Her body was healed, but definately not her heart.

I gently lifted her and cradled her in my arms, feeling the warmth of her body against mine.

“Princess, it’s okay.” I rocked her in my lycan form. “Everything is going to be alright, I’m here now. He’s gone. Your sister and nephew are safe.”

But your grandmother isn’t.

I didn’t say it, but she knew it that was what I was thinking. Guilt consumed me more than anything. If I hadn’t brought them here, then maybe she would still be alive?

“Don’t.” She sobbed into my furred chest. “Don’t you dare say it’s your fault.”

My mate’s fingers clutched my fur tightly to the point it hurt. “They would have found someone; they found my father. I mean—gods, I wish I had paid attention.” She shook her head. “I wish I had listened to her more closely, understood her better.”

“What do you mean?” I tilted her head up with my claw.

She looked so damn beautiful, but when she cried—fuck, I don’t know—she looked even more so.

“She said once we found our soul mates, that we didn’t need her anymore. That they would protect us. At the time I didn’t believe her, didn’t believe in—”

“Mates. You didn’t believe I’d find you.”

“Didn’t believe in any of it.” She heaved in a breath. “I wish I could go back and tell her I loved her. Tell her she isn’t crazy; tell her I believed her.”

I pulled my mate to my chest and rocked her slowly. “I’m sure she knows. Why else do you think she was in the duke’s clutches? She knew her fate, Princess.”

My mate cried harder, and I held her.

It then clicked for me. As it always did, much later, with the cryptic words of a priestess, and the words of a witch or a warlock. Emm had to suffer as I did when I became Lycan. She had to know what pain I went through when I became what I was. I lost my mother and Emm’s grandmother was as close to a mother as she could get.

I gritted my teeth, my cheek resting on her head.

I still think we are just pawns that the gods like to play with in this damned world, but what did it matter? Nothing, nothing mattered to a mortal soul like mine. There would still be pain and suffering no matter what I did to this pack.

Once Emm’s grandmother died, that was when the pack-link was established. I could link everyone that was mated, and soon, those who were healthy enough could join the pack. Those that were too far gone, I suppose cell phones would still have to be our primary source of communication.

“Everything alright?”Hawke linked as I let my mate sob.

“Yeah, we’re good. Idris is gone.”

“Gone or dead?”Hawke’s heartbeat was loud through the link.

“Goddess, I hope he’s dead.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Locke

My mate cried until she passed out in my arms. I sat there for a while longer mulling over what the hell happened. It all happened so fast, I’m not sure if I could explain it.

Idris was there, and then he was not. Was he dead? We thought he was when the fire consumed him, but now he was taken into the lake. Anaki came the fuck out of nowhere and drowned the fucker.

“Anaki?”I linked. I waited for him to respond. Now he was mated, and to make it even more surprising, he was mated to my mate’s sister. I’m going to be honest. I thought it was a great pairing. The two of them were made for each other. Anaki was overly helpful to her, even when she was trying to push him away. The dragon never learned how to take a hint.

Did any of us?

I waited a little longer before I reached out to him again. It has been a while since either of us established a connection and I was not sure if it was even possible between a wolf and a dragon. I heard Bear quite well, but Anaki—he was a reptile. Reptiles and mammals were different. Their mating practices, and their mannerisms. I’ve never indulged in my curiosities with him. None of us really do.

“Alpha-”His voice was deeper than it usually was. More serious.“I apologize, it’s been a while since I’ve had to control my instinctual side.”