Page 129 of Unveil

“He knew what was coming,” Sol muses low, then raises his voice. “You’rethe reason he made this pact in the first place. To ensure his line was protected by us, and that his legacy would live on.”

I wince. He makes it sound so…calculated. And maybe it is on paper, but it certainly doesn’t feel that way at the heart of it. Not to my brothers, and certainly not to me.

It feels like Fate. Destiny. The Fury call we get when we meet the ones who give us peace, the call Iknowmy father felt for my mom. But whatever the motive behind King’s plan was, our wives areours, and no Wilde can stand in the way of that.

Bossie nods then levels me with a hard stare. “King tried to ward us off, but he gave us an opening instead. It’s life for life, young Fury. Your father will rue the day he crossed Bossie Wilde.”

I’m stunned, slack-jawed and vision tunneling, but even as I face off with Bossie, my senses quiet, trying to register everything in my periphery.

The guards surrounding Nox and Sol are dialed in, listening to the argument and not giving the Bordeauxs nearly as much attention as the deadly men deserve. Sol studies me and Bossie like he’s tracking the storm raging inside the church, while Nox has stopped pacing, bracing to weather it.

Even Luna’s posture has straightened, her expression carefully blank aside from narrowed eyes she’s pretending aren’t solely focused on her brother and father. The Bordeaux family vigilance thickens the air. Does Bossie feel it too? Or is it because I’ve watched them for so long that I can tell something’s up?

“Now then, that’s quite enough family story time, isn’t it? Luna!” Bossie snaps her fingers, redirecting everyone’s focusback to the sham of a wedding. “I asked you a question. Do. You… take my grandson as your husband?”

“I…” Luna closes her eyes, gathering courage, and breathing hard through her nose.

Bossie’s eyes flick beyond Luna, and she nods to her kin.

Then it happens exactly how I knew it would.

Like wolves rising at their alpha’s command, every barrel slowly,silentlylifts toaim at me. Even my own crossbow digs harder into my shoulder.

My eyes close. I lift my chin, ready for my judgment. As soon as Luna says yes, it’s over. I just hope some trigger-happy bastard puts me down before then. I can’t watch the woman I love sell herself for me in vain.

“Answer the question!” Bossie’s shrill voice cuts through the chapel, no doubt to mask the sound of guns cocking…

“I—”

…but someone’s too slow.

Luna gasps at theclick, then screams.

“Don’t!”

She’s airborne before anyone can react, leaping from the dais like it’s a cliff. Bart grabs for her, but only catches her veil, tearing it free. With just a few strides, Luna crashes into me, her skirt fanning out like wings as she wraps her body around mine.

The woman I love is shielding me.

Savingme.

And now every fucking weapon in the room is pointed at her.

“Stop!” Sol roars. “Hold yourgoddamnfire!”

“What the fuck are you doing?” I rasp, panicked. My chest caves in underneath her small, trembling, defiant body.

She whispers strongly against my neck, “Protecting my husband.”

“No,” I beg, voice breaking as my arms strain against the rope, desperate to shield her. “Get off me, Luna.Please, baby.Please.”

She only squeezes tighter, curling around my neck like armor.

“Fuck,fuck. My reckless,bravelittle bird…” I couldn’t give a shit about me, but Luna? I’m terrified, and my question comes out as a harsh plea against her soft neck. “What am I gonna do with you?”

“Let me save you.”

Those words knife through me, and my eyes burn.