Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
11
AJAX
I rocked on the back legs of my chair as we all sat gathered around the onyx table of the war room.
Zachariah shot me a look full of side-eye, but I simply shrugged and kept rocking as Lachlan went through the orders of the night.
There was a restless energy in my body that only seemed to settle when I was with Grace, and now that she wore my mark in the center of her chest, I understood the reasoning.
She was my mate.
My mind hadn’t stopped racing since I’d spotted the tell-tale magic on her flawless skin.
No wonder my instincts had nearly consumed any logical thought when I was with her. The urge to feed at her throat, to bury myself between her thighs, to claim her very soul—it was all the calling card of a mating bond. I’d simply been too ignorant to see it.
“Which brings us to tonight’s Conclave,” Lachlan said, lifting his brows at me as I started drumming my fingers on the arms of my chair. “Benedict and Ajax will escort Alek—”
“Fuck that, I’m not leaving Grace,” I snapped, shaking my head. There was no chance in hell. None.
“I need to go,” Saint said, and every head turned his direction. He ran his hand over his close-cropped hair. It had grown back after his captivity, but he still wore it closely shorn. “The demons denied me entrance to their territory last night, and I know I felt a trace of Samuel leading there. And the new lycan alpha is a jackass trying to deny us access for Conclave business.” His hands curled into fists atop the table. Had to give it to him, he was holding himself together better than any of us could have imagined, but I had the sense that he held onto his sanity like an unpinned grenade, waiting to take out his twin in his inevitable explosion. That kind of effort could only last so long.
“Oh, did you think that was a suggestion?” Lachlan glared at Saint, then me. “First bringing home humans, and now arguing about what is undeniably a place of honor—”
“She’s not just a human, she’s my mate,” I growled, rocking forward and slamming the legs of the chair onto the floor.
Every hunter jolted upright, tense and ready.
“Enough,” Alek said to Lachlan, leaning back in his chair before looking at me. “Grace, like all mates, is welcome here.” He shifted his gaze back to Lachlan. “And you of all people should know what it’s like for your mark to appear on a human. Stop being an ass.”
Lachlan grunted. “I don’t like exposing the royal family to unvetted people, mate or not.” He sighed, stroking a hand down his red beard. “But Alek’s right. I know what it is to bring home a marked human.” He grimaced. “And in my particular case, she was actually our enemy at the time, as where yours is not, Ajax.”
“I didn’t know where else to take her,” I barked, recognizing that my defenses were up and my body was poised to strike. “They were trying to kill her. I saw the mark. I reacted.”
“As you should have,” Alek assured me. “I think there was simply a certain degree of…surprise at her arrival.”
“And the announcement that she’s a half-blood,” Dagon settled back against his chair at my side. The rest followed suit, but Saint didn’t look any more relaxed by the change in posture.
“She’s a quarter-blood, actually,” I said, shifting in my seat as my instincts demanded I end any threat to Grace and then return to her immediately. “According to what Cassandra said this evening after spending a few moments with Grace.”
Talon’s eyebrows rose. “That’s a peculiar ability for a noble to have—scenting those who have vampire blood.”
“It’s the first I’ve heard of it,” Alek admitted. “I would guess quite a few of our aristocrats are hiding abilities we know nothing about.” He put his hand up. “And before you ask—no, I’m not going to invade their privacy by sorting through their heads to see what they all can do.”
Everyone was smart enough to keep their mouths shut. Had to admit, it would be nice to know if we had another weapon or two over in the Domum.
“As for tonight,” Alek continued, his expression softening as he looked at me. “I understand the absolute torture of leaving a newly marked mate. I truly do. But you and Benedict are invaluable to me in that room.”
Duty and need warred within my chest, my heart battling my head. My honor required that I accompany my king. My very nature demanded that I stay as close as possible to Grace.
“She’ll be safe here with us,” Zachariah added. “We would all forfeit our lives to protect your mate.”
There was a murmur of assent among the hunters, and the truth of his words eased the tightness in my chest just enough for me to nod. “Okay. Then I’ll go for Conclave.” I turned toward Saint. “Trust me to advocate for you, brother.”