Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders possessively, pulling me in tightly. He turned to face me, ignoring Hannon, and tilted up my chin to kiss my lips. His eyes were hard and fierce.
“Are you sure? You need to be sure, Little Wolf,” he told me softly. “I’ve been holding off my possessiveness. Once I commit, that’s it. No more Mr. Nice Guy.”
“Commit,” I told him, closing my eyes, feeling his lips. “I’m sorry it took me so long.”
“Don’t be sorry. You had to rebuild your trust in me. I accept that. I’d rather you take a moment and be sure you have no regrets than live a life you aren’t sure about.” His kiss was long and deep.
Only after he released me from the kiss did he turn to Hannon, his alpha power pumping out around him. His possessive aggression sang through me in delicious ways I did not expect—primal ways that bubbled up my middle while sending molten heat to my core.
Hannon’s eyebrows rose a fraction. He took a step back.
“What is it?” Weston growled.
“The royals need you. Both of you. That shipment we heard rumors about? It wasn’t just rumors, and the supply was dirt cheap. Drinks were spiked in a few of the taverns. Half the villages are having problems, some with very powerful shifters. We’ve got people dispatched to the villages in case there is sickness, but we need to do something to calm down the powerful shifters without bloodshed. It was mentioned Aurelia has a way to do that. My village is requesting her presence, but that isn’t the worst of the problems right now.” He paused, his gaze on Weston poignant. “Micah partook.”
“Fuck,” Weston said, slouching a little. “What was he thinking?”
“Who’s Micah?” I asked. His name was familiar, but I couldn’t place him.
“The dragon commander,” he replied. “He has the same rank as me, and a lot of power.”
“He’d heard that a few of your sub-pack, and then Hadriel and Vemar, took product and were fine,” Hannon said. “He was confused between her product and Granny’s. He’s sick—very sick. They’re worried about him. He won’t let anyone close enough to give him something to cure him. The king has asked for a solution that doesn’t involve him forcing the issue. He’s afraid this will turn into a dragon battle, and his dragon has had a longstanding . . . problem with Micah’s.”
“I know—”
“Wait, Granny’s product?” I asked, aghast.
“Yes,” Hannon told me. “Her product arrived on our shores and was put up for sale for a fraction of the price. Dirt cheap.”
“Why would she do that?” I asked, but I knew the answer and so did these guys. “She’s trying to flush me out.”
“We found two posters of your likeness, with the promise of a large reward, tucked into hidden cubbies in market stalls or carts,” Weston said quickly. “One of the stall owners died. He wouldn’t have been able to send back word of your arrival. The other was thoroughly questioned earlier this evening. He got the likeness a while ago, days before you arrived, but hadn’t thought more about it. He didn’t send word you’d arrived on these shores. I’m almost certain Granny doesn’t yet know where you are. She’s probably doing this across the other kingdoms she thinks you could be hiding in. Her spies will be watching, and we don’t know who they are. If you help, she’ll get word. She’ll know where to find you.”
“All the other kingdoms have supplies of the elixir that saves lives,” Hannon said. “What will tip her off to Aurelia specifically?”
“Because I know the fail-safes, and she knows I’ll help people use them. It’s clear she never passed those instructions to the traders.” I started forward. “Yet another lie,” I said through gritted teeth. This one was just as unforgivable as lying about my wolf. I started to jog.
“Where are you going?” Weston called after me.
I stopped and turned, noticing Vemar and Hadriel hurrying toward us. “It sounds like I’m not going to be able to force some of these shifters into closets. I’m going to need some dragon-sized tarps. I’ll meet you . . . Where should I meet you?”
“Billiard room.”
Hadriel slowed and then pushed Vemar on. “Go with her. I’ll get a plate for the king and queen. If they eat this food, maybe they won’t be so mad about her product fucking things up again.”
“I’m on it, little buddy!” Vemar jogged ahead, putting on a burst of speed when I started running.
Weston
“She didn’t pause,” Hannon said as we started hustling back. We couldn’t be seen running—we didn’t want to frighten people. “She had no regard for the fact that helping Micah and the others would out herself to the person who supposedly imprisoned her. She wasn’t concerned, even a little, about putting herself in danger.”