I raised my sword, the blade catching the late afternoon light as I faced my brother across the small clearing. Fenris stood motionless, his hands visible but empty, yet I couldn't bring myself to lower my guard."Put the sword down, Arthur," Fenris said. "I don't want to fight you.""Wouldn't be the first time you stabbed me while I was unarmed," I replied, keeping the weapon trained on his chest.Fenris raised both hands higher, showing me his palms. No weapons, no hidden blades. Slowly, deliberately, he began walking toward me."Arthur," he said. "Brother." When he was close enough to reach out and touch the sword's point, he stopped. For a moment, we stared at each other across the years of separation, across all the violence and betrayal that had torn our family apart.Then Fenris stepped forward, pushing past my blade, and wrapped his arms around me."I have missed you so much, brother," he whispered against my shoulder.The sword fell from my fingers as I returned the embrace.
Daemon pushed through the crowd, his eyes moving from our father's corpse to his mate's naked body sprawled on the floor. "You were supposed to be dead," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Each word carried the weight of his fury. "But here you are, very much alive."His gaze shifted between the two bodies again, and I saw the moment understanding crashed over him."And now Father is dead," he continued, his voice gaining strength. "And my mate is dead too."The pack members behind him murmured among themselves, some backing away from the doorway as if the violence might be contagious. I stood there with the rifle in my hands, smoke still curling from the barrel, and tried to think of something to say. Some explanation that might make this look like anything other than what it was."What do you think your mate was doing with Father?" I asked instead.His face went white, then flushed red with humiliation and rage. For a moment, his carefully controlled facade cracked complet
In all my life, I never imagined I would meet Fenris again. Standing there, looking at my brother's weathered face. memories crashed over me suddenly I was seventeen again, This was the night I killed my father.Daemon had been throwing another one of his parties that evening. Fenris was probably skulking around somewhere in the shadows—he always preferred the darkness to Daemon's loud celebrations.My heart tugged at the memory of Lucian. He would have been there with me if he'd still been alive. But he wasn't because of Daemon and Fenris. I'd had Lulu with me instead. Looking back, I shouldn't have gotten close to that boy, shouldn't have dragged him into my family's nightmare. But I'd been desperate for an ally, someone who could watch my back while I did what needed to be done.The plan had been simple. I'd bribed the maid who usually attended to my father's chambers. Pathetic how easily these servants drooled over guys like me. A few sweet words, a rough fuck against the wall,
"Yes, we treated a man with severe poisoning yesterday," the head nurse confirmed, her voice respectful. "He left this morning with a young blonde woman and several companions.""How many companions?""Maybe eight or nine people total. They looked like they'd been through hell, but they were all walking when they left.""Which direction did they go?""North, toward the forest roads."I thanked her and mounted my horse, signaling Tobias and Kane to follow, together with reinforcement that I had gathered. Eight people wouldn't be hard to track, That's when we saw her.A young woman with striking red hair sat on a fallen log beside the road, her head in her hands. She looked up as we approached, revealing a beautiful face streaked with tears."Please," she called out, standing and stepping into our path. "I need help. My horse threw me and ran off. I've been walking for hours."I didn't slow my horse. "Find your own way.""Wait, please!" She moved directly into the middle of the road, f
"The bond must be sealed with intent and acceptance from both parties," the healer explained, gesturing for us to stand in the center of the room. "Place your hands together and speak your commitment."Thomas's hand was still weak, but his grip was firm as our fingers intertwined. I looked into his eyes, seeing determination mixed with lingering concern."I accept you as my mate," I said, my voice steady despite the magnitude of what I was doing. "For protection, for partnership, for whatever comes.""I accept you as my mate," Thomas replied. "For as long as we both live."The moment the words left his lips, power flooded through me. I could feel Thomas's heartbeat as if it were my own, could sense his pain and weakness flowing through our connection.The healer began chanting in a language I didn't recognize, his hands moving in complex patterns above our joined hands. The symbols on the walls grew brighter, and I felt the bond settling into place like a key turning in a lock."Now,"
Walking back to that waiting room, seeing the faces of the few survivors who'd made it this far, I knew what I had to do. Michael and Ruth and the others had died to get Thomas here. Their sacrifice meant something only if I was willing to do whatever it took to save him."I want to see him first," I told the healer when I found him again."Of course. Follow me."The healing chamber was dimly lit, filled with the soft glow of candles and the steady hum of whatever magical equipment they used here. Thomas lay on a raised stone platform, his face pale as death but still breathing. Tubes and wires connected him to various devices I didn't recognize."His condition has stabilized for now," the healer said quietly, "but not for long."I approached the platform slowly. Thomas looked so still, so fragile. This was the man who'd killed three people with his bare hands to protect me, who'd pulled me back from that ledge even though it nearly killed him."Can he hear me?""Possibly. The mind of