Total pages in book: 164
Estimated words: 152666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 763(@200wpm)___ 611(@250wpm)___ 509(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 152666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 763(@200wpm)___ 611(@250wpm)___ 509(@300wpm)
Dante was close to Aurelia’s hiding place, having dispatched a wild enemy who had tried to get away but had run out of energy, allowing Dante to catch up and take him down. I sent Dante to get her, releasing Nova to help, and kept the rest of her team in position just in case. I wanted Aurelia back in the center of camp, with all of us surrounding her, before I called everyone back and set up our defenses for the rest of the night.
I advanced upon Aurelia’s hiding spot, retaking my human form so that I could look her over. Dante reached into the hidey-hole as a scarred but dainty hand slashed out, hitting him in the side with a knife. The whole bush shook, Aurelia clearly having fallen over under the tarp.
“Fucking hell!” Dante shouted, recoiling. He stumbled backwards, grabbing his side. “What the fuck, Aurelia? I thought we were friends!”
He landed hard on his butt with a pained expression, rolling to his non-hurt side and laying all the way down. “Owww! Why the fuck are you so fucking fast? You shouldn’t be that damn fast without your animal.”
Nova took a step back as Aurelia staggered out of the bush, her hair wild having caught in the briars, with gashes along her skin. I stepped forward immediately but she was already bending to Dante.
“Or maybe you’re just slow.” Nova snickered at Dante as she reached for Aurelia. “Aurelia, you’re covered in briars!”
“Sorry!” Aurelia told Dante as I neared. “I’m sorry, Dante! I dozed off and you startled me.”
“How did I startle you? I said your name! Do you think the enemy knows your name? Fuck.” He peeled his hands away, looking at the bloody mess along his side. “If she’d stuck me two inches to the left, it would’ve been bad.”
“The enemy does know her name.” Nova backed away to give me space. “Though yeah, that would’ve been a killing strike if she’d landed it better. Nice work, Aurelia. You’re getting better.”
“Salt in the wound,” Dante grumbled.
“Sorry!” Aurelia reached out to touch Dante’s leg but I caught her hand before it touched down on his bare flesh. I helped her to stand. “I didn’t hear you say my name, but maybe don’t reach for me next time.”
“There isn’t going to be a next time,” Nova said. “We’ll be on the main road tomorrow. We’ll have nowhere to hide you. We have to hope the enemy doesn’t have any tricks up their sleeves.”
Aurelia looked at me with those large, beautiful eyes. “He was here, wasn’t he?”
She had to mean Alexander.
“He didn’t get close enough to cause a problem,” I told her, leading her back to the fires. “You’re safe.”
“I felt him.” She huddled in close to me as we walked. “I felt him here. He’s come for me.”
“He won’t get you,” I said as I spied Hadriel jogging closer. I motioned him over before turning her to face me and bending down to look her in the eye. A swell of protectiveness sent adrenaline through my body. “Listen to me, Little Wolf. He will not get you. Okay? I won’t let him take you. You’re safe. I’ve got you. I won’t let anyone hurt you—ever.”
Her relieved expression made my heart thump. I kissed her long and deep, loving the way she clung to me.
“Hadriel is going to take you back to camp, okay?” He stepped forward as I said it. “I have to ask our captives a few questions. I’ll meet you shortly.”
She nodded again, licking her lips, before stepping away hesitantly. It was clear she didn’t want to leave my side, and that sent warmth spreading through me. My job wasn’t done, though. I had information to acquire, and I didn’t plan on being nice about it.
“Well?” Tanix said after we’d finished interrogating the prisoners. He wiped his crimson hands on a rag. He’d exacted a little vengeance for what Granny’s organization had done to his family, and I’d offered up some payback for what those people had done to Aurelia and her village.
I looked out at the trees, feeling Aurelia calling to me. I wanted to go reassure her, with my warmth and then my body. She didn’t like fucking in front of the pack, but she’d need to get over it tonight. I needed to be inside her.
“We have a couple things going for us. First, they don’t know who I am. That means the dragons aren’t implicated.”
“It also means they don’t know what they are up against.”
“Exactly. But the best news is that the local royalty don’t seem to be involved. My suspicions that they would be were off.”
“In this situation, I’m damn glad you were wrong.”
“No shit. It’s one less thing to worry about.”
Apparently, Granny’s product was causing dissent within many communities, and while the royalty were content to take the gold while things went smoothly, they cut and run at the first sign of discourse. They would not lend a direct hand to the organization’s efforts.