Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 98082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
“Hold that thought,” he says to me.
I already know he’s being mind-linked about club business. It’s been weird around here over the last few weeks. Today is the first day I haven’t been followed to training by someone in my court. It seems all the ladies had to be called away for something or the other, much to Bradan’s annoyance.
“Son of a bitch,” Bradan snarls. “There’s been a disturbance I need to see to. Something ain’t right. Kendrick sounds off.”
“Off? Off how?”
“I can’t explain it. He sounds like he’s in a fishbowl or something. You stay here. Don’t leave this room. Lola is on her way back. Violet says she’s close by too. They’re heading straight here.”
“Okay, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.”
He looks like he’s about to change his mind, but his eyes go distant again and he disappears. I shrug it off and go to put away the mat and weapons we used during our sparring. I’m lost in thought when my hackles go up.
Someone has entered the gym, but I don’t recognize the energy right away. It doesn’t feel friendly. I turn to find Seraphina, Bradan’s ex, glaring back at me. Quickly, I throw up a shield.
It’s the right move as she throws a fireball my way. She throws two more, cracking the barrier as I didn’t have much time to form it and it’s something newer to me. I haven’t perfected them yet.
I begin to back toward the box, I can climb in there until help comes. However, I realize too late that’s what she wants. She’s cornered me in here for a reason. I grind my teeth as she steps inside and closes the hatch.
“Bradan won’t feel me in here,” I breathe as the realization hits.
“That’s right, bitch. By the time he gets here, you’ll be dead. I can’t believe he picked you over me. Mate bond or not, you’re just some weak bitch.”
“You sure about that?” I hiss.
“Oh please. You’re no match for me, but you’ll be with my man over my dead body,” she snarls.
“As you wish.”
She goes to hurl another fireball at me, but I dodge it. Swallowing down my nerves, I remember all my training. I’m not about to lose my first battle.
Once I’ve dodged another attack, she growls and flicks her wrist out. A fiery whip appears in her hand, and she begins to wield it. Something tells me not to show my hand and use my chakrams.
I allow a dagger to appear in my hand instead, slicing at the tip of the whip as she cracks it. I flip, run, and jump to keep out of reach of her whip. However, a loud thump from above us grabs my attention. Two huge wolves are trying to get the hatch open to get inside.
While I’m distracted, her whip hits me first across the chest, then my face. Instantly, I’m pissed. One of the wolves has shifted back to its human form to pull the hatch open, but I’m too angry to care who.
Rage rolls through me like a fire roaring once a door is opened. It’s like my anger becomes a back draft. It’s all-consuming and unstoppable.
My fury sears me from within. I release a deep roar that feels like it comes from my toes and everything stills. The next thing I know, I’m the one attacking.
Bradan
I enter the training room just as it happens. Kendrick called me to the gate to deal with some unwanted guests who didn’t have coins to enter. Once I got there, Aravos said there was never a problem.
He didn’t know what I was talking about. I doubled back for Taylor immediately. Before I could get there, I felt something was off. Taylor’s energy was rising.
Now, I know exactly what I was feeling. My mate has transformed. We didn’t think any of the women would reach this level.
I was proud of Taylor for getting her magic to peak, but I didn’t think she would turn over to this level. This is right before a king’s release—when our avatar appears.
My brothers and I are the only ones to ever reach that level but seeing Taylor do this so young in her training and magic abilities, I can’t help but wonder if this is her max.
I can’t help the grin that comes to my lips. My little mate is the cutest little flame I’ve ever seen. She runs at Seraphina and delivers a blow to her chest, sending her flying back into the wall.
Then she punches at the air, sending a ball of fire from her fist into Seraphina’s chest, then another and another. I snap out of my shock and jump down into the box Violet has opened.
Lola jumps down in after me, shaking the space. I glance back as a second vibration happens. It’s Violet.