Author: Scarlet Hyacinth
Date: 2013-07-06 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: M M Romance; Shapeshifters; Paranormal; Fantasy; Magic; dragons; Romance; Vampires; Urban Fantasy; M M Paranormal
Description: [Siren Epic Romance ManLove: Erotic Alternative Paranormal Romance, M/M, werewolves, public exhibition, HEA] Hundreds of years ago, werewolves and vampires started a war that nearly wiped out all of humankind. They lost, and to pay for their crimes, they became the slaves of the draechen, trapped by the provisions of the new Shifter Directive. Now, Alpha Graham Powers still maintains hope that he will be able to free his people. When he is captured by a draechen patrol, he finds someone who might be more important to him than freedom itself. His mate, Caelyn Sutharlainn. Caelyn is a sprite, be
Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand, Inc.

Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 1

Werewolf's Way

Hundreds of years ago, werewolves and vampires started a war that nearly wiped out all of humankind. They lost, and to pay for their crimes, they became the slaves of the draechen, trapped by the provisions of the new Shifter Directive.

Now, Alpha Graham Powers still maintains hope that he will be able to free his people. When he is captured by a draechen patrol, he finds someone who might be more important to him than freedom itself. His mate, Caelyn Sutharlainn.

Caelyn is a sprite, belonging to a species that tried to cooperate with the nearly omnipotent draechen. But when Caelyn meets Graham, he knows he cannot allow the strong, proud Alpha to be crushed by the draechen’s ruthlessness.

Together, the two attempt to flee the draechen forces. But does their love have a chance of holding its own against an empire? Can the werewolf and the sprite find their way in a world that refuses to accept them?

NOTE! You are purchasing Siren's newest imprint, the Siren Epic Romance collection. This is Book 1 of 7 in the Chronicles of the Shifter Directive series. The series shares an overall story arc with many crossover characters playing major roles in each book. These books are not stand-alone and should be read in their numbered order.

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Vampires/Werewolves

Length: 78,179 words

WEREWOLF’S WAY

Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 1

Scarlet Hyacinth

SIREN EPIC ROMANCE,

MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

IMPRINT: Siren Epic Romance, ManLove

WEREWOLF’S WAY

Copyright © 2013 by Scarlet Hyacinth

E-book ISBN: 978-1-62740-184-5

First E-book Publication: July 2013

Cover design by Siren Publishing

All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

Dear Readers,

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Regarding E-book Piracy

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This is Scarlet Hyacinth’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Hyacinth’s right to earn a living from her work.

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DEDICATION

Welcome to the first book in my new series, Chronicles of the Shifter Directive. I will be brief and say I hope you like it. In fact, I hope you fall in love with the characters like I did.

Thank you to Siren BookStrand for supporting me through this project, to Rachel for encouraging me and kicking my ass when I needed it, and for my readers for their patience and continuous interest.

Enjoy!

WEREWOLF’S WAY

Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 1

SCARLET HYACINTH

Copyright © 2013

Prologue

History books say the Black Death was likely brought in by rats and fleas. Countless theories rotate around finding out the cause behind it. But what history doesn’t know is that, for ages, a far darker power has existed, hiding behind facades of normality. The most dangerous beasts of all have always been the wolves and the bats, in fact, werewolves and vampires.

The two breeds have always been among the worst perils hiding within the paranormal world. From the times of the ancient emperors, they haunted the world of man. In the fourteenth century, as the human calendar states, their aggression reached its peak. The secrecy of every supernatural creature became at risk as attacks from vampires and werewolves turned increasingly frequent, targeting the thus-far-unsuspecting human population.

In desperation, an alliance was formed between the most powerful of shifters, the draechen—as dragon shape-changers called themselves—and the representatives of the magical world, the fae. Through the sacrifice of a prince from each species, the forces of the out-of-control vampires and werewolves were defeated.

As the victors, the draechen instituted a harsh, controlling regime over the beastly creatures, aiming to prevent any outbreak of violence. With the passage of time, the noble intentions of the martyrs of this cause became corrupted, turning righteousness into a comfortable state of affairs in which werewolves and vampires became slaves.

Other shifters grew increasingly restless, but all opposition was crushed as the draechen solidified their hold on the paranormal world. One by one, the shifter nations fell under the power of the newly dubbed Draechen Empire of Ornoz. A new international law was passed, the Directive of the Shifter Castes, instituting an artificial hierarchy in the shape-shifter world. Nine individual castes were created, social classes with specific rights or duties. The draechen were, of course, at the top, and werewolves and vampires at the bottom.

With Ornoz’s rising power, the old alliances melted into tentative truces as the magical races lived in constant tension that they would be next. In spite of not being under the influence of the Directive, magical creatures saw the ever-increasing greed of the draechen. Some chose to remain loyal to the draechen, while others retreated completely from the human world.

In this new, restless world order, there were those who resisted, underground rebel groups who attempted to break free of the hold of the overpowering draechen. Soon, the wars trickled into the world of the humans, disguised under the appearance of one of the many destructive conflicts mortals themselves organized.

History books say that sometimes, the worst things come from the best intentions, and in that regard, they are correct. But human history books ignore a lot of things. This is a chronicle of the truth, of the pain, the love, and the fighting that lies under the façade of the normal, human world.

Chapter One

“You’re joking.” Graham Powers frowned at his fellow Alpha, already exasperated. “In six months? Fuck, why are we even trying?”

“Because giving up isn’t an option,” Monroe Lovington answered. “And yes, I know the vamps are being ridiculous on this one, but there’s nothing I can do.”

Graham sighed heavily. “Yes, I realize that. It’s just getting tiresome. I feel like I’m in front of a brick wall and banging my head against it over and over for no reason.”

The other Alpha was quiet, but squeezed his shoulder in a silent gesture of comfort. Graham smiled slightly, although his heart wasn’t in it. From the sky, the moon shone over them, but even it seemed distant and cold tonight. Graham wondered if it had ever been close to his kind in the first place. Some people claimed that the moon had influence over werewolves, urging them into changing whenever she appeared to light the way of the lost ones through the darkened night. Once, Graham had believed it. Now, he was losing hope.

Shaking himself, Graham turned toward the other people present at this small meeting. Monroe’s brother, Taryn, gave him a knowing look, but fortunately didn’t comment on his more or less obvious desperation. Meanwhile, Graham’s own sibling and beta, Stuart, asked, “So what do we do until then? We can’t possibly try anything on our own.”

“No, we can’t,” Monroe replied. “We’ll just have to go on as we’ve done so far.”

“Running,” Graham elaborated bluntly. He hated that he and his people had been reduced to this, scurrying through the shadows like rats. Worse, he, Monroe, the members of the packs they led, and other werewolves like them were the lucky ones. Those shifters who lived under the stranglehold of the draechen, slaves to the will of their masters, they were the ones Graham suffered for.

No one offered any words of comfort since they were all just as frustrated and pained. Theirs was a constant agony, a sorrow that haunted them from the very moment they woke up in the mornings and followed them all throughout their nights, turning each and every dream into a nightmare.

But dwelling over this would solve nothing. “We should go,” he told his companions. “We can meet up again in a few months for a progress report.”

“Agreed,” Monroe replied. “We’ve lingered long enough here.”

It was very risky for two werewolf packs to meet up and mingle for long periods of time. The draechen had squads to hunt down the rebels who dared to interfere and challenge the regime they’d instituted. Alphas like Graham and Monroe had been trying to get other persecuted species to cooperate with them for ages, seeking to earn their independence from their oppressors, but so far, it had been pointless. The draechen were too smart and too powerful, and everyone was too afraid.

As if to confirm Graham’s assessment of his opponent, a dark feeling of doom suddenly encroached on his senses. “Draechen,” he and Monroe said at the same time.

Instantly, everyone melted into their wolf forms and scampered to hide. Taking cover was, at this point, a losing battle, though, and as the large forms of the dragon-shifters hovered above them, Graham knew that tonight, he and his people would be fighting a losing battle.

Still, he’d never been one to give up easily. As one of the dragon-shifters flew closer to the ground, ready to sweep Stuart up, Graham threw himself into the air, landing on his opponent’s back. His momentum almost made him fall, but with an angry snarl, he dug his claws into the draechen’s back. The beast’s thick hide protested, but Graham was angry and determined. When he managed to get a better grip, he dug his fangs into the dragon’s neck. Suffice to say, it was like biting onto, well…dragon scales. He had no chance to actually tear off the creature’s throat, like he’d have done by now with any different shifter. However, he did manage to distract it, and Stuart escaped. As the draechen began to soar, obviously meaning to incapacitate Graham in a way he couldn’t possibly combat, Graham leapt off the beast’s back and onto the ground. Sadly, the distance between him and freedom was higher than he’d hoped. A werewolf he might have been, but he couldn’t expect to have his skin and bones nearly indestructible, like certain other shifters. He ended up falling against a hard rock, and pain exploded through him as he actually heard the bone of his leg snap.

Stuart ran to his side and nudged him with his snout, whining slightly. Graham shifted back into his human form, trying to force his bone back into place. The agony that rushed through him nearly made him black out but he gritted his teeth and forced himself to withstand it.

As he got up, though, a black dragon landed just within view. He had a wolf in his hold, trapped and seemingly unconscious. With one single glance, Graham identified the shifter in question as Taryn.

He couldn’t allow his brother to suffer the same fate. “Go,” he told Stuart. “Protect the pack. I’ll get out of this somehow.”

Stuart obviously didn’t want to abandon him, but there wasn’t much choice. They were severely outnumbered, but that wasn’t surprising in the slightest since the very first laws the draechen had passed had aimed to control the then-increasing population of the werewolves and vampires.

It had worked far too well, and now, here Graham was, standing alone and surrounded. Through the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Monroe disappearing into the woods. For a few moments, he hesitated, obviously wanting to return to help Taryn, but as more and more draechen appeared, he finally melted into the undergrowth. Graham was thankful for that much, and for the fact that his brother had seemingly obeyed him. At the very least, someone would be there to look after his pack until he could return.

As if guessing his thoughts, the large draechen holding Taryn placed him down. Once several other dragons landed around Graham, Taryn’s captor shifted into his human form. “I have to say, wolf,” he commented idly, “you’re more optimistic than I would be in your situation. Don’t make your people promises you can’t keep.”

Instantly, Graham recognized him. He should have probably done so sooner, as the man had been the bane of the werewolves’ existence since before Graham could remember. Prince Shtamakarein Tersain, the most important military figure of the Ornozian Empire, other than the draechen emperor himself. Graham’s people called him the Dog-Catcher because he was so very dedicated to rounding up each and every werewolf and controlling them at all costs. Vampires avoided the man like he was sunlight. He almost seemed to have a personal vendetta against the lower castes, as he proved time and time again.

Still, Graham refused to cower. “I suppose you think you’re very clever. Well, you might have caught me, Prince Shtamakarein, but my people will endure.”

The draechen snorted. “I’ve lived to see the day a werewolf holds speeches. I tire of your barking. Grab him.”

Upon his order, all the other draechen fell upon Graham. He tried to fight them, but somehow, one of them managed to jar his still-wounded leg. It took everything in Graham’s power not to cry out in pain, but there was nothing he could do to keep himself aloft.

As he fell to the ground, Shtamakarein crouched in front of him and pulled Graham’s hair, forcing him to meet his gaze. “Oh, and rest assured that I have no plans to kill off your people. Just to put them where they belong. In cages.”

Graham knew he shouldn’t have let Shtamakarein get to him, but he couldn’t help it. Howling in fury, he attempted to launch himself at the draechen prince. He didn’t get far before the draechen soldiers subdued him once again. The last thing he heard before he succumbed to the darkness of unconsciousness was the sound of Shtamakarein’s cold words. “Round them up and take them to the mansion. My father will be pleased.”

* * * *

A few days later

“Do I really have to go, Mother? You know how much I loathe it there.”

“Don’t whine, Caelyn.” Britanni Sutharlainn brushed the kohl-rimmed tip of the stick she was holding over Caelyn’s eyelids, lining them with the substance. “It’s not an attractive quality in a young man your age. And yes, you have to come with us. Your absence would be considered a grave insult by the draechen. Besides, you’re at the ideal age to find a mate. We can’t waste this chance.”

Caelyn grimaced as she finally finished applying his makeup. He really had no desire to visit the draechen. It wasn’t that he didn’t respect the most powerful shifters in the world. Of course he did. In some ways, he admired their strength. But he also disliked their treatment of the lower castes. Whenever he went there, he was always struck by how much worse the situation had become since the previous visit. Unfortunately, he could do next to nothing to change things, and while he realized it was cowardly to just look the other way, he truly hadn’t managed to come up with any other solution.

Besides, his mother’s ongoing quest to elevate their position in paranormal society could very well force him into a mating with a draechen who wasn’t his other half. Caelyn dreamed of marrying his true mate, and the last thing he wanted was to lose that dream because of his family’s hunger for power.

Before he could even try to explain this to his mother, the door burst open and his sister stalked inside in a flurry of silk skirts and strong perfume. “How much longer is this going to take?” she asked in a huff. “We’ll be late.”

“Patience, Deidre,” Britanni said. “Your brother is nearly ready. We’ll be off in five minutes.”

The rest of Caelyn’s family slowly started to trickle into his room. First came his two brothers, Iasan and Cormac. “You look beautiful,” Iasan told Caelyn. “You’ll sweep them off their feet.”

Cormac grinned and wiggled his brow. “But then, we already know how popular Caelyn is with the draechen.”

They probably meant it as a compliment, but Caelyn winced. He didn’t want to draw attention onto himself in any way, but knowing his luck, one of the draechen would try to bed him again. It was another reason why Caelyn hated visiting the dragon-shifters. Each and every time, someone tried to seduce him. He knew he was almost uncommonly pretty, even for a sprite, but it still made him uncomfortable.

“Thanks,” he told his brothers nevertheless. “You’re very handsome, too.”

As if their comments hadn’t been enough, his father, Pádraig, showed up as well, already scowling at his mother. “Would you stop fussing, woman? He looks fine. If he were any prettier, the draechen will think we cast a spell on them. He’ll find a mate the moment he steps through their door.”

“Well, I’m sorry for wanting my son to make the best possible impression.” Britanni huffed. “All right. Come on, everyone. We’re going to be late.”

Caelyn could do nothing but to reluctantly follow in their tracks. A helicopter was already waiting for them outside the mansion they were using for their stay in the United States. In all honesty, Caelyn would have much preferred to remain in Europe, where they usually lived. Hell, even the Great Krites’ court would be better. But Caelyn didn’t have a choice. He never did, and it horrified him to think that one day, he might have to submit to their decisions and actually mate someone they picked. But no, in that regard, Caelyn wouldn’t budge. He was merely picking his battles. There was no point in fighting with his family over a mere visit to the draechen prince’s home.

Caelyn and his family slipped into the helicopter and found seats inside. As the aircraft took off, Caelyn was spared of any further conversation by the noise of the engine. Absently, he glanced outside through the window, wondering what he’d find at this famous party.

His mother claimed the draechen emperor himself had thrown it in celebration of a certain, unknown triumph. The idea actually unsettled Caelyn, because whenever the draechen won something, it was a bad sign for the rest of the world.

As sprite nobles, Caelyn’s clan often received invitations to important events for the paranormal community such as this one. For good or ill, the sprite nation of Elusia had remained closer to the draechen than other magical creatures, fae included, so Caelyn was used to it. Nevertheless, for some reason he couldn’t fathom, butterflies started to flutter their wings madly in his stomach as they approached their destination. He blamed it on his mother’s earlier behavior, but for some reason, he couldn’t be sure it was the case.

Finally, the imperial residence of the Tersain family loomed ahead. Well, one of them at least. The draechen had countless homes all over the world. Unlike humans, paranormal creatures weren’t limited by geographical borders. Their domination spread out through each and every person, surpassing the artificial limitations humans had created.

This particular mansion was located in the United States of America, very close to Sacramento. There were countless other residences the Tersain used, some of which they never opened to guests. As the helicopter landed in the courtyard of the house, the sensation of anxiety and discomfort solidified inside Caelyn. He didn’t want to be here, and yet, he did. He had a feeling there was something very important he had to do here.

His father opened the door to the helicopter and hopped out. As his brothers followed, they assisted his mother and sister in their own descent. Caelyn came last, still lost in thought. He felt like something or someone was calling out to him, but he couldn’t fully open himself to that call.

“Caelyn,” Iasan told him, “come on.”

Snapping out of his trance, Caelyn followed his family out of the vehicle. Outside, he saw that several draechen had gathered to meet them. His father was greeting a woman Caelyn recognized as the oldest draechen princess, Akarawem.

“Welcome,” she said, smiling. “My brothers extend their apologies for not having been here to greet you in person, but they have a great deal of responsibilities that keep them away from most honored guests.”

Was it Caelyn’s impression or did her gaze linger on Caelyn more than on the rest of his family? What did it mean? And why did his mother look so put out? Of course the princes were involved in many other activities. It was an honor that their sister had come to greet them. Why wasn’t she pleased?

“We understand,” his father said nevertheless. “We are, as always, very grateful for the invitation.”

Akarawem gestured them toward the entrance of the building. “As you know, a very important date is coming up, the commemoration of the Great Sacrifice. Normally, we hold a private ceremony as a reminder of the terrible battle that day and the great warriors who gave their lives so that we can have freedom and order. Today, however, my father believed it best to organize a little gathering, both to honor that day of mourning and as a celebration for a recent military success.”

The entire paranormal world marked the Great Sacrifice, although Caelyn did wonder sometimes if the men who’d died for them would have been happy with the end result of their actions. Still, he had no way of saying that without sounding rude, so he remained silent.

The princess led them into a large waiting room, decorated with items that, in one way or another, made a reference to the Great Sacrifice. Of chief importance was a painting depicting the two warrior princes who’d made all the difference in the world in the fight against the original vampires and werewolves, Talrasar and Kaelezrin. There were many illustrations of the two men together, but this one was particularly daring. Speculation still abounded as to whether or not they had been lovers, but the painting in question left no room for debate. The draechen prince, Kaelezrin, was holding the fae Talrasar in his embrace, their figures rapt with love and agony.

As his parents spoke with the draechen princess, Caelyn continued to look at the painting. He wondered what they had been thinking at that time. He wondered how many other men had died in this war, and would never be painted. Most of all, he asked himself why a love like he saw in that painting had to die.

“Do you like it?” a sudden voice said behind him.

Caelyn turned, only to find himself facing draechen prince Shtamakarein. It wasn’t the first time he had met the other man, and while he could always acknowledge Shtamakarein’s handsomeness, he’d never quite felt comfortable in the prince’s presence.

Shtamakarein was renowned for his cruelty and ruthlessness in the treatment of the lower castes. He was the commander of the Ornoz armies and General of the Chrysalidian Wyverns, a unit specialized in hunting down rebel werewolves and vampires. The idea of what that job implied made Caelyn shiver. He didn’t like judging people because of rumors, but this time around, he suspected that they were, at least, partway correct.

Even so, the draechen prince didn’t scare Caelyn. It might have been because he looked so similar to the man in the painting, his ancestor, Prince Kaelezrin, or something else entirely, but Caelyn found himself replying honestly, “Yes and no, Your Highness. It’s very sad.”

The draechen nodded. “The truth often is,” he replied, sounding thoughtful. All of a sudden, that expression cleared, replaced by a pleasant but blank smile. “But let’s not speak of such things. I’m sure you’d prefer to focus on the future, not the past.”

“Indeed,” Caelyn’s mother said, appearing from behind Shtamakarein. “Perhaps a future the two of you will share.”

The prince didn’t answer, but his sister eagerly piped up, “I’m glad we are in agreement in that regard.”

At that, his mother shared a pleased look with his father, who smirked back. Caelyn’s eyes widened as he recalled his father’s words. He’ll find a mate the moment he steps through their door. That was what Pádraig had said. So of course, Caelyn had realized the purpose of this trip, at least to a certain extent. But what he hadn’t understood was that the decision had already been made, without consulting him in the slightest. His mate had already been chosen for him, and it was Orzonian prince Shtamakarein.

Judging by the prince’s non-expression, he wasn’t exactly pleased either. But then, that blankness could have meant anything at all. Shtamakarein was simply impossible to read. Caelyn dreaded the mere idea of having to spend his life at the side of a man he couldn’t understand, let alone love. To a certain extent, he understood why he had been picked. He was the closest thing to a sprite prince that could ever exist since their leaders, the Elusian Krites, generally dedicated themselves to their position. They weren’t legally forbidden to have mates—it wouldn’t have been fair, after all—but it was frowned upon for the Great Judges to be subjected to any factor that could cloud their rational rulings.

But in spite of all that, his parents had never been satisfied with their position, which brought him to his current reality. He wanted to scream at the unfairness of the situation, but he didn’t get the chance as a knock sounded at the door. “Yes?” the princess called out.

A servant slid inside at her beckoning. “The show is prepared, Your Highnesses,” he said.

The prince didn’t react in any particular way, but Akarawem beamed brightly. “Excellent,” she said. “Come. Please, follow me.”

They trailed after the draechen princess as she left the waiting room and entered a larger area that seemed to be designed specifically for balls of great magnitude. Curiosity mingled with dread inside Caelyn as he sat down on a provided seat. There were already a great many guests there, seemingly quite eager for the show to begin.

When it did, at last, start, Caelyn’s blood froze in his veins. Huge doors opened, and one by one, several men and women stepped into the room. They were all nearly naked, with just a few scraps of material to shield their genitals, or, in the females’ case, also their breasts. One of the servants from before made the announcement. “The newest prisoners of the glorious Ornozian Empire, courtesy of Prince Shtamakarein’s efforts. Bow in front of your leaders.”

None of the men and women moved. Caelyn watched in horror as the servants of the draechen used shock sticks to force them all to kneel. He realized now that they were all either werewolves or vampires, as the pain was drawing out their secondary form.

And there was something even more important that struck him. In spite of the abuse enacted by the draechen, one man in particular refused to submit. He stubbornly withstood all the pain and remained standing, until the draechen practically jumped him and physically forced him into falling. Even then, he looked up, seemingly meeting the gazes of everyone in the room. He spat on the floor and sneered. “Pathetic.”

Caelyn couldn’t speak. He couldn’t even breathe. Every muscle in his body was frozen. His family’s plans no longer seemed relevant in the slightest. There, captive to the violence of the draechen, lay his true mate, his other half. And the man in question was a werewolf. Fuck.

The Shifter Directive forbade matings between shifters of different castes. Caelyn was not a shifter, so he didn’t belong to a caste. He didn’t have to submit to that law. Even so, he very much doubted that revealing the bond between him and the werewolf would go over well. He might not be legally compelled to stay away from werewolves or any other shifter for that matter, but his privileged position and his proximity to the Tersain put the werewolf out of his reach.

Of course, all that seemed irrelevant when Caelyn looked at his mate. Jenarra be praised, he was magnificent, everything Caelyn had ever wanted wrapped in one perfect package. But even his mate’s looks couldn’t distract Caelyn from their situation, for a very clear reason. The werewolf’s dark, chin-length hair was matted with blood, and his bronzed golden skin covered with bruises and abrasions. His honey-brown eyes were nearly black with hatred, and his muscular body tense, coiled to strike.

It took everything in Caelyn’s power not to lunge at them and demand the werewolf’s release. Still, he couldn’t fully control his abilities or his anger on his mate’s behalf. The room began to shake, and several vases toppled, shattering into a million pieces. As if that hadn’t been enough, the heavy crystal chandelier adorning the ceiling was next, collapsing onto the floor with a deafening crash.

Fuck. Had he done that? If so, he had no idea how he’d managed. Sprites had telekinetic abilities, but not quite to that extent. It seemed clear though that he must have had some involvement in it. There was no other explanation that would make sense.

The so-called accident distracted everyone, and Caelyn was awfully tempted to rush to his mate’s side, following the futile idea that he might be able to free the wolf. No, not the wolf, singular, the wolves, and the vampires, too. No matter what the ancestors of these people had done, this had gone too far.

But there were too many people between him and the prisoners. He couldn’t hope to succeed in his self-appointed task. Just trying would be a fool’s errand.

He might have done so regardless had his mate not looked directly at him. There was true realization in those brown eyes, the same one that burned through Caelyn. That knowledge kept him rooted in his seat. It almost seemed like a voice was screaming in his head, “Don’t go. Don’t come to me. It’s too risky.”

It couldn’t have possibly been real. Yes, true mates could communicate telepathically, but only once the bond was in place. Caelyn didn’t even know his mate’s name, for crying out loud. And yet, he could see the message so clearly in the werewolf’s eyes. They weren’t really brown, he realized. There were specks of green and gold in those haunted orbs, and distrust right next to the need to reach out. Pangs of sorrow assaulted Caelyn. His mate didn’t trust him. It was a sobering, crushing thought, and it stopped Caelyn from moving.

At last, the draechen staff snapped out of their trance and rushed to corral the prisoners together once more. As the werewolves and vampires were led out, Caelyn watched his mate go with a yearning he’d never once experienced in his life. There was nothing he could do but watch in distress, knowing that his mate was right there, so close and yet so far away.

Everything inside him screamed to follow, and he might have, in fact, done exactly that. Sweet Jenarra, he wanted it so badly. But then, Shtamakarein appeared by his side. “Please remain calm,” the draechen said. “You mustn’t let this get to you. I’ll figure out what happened at once.”

It was only at that moment that Caelyn realized he’d actually gotten up. For a brief moment, he turned toward Shtamakarein, meaning to explain, to tell the draechen to free his mate. But that instant was enough for his other half to be taken away and the doors to close behind him.

Caelyn released a soft noise of distress, his knees buckling at the knowledge that his hesitation had very clearly earned his mate more pain at the hands of his captors. Shtamakarein caught him before he could fall. “It looks like this is our cue to leave,” he said to a guard. “Take care of this situation. I’ll be right back.”

As the draechen prince carried Caelyn out of the room, Caelyn’s mind and soul went out to his mate. What was he going to do? How could he possibly help the werewolf and all the other prisoners? He was just a young sprite, a real asset for his family only because of his beauty. Until now, his powers had been of no consequence. He was useless.

But no, he could not afford to fall into self-pity. His mate was relying on him. Uncertainty melted into decision. No matter what happened, Caelyn would find a way to free his mate. He was sure of it.

Chapter Two

When he’d first been taken into the home of the Tersain family, Graham had known he had very few chances of getting out of here. Other than him and Taryn, there were numerous other prisoners, trapped here for far longer than he’d been captive.

Learning that he’d end up on display like some pet had disgusted him, but he’d been unable to do anything to stop it. And yet, upon entering the ballroom, he had felt an apprehension he’d been truly unable to understand. It had made him even angrier than before, so much so that he’d even refused to kneel like he’d been asked.

And then, he’d seen it, seen him, the beautiful, golden-haired sprite sitting right next to Shtamakarein Tersain, and for a brief moment, he had no longer cared that he was a prisoner. The only thing he’d been able to focus on was the sight of that surreally beautiful creature who seemed to direct him to a beautiful, brighter future. An angel, like the humans said it. His eyes had been like a beacon of light, blue orbs shining like the sky on a clear summer day. Every detail of his lovely face seemed to have been crafted from divine cloth, out of pure love for the world. His full lips, delicate nose, and those eyelashes that seemed to go on for miles—all of it painted a picture that enraptured Graham.

And then, the room had started to shake, and Graham had remembered his position. He’d realized he was on his knees, and his mate, the other half of his soul, was on the other side, the one of his captors. So far, the world had been pretty clear for him, painted in black and white. It was he and the other wolves against the magical creatures and the draechen, their slavers. But suddenly, he’d been plunged into a reality lost in shades of gray. His mate was his enemy.

Graham’s wolf didn’t care, and it had almost seemed that his mate felt the same. The mysterious sprite had actually gotten up, looking like he intended to approach Graham. As such, when the draechen started to drag him away from his mate, Graham couldn’t help but want to protest. But then, Graham saw something else, something that made his wolf howl in fury and the man in him burn with jealousy and hatred. He saw his archenemy, Shtamakarein, make his way to the sprite’s side and gently touch the lovely angel’s shoulder. There was intimacy in the gesture, and the knowledge of the close relationship between his mate and Shtamakarein burned in Graham’s gut. Instead, he allowed them to lead him away, his entire being protesting at the unfairness of it all.

Even so, he’d never been one to give up so easily. There had been a spark of something between him and the lovely sprite. They might not know each other just yet, but his beautiful angel, like his mind had dubbed the stranger, had connected with Graham on some level.

Deep in thought, he allowed the draechen to lead him to his cell. Taryn had been assigned to one straight next to his, but he couldn’t see the other werewolf. He was surrounded by four thick walls, with no window whatsoever. The only exit, the door, was crafted entirely out of silver.

Plopping down onto the cot that masqueraded as a bed, Graham buried his face in his hands. What could he possibly do to escape this place? He was trapped, trapped like a rat. Meanwhile, Shtamakarein was on the outside, likely putting a move on Graham’s mate.

This time, Graham couldn’t contain his anger. His howl echoed against the walls of the cell, far more desperate than he’d have liked. He hated giving the draechen the satisfaction of knowing they’d beaten him, but he couldn’t help it.

He didn’t know how much time passed while he waited when, at last, something happened. Footsteps sounded outside, ones Graham had learned to recognize. The guards outside opened the door, chuckling. “He’s been quite anxious.”

“Understandable,” Shtamakarein said as he stepped inside. This time, he wasn’t alone. His older brother, Hareematek had joined him. Graham mentally groaned. As if one draechen prince hadn’t been enough. At least he understood Shtamakarein, to a certain extent. Hareematek was notorious for his wild yet cold temper. They called him as chilly and unpredictable as winter itself, and Graham guessed that it was an appropriate comparison, given that ice was the element Hareematek controlled.

“So, you’re the famous captured Alpha,” the older draechen said. “You don’t look like much.”

“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint,” Graham replied without missing a beat. “I just don’t know how I’ll live with myself now. Perhaps if you’d arrived earlier, you wouldn’t have missed the show.”

“Fancy you mentioning that,” Shtamakarein commented. His voice had no tone whatsoever. It sounded like a robot was speaking, not a man. “Do you think I’m an idiot? I saw how you looked at my fiancé. He’s so high above you that you won’t ever be able to touch the soles of his feet.”

Fiancé. The word echoed through Graham’s mind and body, burying thousands of daggers into his heart. Images flashed in his mind’s eye, coming to him with a clarity that almost blinded him. He could so easily see the way his sweet angel would look in Shtamakarein’s embrace. The blasted draechen would pin Graham’s mate to his bed, immobilizing the sprite with one hand. He would cruelly bury his claws into the flawless, marble-white flesh of Graham’s lovely angel, uncaring of the true value of such a pure, priceless beauty.

“You will not touch him.” He shot to his feet and growled at the draechen. His jailers hadn’t even bothered to enchain him this time around. Perhaps they realized how truly helpless he was. “You will not place your filthy hands on him.”

“Oh, the mutt has guts,” Hareematek said with a smirk. “What makes you think you can give us orders?”

“He can’t,” Shtamakarein said. “He’s just a desperate, desperate man who’s lusting for someone he can’t ever reach. Get it into your thick skull, werewolf. You’ll never touch Caelyn. Never.”

Without further ado, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the cell. “Guards, bind him down. I want him in unbreakable silver chains.”

“Yes, Highness,” the guards said, hastening to obey.

At least a half dozen men entered his cell, carrying heavy chains. Graham tried to fight them, but just like before, they used those shock sticks that made his entire body scream in agony. Distantly, Graham wondered why in the world they were doing this if they’d decided against it before. He’d become a threat, but how and why was unclear.

Just as they finished shackling him to the wall, he heard the two draechen princes enter the cell next to him. In spite of the solid brick between them, he could clearly distinguish Hareematek saying, “Take him away and to my chambers.”

For once, Shtamakarein didn’t seem to agree with his brother. “Hareem…”

“Don’t argue with me on this one, Karein. I know what I’m doing.”

The exchange was so brief that Graham almost thought he’d imagined it. Personally, Graham didn’t know what to make of it, but as it turned out, the conversation mattered very little. He heard Taryn spouting obscenities as the younger werewolf was dragged away, and then silence fell. As he waited alone and forgotten in his cell, for the first time in his life, Graham hated being a werewolf.

* * * *

That evening

“So, how have you liked your stay here so far, Lord Caelyn?”

Caelyn sipped a little wine from his glass to give himself a moment to come up with a reply. He glanced at Shtamakarein’s brother, Prince Hareematek, and forced a smile. “Your people are as generous as always, Your Highness. Your hospitality always humbles me.”

The words tasted bitter in his own mouth, but he had to say them, to keep up the appearance of normality. If he wanted to rescue his mate, he needed to pretend he was happy here and with the prospect of being part of the draechen imperial family.

Prince Hareematek was very much like his sister, Akarawem. They’d been born as non-identical twins, and the physical similarities between the two of them were remarkable. However, Akarawem’s red hair contrasted sharply with Hareematek’s dark blue. From what Caelyn knew, they allied themselves to different elements.

Caelyn tried to keep up a pleasant expression, in spite of his apprehension. Across from him, Shtamakarein smiled back. Caelyn didn’t know why, but the expression didn’t strike him as genuine. “I’m quite pleased to hear you say that.” The draechen reached for Caelyn’s hand over the table and squeezed it tightly. “We didn’t have a chance to discuss things further before the unpleasant incident at lunch, but I’d like you to know that we as a clan are truly honored at your consideration of binding our bloodlines. Or rather, I should say that I myself am the honored one.”

Caelyn was taken aback at the words. Shtamakarein hadn’t struck him as very enthusiastic about their potential mating. Now, the draechen prince’s attitude seemed to have made a complete one eighty. “Prince Shtamakarein—” he started to say.

“Please, call me Karein,” the draechen interrupted him. “If we mean to be as close as I hope, we should be on a first-name basis. Besides, Shtamakarein is such a mouthful.”

Even Caelyn’s family seemed surprised, having apparently not expected such a bold move so soon. His mother managed to recover first. “Thank you, Your Highness,” she said. “You honor us.”

“Nonsense,” the princess offered with a bright beam. “It’s a natural progression. For my part, I admit I never expected my brother to find such a lovely mate.” She must have realized what she was saying, because she quickly added, “You’re exactly what I wanted for him, what he deserves.”

Out of the blue and just like that, the decision had been made. Caelyn breathed through the panic and tried to focus on the bright side of the situation. As long as he courted the favor of the imperial family, he could stay here without anyone being suspicious. His chances to free his mate strongly relied on the trust the Tersain granted him.

Clinging to that thought, Caelyn lifted his glass and beamed brightly. “I’ll drink to that.”

There were cheers all around. Even if the proposal hadn’t actually been made, Caelyn had given his unofficial agreement to wed Shtamakarein. No, Karein. He had to get used to thinking of the draechen prince in informal terms so that he could reassure everyone that everything was all right.

Of course, he couldn’t appear too eager, at least not in front of his family. They knew him well, and they would suspect he was hiding something if he showed too much enthusiasm.

The entirety of the dinner passed in a blur of celebrations, veiled references to a blissful future and wink-winks from the somewhat intoxicated Cormac. Deidre didn’t seem quite so thrilled—perhaps she’d have preferred it if she’d been the one in the center of attention—but even she perked up toward the end of the meal, possibly realizing the advantages she’d be granted once Caelyn was married to Karein. Besides, Karein didn’t exactly have the best reputation possible. In fact, Caelyn was almost hurt that his parents didn’t seem worried about him in the slightest. Not that Caelyn was afraid of his supposed fiancé, but it would have been nice to see a little concern from them nonetheless.

By the end of the dinner, Caelyn felt more uncomfortable than ever. He couldn’t get over the sudden openness of his supposed future mate, and he couldn’t forget the sight of his real one. Karein must have noticed this, because as they finally got up from the table, he asked, “Are you quite all right?”

“Fine,” Caelyn replied automatically. “Just a little overwhelmed, I suppose.”

Karein threw a look toward their companions and gestured Caelyn aside. His heart hammering, Caelyn followed the draechen prince. Together, they stepped out onto the terrace.

“Please, don’t try to deceive me. I can sense your disquiet.”

There was no accusation in Karein’s tone, but Caelyn still winced. “I don’t mean to lie. This is all happening so fast. I don’t know anything anymore.”

“Understandable. Your parents weren’t as informative as they should have been.”

No, they hadn’t been, but Caelyn was reluctant to confirm it. As it turned out, Karein didn’t wait for that. He boxed Caelyn in, pinning him against the wall. “You’re very beautiful,” Karein said. “It would be my honor and great pleasure to have you as my mate. What say you?”

Caelyn’s mind went blank. Everything inside him screamed, begging him to refuse. He simply couldn’t accept. It would be a huge betrayal of what he’d found today, of the man who was trapped somewhere inside this very building, perhaps believing himself alone and abandoned. To top it off, Karein was personally responsible for the suffering of all those men and women.

In spite of the near-hatred that coursed through Caelyn at the thought, he’d have probably agreed. No sacrifice was too much if it meant a chance to save his true mate.

He opened his mouth to say “yes,” but he never got the chance. The shrill sound of a simple ringtone shattered the silence between them. Karein grimaced slightly. “Hold that thought. I’ll be with you in a second.”

Releasing Caelyn, the draechen prince retrieved a cell phone from his jacket. As Karein took the incoming call, Caelyn did his best to look as unobtrusive and discreet as possible. “Yes, Your Majesty,” he heard Karein greet his caller. He was speaking in the traditional tongue of the draechen, but Caelyn had been lucky enough to receive an education that included it.

At the other end of the connection, a female voice said, “Greetings, Shtamakarein. Your father needs you to report in.”

“I understand,” Karein replied. “I will leave within the hour.”

Caelyn noticed that the draechen prince hadn’t even inquired what the problem was and surmised the person he was speaking with must be his mother, the draechen queen, Rowenasheb. “Excellent,” she said. “I take it the problem we discussed earlier has been solved.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Karein answered.

“Very good. We will be waiting for you to arrive.”

As the draechen prince ended the call, he turned toward Caelyn once more. “Apologies,” he said, turning to common tongue once again. “It seems duty summons me away from pleasure.”

“That’s quite all right,” Caelyn answered. “I understand completely. I wouldn’t begrudge you your loyalty toward your family and your people.”

That earned him a small smile, although for a brief second, something like sadness flashed through Karein’s eyes. It vanished so quickly Caelyn decided he must have surely imagined it.

Karein kissed his hand in a courtly gesture, then led Caelyn back inside. “When I come back,” he said, “I expect an answer to my offer.”

Caelyn just nodded silently, more than grateful for the reprieve. He probably should have said yes on the spot, but fate or luck had granted him the opportunity to avoid it, at least for the moment. He wasn’t above using that for his own benefit.

Fortunately for him, Karein didn’t call him up on it. Instead, he left Caelyn’s side and went to his brother. The two shared a brief exchange that sadly, Caelyn couldn’t overhear, and then Hareematek said, “I’m afraid my brother needs to go, but I will remain here for the duration of his absence.”

For the first time that day, Caelyn felt the need to smile. Perhaps his situation with the imperial family remained delicate, but with his supposed fiancé gone, his chances to free the prisoners had certainly increased. And Caelyn had every intention of using that opportunity.

Chapter Three

A few days later

The hours and days passed slowly while Graham remained trapped in his cell. As far as he could tell, Taryn had not been returned to his, and just thinking of what the draechen might be doing to Monroe’s brother made him sick to his stomach.

But most of all, he kept remembering the beautiful sprite, his mate, the man who was so out of his reach. Caelyn. The name sounded like a melody, the sweet tones of delicate fingers flowing over the chords of a harp. Graham had never been a poet, but when he closed his eyes and recalled the sprite’s lovely face, the emotions that bubbled inside him made it impossible for him not to be, at least to a certain extent, dramatic.

As a rule, all werewolves recognized their mates upon either seeing them, smelling them, or touching them. The wolf knew it instantly, but for the man to acknowledge it as well took a little time, depending on the circumstances. Graham didn’t know how it was for other paranormal creatures, but he was pretty sure sprites shared this trait with werewolves.

Sadly, the fact remained that Shtamakarein had been correct in his words. Graham and Caelyn inhabited different worlds. Graham didn’t know how the two of them could ever match. A part of him, the one that had seen an answering desire in Caelyn’s eyes, wanted to believe it would all work out, but the chains burning his wrists reminded him of his true place.

“Caelyn.” He said his mate’s name out loud, tasting it in his mouth, remembering the way the sprite had looked in the ballroom.

“Caelyn.” The sprite’s beauty, his shock as their gazes met.

“Caelyn.” The way the room had shaken as Caelyn’s power flowed out of control.

As if his thoughts and words summoned the lovely angel, Graham suddenly felt a presence approach. The wolf inside Graham perked up, wagging its tail in enthusiasm.

Outside, the guards suddenly released twin shouts. “Halt! Who goes there?”

Graham tensed, hoping against all hope that his mate had anticipated this. To his surprise, he heard a female voice say shyly, “Greetings, my lords. Is everything all right?”

The draechen soldiers relaxed. “Oh, hi, Melissa. Yes, everything’s fine. His Highness just gave us some very specific orders, so we must be extra careful.”

The sound of soft, careful footsteps reached his ears. “But surely, you’re allowed to eat,” the woman said.

Beneath the modulations of the woman’s voice, Graham heard something else that called out to him. He didn’t know what it was, but it rushed over him like the water of a cool stream, calming down his pain and anxiety.

“I suppose,” one of the draechen said. “Besides, we couldn’t possibly refuse a gift from Cook.”

The girl laughed lightly. “Indeed.”

Did the soldiers realize that the voice sounded too elegant for it to truly belong to a servant? Probably not. It was far too subtle, and likely Graham wouldn’t have picked it up if not for the true identity of the person outside his cell.

Caelyn was certainly risking a lot by coming here. If someone discovered him, no illusion, no matter how skilled, would get him out of this mess. Yes, sprites were very good at this sort of thing, but could the senses of the draechen guards truly be deceived so easily?

Apparently, Caelyn wasn’t worried about that, or was at least willing to take the chance. “What of the prisoner?” he asked under the guise of the servant girl. “Can I still take him food?”

“Yeah sure,” one of the guards answered. “He’s all chained up. He can’t hurt you, and besides, we’ll be right here if he tries anything.”

“Oh, I must be very lucky indeed.” Caelyn giggled. “Can you let me in now? I want to get this over with.”

Without questioning the supposed servant, the guards unlocked the door. A slender woman slipped into the cell. Although she was pretty, she looked nothing like Caelyn. But as she looked at Graham, her brown eyes flashed blue. Just like Graham had guessed, the visitor wasn’t a servant girl after all, but Caelyn.

When Caelyn approached, he retrieved a wet washcloth. Quickly and efficiently, he washed Graham’s face with it. He kept up the appearance of expedience, but from time to time, his fingers lingered on Graham’s jaw.

The angle didn’t allow the guards to see that, although they were clearly being watchful, obeying their commander’s orders. In fact, as Caelyn offered him a sip of water, one of them said, “That’s enough. We don’t want to baby the mutt. He pissed off His Highness with his arrogance.”

“Is that right?” Caelyn asked. “I didn’t know that.”

Throwing a barely noticeable glance of regret toward Graham, Caelyn started to pull away. “I don’t suppose you can tell me what happened.”

One of the soldiers shrugged. “You know these mutts. They’re real beasts, and this one is the worst of them.”

They didn’t say more, obviously reluctant to gossip on Shtamakarein’s affairs. “I see,” Caelyn replied. “Well, someone has to see to them anyway, and sadly, that’s my job.”

“Don’t be sad,” the other guard said. “Think of it this way. At least you brighten up our day a little.”

As the draechen guards flirted with Caelyn, Graham tightened his hold on the chains. It hurt to see it, like he was being taunted with the truth of the situation. Unable to hold himself in check, he released a low growl.

The sound broke the banter between Caelyn and the two soldiers, and the guards became fully alert once more. “Come on, Melissa. No matter what the laws say, these mutts don’t deserve good treatment.”

Caelyn nodded, although his spine went rigid. Obviously, he didn’t agree that being tied to a wall with silver chains qualified in any way as good treatment. Briefly, he turned toward Graham. “I’ll come back,” he mouthed. “I won’t leave you.”

Graham would have loved to provide him with a reply, but anything he might have tried to convey would be noticed by the draechen guards. He just looked at Caelyn, willing him to acknowledge what couldn’t be said in words.

He didn’t know if his mate understood, as there was no time to make sure. Caelyn left the cell, and the door shut behind him with a decisive bang. Once more, Graham was left alone. This time, when he closed his eyes, the image that came to him was that of those deep blue eyes practically speaking to him. Graham might have been lower caste, but he’d find a way to get out of here and reach out to his mate. The alternative was simply inconceivable.

* * * *

After leaving his mate’s cell, Caelyn went on to visit all the other prisoners. He wasn’t allowed to take any risks, so he couldn’t enter the rooms of the inmates who weren’t bound. However, he got a pretty good idea of what was going on, as well as of the layout and organization of the prisons.

The servant girl assigned with providing assistance to the prisoners seemed well liked, so no one really questioned him at all. In the past few days, he’d been watching Melissa’s routine, and that of the other servants who worked here, so he knew exactly what to do. Even so, the hostility, the anger, and the pain that practically polluted the air down here still made him sick to his stomach.

Werewolves and vampires suffered here, alone and helpless, just because they refused to succumb to the Directive. Caelyn understood the reason behind its implementations, but it had clearly gone too far. It hurt him to realize that he’d never have known the true extent of it had his need for his mate not pushed him into coming down here. It was much more comfortable to tell himself nothing could be done.

Sadly, he didn’t have much time at his disposal. The real Melissa was in her quarters, sleeping off the effects of a drug Caelyn had slipped into her drink, but she’d wake up soon. Not to mention that his family might notice he was missing if he wasn’t careful. So far, he’d taken a promising first step, but it was just that, one step. He needed far more to be able to free his mate and everyone down here.

As he finally walked out of the prison area, he noted the cameras scrutinizing his every motion, the scanners checking him for any hidden objects. They couldn’t detect his illusion, but even he couldn’t keep up such a powerful spell forever, or enchant all those he wanted to free. Consequently, if he meant to release the prisoners, he had to disable the security systems first.

Musing over this, he headed upstairs and toward the servant quarters. Fortunately, everyone he met with on the way was very busy, and even if they said hi or waved at him, Caelyn managed to escape without being identified as an impostor. But he wasn’t out of the woods yet. Slipping into Melissa’s room, he found her still there, unconscious. He’d made sure she wouldn’t remember a thing, so in that regard, he was safe. So far, so good. He finally allowed his illusion to fade and opened the window. It was an easy drop, just one story high. Caelyn waited until there was no one in sight, and with no hesitation, jumped outside and into the garden.

From there, it was easy to reenter the house as if he’d just been out for a stroll. Just in time, too, because he ran into his mother just as he stepped onto the verandah. “Where have you been?” she asked, glowering at him. “You should be spending more time with the prince and princess at this very delicate time.”

“They’re already thrilled with me marrying their brother,” Caelyn pointed out. “There’s no pressing need for me to coax them to like me. And I’ve just been exploring the grounds of the residence. I needed the break.”

“Don’t be insolent,” Britanni shot back, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the house. “One day, you’ll realize what a good thing you have here and you’ll thank me. Now come on. I’ve arranged for you to have a meeting with Prince Hareematek.”

Caelyn decided that getting a feel for the oldest draechen prince wouldn’t hurt. Still, that didn’t mean his mother’s decision pleased him. “When?” he asked morosely.

“No time like the present,” she replied with a self-satisfied smirk that frustrated Caelyn beyond measure.

“Of course,” he replied between gritted teeth.

He followed obediently after her as she led the way toward the private wing of the palace, where the imperial family resided. The guest wing adjoined it directly, which could become a problem for the future of Caelyn’s plan. However, he’d worry about that when the time came. He just needed to take one thing at a time, and he’d get through this.

As he and his mother walked, they ran into countless guards. Most of them must have known to some extent of Caelyn’s connection with Karein. It was somewhat worrisome that the word had spread quite so quickly, but perhaps Caelyn could use it for his own benefit.

They found Prince Hareematek in his personal quarters. After bypassing yet another group of guards, they were received in the spacious apartments of the draechen in question. Hareematek was already there, lounging on a settee and apparently waiting for them. Or not. As Caelyn and his mother came in, they noticed a lovely dark-haired man disappearing into a room to their right. Caelyn thought the youth looked a little familiar, but he couldn’t tell where he’d seen him before.

He didn’t get the chance to dwell on that, though, as the prince gestured for them to sit. “Welcome. My word, Lord Caelyn, I’ve barely seen you at all these days. I’m going to think I’m not as interesting as my brother.”

Caelyn took Hareematek’s offer and sat down. “You’re both very interesting in different ways,” he answered.

Hareematek chuckled. “But you like Karein’s way better, and that’s the way it should be. You’ll be happy to learn that he’s returning to us soon.”

Caelyn’s heart started to beat faster. “Yes? Did he finish his tasks already?”

Hareematek’s grin looked a little feral. “My brother is very expedient when it comes to orders from my father.”

Expedient. That was one way of putting it. Likely, there had been another incursion, more werewolves or vampires to hunt down. Honestly, Caelyn didn’t know how he managed not to show his utter distaste for the situation.

Instead, trying to sound eager, he asked, “And when is he expected to arrive?”

“Either today or tomorrow, to my knowledge,” Hareematek replied. “When I spoke with him last, he mentioned he would try to make haste.”

To make haste. This wasn’t good. It cut into the time Caelyn had to go through with his plan. He needed to hurry. He couldn’t afford to linger on baby steps anymore.

Knowing he couldn’t let his real emotions show, Caelyn smiled tightly. “That’s excellent news.”

“Indeed,” Hareematek answered. “My sister and I have been considering organizing a party to celebrate your betrothal.”

“Did His Highness officially ask you for your hand?” Britanni inquired. “You never said.”

Caelyn couldn’t possibly work his way around that direct question. “Yes,” he answered. “I—”

His mother let out a sound of glee. “That’s great news. Oh, I’m so excited. Given the circumstances, a party would be an excellent idea. Your family is, as always, so very thoughtful, Your Highness.”

Her comment irked Caelyn. Apparently, it stood to reason that he would accept. No matter what rumors said of Karein’s cruelty, Caelyn was simply required to be honored at the proposal because of Karein’s position in the first caste.

Officially, magical creatures didn’t form part of the caste system. Their organization had remained looser, less rigid. However, in all reality, everyone knew that the draechen were the top dogs, so to speak. The idea almost amused Caelyn, given all the comments he’d heard, associating werewolves with mongrels, mutts, or other such canines.

His mirth dissolved altogether when the door to Hareematek’s apartments opened. “Your Highness,” a guard said, “we’ve just been notified that Prince Shtamakarein’s jet will be landing in half an hour.”

Caelyn’s plans were quickly crumbling around him. He realized now that, with his fiancé returning, there was no way he could possibly handle this on his own. He disliked the idea of involving someone else in this, but he had no choice.

He had to get out of here to contact the one person who could help. But how? How could he bow out of the conversation without sounding rude and drawing unwanted attention to his actions?

Shockingly enough, his mother was the one who provided him with the chance he needed. “Caelyn, you should go get ready. You have to look your best for His Highness’s arrival.”

For once, Caelyn was happy to comply. Getting up, he said, “Of course, Mother.” Turning toward Prince Hareematek, he bowed slightly. “Thank you for receiving us and for being so hospitable. I’m truly humbled by your generosity.”

Hareematek waved off his words. “My brother needs a mate, and you’re perfect.”

There was something in the way the prince said those words that unsettled Caelyn, but he discarded it as irrelevant. “Thank you,” he answered.

With one final bow, he fled Hareematek’s quarters and headed for his own. It seemed to take forever until he reached the guest wing. Finally, he slipped inside his room and closed the door behind himself. With trembling hands, he reached for his phone and speed-dialed a number he should have used a long time ago.

The person he was calling didn’t immediately reply. Caelyn wasn’t really surprised. His friend often tended to get lost in his own world and his numerous tasks.

Caelyn tapped his foot impatiently, praying that Sari hadn’t forgotten his cell phone in his room yet again. Fortunately, Jenarra must have heard him, because the call finally connected and Sari’s face appeared on the screen.

Caelyn didn’t even bother to greet his friend. “Sari, I need your help.”

“You have it,” Sari replied automatically. “Tell me.”

Caelyn let out a breath he hadn’t even known he was holding. The fact that Sari had agreed to assist him so readily humbled him, but also gave him great relief. Still, he didn’t know what Sari’s reaction would be when he actually heard what Caelyn needed. “Don’t promise anything just yet.”

“You’re upset,” Sari replied, looking concerned. “That’s enough for me. Now stop stalling and explain so I know what I have to do.”

Sari was a fae, and the direct descendent of Ivenian Prince Talrasar, one of the men who’d sacrificed themselves for a peace that hadn’t really lasted. Therefore, his natural instinct was to heal and to shield people from harm. Since the Ivenian fae and the Elusian sprites were, in some respects, sister nations, he and Caelyn were cousins of sorts, in a very distant way.

Caelyn and Sari had always been great friends, and growing up, Caelyn had been among the few people Sari had been allowed to hang around with. Unfortunately, that had changed as both of them had reached marital age. Sari’s unique position kept him mostly isolated in the palace of his father, the Ivenian king.

It was a small mercy that they were even allowed to communicate this way. Probably only the insistence of Sari’s mother had made it possible. Either way, Caelyn was more than grateful for it because there was no one else Caelyn could trust with this.

“I’ve found my mate,” he blurted out. “He’s a werewolf, and he’s a prisoner of the draechen.”

Sari released a soft gasp, his eyes widening in something like… realization. “Did you already know?” Caelyn asked.

“No…” Sari replied. “My mother mentioned you yesterday, but you know how she is. You can never make heads or tails of what she says.”

Caelyn did understand what Sari meant. Sari’s mother wasn’t the Ivenian queen, but the High Priestess of Jenarra, Eanera. From time to time, the goddess granted her strong visions, although Caelyn had never understood how it worked. He’d only met her once, when he’d been a child. She struck him as beautiful, kind, and mysterious, and even then, she spoke in riddles that had puzzled him a great deal.

The fact that she knew about him and his mate surprised him, but he supposed it shouldn’t have. Jenarra saw all. Maybe it was a good sign that Eanera had warned Sari of it ahead of time.

“Well, it’s like this. Prince Shtamakarein asked me for my hand in marriage. Meanwhile, I met my mate here, and I’m trying to free him. I don’t have much time before Karein returns from whatever expedition he’s on.”

Sari looked concerned. “I hear he’s very intelligent and fierce. He’ll figure out something is wrong.”

“He might already suspect.” Caelyn couldn’t forget what the guards had mentioned earlier, that his mate had done something to piss Karein off. It could have just been the werewolf’s defiant attitude, but for some reason, Caelyn doubted it.

“That’s bad news,” Sari replied. “Look, I’ll speak with my mother. You know I can’t leave here—the queen would have my head—but maybe I can get Mother to make some arrangements and send someone to help.”

It was a tremendous risk to take. Helping a werewolf would be tantamount to declaring war on the draechen. Caelyn realized that, and he hadn’t actually considered such a powerful reaction from Sari’s part.

“Sari, that’s too risky. Your people—”

“I know what you’re thinking, but I don’t like the Directive either. I understand why it was created, but I’ve always hated it, and so does Mother. Don’t worry. We’ll find a way to intervene without being discovered.” Sari smiled slightly. “If there’s anyone who can do it, it’s Mother.”

Caelyn supposed Sari was correct. Although he didn’t know the full extent of Sari’s affairs, from some comments his friend had made, he realized that Sari’s stepmother, Queen Onyerre, was forever jockeying to get rid of Sari and Eanera. It was a precarious position to be in, and yet, the Priestess remained highly respected all throughout Ivenia and the magical world in general.

“Thank you,” he answered. Outside, the sound of an approaching jet reminded him of the imminent arrival of his fiancé. “Look, I have to go. Karein is coming back, and I need to keep up appearances.” He remembered what Hareematek had said earlier. “Oh, before I forget. There’ll be a party to celebrate my engagement to the draechen prince.”

“Excellent. We can use that.” Sari’s smile melted into a concerned expression. “One more thing, Lyni… Do you plan to go with this wolf when he escapes?”

Caelyn liked that Sari said when, not if. The actual question had him puzzled, though. “Of course.”

“You’ll be lost to your family, to the upper castes. The draechen will be furious with the sprites.” Sari bit his lower lip. “I don’t mean to discourage you. I want you to be happy. But…this werewolf…what do you really know about him?”

Caelyn would have bristled at the inquiry, except Sari was right. He hadn’t even managed to learn his mate’s name. Everyone just called him “the mutt” or something else equally as insulting. And of course, he realized the implications of his actions. If he abandoned his family after agreeing to wed Karein… Jenarra above, it was a disaster in the making.

“What else can I do, Sari?” he asked. “I can’t marry the draechen, and I can’t allow this abuse to continue.” Tears blurred his vision as he recalled what he’d seen in the prisons. “You should have seen it, Sari. They’re treating the lower caste rebels like animals. It can’t be condoned. No matter what happened in the past, it has to stop.”

“I know.” Sari’s eyes grew a little distant, as if he wasn’t thinking about Caelyn anymore. Quickly enough, though, he recovered, his expression clearing. “Just think on it. I’ll speak with Mother like I said. Good luck.”

Murmuring another thank-you, Caelyn ended the call. Sari had a point in that the situation was far more complicated than Caelyn had dared to even think. He’d wanted to free his mate and the rest of the prisoners, but what did he know about them really? What if some of them were truly dangerous? Was it fair for him to make rushed judgments just based on what little he had seen?

Shaking himself, Caelyn abandoned his cell phone on his bed and stalked to his wardrobe. As he started to change clothes in preparation for his meeting with Karein, he went over everything he knew and didn’t know. In the end, none of this was fair, not really. The werewolves and vampires had been trialed and sentenced just based on the species they belonged to, a war that had ended a long time ago, and a law that should have never been allowed in the first place.

The question wasn’t what would happen if Caelyn left. His family would disown him, of course, and they would lose favor with the draechen. However, he wasn’t royalty, no matter how important his connections in the paranormal world had become. The Tersain wouldn’t start a war over his elopement.

The real dilemma lay in what would occur if he stayed. He’d have to give up everything he’d ever dreamed of and agree to share his life with someone he practically despised. He might not have been sure what to think of Karein now, but he was sure the two of them would end up hating each other if they became mates. But most importantly, the image of one lone man flashed through Caelyn’s mind. Bound in silver chains, he’d still been as proud and strong as ever. No one had been able to defeat or crush his will or dignity.

Caelyn couldn’t abandon that man. He couldn’t not have faith that Jenarra had given him the right mate. Already, he’d seen so many remarkable things in the werewolf, and they didn’t even know each other.

He might be going on instinct with regard to detecting his mate. He might be following his heart. But was that such a bad thing to do?

As he finished changing and redid his makeup, Caelyn decided that questioning it further would solve nothing. There was only one path in front of him now, one he could walk with his mate.

But even then, one final doubt lingered in Caelyn’s heart. He might be accepting this, agreeing to sacrifice everything for a dream and a man only his soul knew. But what of the werewolf? What if the differences between them were too great to be surpassed?

Suddenly feeling very cold inside, Caelyn abandoned the kohl and picked up his phone from the bed. There was nothing he could do about it now but hope and work to fulfill his plan to save his mate. Beyond that, it was out of his hands. The werewolf would trust him or he wouldn’t. But Caelyn didn’t need to have visions of the future like Eanera to know that if his mate refused him, he’d never be the same.

Chapter Four

A few days later

“And then, he ran after me and forced me to admit that I’d been the one to break the vase. Even then, he was scary.”

There were chuckles all around as Prince Hareematek finished the story. Of course, Karein didn’t seem amused. He studied his brother impassively and took a sip from his drink, completely silent.

Caelyn watched him as unobtrusively as possible. It seemed to him that, since his return, Karein had become more cold and calculating than ever. The brief flash of desire Caelyn had seen the night before his departure was gone without a trace. More unsettlingly, the draechen prince always appeared to be watching Caelyn, and Caelyn had the feeling that, if he’d been a book, Karein would have already flipped through all the pages.

As if guessing his thoughts, Karein suddenly pinned him with an inscrutable glance. Caelyn quickly looked away, scanning the crowd of dancers swirling in the ballroom. There were so many colors, dresses, jewelry, and elegant outfits creating a display of ostentation that honestly tired Caelyn. In spite of it, he remained very much aware of Karein watching him.

And then, the draechen prince was suddenly by his side. “Would you like to dance, my lord?” he asked.

Caelyn jumped, startled. “It would be an honor,” he replied automatically.

Karein took Caelyn’s hand, and together, they joined all the other couples. There was some whispering from those present. The engagement hadn’t actually been announced as they were all waiting for the emperor and empress to arrive. The Krites had been invited, but likely, they’d only be able to make an appearance at the wedding, if it happened. Nevertheless, it was likely that a lot of people suspected the real reason behind this new celebration.

Karein really didn’t seem to care about it. He pulled Caelyn so close that not even a needle could have gotten between them. It would have been erotic, and perhaps Caelyn might have thought that was Karein’s intention. But Karein’s hold on Caelyn’s waist tightened, actually becoming painful. At first, Caelyn wanted to keep his mouth shut about it, but the strange behavior couldn’t go unnoticed.

“Your Highness?” he asked, frustrated to find that his voice was shaking.

“Don’t play games with me, Caelyn,” Karein whispered in his ear, so lowly that Caelyn almost thought he was imagining it. “I know you’re planning something. Whatever it is, don’t do it. You’re going to regret it.”

Caelyn’s blood turned to ice. So he had been right in believing that Karein suspected something. “Highness, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Of course you don’t.” Karein chuckled, but the sound held no amusement. “You don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into, period. You’re a child, a pretty doll your family is using to make themselves look good.”

The harsh words threatened to cut Caelyn’s breath, but he still didn’t understand why Karein was saying all of this. “You might not realize it now,” Karein continued, “but whatever you think you saw in that wolf is a lie. Remember your position. If you don’t, your life will be forfeit.”

They were done dancing around each other then, which was quite ironic really, given that they were still engaged in a waltz among the other couples. “Are you threatening me, Your Highness?” Caelyn asked.

He really couldn’t believe that Karein had dared to say such things, especially in public. Granted, the rest of the dancers likely couldn’t hear, but it was still a daring, perhaps even reckless move.

“It’s not a threat,” Karein replied. “I’m not the one you need to fear.”

“I imagine not,” Caelyn said calmly. “You don’t want to marry me, not really.”

“What I want is irrelevant,” Karein answered. “It’s what I have to do that matters. Whether you know it or not, you’re in the same situation.”

Caelyn bristled. “Maybe I am. Given the circumstances, I don’t know how you can even suggest I have something to do with a wolf. If you think so badly of me, I’m sure there’s a better mate for you out there.”

“That would be very convenient.” Karein bit on Caelyn’s earlobe hard, and Caelyn hissed in pain. “But you’re not getting out of this so easily.”

Panic rose through Caelyn. He was in so much trouble. It seemed obvious that Karein had some sort of knowledge on what Caelyn felt for his mate and his somewhat uncertain plan. He was almost relieved that Sari hadn’t given him details on the actual operation. They’d only spoken once since Caelyn’s first phone call to his friend, and Sari had assured Caelyn that everything was in order. They were ready to proceed, and Sari had asked for Caelyn’s final okay and a few more details. Caelyn had gladly given both, and he was now waiting to see what his friend had come up with.

If it wasn’t good enough… Caelyn didn’t even want to think about the consequences. Nevertheless, he tried to keep up a brave stance. “I think I’ve heard enough,” he told the draechen. “For the record, I had no plans of breaking my word.”

He wasn’t even lying, with regard to the promise he’d made to his mate, at least. Naturally, Karein wasn’t convinced in the slightest, but Caelyn didn’t have to withstand the draechen prince’s disbelief for much longer. The dance ended, and Caelyn extracted himself from Karein’s grip.

As he headed back toward his family, however, an explosion shook the mansion, so intense that Caelyn lost his balance and nearly fell to the floor. Behind him, he heard Karein swear and rush after him. Likely, he remained very much convinced of Caelyn’s involvement in this and intended to stop it in some way.

Caelyn scampered away, doing his best to put distance between himself and Karein. He probably wouldn’t have succeeded, but as the lights in the ballroom flickered and died, panic began to settle in. The other guests started to scream, having obviously considered themselves perfectly safe here with the draechen. They provided a very useful distraction, allowing Caelyn to escape Karein.

He overheard his mother shouting his name, looking for him. “Caelyn,” she cried. “Where are you, honey?”

A fist clenched around his heart, and he knew that this might likely be the last time his mother even acknowledged him. He’d have liked to explain it all to them, especially to his siblings, who’d resent him most for his decision. But there was no time, and he could not hesitate.

Without looking back, Caelyn fled the ballroom and headed toward the verandah. His entire being was screaming to find his mate, but his friend had warned him beforehand not to, explaining that he’d need to avoid the area for the plan to have more chance to succeed.

As he rushed outside, though, he ran into three figures completely clad in black. Instantly, he froze. It didn’t take a genius to realize they didn’t belong here.

The strange people gave him a once-over. They had masks on, so Caelyn couldn’t even see their expressions to judge what they thought of him. And then, the tallest of the three suddenly said, “Grab him. We have to make haste.”

Caelyn gasped in shock as one of the other two grabbed his arm and pulled him outside. Had these people truly been sent by Sari, or was it some huge mistake that Caelyn would end up paying for?

“Come along,” the man guiding him said, as if reading Caelyn’s mind. “Don’t be afraid. We were hired by a common friend.”

“How do I know that?” Caelyn asked, at last finding his voice.

“You don’t,” his second companion answered gruffly. He didn’t seem at all as nice as the first. “Just keep your mouth shut and let us handle getting your wolf mate out of the draechen prisons.”

Caelyn obeyed. They knew that much, so they must be telling the truth. Or so Caelyn hoped, at least. Karein was completely capable of staging this whole thing for the purpose of getting even with Caelyn or Jenarra knew what else.

“Who are you people?” he asked softly.

Predictably, neither of the two replied. Instead, they rushed him toward the exit of the courtyard, passing through the darkness like ghosts. They walked quickly and stealthily, and Caelyn truly wished he could have mustered the same grace. Fortunately, he’d had the foresight to wear comfortable shoes tonight, but his elaborate robe was long, longer than he was used to even, and he kept tripping on it.

Finally, the man in front of him got exasperated with his clumsiness and grabbed Caelyn, draping him over his shoulder. As they hastened through the night, the sound of gunfire erupted somewhere behind them. Draechen roared, but more explosions drowned out the threatening sound. Apparently, the group had come prepared.

As they reached the end of the courtyard, one of the men leapt over it with striking ease. The guy carrying Caelyn tossed him to the other side. Caelyn landed with an oof in the arms of his second companion.

In the darkness, he could now see a number of jeeps parked. There were more men stationed around the vehicles, wicked-looking guns in their grip. “Let’s get out of here,” the guy who’d first grabbed Caelyn said.

Caelyn found himself shoved into one of the jeeps, with his bodyguards taking position next to him. Two other men took the driver’s seat and shotgun respectively. The car started with an obscenely loud screech, taking him away from the mansion and his mate.

“Wait,” Caelyn cried out. “What about—”

“We have another group freeing the prisoners,” one of the men next to him said, gripping his arm in a punishing hold. “Just be quiet and let him drive.”

What could Caelyn do? He remained silent and prayed to Jenarra that somehow, he and his other half would get out of this all right.

* * * *

Graham dangled from the chains in his cell, feeling alone, tired, defeated, but most of all angry. Caelyn hadn’t kept his promise of coming to see him again, so here Graham had been forced to stay, the solution to their predicament impossibly beyond his reach. He’d more than underestimated the draechen when he’d thought he could escape this place so easily. If anything, as the days passed, the chances of him succeeding in this decreased more and more.

Shtamakarein hadn’t been away long, and the first thing he’d done upon his return was to reassure himself that Graham remained under lock and key. The guards had been instructed that no one, not even the service staff, was to enter Graham’s cell, which made Graham wonder exactly what Shtamakarein knew.

Under the circumstances, he could understand why his mate hadn’t been able to return. It still hurt, though, more than the silver chains binding him down ever could.

Outside the cell, the guards were pacing and mumbling. “So, tonight’s the party, huh?” one of them asked.

Graham perked up, trying to hear more of what they were saying. “Yeah,” another replied. “Can’t believe His Highness is finally getting married. And to a sprite, no less.”

A sprite. Oh, dear gods, Caelyn. Graham swallowed around the knot in his throat. Shtamakarein had told him about it, but a part of Graham had still hoped it wasn’t true. His blood roared in his ears, but he forced himself to keep listening.

“Can’t say I blame him.” The second guard chuckled. “I’d tap that.”

“I suppose you’re right,” another draechen said. He sounded a little thoughtful, not as pleased as the other two. “The sprite does seem nice, although a little shy. I just wonder if…you know, if it’ll be enough.”

“Mind your tongue,” the first man said, snarling. “I’m sure they’ll be perfectly all right.”

“I’m just saying,” the previous guard replied defensively, “His Highness is getting awfully close to his two hundredth birthday.”

“Well then, it’s a good thing that he’s getting a mate, don’t you agree?”

Graham didn’t understand half of what they meant. They seemed to believe that something was wrong with their leader, which was truly worrisome if it was the case. Graham tried to remember if there was something specific about draechen reaching their two hundredth birthdays, but he couldn’t come up with anything specific.

“Look, our opinion doesn’t matter. This is a good thing, and we should be happy for His Highness.”

“We’re all happy. I guess I’m just surprised they’re holding the celebration here and not at the main palace.”

They were right. It was, to a certain extent, surprising. Of course, an engagement party could be held at either of the residences of the draechen since from what he’d heard, they were all quite majestic. But logic stated that such an important event would take place at the main imperial residence.

“I heard it’s because it was all very rushed,” another guard commented. He chuckled lightly. “Some people claim Prince Shtamakarein compromised his fiancé.”

Graham gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached. Just the thought of what that implied made him want to howl in anger. Oblivious to his fury, or perhaps enjoying it, another man laughed. “I’m almost jealous. Have you seen Lord Caelyn’s ass? Damn.”

“Overlords help me…” The sterner one groaned. “That’s quite enough. If anyone hears you discuss His Lordship’s attributes… I don’t even want to imagine the consequences.”

Undoubtedly, that wouldn’t have been the end of it, but their conversation was cut short when an explosion sounded somewhere outside. The building shook, but admirably enough, the cell held, no crack appearing in its walls or ceiling. Dust rose, and Graham coughed, all the while straining against his chains. Whoever was attacking the mansion had provided Graham with an opportunity to escape, likely the only one he was going to get. But how to use it? This residence might be smaller than others, but the security remained very strong. More importantly, Graham was still trapped here. If the attackers didn’t actually come here and free him, he would likely lose this one opportunity to save himself and find his mate.

Caelyn. According to the guards and to the draechen prince himself, Caelyn was Shtamakarein’s fiancé. That would make him a target for anyone who hated draechen so much that they would risk an attack here. The thought made panic course through Graham. The anger he felt at imagining Caelyn mating someone else clutched wildly at his insides, threatening to choke the life out of him.

His wolf went wild, and he started to pull at the chains, despair giving him a strength he hadn’t even known he had. The chains burned his skin as he pulled, and blood trickled down his arms as the shackles cut into his wrists. If this went on like this, he might very well poison himself because of the effect of the silver slipping into his bloodstream. But he didn’t care. It was a small price to pay if it allowed him to save his mate.

Impossibly, the chains and the shackles finally began to protest the abuse. Even with the pain assaulting him, Graham endured, pulling harder and harder, until at last, his efforts paid off. The silver didn’t snap, not that Graham had expected it to. However, the spot where they were connected to the wall yielded to Graham’s strength and, on his right side, crumbled, releasing Graham’s bleeding arm.

Graham half expected the guards to rush inside to check up on him, but it didn’t happen. In a way, he guessed it wasn’t really surprising. The draechen had bigger problems than one werewolf losing control while trapped in his cell.

Outside, gunshots and draechen roars created a chaotic symphony, convincing Graham more than ever of the risk on his mate’s life. Huffing and groaning, he clawed at the cuff still keeping him trapped to the wall. Meanwhile, the sounds of the battle continued to approach, until they reached Graham’s cell.

The soldiers who’d just earlier lewdly discussed Caelyn’s looks now found themselves assaulted by a dangerous force. Graham couldn’t focus, so he couldn’t tell exactly who or what they were. But something about them felt familiar. They were definitely shifters of a kind, but not wolves. Something about them made Graham wary, which only fueled the fire of his fear for his mate’s life.

If they’d come here, it had to mean that they were on Graham’s side. He had to believe that. He wanted to. But his wolf was already snarling angrily, rearing toward the door and ready to attack.

Judging by the noises reaching him, Graham’s guards put up quite a fight. However, the attackers must have been very well organized, as dispatching the draechen soldiers took very little time at all. Finally, the horrible wait ended and the cell opened, allowing several men inside. As soon as he saw them, Graham snarled.

“Well, here he is,” one of them said. “Now what?”

“Just give it a second,” another man said. “We’re waiting for the boss.”

“There’s no time to wait,” someone else argued. “Look, werewolf, we have your mate.”

Graham froze, his wolf both fearful and furious at the threat. “You will not hurt him,” he growled.

“We don’t want to hurt him,” one of the men said. “We were sent here to help.”

Graham didn’t know if he should believe them, but he would, at least, pretend. Taking a deep breath, he nodded. “All right. Just let me free. I have to go to him.”

They still looked reluctant, and when Graham sniffed the air a little, he understood why. He should have known. Wherever there was trouble, felines usually intervened to make sure they could profit from it.

Like werewolves and vampires, feline shifters of all types had suffered a great deal because of the Directive. They had been assigned to the seventh and eighth castes. As long as they stayed out of the limelight, they weren’t hunted down, but there was a quieter, more passive prejudice toward them. This, along with the natural disposition of the felines to be pissed off for whatever reason, had guided numerous felines into becoming guns for hire.

Graham didn’t blame them. In fact, he suspected that if the situation had been reversed, he might have done the same thing. He even knew a few felines he could have called friends. But normally, cats and wolves simply didn’t mix, and Graham had no reason to trust these particular ones. They were all wearing masks, but their scents were unfamiliar to Graham.

Fortunately, he wasn’t forced to dwell on his doubt. Another man entered his cell. “Why are we all wasting time here?” he asked. “Set him loose and let’s go.”

The familiarity of the voice instantly set Graham at ease. “Lip?”

“Gods, I told you not to call me that,” the new arrival growled.

A panther-shifter, Philip Strange was one of Graham’s oldest friends in the paranormal world, although at one time, he had been more. Their relationship hadn’t worked out, for two very important reasons. They’d both known they weren’t mates, and taking things further would have been futile. Also, unlike the draechen, werewolves and cats weren’t all so accepting of same-sex relationships. With all the problems they had, it wasn’t a priority, but as a rule, homosexuality wasn’t well seen.

Oddly enough, Philip was also the highest-ranking individual Graham had befriended, caste wise. He belonged to the seventh caste, that of noble felines, and as such, had some privileges members of the last two castes could never benefit from. His situation was, in fact, better than that of the cats in breeds that had been deemed common and who now belonged to the eighth caste.

In spite of all their differences and even if they’d broken up, Graham still considered Philip a good friend. However, he couldn’t understand how the other man could have known Graham was here. Had his pack somehow managed to contact him? No, that couldn’t be right. They’d have come themselves, not sent the cats. And how had the felines even known about Caelyn?

Apparently oblivious to Graham’s thoughts, Philip retrieved a key from one of the other men and quickly unlocked Graham’s cuffs. As soon as the shackles fell, the panther cursed. “Fuck, Graham. You have to get those wounds looked at.”

Graham shrugged. He didn’t care about that right now. “Let’s just get everyone out. Where’s Caelyn?”

“Your mate is already safe. I made sure he would be before coming to get you.”

That was the only thing Graham needed to know. He trusted Philip was telling him the truth about Caelyn. He still had countless questions, but he’d get his answers soon enough. Now was not the time for talk, but for action.

Fortunately, his new companions agreed. Together, they went from cell to cell, releasing everyone inside. Many of the prisoners were reluctant to trust them, which was understandable, but frustrating. In spite of all the doubts, however, everyone remained well aware that the clock was ticking. Philip’s attack had been successful so far because it had taken the draechen by surprise. However, Shtamakarein would undoubtedly organize his troops soon. By the time that happened, they all needed to be as far away from this place as possible.

With the help of Philip’s men, the men and women in the cells of the draechen were set free. Graham looked everywhere, but he could find no sign of Taryn. He knew the younger werewolf had not been returned to his cell, and they couldn’t possibly search for Taryn through the rest of the house.

In the end, there was nothing Graham could do about it. Praying to the gods for forgiveness, Graham led the rest of his group toward the exit. Alas, Graham’s guess turned out to be correct. It must have been a matter of minutes, but already, the draechen had created an almost impassable wall between them and safety. The entire first floor, between the cells and the main foyer, was occupied by draechen forces.

“Damn it,” Philip cursed as they tried to fight their way through. “This is all your fault, Graham. Why did you get yourself caught?”

“Calm down, Lip,” Graham shouted, punching another draechen who was trying to come at him in the face. “We’ll get out of here.”

“And once we’re outside, they’ll be able to shift,” Philip muttered. He had a point. For the moment, the narrow space in the house made it impossible for the draechen to use their second forms, which was a very good thing. But once they left the building, that impediment wouldn’t exist, and the draechen would be able to unleash the full extent of their abilities on Graham and his companions.

To make things worse, Shtamakarein appeared among the rest of the draechen. He fought his way through, heading straight toward Graham. Graham didn’t know how the draechen prince had figured out the truth, but he didn’t give a fuck. Neither did he care that his opponent was likely one of the most powerful shifters on Earth. He just knew that Shtamakarein had likely tried to force Caelyn into a fake mating, and for that, he would pay.

As they faced each other, Shtamakarein bared strikingly sharp teeth at Graham. “You’re going to pay for this, wolf.”

“And I suppose you’re the one who’s going to make sure of it,” Graham replied, circling his adversary and trying to find an opening in the other man’s defensive stance.

“I won’t have to.” Shtamakarein’s eyes glittered with some sort of hidden knowledge that Graham couldn’t understand. “You have more powerful foes than me, and you’ve drawn an innocent into a battle you can’t win.”

“Why do you care, Dog-Catcher?” Graham inquired. “Caelyn means nothing to you. The only thing that matters for your insane mind is your foolish quest to exterminate my kind.”

Shtamakarein shook his head, as if disgusted. “I’m not going to get in a debate. You’ve more than eloquently proved that you don’t know what you’re doing, and you don’t truly care about Caelyn. But then, how can you? You’re only an animal.”

Graham didn’t bother to explain the truth of the mate bond. It was almost weird for the draechen prince to say that since the mating instinct was something all shifters shared. In fact, Graham had once heard that werewolves and draechen were the ones with the most powerful mate pull. But for Shtamakarein, that didn’t matter. He’d clearly made up his mind about the value of the lower castes, and nothing would change it.

Not even bothering to answer the final comment, Graham shifted into his wolf form and attacked. The draechen saw him coming and managed to dodge. As he sidestepped Graham’s leap, he reached out, trying to grab Graham by using his own momentum. But Graham had anticipated that move and used it against Shtamakarein. As the draechen’s hands landed on him, Graham pushed his hind legs onto his foe’s chest, digging his sharp claws into the other man’s skin. He expected the draechen to release him, but he was disappointed as Shtamakarein just growled and his hold on Graham tightened. Of course, his skin was far thicker than that of a normal man. Graham would be able to pierce it while Shtamakarein remained in human form, but not without considerable effort.

Even so, Graham didn’t panic. He changed forms again, and before Shtamakarein knew what was going on, Graham head-butted the other man.

The advantage of being a shifter of medium size was that the change from one shape to another didn’t shock the body so much. For draechen, it was far harder and more time-consuming to shift. Graham could do it instantly, and even the most skilled dragon could never achieve this speed.

It served him well, as Shtamakarein grunted, surprised. He was physically stronger than Graham, something that didn’t sit well with Graham’s Alpha nature. However, his wolf refused to back down and forged ahead.

Changing shapes once more, Graham managed to free himself from the draechen prince’s hold. Shtamakarein obviously hadn’t expected such an approach from Graham, but he adapted quickly. When Graham lunged forward once again, aiming to bury his fangs in the other man’s throat, a bolt of magic struck him, propelling him back.

If it had been any other kind of magic, Graham would have likely landed on his feet and attacked once more. As it was, he hit the wall of the building with a crack and fell to the floor, suddenly drained of energy.

He tried to get up, but his lungs felt like an unseen hand was squeezing them. He couldn’t breathe, and his muscles refused to obey him. It felt like in one single spell, Shtamakarein’s magic had fully taken control of Graham’s body.

So this was the Dog-Catcher’s power. Graham had only heard of it, never actually witnessed it or felt it on his own skin. He couldn’t fight this. No one could. It was truly a wonder that the draechen prince even bothered to use any other method of capture at all. It seemed unnecessary. Perhaps it was a personal choice, out of pleasure. The thought did nothing to comfort Graham.

Shtamakarein made his way to Graham’s side and crouched next to him. He almost seemed oblivious to the fight still going on around him, although that couldn’t have been the case. “I hate people like you,” he said. “You think of your own benefit with no regard to the lives you crush in the process. When I look at you, I am reminded why the world is as it is.”

The pressure on Graham’s lungs was even stronger now. His vision grew white along the edges, and he knew he was likely instants away from losing consciousness. Even so, that defiant streak that wouldn’t let him surrender urged him to reply, “I might not deserve Caelyn, but neither do you. You’re filth, Dog-Catcher, and that won’t ever change. No one will ever love you.”

Shtamakarein looked like he’d been slapped. Graham hadn’t actually expected his words to make a difference, but apparently they had. For some unknown reason, the draechen prince hesitated.

It was only a few seconds, but it turned out to be enough. Out of the blue, the draechen prince’s shoulder exploded into a mass of blood, bone, and tissue. Shtamakarein fell back, his eyes widening almost comically. His magic abandoned Graham’s body, and he could breathe again.

As he struggled to recover, he noticed Philip approaching, a shotgun in his hands. Predictably, the draechen prince wasn’t so easily defeated. Roaring, he lunged forward, but Philip refused to back down. He dodged the bolt of magic and continued to shoot.

His friend’s assistance gave Graham enough time to draw his breath, and he got up and started to back away. An Alpha he might be, but he knew when he’d run into an enemy he could not defeat.

Unloading his shotgun into the body of the draechen prince, Philip followed Graham’s example. At last, Shtamakarein fell into a pool of his own blood, and his apparent defeat caused panic among his men. In the chaos, Graham managed to make his way to the exit.

As Graham threw one last look toward the draechen, though, Shtamakarein met his gaze. For a moment, Graham could have sworn the man smirked at him. His eyes were completely clear of pain, and Graham knew that the prince could have gotten up from where he lay any moment now.

Shockingly, though, Shtamakarein did no such thing. Graham, Philip, as well as Philip’s men and the rest of the prisoners rushed outside. With their prince down, the draechen didn’t follow them. Although they ran into a few other guards, they managed to reach the edge of the courtyard with reasonable ease.

As they leapt over, Philip finally asked, “What happened back there? I could have sworn there was no way I’d get you out of there alive.”

“I don’t know,” Graham answered. Only that was a lie. Graham did know. Shtamakarein had let them go. He’d, in effect, set them free. Graham didn’t know what that meant, but he was reluctant to share it with his friend, here where everyone could hear.

Outside, they found more of Philip’s men waiting by a group of jeeps. Everyone rushed into the vehicles, and although it was a tight fit, even the prisoners managed to get in. It seemed Philip had come prepared in more than one way. Graham ended up sharing a car with Philip and four other people, but he didn’t mind.

As they drove away from the draechen mansion, though, Graham’s thoughts wandered away from Shtamakarein’s inscrutable behavior. His wolf sensed something, a beautiful presence, one he had missed so very much. His breath caught, this time for an entirely different reason. Caelyn. Finally, he’d get to be with his mate.

With every passing moment, Graham’s awareness of Caelyn increased. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Graham saw a large shadow looming above them. It was a cargo plane, obviously meant to carry them to safety. In front of it, several figures waited, one of whom was pacing in obvious agitation.

As the jeep drove closer, the man in question looked up. Graham’s heart clenched, the sight of his beautiful angel wiping away every ounce of his pain, fatigue, and distress.

When the car stopped, he opened the door on automatic pilot. He was moving through a haze of need and desire, the wolf within him aching to be set free, the man wanting to say and do so much. Caelyn met him halfway and practically fell into his embrace.

“Oh, thank Jenarra,” he gasped out, burying his face in Graham’s chest. Hot tears fell on Graham’s naked skin, branding him with the emotion that had caused them. “I was beginning to lose hope.”

“Hope is always the last one to die,” Graham replied, pulling Caelyn close. “Thank you, angel. I know you’re the one who made it possible.”

Caelyn looked up and wiped his eyes. “It’s not me you need to thank. I really couldn’t do anything to help you.”

He sounded frustrated with himself, almost humiliated at his own impotence. But Graham would have none of that. He was glad Caelyn had asked for assistance. Anything else would have been pure folly. No one, no matter how powerful, could take on the draechen alone and win.

“You did the right thing,” he told his angel. “But now, let me introduce myself. I’m Graham Powers.”

“Caelyn Sutharlainn,” his mate replied, still clinging to him.

“I hate to interrupt this touching reunion,” Philip said from behind them, “but get your asses inside the plane. We have to go.”

At Philip’s words, Graham finally remembered where they were. Reluctantly, he broke the embrace. He noticed that the blood and gore on his chest was now sticking to Caelyn’s elegant clothing. “I’m getting you all messy,” he whispered.

“I don’t care,” Caelyn replied, his voice low and choked. “I hate these robes anyway.”

Graham kind of hated them, too. He didn’t know much about sprite customs, but it was obvious to him that Caelyn’s garments were celebratory, in honor of the supposed engagement. Graham really wanted them off, preferably replaced with something of his.

Sadly, none of his possessions were here. In fact, he was completely naked and with nothing to wear.

As if just now realizing Graham’s state, his mate blushed brightly. He stole a look down Graham’s body, almost like he couldn’t help himself, and his flush brightened. It was quite charming, and Graham had the urge to tear Caelyn’s clothes off and see just how far that blush went.

But then, Caelyn’s eyes widened, as if he’d come to a realization. “You’re wounded,” he whispered. “Oh, Jenarra… You need to have someone see your injuries.”

“I’ll be fine,” Graham rushed to reassure his mate. His werewolf abilities were already returning his strength and mending the damage done by the silver. Fortunately, his exposure to the substance hadn’t been too strong, and as an Alpha, Graham could handle it better than most.

And so, instead of looking for a medic, Graham took Caelyn’s hand and started to pull his mate toward the cargo plane. As they walked, though, he couldn’t help but notice the murmurs and whispers coming from the rest of the freed prisoners. Caelyn must have realized it as well, because his breath caught and he squeezed Graham’s hand even tighter. However, other than that, he showed no sign of how much it must have bothered him.

Unfortunately, their attitude was not surprising. Hate cultivated hate. Draechen might have been the driving force behind the Directive, but the magical creatures certainly hadn’t helped. They had stood by and witnessed how the draechen did whatever the hell they wanted to. Graham himself had distrusted Caelyn’s intentions, something he wasn’t proud of at all.

But it was something deeply engrained in their souls, and it could only be changed by a truly transformative force. Graham had been lucky enough to find it, but he couldn’t expect the others to understand.

Still, he had no intention of allowing his beloved angel to suffer for things that were beyond his control. Placing a protective arm around Caelyn’s shoulders, he guided the smaller man into the plane.

As they stepped inside, the outburst finally came. “Is he coming with us?” one of the vampires asked, his voice trembling with unrestrained fury.

“Obviously, yes,” Graham replied calmly. “You have a problem with that?”

“Do you even have to ask?” The vampire snarled. “Sprites are treacherous scum. After everything we’ve been through, you’d have us accept his presence here?”

“You don’t have to accept anything,” Philip piped up. “If Lord Caelyn bothers you, you’re completely free to go and take your chances elsewhere. For the record, you can’t take the jeeps. They’re set up to explode.”

That shut the man up better than anything Graham could have said. Caelyn still looked upset, but he didn’t add anything. Graham remained silent as well. Now was not the time to be divided. The draechen were likely on their trail, and if they didn’t get moving, there would be hell to pay.

The cargo plane didn’t have seats, of course. There were only boxes, most stamped with either the words “caution” or “fragile.” Graham knew better than to ask what they contained. Philip dealt with all sorts of business, some legal, most, not so much. It wasn’t just mercenary tasks either. He had his fingers in every pie, somehow managing to get involved in anything from smuggling to spying.

The rest of the prisoners must have realized it wouldn’t be smart to ask any questions. Quickly and efficiently, everyone sat down on the floor. Graham picked a spot as well and plopped down, pulling his mate with him.

“All right then,” Philip called out. “Brace yourselves for takeoff.”

As if in response to Philip’s words, the plane’s engines roared to life. The noise was so loud it threatened to deafen Graham, his sensitive hearing protesting the abuse. Caelyn didn’t seem too happy about it either, but Graham pulled him close and caressed his hair, murmuring soft words that Caelyn likely couldn’t hear.

Even so, the sprite relaxed in his embrace. As the plane started to move, they held onto each other, simply enjoying the closeness.

Under different circumstances, Graham would have been more than a little aroused at his mate’s proximity. And really, even now, his body responded to Caelyn. His dick hardened as it nudged his angel’s crease. The silk of Caelyn’s robes sensually teased him, making Graham revise his opinion of sprite fashion.

Sadly, the situation didn’t allow him to really enjoy it. The plane’s takeoff sent boxes flying all over the place. Some of them opened, little blue pills spilling over unfortunate passengers. In some places, weaponry followed the Viagra, guns of different shapes and sizes crashing onto the floor.

Still on his feet, Philip cursed. “I thought you said you secured that stuff,” he shouted at another feline. Not waiting for the man’s reply, he added, “Come on. Help me gather this shit.”

In spite of the way the plane rocked, Philip somehow managed to go through with his plan. Of course, he was a feline, and nothing could really unbalance him. Sadly, Graham was not so lucky. He did, however, manage to protect his mate from any flying items, and he counted himself lucky for that. Beneath them, loud explosions sounded as the jeeps that had carried them here were reduced to smithereens.

At last, after what seemed like forever, the plane stabilized at a reasonable altitude. Once its flight smoothed out, the discomfort of the temperature started to settle in. It was cold, and many of the people here wore very little or nothing at all after having shifted during the battle. Graham was used to low temperatures. Caelyn, however, didn’t seem to be, and the silk of his robes provided very little protection from the chill. He shivered in Graham’s arms, his teeth chattering.

Graham rubbed his hands up and down Caelyn’s arms, trying to heat his mate up. To a certain extent, it worked. Caelyn curled closer to him, practically ending up in a small ball wrapped in Graham’s arms. Still, his discomfort remained more than clear.

Thankfully, Philip seemed to have anticipated this, as well. He and his men walked around the plane, giving blankets and clothing to the former prisoners. Philip himself offered Graham a thick quilt, two pairs of jeans, sweaters, and boots.

Graham glanced at the items and then threw a look Philip’s way. “Thanks, Lip,” he told his friend.

“No problem. Take care, okay? Up here it’s just going to get colder. As a personal piece of advice, it’s far more practical to heat up the old-fashioned way.”

“The o–old-fashioned w–way?” Caelyn stammered.

“He means I should shift in my wolf form and you should take your clothes off,” Graham explained. “My fur and the heat of my body would keep you warm.”

Caelyn’s eyes widened. His blush returned with a vengeance, but his dick twitched against Graham’s stomach. “I’ll take that as a yes,” Graham whispered huskily.

Chuckling, Philip walked away, possibly to check up on his crew or the cargo. At this point, Graham honestly couldn’t care less. He was completely focused on his mate, Caelyn’s sweet arousal trickling into him, heating him up from the inside out. “Do you like the idea of your naked body next to mine? Maybe before I shift into a wolf, we can play a little game.”

He slipped his hand underneath his angel’s robes. There seemed to be a million layers of silk separating him from Caelyn’s skin, all very flimsy and likely to tear at one hard yank. Graham was very much tempted to get rid of the frustrating barrier, but instead, he worked his way slowly through them, until he finally hit skin. His mate’s underwear was practically nonexistent, a skimpy thong-like scrap of material that barely managed to keep Caelyn’s bits from waving around. Yes, definitely, sprites had gotten their fashion right.

Unable to hold back, Graham slipped a finger beneath Caelyn’s excuse for underwear. Spreading his mate’s ass cheeks, he rubbed the tiny opening hidden beneath. Oh, how he craved the treasures of Caelyn’s body. His wolf howled inside him, demanding that he claim the beautiful sprite.

But then, Caelyn tensed. Graham felt it in every inch of his body. He removed his hand and struggled to control his errant dick.

He must not have been doing a very good job, because Caelyn released a low whimper. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I just… I’ve never been with anyone.”

Graham’s mind nearly short-circuited as he tried to process that. His mate was a virgin? How could it be possible? It almost seemed too good to be true. But Graham believed Caelyn. He could sense the honesty in Caelyn’s words, but also feel his mate’s innocence.

Possessiveness roared through him, and impossibly, his cock hardened even more. Caelyn released another small sound, and Graham leashed his wolf. “It’s okay,” he whispered in Caelyn’s ear. “We don’t have to do anything right now.”

“But… You want to.” Caelyn sounded a little lost and confused. His small hand reached between their bodies and cupped Graham’s hard prick. “I’m not an idiot.”

At his mate’s hesitant touch, Graham couldn’t help but groan. Gods, the grip of those delicate fingers was driving him wild. His cock was practically begging, “Come on, you fuck. Just a hand job. He’s right there.”

Sadly, Graham knew he could never stop if Caelyn continued to touch him. Mutual masturbation would never suffice. He’d lose himself and fuck Caelyn. No matter how much he craved that, Caelyn deserved better.

Especially since Caelyn was a virgin, Graham couldn’t make his mate’s first time in a crowded cargo plane filled with people who likely hated their guts. Caelyn was like a priceless jewel, a gift more precious than anything Graham had ever been granted before. Graham refused to treat his angel poorly. At the very least, they needed privacy.

Decision made, Graham removed his mate’s hand off his dick. “It can wait.”

“Graham…” Caelyn’s bright-blue eyes fixed on Graham’s face, glowing with uncertainty, but also desire. “I want to as well.”

Hearing his name in that beautiful, melodious voice nearly shattered Graham’s composure. “Angel, don’t force yourself. We have all the time in the world. I want you to be completely comfortable with this, with me.” He brushed his thumb over Caelyn’s lower lip. Automatically, Caelyn leaned into the caress. He was so beautiful Graham’s heart hurt, along with his throbbing prick, of course. “This is still so new for you,” he continued nevertheless. “I don’t want you to rush into something you’re not ready for.”

His mate nodded, but didn’t seem fully convinced. Of course, that made sense, given Graham’s enduring erection. Still, the last thing Graham wanted was for his mate to feel inadequate.

In the end, Graham decided to show Caelyn what he felt through actions, not words. Slowly, gently, he pressed his lips to Caelyn’s. The sprite gasped and wrapped his arms around Graham’s neck, surrendering to Graham’s dominance.

Graham didn’t even know what kind of instinct had urged him to kiss Caelyn. He’d never liked kissing much. It had always seemed like a waste of time, and for a shifter of the ninth caste, time was a luxury he didn’t have. His usual sex partners tended to agree, and even Philip, who had a different perspective, never had much interest in it. But with Caelyn, it was different. With Caelyn, everything was new and exciting.

Caelyn’s flavor assaulted his taste buds, making Graham dizzy with lust. His tongue met Graham’s shyly, fueling the fires of their passion. Oh, he was sweet, just like Graham had known he would be. Graham couldn’t get enough of him.

Greedily, Graham explored Caelyn’s wet cavern, everything inside him begging and itching for the sprite. He sought to quench his thirst for Caelyn in their kiss, the need for his mate more powerful than even the urge to breathe. Every second that passed chipped away at his resolve to respect his mate’s innocence. In the end, a little thing like location didn’t matter, or so Graham’s wolf slyly pointed out. He and Caelyn were mates. They could couple wherever they wanted to, and it would be just perfect.

He’d have undoubtedly gone through with it had a wolf whistle not sounded right behind him. Caelyn gasped, and Graham broke the kiss, turning toward the source of the sound while instinctively shielding his mate’s body with his own.

Ironically, the culprit wasn’t a werewolf at all, but a vampire. In fact, if Graham wasn’t mistaken, it was the exact same vampire who’d commented on Caelyn’s presence when they’d boarded. He wiggled his brows at Graham. “So that’s how it is,” he said. “I guess I might have been wrong in my assessment.”

“Caelyn is the only reason why you’re free now in the first place,” Graham shot back, frowning. “You’d better apologize properly.”

“It’s all right,” Caelyn murmured. “He was right to be angry.”

Ignoring the vampire, Graham focused on his mate once again. “This isn’t something we’ll solve today,” he said, caressing Caelyn’s hair, “and it’s not your fault. Go on. Get some sleep. You’re exhausted.”

As he spoke, he carefully covered both of them with the quilt and helped Caelyn out of his silken robes. Caelyn shyly helped him, guiding him and wiggling out of the garments with the ease of practice.

Seeing Caelyn naked was like a dream come true. If it had been hard to hold back his nature before, now it became pure sensual torment. Remaining mindful of his mate’s needs and desires, he melted into his wolf form.

In this shape, his instincts were even stronger, so much so that if Caelyn had been a wolf, Graham would have undoubtedly mounted him. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the disparity in their shapes didn’t allow the natural desire between them to translate into real actions.

In spite of this, though, Caelyn’s presence and his sweet scent still comforted Graham beyond measure. He nuzzled close to his mate, providing his angel with the heat Caelyn had needed. Similarly, the sprite buried his face in Graham’s fur and relaxed.

Slowly, Caelyn drifted into slumber. Graham remained awake, watching over his angel. He didn’t know what else awaited them from this point on, but whatever came, he’d make sure Caelyn was safe.

* * * *

Philip quietly watched as Graham and the little sprite who’d turned out to be the wolf’s mate curled together and fell asleep. Or, at least, the famous Caelyn did. Predictably, Graham remained awake, watching over his little mate.

They made a strange couple, those two. Philip had never expected a sprite, out of all things, to be Graham’s other half, but life never ceased surprising him.

“Does it bother you?” his friend, Cal, inquired. “I know you and the wolf had history.”

Philip chuckled, although in his heart, he was grateful for still wearing the mask he’d put on for the purpose of the attack. “Graham and I make better friends than lovers. We both knew we weren’t mates. I’m happy for him.”

All of that was true, but he hadn’t really answered Cal’s question. It did bother him a little, but not because he wanted Graham for himself. He wanted what Graham and Caelyn had. All these people here might not realize it, but a true mate connection was priceless. Caelyn might not have been able to save Graham on his own, but that wasn’t the most relevant thing here. The sprite had risked everything for Graham, and had left behind his family, his friends, his whole world. He looked so frail and small now, and Philip wondered if Caelyn would one day come to regret his choice.

Shaking himself, Philip moved toward the back of the plane. “I’ll be right back,” he told Cal. “Need to make sure we get paid.”

Cal nodded and returned to watch over the group of ex-prisoners. Meanwhile, Philip retrieved the tiny pearl he’d kept close to him ever since he’d received it. After careful consideration, he pulled off his mask. When he spoke to this particular person, it was useless anyway.

Leaning against a box, Philip studied the flawless surface of the pearl. It was always strange for him to contact someone like this, but his employers had insisted, and Philip had to admit that, this time around, it was much more practical than a cell phone, especially since, up here, he likely couldn’t have gotten reception. Wanting to get it over with, he brushed his thumb over the surface of the pearl and willed it to contact its creator.

Instantly, the tiny sphere began to glow and grew larger. A lovely woman appeared, the gem adorning her forehead shining so brightly Philip winced.

“Congratulations on your success,” she said. “My son is most pleased.”

“Thank you, Your Holiness. It was not easy, but we managed to escape with minimal casualties.”

There had been several injured, but no dead, so on the whole, Philip was satisfied with the way the operation had gone. “Very good,” she said. “I expect I don’t have to stress again the importance of secrecy in this matter.”

“No, Your Holiness,” he replied. He found himself swirling his tongue over the stud in his lower lip, like he always did when he was deep in thought or worried about something. This was the habit that had earned him the nickname “Lip” from Graham, although he didn’t really like being called that. Immediately stopping himself, he added, “I understand entirely. Besides, that’s why you hired us. Because we can keep our mouths shut.”

She laughed lightly. “No, I hired you because I knew you’d want to help. I might be paying you, Mr. Strange, but you’d have never risked an incursion on a draechen property if your friend hadn’t been involved.”

Philip might have tried to deny it, but there was no point. She could see right through him. “That doesn’t mean I don’t want my payment,” he shot back.

She smiled again, but ended up providing a serious reply. “It’ll be waiting for you when you land in New York. Raul will meet with you. Thank you again, Mr. Strange.”

With a jolt of panic, Philip realized he was being dismissed. Mentally, he cursed himself and his abruptness. This was a unique chance. The High Priestess of Jenarra was perhaps one of the most hidden figures in the entire paranormal world. She could answer the question burning in his heart. He just knew it.

“Wait,” he said. “I need… Could you answer one question?”

The priestess arched a perfectly defined brow. “Tell me.”

After throwing a brief glance toward Graham and Caelyn, Philip dared to speak once more. “Will I ever find my mate?”

“I’m not an oracle, Mr. Strange,” the priestess replied. “I don’t know the future.”

Was that a no? Philip couldn’t tell. “But you see many things.”

“I see what Jenarra shows me,” she answered sternly. “We mortal creatures aren’t supposed to know everything the future holds.”

She was probably right, but Philip tried one more time. “Can you tell me nothing at all?”

The priestess frowned, and for a moment, her expression went curiously blank. The instant passed in a flash, and she smiled. “Be patient, Mr. Strange. Your mate will come to you when the time is right.”

Philip opened his mouth to thank her, but he didn’t get the chance. The priestess’s figure vanished, the sphere dissipating into thin air. The pearl was also gone without a trace.

“Fae,” Philip mumbled, exasperated. “Why do I even bother?”

Or so he said, but in his heart, hope had reemerged. Perhaps he had a chance to find what Graham had after all.

Chapter Five

“Whatever you think you saw in that wolf is a lie. Remember your position. If you don’t, your life will be forfeit.”

Karein glowered at Caelyn, squeezing his wrists in an unbreakable hold. “You’re not getting out of this so easily.”

Caelyn tried to tell him he was mistaken. The words wouldn’t come. “I’m not the one you need to fear,” the draechen prince insisted.

Caelyn fought him, attempting to free himself from the iron-like vise. He probably wouldn’t have had a chance, but out of the blue, Karein released him. Rubbing his wrists, Caelyn tried to find a way to escape, but it was so dark. He couldn’t see anything around him. And then, Karein simply vanished. In front of him, a huge dragon stood, pinning him with baleful eyes.

Caelyn froze, terrified. There was such cold hatred in that gaze that he simply couldn’t move a muscle. An image floated in front of him, more horrifying than the death he saw in the draechen’s gaze. He spotted his mate in shifted form, lying in a pool of blood. With a cry, he tried to rush toward his other half, but the world around him seemed to collapse upon itself. A whirlpool of darkness swallowed him whole, separating him from the man he craved so much.

And then, a beam of light passed through the darkness, and a voice reached out to him. “Angel… Caelyn, can you hear me?”

The shadow of the draechen vanished, and Caelyn opened his eyes, only to find himself facing his concerned-looking mate. Instantly, Caelyn wrapped his arms around Graham’s neck, hugging him tightly. “Oh, thank Jenarra. You’re all right.”

“I’m just fine, angel,” Graham said, caressing his hair. “It was just a dream.”

Just a dream. Yes, of course. It hadn’t felt like only a dream, though. Shaking himself, Caelyn reluctantly broke the embrace. “Where are we?”

“We’ve just landed in New York,” Graham replied. “Everyone is leaving the plane.”

“Oh.” The abruptness of the landing must have been the shock Caelyn had experienced in his dream. “I guess we should go, too.”

As Caelyn got up, he realized that, at some point, Graham had put his clothes on. Caelyn, on the other hand, remained naked. His face heating, Caelyn looked for the garments their mysterious savior had given them earlier that night. Graham grinned and offered him the clothing, a sweater and a pair of jeans. As quickly as possible, Caelyn pulled them on. He had to fumble with them a little as he wasn’t used to human-style clothing. Or perhaps it was his natural shyness getting in the way. By the time he finally managed, he was acutely aware that he and Graham were the last ones in the cargo plane.

Caelyn clenched his hands into fists, frustrated with himself that he couldn’t manage something so simple. The last thing he wanted was to become a burden for his mate. And then, Graham wrapped an arm around his shoulders and kissed his temple. “You’re so beautiful you take my breath away,” he whispered. “I can’t wait to get you alone.”

Just like that, Caelyn’s apprehension melted into arousal. He was truly eager for that moment, as well, and he’d have loved to confess it, but he was still very shy. The cargo hold might have been empty, but everyone could undoubtedly hear them. To a certain extent, he felt thankful that Graham had been strong for both of them the night before, because if not, he’d have been even more mortified now.

But then again, he had nothing to be embarrassed about. He was proud of his mate, proud of the strong bond that was already growing between them. Why shouldn’t he tell Graham that? If someone didn’t like it, it was their problem.

With that in mind, he replied, “I want that, too.” In spite of his decision, his voice still came out a little shaky, but he supposed he couldn’t expect himself to make a complete change overnight.

His effort was, nevertheless, acknowledged. Graham’s grin lit up his entire face, impossibly making him even more handsome than before. Wordlessly, he led Caelyn out of the plane.

On the runway, the still-masked mercenaries were clustered around a tall, dark-haired man. Caelyn was struck by a feeling of familiarity that actually had very little to do with the stranger himself and a lot with his species. He was fae.

“Do you know him?” Graham whispered in his ear.

Caelyn shook his head. “No. At least I don’t think so.”

He didn’t remember ever meeting the man in his visits to the Ivenian palace. But then, while fae royalty and nobles had largely retreated from the human world, there were those who remained to live here, acting like agents of people more powerful than them. Undoubtedly, this man must have been one of them.

Caelyn and Graham made their way toward the group. He wondered how he could intervene in the conversation without being rude, but in the end, he didn’t even have to come up with a way. Everyone stopped speaking when they saw him.

The leader of the mercenary group—Caelyn thought he remembered his mate calling the man Lip, although that must have been a nickname of sorts—turned toward them. “Oh, here’s the star of the show now. Glad to see you up and about.”

Caelyn smiled slightly. “Thank you for all your help and your patience. I realize it hasn’t been easy.”

“Lord Caelyn, if I may,” the fae piped up, “I have a message for you from our common friend. If you’ll come with me, I will provide you with certain things you might need.”

Caelyn threw a gaze toward the other prisoners, and he realized many of them had already gone. Those who had stayed were thumbing through envelopes, seemingly counting money. But would coin suffice to help them from here?

Obviously guessing his thoughts, Graham murmured, “We’re used to this sort of thing, angel. At this point, they can’t possibly ask or expect anything more than they’ve been given.”

Caelyn bit his lower lip. He’d been privileged all his life. He didn’t want the unfairness to continue. However, he had to be realistic. Compared to Graham and the rest of their companions, he knew nothing of how to handle such a situation. He needed all the help he could get.

“All right,” he finally told the fae. “We’ll go with you.”

Graham briefly released Caelyn and hugged Lip. “I appreciate you coming to lend me a hand,” he said to the mercenary. “It means a lot to me.”

“I got paid for it, Graham,” the other man replied. “Don’t you forget it.”

Graham chuckled. “Sure, Lip. Whatever you say.”

Was it Caelyn’s impression or did that embrace last a little too long? He frowned, a dark emotion rearing its ugly head inside him. At first, he had trouble identifying it, but then, he realized. He was jealous.

His frustration didn’t go unnoticed. “You’d better let go of me now, Graham,” the mercenary said. “Your mate looks really pissed.”

Instantly, Graham broke the embrace. Caelyn wasn’t sure if that pleased him or worried him. He had thought the mercenary had just been an envoy from Sari and his mother, but obviously not.

Graham smoothed his thumb over Caelyn’s forehead and then kissed his nose. “Don’t frown so, angel. I assure you, you’re the only one for me.”

The werewolf’s smile almost seemed to have a magical effect on Caelyn. A small part of him remained unsettled, but he decided he’d ask all the questions he had at a different time.

Besides, he was mature enough to understand that a man like Graham must have had several relationships before Caelyn. But they couldn’t possibly compare to a true mate bond.

Of course, those thoughts only made Caelyn’s possessiveness stronger. He found himself grabbing Graham’s side and clinging to his mate’s shoulder. “That better be true or else.”

“Looks like this is our cue to leave, boys.” Graham’s mercenary friend laughed. “Congrats, by the way. You two make a wonderful couple.”

With that, the masked men walked away, leaving only Graham, Caelyn, and their new fae friend on the runway. “We should head out as well,” the fae said. “But first, let me introduce myself. My name is Raul Gomez, and I will be providing you with the things you need.”

“Like what?” Caelyn asked as Raul led them toward a waiting vehicle.

“Fake IDs, weaponry, phones, money, clothing.” And the list went on and on. “I assure you that whatever you require, I can provide.”

They slipped into the car, with Raul in the driver’s seat. “You do this a lot, I take it?” Graham inquired.

“Among other things,” Raul replied. “My job is to be here for whatever our common friend commands.”

Caelyn didn’t prod further. He was actually overwhelmed by the lengths to which Sari’s mother had gone to assist him. He wondered if that should worry him. After all, her deciding that all these precautions were necessary couldn’t be good.

Now more than ever, Caelyn felt like he was in over his head. But as he stole a look at his mate, he knew that he’d made the right choice. Gripping Graham’s hand, he smiled to himself. He had faith that, as long as he and Graham stuck together, everything would be all right. Ironically, in spite of all the uncertainty, he’d never felt safer.

* * * *

That afternoon

As it turned out, their new friend was very efficient in providing them the items he’d promised. A few hours after their arrival in New York, Graham and Caelyn found themselves leaving it.

The trunk of the car they had been given now held bags filled with all sorts of supplies. Somehow, Raul had managed to acquire special weapons with bullets that could even pierce dragon scales.

Graham honestly had no clue how that was possible since weaponry like that was illegal. But he’d managed nonetheless, and Graham felt more than thankful for it.

“So where are we headed now?” Caelyn asked as they drove out of the city. “Alaska?”

Graham shook his head. “That’s a good guess, but no,” he replied, absently rapping his fingers against the steering wheel. “That’s among the last places where I’d be inclined to go.”

From the seat next to him, his mate frowned. “But why? I thought draechen avoided cold places.”

“That’s the general concept, but it’s not exactly true,” Graham answered. “You see, in the beginning, after the Directive was first passed, werewolves and vampires thought they could escape draechen pursuit in the Arctic. They thought that, given the draechen’s reptilian nature, they wouldn’t be followed. However, as it turned out, draechen don’t have that problem at all. They seem to actually be a cross between birds and reptiles, so they pursued the vampires and werewolves with no problem. At that point, they were pretty much fucked. So much blood flowed on the ice that no shifter from the ninth caste ever goes there. It’s cursed land.”

Caelyn shivered visibly, and this time, unlike in the plane, it wasn’t because of the low temperature. The car actually provided them with comfortable heating. It didn’t take a genius to realize the reason for Caelyn’s reaction, and Graham cursed himself for having been so graphic. “Look, worrying about it now is pointless,” he said, knowing it was lame, but not able to come up with anything better on the spot. “Just think about us and the future we’re going to have together.”

“How can I?” Caelyn asked. “I remember all those people held captive in the draechen cells. If I hadn’t met you, I likely wouldn’t have done anything about it. How can I possibly forget that?”

“It’s not easy, I know. Every day, when I wake up, I think about all the people who suffered, and not only the werewolves. Unfortunately, angel, we can’t change the past. We have to work to live today so we can change the future.”

That comment earned him a small smile. “You’re right, of course,” his mate answered. “But you never told me. Where are we going?”

“Right now, we have to lay low at all costs,” Graham explained. “The draechen will undoubtedly be looking for us. But at the same time, I want to find my pack. I’m worried about my brother.”

“You have a brother?” Caelyn inquired. “What’s his name?”

“Stuart.” Graham sighed, remembering the last time he had seen his sibling. “He didn’t get captured with me, but I’m still worried.”

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Caelyn said comfortingly. “If he’s anything like you, he must be a survivor.”

That was very true, especially since Graham had tasked Stuart with taking care of the pack. “Maybe when we stop the car, we’ll use that pearl Raul gave us. Perhaps your friends could tell me where Stuart might be.”

For a few moments, Caelyn remained quiet. “What is it, angel?” Graham couldn’t help but ask. Had he accidentally said something wrong?

“Nothing,” Caelyn answered. “I was just thinking about… Well, about my own siblings. I wonder what they think of me, if I’ll ever see them again.”

Graham’s heart clenched as he once more acknowledged the extent of what Caelyn had lost. The guilt and the anger threatened to choke him. He clenched his fists around the steering wheel, clutching it so hard his knuckles went white.

Caelyn gasped. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.” His small hand landed on Graham’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault, none of it. The choice was mine, and I don’t regret it for a minute.”

There was such honestly in Caelyn’s voice that it became a warm balm, soothing Graham’s wounded soul. He could truly believe then that he wasn’t to blame for his mate’s loss. The world had placed them in a position that Graham would have much liked to avoid. It wasn’t their fault.

He couldn’t provide Caelyn with the answers he sought or with the brotherly affection he might have lost. However, he could give his mate a new family. And he knew exactly where to start.

They’d left New York in a hurry since one of the most important draechen outposts in the United States and the world was there. The best thing to do right now would be to constantly stay on the road. They had to avoid big cities, as well as national parks or Amerindian settlements, since they were all watched. This meant they would have to mingle with the humans, preferably in some of the smaller towns.

But Graham couldn’t wait until they found a more long-term place to stay. He had to claim Caelyn. He had to show the sprite that they could start something new and beautiful together. Both of them needed it.

Driving with only one hand, Graham reached for his mate with the other one. Brushing a lock of soft blond hair from Caelyn’s eyes, he whispered, “I’m selfish enough that I don’t regret it either. In fact, I’m thankful I was captured. For once, the draechen did me a favor. If not for them, I’d have never met you.”

Caelyn took his hand and kissed his palm, then each individual fingertip. It was so gentle, so worshipful, and yet so arousing that a thousand emotions stirred inside Graham. “I don’t want you to have to withstand anything bad ever again,” he murmured, “not even for something good.”

“Love is worth fighting and suffering for,” Graham argued. He wanted to say something else, but then, Caelyn’s eyes widened and he blushed. Graham realized what he’d blurted out.

Love. The famous L word that so many shifters, especially from the ninth caste, avoided. They couldn’t afford love, at least not the sensual, deep one that could easily turn into obsession. There was too much loss in their world, too much uncertainty.

But there was no denying that, inside Graham, a new, young, and shy emotion had started to build. It was like a sapling, finally catching roots in spite of the less than fertile soil. Caelyn’s affection provided it with overwhelming warmth and sunlight, and that tiny plant was quickly growing into something strong that could easily become a sequoia tree.

As a man, Graham almost didn’t have the courage to name it. He understood the difference between instinct and true emotion, and he realized that he and Caelyn didn’t know each other well enough to decisively claim undying devotion. The extreme circumstances they’d met in didn’t help either.

But as a wolf, Graham grasped more than his rational side ever would. He grasped the truth hidden in the unfurling leaves of that sapling, in the only metaphor he’d been able to create in his entire life. He was no poet and no romantic. He was a werewolf, a warrior, and a realist. And because of all that, he understood that, at one point, he’d fallen head over heels in love with his angel.

He didn’t know how and when it had happened. Perhaps he’d been a goner from the very first moment he’d met Caelyn’s sky-blue eyes. But whatever the case, he refused to hide it.

“L–love?” Caelyn stammered, looking a little overwhelmed.

“Yes, love,” Graham confirmed. “It’s all right if you don’t feel the same. I don’t want to pressure you. I just need you to know that I’m here for you, no matter what.”

Tears filled Caelyn’s eyes and slid down his cheeks like little liquid diamonds. This time, he didn’t bother to wipe them or force them back. Instead, he unbuckled his seatbelt. “Stop the car,” he said, his voice filled with decision.

It was Graham’s turn to be shocked. “What?”

“Pull over,” his mate insisted. Already, he was reaching for Graham’s dick. All his shyness seemed to have melted like it had never been. Naturally, Graham’s cock was more than eager to cooperate.

As Caelyn lowered the zipper of Graham’s pants, the damn member practically sprung out of its confines, demanding Caelyn’s attention.

“Caelyn, angel, we can’t do this here,” Graham said. The last word came out about ten syllables longer as his mate’s soft hand engulfed his dick. “Oh, fuck… Oh, shit… Angel, you have to stop.”

He didn’t sound convincing even to his own ears, let alone to Caelyn’s. The lovely sprite grinned up at him and rubbed his thumb over the leaking tip of Graham’s prick. “I think Graham Jr. disagrees.”

Hell, yeah, it disagreed. Truth be told, Graham had been half-hard ever since their hasty escape from the draechen’s clutches. His libido remained frustrated that he hadn’t been able to claim Caelyn on the plane. As such, it was really a fool’s errand to try to convince himself, or Caelyn, that this was a bad idea.

Gasping and groaning, Graham still somehow managed to croak out, “I’ll crash the car, angel.”

Sounding amazingly calm, Caelyn started to move his hand up and down Graham’s dick. “Which is why I told you to pull over.”

Seemingly ignoring Graham’s distress, the evil sprite blew a gust of hot air over Graham’s dick. Releasing a choked noise, Graham nearly lost control of the vehicle. Outside, angry honks and human curses sounded as the other cars on the highway tried to avoid a collision. Yes, most definitely they needed to stop. It would be ridiculously ironic if they’d succeeded to escape the draechen, only to die in a car accident caused by sexual frustration.

But there was no place around them where he could park. Any moment now, someone would see them, and if he even attempted to stop, the police would surely notice. Popping up on the radar of the local authorities was the last thing they needed while on the run.

Even that thought did very little to cool Graham’s ardor. “Angel,” he tried again, “I promise I’ll stop. Just let me find a motel.”

“Well, that is quite an excellent idea,” Caelyn answered, meeting Graham’s gaze. “But make sure you’re quick about it, yes?”

Without giving Graham any other warning, Caelyn lowered his mouth over Graham’s dick. Wet heat engulfed him, and Graham’s vision went blurry. The pleasure that exploded through him was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. He couldn’t focus on anything else except the sinful sight of Caelyn’s lips stretching around the head of his shaft.

Judging by the way Caelyn had practically seduced him, one would have never thought the sprite was a virgin. His innocence did, however, show, and in his eagerness to please, he tried to take too much of Graham’s dick in his mouth. It made him choke, and his mate’s slight discomfort did what no rational argument could hope to accomplish. It provided Graham with a measure of clarity.

“Slowly, angel,” he whispered, caressing Caelyn’s hair. “Don’t rush it.”

Caelyn looked up at him, his eyes glittering with a hint of frustration. He took a deep breath and slowed down, taking only what he could handle in his wet cavern and using his hands on the rest. It was by no means the most skilled blow job Graham had ever had, but certainly the most enjoyable. What Caelyn lacked in experience, he more than made up for in enthusiasm. Not to mention that he was a very quick learner. He explored every inch of Graham’s flesh, alternating harder sucks with teasing licks. Swirling his tongue over Graham’s glans, he rolled Graham’s balls in his palm. At first, it was a little awkward, but soon, he got the hang of it, as if his body was attuned to Graham’s.

Not coming must have been one of the hardest things Graham had done in his life. Reluctantly, he looked away from Caelyn and struggled to focus on the road. Still, it was only by miracle that he noticed the large sign advertising a nearby motel.

With a relieved groan, Graham veered off the road and directed the vehicle toward the establishment. It seemed to take forever until they reached the motel, but finally, Graham stopped in the parking lot. Obviously noticing, Caelyn released him. Licking his swollen lips, the sprite gave Graham a heavy-lidded look. “Perhaps you should go grab a key for us. We wouldn’t want to draw more attention.”

For a few moments, Graham just stared at Caelyn. Leave? That sounded insane. How could he possibly abandon this car when his mate was here, wanting him? It had to be some sort of crime of nature. But the more he delayed and hesitated, the longer it would take for him to claim his mate.

So he nodded like an automaton and fumbled with the door, struggling to open it. He practically fell out of the car, at the last moment remembering to zip up his pants. His disorientation was almost ridiculous, or it would have been if not for the need burning through his veins.

“I’ll be right back,” he said huskily. “Don’t go anywhere.”

The latter phrase sounded a little strange even to him, but for some reason, he’d felt compelled to add it. Caelyn just smiled sweetly, although lust still burned in his gaze. “Never,” he murmured.

He sounded like he meant it, too, and not only as words spoken in the heat of the moment. Caelyn might not have confessed his love for Graham outright, but that single word was tantamount to the most beautiful declaration.

That knowledge filled Graham with decision. “You know what, never mind that,” he said. “Come with me. I don’t care who sees us. I don’t want you to leave my side, ever.”

Yes, it was a change in approach, and possibly not very smart given that they were still so close to New York. The alternative didn’t appeal to him, though. Already, he was addicted to his angel’s presence.

Caelyn looked quite happy to hear it, so it worked out well. He slid out of the car far more elegantly than Graham had managed. “All right. Let’s go.”

Hand in hand, they walked into the building. The bored girl behind the check-in counter barely spared them a look, having obviously seen plenty of couples stopping by the motel for a romp in the sheets. She popped a balloon of bubblegum and asked, “What’ll it be? The fee per hour is ten bucks.”

The image her words conjured was quite disheartening. Of course, Graham had pretty much guessed the nature of the place, but that didn’t make him feel any better. He’d have liked to give his mate all the luxuries Caelyn was undoubtedly used to, not a motel with sheets bearing the scent of the desire of others.

Caelyn squeezed his hand comfortingly, obviously sensing his apprehension. Shaking himself, Graham answered, “A room. We’ll pay three hours up front and more if we end up staying longer.”

The girl nodded. “Thirty bucks. You need to pay extra for the sheets.”

Graham and Caelyn shared a look. Nevertheless, they paid the woman like they’d been bid, using the cash Raul had provided. Fifteen minutes later, their efforts finally paid off and they were left alone in a small and surprisingly clean room.

“Well, it’s actually much better than I expected,” Caelyn commented, plopping down on the double bed and testing its softness.

“Not nearly as good as you deserve,” Graham answered, walking to Caelyn’s side and cupping the sprite’s cheek.

“I do deserve the best,” Caelyn replied playfully, “and I have it.”

As if to illustrate his own words, Caelyn rubbed his face against Graham’s now-clothed groin. Some of their urgency had disappeared while making the arrangements for their stay at the motel, but just like that, it returned with a vengeance.

In the end, this was the only thing that mattered, the unique bond that had brought them to this point in time. Graham had realized it before, while on the plane. Yes, he’d have liked to shower his mate with sapphires the color of his eyes, to cover him with the most expensive silks, and have him sleep in Egyptian cotton sheets. But they had something far more precious, something that few people had the luck to find.

Throwing all doubts to the wind, Graham joined his mate on the bed. Caelyn released a soft gasp as Graham pushed him back and climbed on top of him. “Tell me what you want, my sweet seducer,” Graham murmured in Caelyn’s ear, tracing the lobe with his tongue. “I need to hear it.”

“Touch me,” Caelyn cried out. “Oh, please, Graham…Please, beloved. Kiss me. Touch me.”

“Your wish is my command, angel,” Graham replied. Deciding words could never express what he felt, he spoke through actions and pressed his mouth to Caelyn’s. Just like before, Caelyn eagerly parted his lips for him, his arms going around Graham’s neck. Graham took Caelyn up on the invitation and thrust his tongue into Caelyn’s wet cavern, tasting and exploring, taking no prisoners.

Graham’s wolf reared out of him as Caelyn’s unique flavor hit his taste buds. The sexual tension between them exploded in a desire hotter than the fires of a volcano. The torment of the wait turned the kiss frantic, almost desperate. It was so addicting that Graham never wanted it to end. Caelyn’s breath was his own, and their hearts beat at the same pace. But it was not enough.

Graham would have liked to be gentle with his mate, at least the first time they were together. But the wolf was too eager, too impatient. His claws emerged, and he tore Caelyn’s sweater, somehow managing to reduce it to scraps without even breaking the kiss.

Unfortunately from that point on, things grew a little more complicated. Caelyn wasn’t one to be left behind, and he blindly clutched at Graham’s clothing. When the material refused to obey, Caelyn somehow managed to tear it apart with just the power of his mind.

Graham had witnessed once what his angel could do, although at the time, he hadn’t been sure it was truly Caelyn behind it. Sprites weren’t renowned for their ability to fight, even using their magical abilities. But it seemed that his mate was either the exception to that rule, or their connection had somehow boosted his powers.

Either way, the result was that Graham ended up naked without realizing how it happened. Even his boots were removed, which would have been distracting if Graham hadn’t been so completely focused on Caelyn. As it was, he tore his mouth away from Caelyn’s, eager to finish unwrapping the present that had practically fallen into his lap.

Caelyn blinked, looking dazed. “When did you take your clothes off?” he asked breathlessly.

Graham arched a brow. “I didn’t. You did.”

“Oh.” The beautiful sprite released a soft chuckle. “It looks like I’m full of great ideas lately.”

Graham really wanted to get Caelyn full of something else, to be more specific, Graham’s own cock. But as much as he needed to claim his mate, he couldn’t allow his urgency and lust to push him into hurting Caelyn.

“I think we both are,” he replied as he directed Caelyn to move back onto the bed.

At first, Caelyn didn’t really react. He was just staring at Graham, seemingly enraptured with the sight of his naked body. Graham couldn’t have been more pleased by his mate’s reaction at his nudity. He allowed Caelyn to look his fill and slowly maneuvered the sprite onto the pillows.

Once he had a little more room, he removed Caelyn’s boots and socks and tossed them onto the floor. As the footwear hit the floor with a thud, Graham focused on the last items of clothing separating him from Caelyn’s naked body. As he unzipped Caelyn’s jeans, the sprite snapped out of his trance and wiggled around, helping Graham with his task.

Still, it seemed to take forever until Graham finally managed to get Caelyn completely nude. Once he did, he was temporarily struck dumb. There on the bed, within his reach and at his mercy, lay the most beautiful creature on earth. The expanse of Caelyn’s flawless skin taunted Graham, practically begging to be touched. And oh, Caelyn’s eyes, his impossibly beautiful eyes… From sky blue, they’d turned aquamarine, almost black with lust. Graham was in awe, humbled by how impossibly lucky he had been.

Naturally, the want and lust eventually won out, and Graham pounced, crushing his lips to Caelyn’s again and bringing their naked bodies together. His hard dick said hi to Caelyn’s, making both of them groan. As he kissed his beautiful mate, Graham allowed himself the luxury to explore every inch of Caelyn’s lovely form, to learn the feel of his silken skin. It was pure heaven to have his angel in his arms like this, a gift Graham had never thought he would receive. And the most perfect thing of all was Caelyn’s responsiveness. Each of Graham’s touches made Caelyn let out small gasps and whimpers that Graham swallowed into his kiss. Even the smallest caress seemed to enflame Caelyn beyond measure, fueling Graham’s own arousal. The scent of Caelyn’s lust enveloped him like the strongest of aphrodisiacs, until Graham couldn’t take it anymore.

As he broke the kiss, he glanced at Caelyn’s lovely, flushed face and said, “I need you, angel. I have to claim you.”

His wolf ached for it, demanded it in nearly angry howls. His soul and body craved it. But Graham still wanted to give Caelyn a choice, just in case the sprite needed to wait a little more.

Some of Caelyn’s shyness had melted in the heat of their passion, but it seemed to return now, along with the uncertainty. When the sprite didn’t immediately answer, Graham softly asked, “Are you afraid, Caelyn?”

Caelyn bit his lower lip, in the process drawing Graham’s attention to his lovely, oh-so-kissable mouth. “I just don’t want to disappoint you. I’m not sure what to expect.”

“Just relax,” Graham said, running his hand over Caelyn’s naked hip. “This is natural. I’ll take care of you. And remember we don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

Caelyn averted his gaze. “You must think I’m really silly, running hot and cold like this.”

Graham gripped his mate’s chin and forced their gazes to meet. “Not silly. You’re very brave, angel, but you’re also confused. We can wait for as long as you like. I don’t want you to have any doubts.”

“It’s not you I’m doubting,” Caelyn answered. “It’s me.”

Graham’s heart overflowed with affection for Caelyn. His mate was beautiful, but not only on the outside. His lovely exterior had been crafted to match his generous heart. Because somewhere deep inside, Caelyn still blamed himself for not doing something sooner for the lower castes, for participating even in the slightest way to Graham’s oppression.

Instinctively, he knew that no words he could say would give Caelyn what he needed. Even if Caelyn believed him, there would always be a seed of doubt and guilt. Caelyn was just that kind of person. But Graham wanted to wipe away Caelyn’s misgivings and sadness. He wanted to start anew, to show Caelyn that their pasts and the artificial labels placed on them had no effect on their love.

Smiling slightly, Graham started to pepper Caelyn’s face with butterfly-light kisses. He brushed his lips over Caelyn’s eyelids, his forehead, his sharp, aristocratic cheekbones, his nose, and that sinful mouth that seemed made to suck cock. With each kiss, the tension inside Caelyn started to dissipate. But Graham was only beginning. He went on to nibble on Caelyn’s ears, then directed his attention toward his mate’s collarbone.

Strangely, he lingered there far longer than he’d have expected. He’d never considered collarbones sexy, but again, with Caelyn, it was different. And there seemed to be something particularly fascinating about the hollow of Caelyn’s throat.

It was only when Caelyn’s pert nipples drew his attention that Graham finally managed to abandon his exploration of his mate’s neck. The little buds of flesh had already peaked, as if demanding Graham’s touch. Who was he to deny them, to deny his lover?

As he engulfed one of the nubs in his mouth, Caelyn arched his back and cried out his name. “Graham… Oh, sweet Jenarra… Please, fuck me! Claim me!”

Clearly, whatever thoughts had made him hesitate were vanishing now, pushed aside by the passion. Even so, Graham didn’t immediately release Caelyn’s nipple. He was enjoying this exploration of his mate’s body very much. He wanted to find each and every one of Caelyn’s sensitive spots, preferably with his mouth.

Graham used his fingers to tweak Caelyn’s other nipple, and the sprite went wild. As much as Graham would have liked to prolong this, it was only a matter of time until the scent and feel of Caelyn’s desire would become too much for him to bear.

With a wet pop, he released the bit of flesh and somehow managed to speak. “Are you sure, angel? Are you sure this is what you want?”

He almost didn’t recognize his own voice since he sounded like he’d swallowed sandpaper. Still, he managed to convey the message well enough. He had coaxed Caelyn out of his misgivings, but he truly didn’t want the sprite to have any regrets after that.

Obviously understanding him, Caelyn took a few deep breaths. His eyes were a little clearer when he answered, “Yes. Yes, beloved. No matter what happened or what happens, this is what I want.”

That was the answer Graham had been waiting for. At last, he could claim his mate. Sadly, in that moment, Graham realized he’d completely misplaced the lubricant. He’d put a tiny bottle in the pocket of his jeans, but now, the garments were in pieces all over the room. The gods only knew where the lube had ended up.

Cursing under his breath, Graham left the bed. “Graham?” Caelyn asked.

“Just a sec, angel,” Graham replied, rushing to the bags they’d brought into the room. They’d decided to carry all their supplies here, just in case, especially since there were so many valuable items inside. Graham had placed another bottle of lube there, but it seemed to take an indecent amount of time to find it.

When he finally set his eyes on the elusive thing, he released a victorious sound and retrieved it from the bag. As he returned to the bed, though, he found Caelyn had either decided to start without him or to give him a show. He was moving his hand up and down his own prick, once again biting his lower lip as he watched Graham with wild, nearly desperate eyes.

Graham’s brain practically short-circuited, and he almost dropped the lube. Fumbling, he managed to keep his hold on it. In a daze, he walked toward the bed, completely hypnotized by his mate’s surreal beauty.

When he climbed onto the bed again, Caelyn exposed his nether opening to Graham, bending himself in half in the process. Holding onto the lingering traces of his resolve, Graham supported Caelyn’s legs on his shoulders. Gazing deeply into his lover’s eyes, he searched for any signs of doubt. There were none, just anticipation, lust, and need.

Reveling in that emotion, Graham opened the tube of lubricant and squirted a generous amount of liquid on his fingers. Slowly, so as not to spook his sweet mate, he reached behind Caelyn and rubbed the tiny opening that tempted him so very much. Caelyn gasped lightly, his body opening up to Graham’s invasion, practically demanding it. One finger slid inside Caelyn with ease, and Graham’s choked groaned echoed Caelyn’s. The tightness that engulfed his digit had him wild with the question of how his mate’s little ass would feel around his prick.

At this point, his head was swimming with the desire to be one with Caelyn. He was so very close to snapping that it frightened him. He tried to focus on Caelyn’s desire to distract himself from his own. Predictably, it didn’t really work. If anything, it aroused Graham even more.

In the end, there was nothing he could do but embrace it and follow his natural instincts. Caelyn was still moving his hand up and down his dick, and Graham’s wolf decided that it simply would not do. It was his job to pleasure his mate, and he refused to fail in that more than exciting duty.

Slapping Caelyn’s hand away, Graham replaced his mate’s palm with his own. As he did so, he added another finger into his new lover’s channel, scissoring them gently and preparing his mate with plenty of lubricant. He was a big boy, even for a shifter, and he didn’t want to hurt Caelyn in any way.

Caelyn seemed to be enjoying Graham’s ministrations quite a bit. He clenched his fists into the sheets, writhing underneath Graham, apparently torn between which touch he wanted more. He thrust into Graham’s fist, seeking the friction with wild abandon, and then impaled himself on Graham’s fingers. The passionate response made Graham increase the intensity of the touch. He found Caelyn’s prostate and mercilessly rubbed it, the cries of pleasure he drew from his mate flowing over him like a caress.

Likely, he could have caused Caelyn to come just like this. However, as much as that thought appealed to him, he didn’t think he could handle seeing his mate orgasm without following Caelyn over the edge. He wanted to be inside Caelyn when he found his peak, to feel his angel climax on his cock.

Graham retrieved his fingers from Caelyn’s body. Pouring more lubricant in his hand, he slicked up his cock. “Ready for me, angel?”

Caelyn nodded, once more biting his lip. “Yes, beloved. Please, inside me.”

Graham didn’t wait to be told twice. He positioned his cock at Caelyn’s opening and slowly slid inside. As Caelyn’s ass engulfed him in tight, velvet heat, Graham gritted his teeth, trying to rein in his wolf. It took everything in Graham’s power not to bury himself inside Caelyn in one single hard shove.

He kept a tempered pace, careful so as to allow Caelyn to get used to his invasion. But his mate had other ideas. Obviously not satisfied with Graham’s choice, Caelyn pushed back against him, practically impaling himself on Graham’s dick.

For a few moments, holding back became an impossible concept. In fact, Graham could have sworn he came a little, although the tension in his body never abandoned him, so it couldn’t have been true. He had no hope of controlling the explosive passion that now soared through him.

With a snarl, Graham pulled out of Caelyn’s body and thrust back in, so hard Caelyn’s teeth rattled. A small part of him feared that he’d drive Caelyn away if he was too aggressive, but he needn’t have worried. Caelyn gripped the headboard to steady himself, then with a little groan of his own, pushed back against Graham.

One would have thought that with Caelyn’s innocence and the two of them just recently becoming lovers, their coming together would be a little awkward at first. It wasn’t. There were no awkward pauses while they tried to accommodate each other’s preferences, no frustration at not finding a pace that worked for them both. Sure, Graham couldn’t automatically know what Caelyn liked, but his body was learning and tracking each and every one of Caelyn’s reactions, adapting to it. Similarly, Caelyn had an instinctive knowledge of Graham’s sexuality. Each moment became a novelty, a discovery, but also a reliving of something they almost seemed to have experienced before. Perhaps they had, in a different life, or maybe it was just the link between their souls that made it so. The reasons mattered very little. Only their beautiful union did, the connection that swelled brighter and more powerful than ever before.

Together, they chased their orgasms as their shared passion swallowed them whole, feeding on itself like a living thing. Graham was so close he could practically taste it, the bliss of completion just out of his reach.

And then, Caelyn exposed the white column of his throat to Graham, tilting it ever so slightly, wordlessly begging for what they both needed. Graham didn’t hesitate for one single second. He buried his fangs in Caelyn’s perfect flesh, branding Caelyn as his for all time.

Graham had heard many descriptions of the moment when two mates finally found each other. He’d thought them overromanticized, although he’d respected the reality of the bond too much to say so outright. But as a practical, realistic person, he’d never imagined how a person could feel time stopping or their souls exploding into supernovas of emotion.

But he felt all of that now. As Caelyn’s blood flowed into Graham’s mouth, Graham thrust one last time inside his mate’s body and came. But it was no mere orgasm. His world melted into a perfect reality, where only he and Caelyn existed.

Wet heat splashed against Graham’s stomach as Caelyn found his peak as well. His ass tightened around Graham’s member, squeezing him of every drop of cum. But their rapture went beyond the carnal. As they shuddered through their shared pleasure, their mate bond clicked into place, binding them together for eternity. There seemed to be no boundaries between Graham and his mate, and for a few perfect moments, their thoughts mingled, until Graham didn’t even know where he ended and Caelyn began.

Caelyn’s mind was a litany of Graham’s name, incoherent thoughts that all rotated around the same concept. “I love you so much.” Truth be told, Caelyn might not have thought it outright, but Graham still heard it loud and clear. He could see every truth in Caelyn’s heart. Memories of times foreign to Graham slipped into his mind, images of a past Graham had not been a part of. But that past no longer brought Caelyn or Graham pain. Right then and there, those sorrows no longer had power over them.

It went on and on, and yet, it seemed to end far too soon. Even as the sexual pleasure started to dim, though, the bliss at having finally claimed his mate didn’t fade in the slightest. His wolf was practically wagging its tail in contentment, like it had just been given a bone.

He did wince as he slipped out of Caelyn’s body, but as he collapsed by Caelyn’s side and pulled his mate into his arms, the sensation of togetherness that gripped him chased away any disappointment he might have experienced. Caelyn released a soft sigh of happiness and snuggled even closer, burying his face in Graham’s chest and inhaling deeply. “Mmmm… You smell good.”

He didn’t even say the words out loud, but in Graham’s mind. The obvious proof of their new bond made joy swell through him. When he managed to muster an answer, it likely wasn’t one that fully conveyed the extent of his emotions.

“Of course. I smell like you.”

He knew he should be getting up to retrieve some sort of wash cloth to clean them up. The source of the scent that Caelyn liked so much—and wasn’t it interesting that Caelyn showed such enjoyment of it?—would soon solidify into something itchy and unpleasant.

But then, Caelyn chuckled and relaxed, his eyes drifting closed, and Graham couldn’t make himself move. Caressing Caelyn’s hair, he watched as Caelyn drifted into slumber, a beatific smile on his face. In that moment, for the first time in his life, Graham Powers could truly say he was happy.

Chapter Six

A few hours later

The surface of the pearl was smooth and flawless, a true work of art. It wasn’t Caelyn’s first time holding one. Sprites used them, too, but Caelyn didn’t have the power to create one himself.

He did, however, know how to use it. But as he sat curled around his new mate in bed, he was almost afraid to do so. He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear what Eanera had to say. He and Graham might have been in a small hotel room, but it seemed like their nest, one Caelyn would have preferred to keep untouched by intrusions of a reality he hated.

But they couldn’t stay here forever, so, with a sigh, he brushed his fingers over the pearl, calling forth its magic. The spell hidden within it responded, and instantly, a sphere of light appeared, crystallizing into Sari’s image.

“Lyni!” Sari exclaimed. “Oh, my friend, it’s so nice to see you. I was so worried.”

“Why?” Caelyn couldn’t help a small smile. “Surely your mother must have told you that it all worked out.”

“Yes, she did, but not even she knows everything.” Sari released a small sigh. “I suppose I was worried knowing what you must have been through.” His expression of concern changed into one of curiosity. “And this must be your mate, right?”

Blushing, Caelyn remembered his manners. “Yes. Sari, meet my beloved, Graham Powers. Graham, this is my dear friend, Sareltae Norrenddare.”

“I’m honored, Your Highness,” Graham said.

“As am I,” Sari answered smiling. “I’m very happy that my friend found something so special.”

Caelyn felt Graham’s skepticism as if it were his own. He understood it, although it pained him. Sari was, in the end, royalty, and someone like Graham naturally felt wary of him. Not to mention that he looked a lot like Talrasar, something that summoned a measure of awkwardness between them.

“Do you mean that?” Graham asked bluntly. “It doesn’t bother you that I’m ninth caste?”

“Not the way you think it might,” Sari replied after a small moment of hesitation. “I just want Lyni to be happy, but I don’t have to tell you that the circumstances are less than ideal.”

He was right, of course, although Caelyn really didn’t want to hear it. Graham on the other hand, seemed almost pleased with the response. “Thank you for your honesty. And yes, I’m aware of that. I can only promise you that I’ll do my utmost to take care of my mate.”

“I’m sure you will,” Sari said. After a brief pause, he asked, “So you’ve already gone through with the claiming?”

Caelyn nodded, unable to contain his excitement. “Yes, Sari. Oh, it was so… I have no words.”

He shivered as the memories of what the claiming process involved. Graham obviously intercepted his thoughts, because the werewolf’s voice drifted into Caelyn’s mind. “Careful now, angel, or the conversation with your friend will be really short.”

Caelyn’s face flamed, and he couldn’t contain a small whimper. He was sure his friend must have noticed, but Sari didn’t call him up on it. Instead, he said, “Mother said I should convey to you that Mr. Powers can find his brother in the town you call your own. According to her, he is trying to organize a force so he can free you from your imprisonment.”

“Of course he is.” Graham released a groan of distress. “He always did have more heart than sense. Likely the only reason why he isn’t already bursting into the draechen stronghold is because he knows he has to take care of the pack in my absence.”

Graham’s obvious concern hurt Caelyn deep inside. “Don’t worry, beloved,” he said. “We’ll find them before anything happens.”

His mate nodded and kissed his temple. “I guess we don’t have much choice,” he replied.

“On that note, I’m forced to say good-bye right now,” Sari said. “We’ll somehow manage to keep in touch.”

Even knowing how urgent it was for them to leave, Caelyn couldn’t help but linger for a while longer on the conversation. “Thank you again, my friend. You have no idea what your help means to me.”

Sari beamed at him. “Don’t mention it, Lyni. Just take care of yourselves. Good luck.”

As the light dissipated and the pearl vanished, Graham and Caelyn finally left the bed. “Looks like we have to leave earlier than I’d have liked,” Graham said as they started to get ready.

It took great effort from Caelyn’s part to keep himself from staring transfixed at his mate’s naked body. To distract himself, he allowed his lover to go to the bathroom first, while he packed up the few items they’d retrieved from their bags and found new clothing for himself and Graham.

Still, when Graham returned, he was smirking knowingly. Sticking his tongue out at his lover, Caelyn said, “Stop being smug. It’s not like you don’t feel the same.”

They weren’t just words. Caelyn could actually feel what Graham did, could read Graham’s soul and sense the wolf’s passion. It was most potent during their lovemaking, but it never really stopped. It would be really difficult to focus on anything else except how much they wanted each other.

Graham gave him a hot look, confirming Caelyn’s words. They might have fallen into each other’s arms again, but Caelyn decided they couldn’t afford the delay. Grumbling, he pushed past Graham and slid into the bathroom.

As quickly and efficiently as possible, he washed up, wiping away the traces of his claiming. When he looked into the mirror, he froze. He looked exactly the same, and yet, he felt so very different. There was truly no turning back now. By rights, he couldn’t even call himself a Sutharlainn anymore. He’d abandoned his sprite identity for his werewolf mate.

Intellectually, he had understood it before, but now, he fully acknowledged it. The problem was that he still remained very much a sprite. How would Graham’s family react upon meeting him?

Warm arms surrounded his waist, and soft lips pressed against his nape. “Stop worrying. Sure, they’ll be a reluctant at first, but they’ll love you. How can they not?”

Caelyn smiled at Graham in the mirror. “You can’t expect everyone to care about me because you do.”

“No,” Graham answered, “but I expect them to respect my mate bond. I’m still their Alpha, and if anyone has a problem with you, he or she has a problem with me.”

So Graham was anticipating some opposition as well. In a way, it was comforting to know that. It might have seemed counterintuitive, but it proved that Graham would be willing to face the fire of his people’s disapproval for Caelyn.

“We’ll be fine,” Caelyn said, grinning. “I’m being stupid.”

Freeing himself from his mate’s arms, he returned to the room and pulled on a new pair of jeans and another sweater. Soon, both he and Graham were ready. Grabbing their bags, they exited the room and headed toward the hallway.

Graham jogged to the front desk of the motel where he handed the keys of the room to the bored woman. With that done, they left the building and walked toward their waiting car.

“Where are we going anyway?” Caelyn inquired as he opened the trunk and placed the bag he was carrying inside.

“It’s not an actual town,” Graham answered. “We grew up in a small settlement of werewolves in the Blue Ridge Mountains. My former Alpha always managed to hide us from draechen patrols. But when the pack grew too big, Stuart and I were forced to leave. It’s never safe to gather too many wolves in the same place. My parents still live there, though, at least, the last time I checked.”

“The last time you checked?” Caelyn repeated incredulously. “Do you not keep in contact?”

“We try to send messages from time to time, but it’s not always possible.” Graham shrugged. “You have to understand, we’re all drifters. It takes a great deal of effort to organize anything at all or communicate from the distance.”

It made sense, but it was still upsetting. As he entered the car, Caelyn wondered just how many things he’d always taken for granted Graham had been denied.

“Angel, don’t be sad for me,” Graham said as he slid into the driver’s seat. “Compared to other people, my family and I are still quite close.”

Caelyn didn’t know if he believed that. He did realize that from now on, he himself had ended up in Graham’s position. But there was one clear positive thing in the entire situation. Graham was no longer alone. For good or ill, he and Caelyn were in this together now. And that was worth any sacrifice they had to make.

* * * *

A few days later

In shifted form, Graham sniffed the air, following the scent he had caught. It had taken longer than expected for him to catch the trail of his former pack, but now, he’d finally detected them.

Behind him, Caelyn was quiet and tense, obviously realizing that they were close to their destination and still uncertain as to how he felt about that. He remained doubtful regarding how he would be received by Graham’s family. Graham wished he could have reassured his mate, but Caelyn didn’t need white lies. Besides, between mates, just the attempt at deception would have been futile, and Graham knew all too well that what awaited them wouldn’t be easy.

As he advanced through the forest, Graham’s wolf grew increasingly wary. He’d entered the territory of another Alpha, and if Hugh was still the man Graham remembered, he likely wouldn’t be happy at Caelyn’s presence.

Hugh Crane had built Graham’s previous pack from nothing, and he protected it savagely. It was actually admirable of him, and in many ways, Graham still followed his example. However, he still believed that, to a certain extent, Hugh took things too far in his quest to preserve his pack. It had been exceedingly difficult for him to get used to the thought of leaving his home during his earlier years, but his focus on leading his new pack had helped him a great deal. In fact, for everyone, survival had been too important to dwell on the past. But that didn’t change the fact that their previous Alpha had pushed them away, nor did it fill Graham with any faith toward Hugh.

To make things even worse, the day before, Graham had spotted a draechen patrol. He and Caelyn had narrowly escaped being seen, but the near disaster had them both on edge.

In truth, it felt very strange to return here after all these years. He’d missed it in the beginning, but after that, it had become a distant memory he didn’t think about anymore. And yet, the trees, the whisper of the wind, the clear air, and the sky seemed to welcome him home.

As it turned out, his former pack didn’t prove to be so hospitable. Out of the blue, several wolves appeared from the bushes ahead. Graham sensed them coming and, using his bond with Caelyn, said, “Stay behind me, no matter what, and don’t say anything until I can get them to listen. I’ll protect you.”

A flash of panic coursed through Caelyn, but then, the sprite forcibly pushed it away. “Don’t worry about me,” he replied. “I’m not exactly helpless either. And besides, we haven’t come here to fight.”

Sadly, Graham’s former pack didn’t seem to agree with Caelyn’s assessment. They stalked toward Graham and Caelyn, snarling angrily and baring their fangs. Truth be told, Graham only thought they answered to Hugh, because he didn’t recognize them. That might have been because they were obviously far younger than Graham, likely born after his departure.

Either way, Graham had no intentions of shedding blood. He snarled back, taking a leap forward. Being an Alpha meant that he was far stronger than all of them combined, and he could take them out with ease. But he hadn’t come here to fight pups.

Growling viciously, he willed them to back down. A few of them grew a little more cautious, respectful of his size and obvious strength, feeling the reality of his Alpha nature. The others, though, weren’t so cautious.

Graham decided to make one final attempt. “I want to speak with Hugh,” he sent out to the group. “My name is Graham Powers, and it’s very important that I see your Alpha.”

Communicating mentally with other wolves was an ability only Alphas had. At his words, everyone froze. They couldn’t deny his authority, but neither could they let him pass.

“I don’t mean anyone here any harm,” Graham tried again. “Just take me to Hugh.”

For a few moments, it almost seemed that he’d convinced them. Unfortunately, Caelyn’s presence made them nervous, or better said, angry. That fury, and their youth and recklessness, won out. Ignoring his words, they lunged forward and attacked.

There were six of them and one of him, if he discounted Caelyn’s assistance of course. But Graham wasn’t afraid in the slightest. He dodged the first assault with ease and before his foe could recover, buried his fangs in the side of the wolf in question. He was careful not to cause any lethal injuries, and this slowed him down a little, but it didn’t really matter in the end. One by one, his opponents fell, helpless in the battle against his superior strength.

Finally, five fallen wolves lay in front of Graham. To their credit, they’d managed to cause him some minor injuries, although the wounds were practically insignificant. Wait… Five? Where was the sixth pup?

Just as he thought this, he sensed another wave of fear and anger coming from Caelyn. Through Caelyn’s eyes, Graham saw the sixth wolf jumping at him. He turned, ready to take his new opponent on, even if he knew that he couldn’t hope to dodge the unexpected attack now.

In the end, the blow never came. Instead, a hidden force struck his opponent, sending him flying into the air. The wolf hit a large tree and, with a whine, collapsed to the ground.

“Oh, dear,” Caelyn gasped out. “Did I kill him? I didn’t mean to.”

Graham padded to the side of the shifter in question and sniffed him. He was unconscious, but he’d be just fine.

As Caelyn released a relieved sigh, Graham shifted back into his human form. “Perhaps now you’ll be willing to listen?” he asked the group.

The biggest of the wolves at last changed shapes and struggled to his feet. “We don’t listen to spies and traitors,” he snapped back, “even when they are Alphas.”

One of his companions turned into his legged form as well, and added. “It’s a sad day for us that one of our leaders has taken the side of our oppressors.”

Graham rolled his eyes. “Must you be so dramatic? If you’d be so kind so as to listen to what I’m saying, you’ll learn that I’m on your side. It’s a little pathetic that Hugh has to rely on pups who ignore their elders for security.”

The larger shifter bristled, obviously not appreciating the reprimand. Graham suspected he might have tried to attack again, but surprisingly, Caelyn stepped between them. “Please, you mustn’t argue,” he said softly. “We’re telling the truth. My name is Caelyn, and I’m Graham’s mate. I’m not a spy, or a danger to you. Neither of us is. We’re only trying to find Graham’s brother, Stuart.”

The two wolves shared a look. “You are mates?” the second shifter asked hesitantly. “Are you serious?”

“Of course,” Caelyn replied. He threw a loving smile Graham’s way, and Graham’s dick couldn’t help but respond.

Arching a brow, Caelyn turned toward the other wolves once more. “I would never joke or lie about a mate bond.”

He spoke so softly, so gently that not even the two skeptical shifters could be immune to it. “Maybe we should allow them to speak to the Alpha,” the smaller werewolf said. “After all, what can they do?”

“I guess you’re right,” the larger of the two said. “The sprite seemed well intentioned enough.”

It was almost ridiculous to see the two pups who’d faced Graham so bravely melt when faced with Caelyn’s loving nature. After all, as much as Graham might have claimed to be irritated by their immaturity, he admired their dedication in protecting their pack. However, it seemed that not all of those present were inclined to be so trusting.

The wolf Caelyn had knocked out using his abilities stirred and turned into his human form as well. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing.” He growled. “Are you people blind? You said it yourself. He’s a sprite. He just loves to create illusions to fool idiots like you.”

“Watch your mouth, Dean,” the first man said. “We don’t know if they’re telling the truth or not, so it would behoove us to learn it.”

Dean glared, not looking convinced in the slightest. Personally, Graham was getting tired of playing games with children. “Come on, angel,” he sent to his mate. “I can easily find Hugh, and I don’t need permission from these guys.”

Caelyn didn’t argue. Instead, he slid to Graham’s side, ready to go with him. The other wolves noticed, and clearly didn’t appreciate it. “Hold it right there. Exactly where do you think you’re going?” one of them asked.

The entire situation would have undoubtedly gone to blows again, if the man Graham had come here looking for hadn’t showed up at last. “Enough of this,” Hugh shouted, appearing from the bushes. “Come on, Graham. I think you’ve caused enough excitement for one day.”

In respect for Hugh’s position, Graham bowed his head slightly, although he didn’t expose his throat as another wolf would have. Hugh’s tone clearly illustrated how this meeting was going to go.

He also couldn’t help but notice that Hugh seemed to have aged a great deal. Had it truly been so long since Graham had come to the one place he’d ever called home? The thought bothered him.

Nevertheless, he did his best not to let it show. It would be hard enough to handle this sensitive situation without bringing unnecessary emotions into it. “Not my fault,” he replied. “Your guardlings are so eager to impress you that they’d even fight an ally.”

Hugh narrowed his gaze at him. “I do believe you aren’t here to talk about the security of my pack.”

“You’re quite correct,” Graham said. When he saw Hugh throwing a distrustful look Caelyn’s way, he rushed to say, “First of all, let me introduce my mate, Caelyn Sutharlainn.”

“Sutharlainn?” The disbelief in Hugh’s voice confirmed Graham’s original suspicions about Hugh’s attitude. “Your mate is a sprite noble?”

“I’ve left that life behind,” Caelyn said in Graham’s stead. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“I beg to differ,” Hugh answered. “And you can never change the fact that you’re male.”

All the blood drained out of Caelyn’s face. Clearly, it hadn’t even occurred to him that him being a man would cause a problem, too. It wasn’t an issue for draechen, sprites, and fae. Some magical creatures were a little more squeamish, but not the ones Caelyn had regular contact with.

But Graham would not allow any slight to his angel. “My mate’s gender and my sexuality are none of your business, Hugh,” he said. “I just came to find my brother, who I’m told is here.”

“And how exactly do you know that?” Hugh inquired. “According to what Stuart said to me, you were captured by draechen forces. And now you show up here, with knowledge you shouldn’t have and a male sprite in tow. What would you have me think?”

“I’d have you trust me,” Graham shot back. “If you must know, Caelyn freed me. Now where is Stuart?”

No sooner had he spoken than he felt the familiarity of a presence dear to him. “Right here, brother,” Stuart said as he stepped out of the bushes, followed by Monroe and a couple of other members of their two packs.

Seeing Monroe reminded Graham of Taryn, and he barely managed to suppress a wince. He was distracted from his feelings of guilt when his parents emerged from the forest, joining them.

Violet and Tate Powers had once been among the powerful members of Hugh’s pack. In fact, during Graham’s years here, his father had been the beta. Graham didn’t know if that was still the case, but he decided he didn’t care. His mother was already frowning, and his father’s face had gone red like it did when he was really angry.

“Here we were, trying to figure out a way to save you,” Tate said, “and all this time, you were planning to sell us off. I can’t believe this.”

Graham rubbed his eyes tiredly. “I don’t want to get into this again. I was lucky enough to have a mate who helped me out, and I’m thanking the gods for being captured in the first place. Otherwise, I might not have met Caelyn.”

He took Caelyn’s hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it. “Now that we have things clear, tell me, Stuart. How is the pack?”

Stuart blinked, looking taken aback. “Err… Fine. We managed to escape capture because you distracted them.”

That relieved Graham a great deal. He hadn’t seen any wolves from his pack imprisoned in Sacramento, but it would have been entirely possible for the draechen to send them to other prisons.

“Then we should probably gather around and leave. I do believe Alpha Hugh isn’t willing to keep us here for much longer.”

He was deliberately ignoring whatever doubts his pack might have had about his mating, although he had no doubt that they’d question his authority eventually. Werewolves were like that. Whenever they saw one sign that might suggest their leader was becoming weak, they lashed out, very much aware that the Alpha was the only thing between them and being the draechen’s slaves.

“Wait a second,” Monroe piped up. “If you’re free, where’s Taryn?”

“I don’t know,” Graham admitted, knowing the other Alpha would be furious at the reply, but unable, no, unwilling to lie.

Monroe’s nostrils flared, and he clenched his hands into fists. The scent of blood filled the air as Monroe’s claws dug into his own flesh. “You fled like a coward and left him there? What kind of Alpha are you?”

Graham’s wolf reared up inside him, snarling in fury at the insult. He struggled to calm down his beast and began to explain, “We freed everyone in the prisons. Taryn wasn’t there.”

Monroe narrowed his eyes at him. “He was taken with you. Surely you must know something.”

Graham hesitated. Yes, Taryn had been there, and in the cell right next to him. But after that, he didn’t know what had happened.

“What does his brother look like?” Caelyn asked through their bond.

Graham summoned a memory of Taryn as he had been during the meeting of their packs. He felt a pang of shocked recognition course through Caelyn, and the knowledge of the reason filled Graham’s mind. His mate had seen Taryn in Hareematek’s quarters. Truly, he shouldn’t have been surprised since he’d overheard them taking the younger wolf, but the certainty of it filled him with frustrated anger.

Monroe must have noticed his pause. “You do know something.” He took a threatening step forward. “Tell me.”

Caelyn shared a look with Graham. “Should I answer him?”

Graham was reluctant to put Caelyn in any way in the center of attention. “Let me try,” he replied.

To Monroe, he said, “He was seen in Prince Hareematek’s quarters, wearing very little.”

Monroe’s eyes widened, his skin rippling as he fought the change. “Seen by whom?” he inquired, his voice a low growl.

At this point, there was nothing they could do to hide Caelyn’s involvement in this. Caelyn must have known it because he said, “By me. I’m very sorry. I didn’t know who he was until Graham showed me an image of him.”

“You were there, you saw him in that position, and you did nothing?” Monroe looked a step away from lunging at Caelyn. “What kind of person are you?”

“I think the real question is what my son’s supposed mate was doing in the draechen prince’s rooms,” Graham’s mother said, her shrewd eyes scanning Graham’s face, then turning to Caelyn. “Anything you’d like to share with us, son?”

Graham didn’t even want to think about how his family would react once they learned that Caelyn had been engaged to Prince Shtamakarein. It still didn’t sit well with him, although his reason was, naturally, jealousy.

“They’ll hate me for it, won’t they?” Caelyn asked softly.

“They’re predisposed to hate you either way,” Graham admitted with a mental sigh. “There’s nothing we can do about that right now.”

Caelyn still seemed pained, but nodded. Taking a deep breath, he started to explain, “I was supposed to marry Prince Shtamakarein Tersain. That’s why I was there. Prince Hareematek wanted to throw an engagement party for us.”

“So let me see if I’m getting this straight,” Hugh drawled. “The two of you somehow managed to piss off the greatest enemy of our people. You’ve humiliated the Dog-Catcher in the worst way, and now, he’s likely hunting you down to avenge his honor. And you’ve brought this bane upon us as well by coming here.”

“What were you thinking, boy?” Tate asked. “You know better than to get involved with the whore of a draechen.”

Graham had had enough. No one, not even his father, was allowed to talk to Caelyn like that. Graham could stomach any insult addressed to him, but not to Caelyn. With a growl, he melted in his wolf form. “You’re going to regret saying that,” he sent out. “You’ll regret ever slighting my mate.”

Tate’s eyes widened. He obviously hadn’t expected that reaction from Graham, which was actually kind of foolish. But then, he likely still saw Graham as the young wolf he’d been when he’d left home.

Sadly, Tate also remained as arrogant as ever. Ignoring Graham’s words of warning, he turned into his wolf shape as well and lunged at Graham, obviously believing he could teach him a lesson.

It had been easy to deal with the young pups, and Tate wasn’t much more difficult to handle. He represented a greater challenge from a strategic perspective as his age granted him valuable battle experience. However, Graham had the advantage of both skill and youth on his side, and he was an Alpha. It was foolish of his father to even attempt to stand against him.

Leaping to the side, Graham avoided Tate’s attack. As quick as lightning, he countered his father’s assault, jumping on top of the other wolf’s back. They fell to the ground together, with Graham on top, his claws raking over his father’s side. Tate tried to push him back, and for a few moments, it almost seemed like he would succeed. However, Graham was determined to get his way. Using his superior strength, he succeeded to pin his father down and threateningly held his sharp fangs against the older wolf’s jugular. Not even Tate’s thick pelt could protect him if Graham decided to rip his throat out.

Graham didn’t actually want to do that. He’d proven his point, and he had no interest in committing patricide. Even so, he didn’t immediately let go, instead choosing to telepathically speak to his father. “Yield. Yield to me.”

Fortunately, Tate finally wised up and tilted his head in submission. “Shift,” Graham added.

As his father obeyed, Graham changed shapes as well. “Does anyone else want to challenge me?” he asked. Feeling his brother’s gaze on him, he threw a look toward his sibling. “Stuart?”

Stuart shook his head. “I’m your beta and your brother. Even if I might not understand you, I’ve got your back.”

Thank the gods for small mercies. Graham might have been willing to fight his father, but he wasn’t so eager to do the same thing with his brother. Graham might have been older, but it was only by a couple of minutes. They’d actually shared a litter, grown up together, fought and bled together. Stuart’s rejection would have hurt him far more than that of his parents.

As Graham got up, Caelyn rushed to his side, hugging him tightly. “Are you all right?” he whispered in Graham’s mind.

“I’m fine,” Graham replied. “Just frustrated with this foolishness. I can’t believe my own family is being so absurd, and Hugh even worse than them.”

As if to confirm Graham’s words, Hugh glared at him and asked, “What are you trying to prove, Graham?”

That he was a strong Alpha, a reliable wolf? That mating hadn’t changed him in that regard? That his bond with Caelyn had to be respected no matter what? For fuck’s sake, was it so hard to understand that he wanted his pack and his mate to get along?

Shaking his head, Graham answered, “I have no quarrel with you, Hugh,” he replied. “I’ve done what I came here to do. My pack and I will be leaving now.”

“And still, I have no answer regarding Taryn,” Monroe said. “I’m running out of patience here.”

Graham almost snorted. When had Monroe been patient to begin with? Caelyn, on the other hand, proved to be far kinder and calmer than the rest of them deserved. “As I was saying, I just saw him that one time. I don’t know what happened after that, and I’m afraid that, no matter how much I’d have liked to assist him, it simply wasn’t possible. If I’d said anything at all, they’d have figured out what I intended, and it wouldn’t have helped anyway.”

“Is that what you tell yourself to justify your cowardice?”

“Monroe, I understand your anger and your pain,” Graham said, “but I think we’re running in circles. There was nothing my mate could have done. It’s not like the Tersain randomly listen to the opinions of others with regard to their prisoners. None of this is Caelyn’s fault. Surely you realize that.”

For a few moments, Monroe didn’t speak. Graham actually thought he’d failed in reaching out to him, but as it turned out, Monroe nodded jerkily. “You’re right. The draechen are the enemy here.”

Finally, someone was listening to reason. Graham almost couldn’t believe it. Stuart joined him, as did the members of his pack who were present. Many of them seemed uncomfortable, but they didn’t look very willing to challenge Graham’s leadership either. Graham knew that he’d won one battle, if not the war.

One of the wolves in question, a woman named Kimberly, said, “Everyone else is still with Alpha Crane’s pack. Perhaps we should go pick them up?”

She said the words inquiringly, almost hesitantly, uncertain of how Graham, or perhaps Hugh, would react. Graham just nodded. “If it’s all right with Alpha Hugh, we really must be on our way.”

The older wolf was silent, but gestured them to follow. As they walked through the forest, Graham held onto Caelyn’s hand, aware of how very self-conscious his mate still felt. “It’s okay, angel,” he whispered through their bond. “The worst is over.”

“Let’s hope so,” Caelyn mused. The whirlwind of emotions inside him echoed within Graham’s own heart, unsettling him.

Everyone remained silent during the walk, but that didn’t mean they’d suddenly changed their minds about the situation. Under the circumstances, it was a great relief for Graham to finally reach their destination.

When Graham had told Caelyn that he’d lived in a town, or even a settlement, it hadn’t been exactly true. Homes weren’t possible for any ninth caste rebel. However, Hugh had endeavored to grant his pack a place that at least gave them a measure of stability. The end result was a sort of camp, with tents that could be gathered and moved whenever the need appeared.

Right now, around those tents, a lot of familiar figures were gathered. Many of them perked up upon seeing him approach, erupting into cheers. That might have made him smile, except those cheers quickly died when they saw Caelyn with them. Did they have to start over with all the explanations and accusations? Graham didn’t think he’d be able to take that without snapping.

As he stepped in front of the members of his pack, he said, “Before anyone thinks of saying anything, I’d like to introduce my mate, Caelyn. His presence is not debatable. He is not a traitor or a spy. I don’t care that he is a man. Any other argument that you might want to bring to my attention will be ignored.”

Caelyn pressed a hand to his shoulder. “Breathe, beloved,” he said through their bond. “Calm down.”

Some of the tension drained out of Graham, and he actually wanted to laugh. Sometimes, Caelyn amazed him. He’d always known that he’d be protective of his mate since it was a natural werewolf instinct, but the way Caelyn always wanted to shield him and soothe him somehow still managed to surprise him.

Finding strength in Caelyn’s love, he added, “I don’t mean to be curt, but so far, my mating has only been received with insults, and I can’t accept that. Just know that I’m the same man, only happier.”

For a few moments, the members of his pack remained quiet. “We wouldn’t dream of being insulting to your mate,” a young wolf finally said, breaking the silence. “I can’t say I’m comfortable with it, but I have faith that you know what you’re doing, Alpha.”

As if his words caused a domino effect, the other wolves started to react as well. There were nods all around, small smiles, and even some congratulations. Not everyone was so closed-minded as Hugh and Tate. Of course, there was bound to be some uncertainty, but Graham had faith things would become smoother as the pack adjusted to Caelyn.

Sadly, it was too good to be true, and Hugh didn’t seem inclined to let things go so easily. “Before you all make a decision regarding your future, you should know that Lord Caelyn Sutharlainn is a very important sprite noble and the Dog-Catcher’s ex-fiancé. Suffice to say, the separation between him and Shtamakarein Tersain wasn’t an amiable one. I advise you to take that into account.”

Once again, silence fell, tension flooding the gathering. Graham almost wished that they hadn’t told his family about Caelyn’s connection to the Tersain, but in his heart, he knew he’d done the right thing. As an Alpha, it was his duty to keep his people informed so that they could do what they felt was best for them. That was the difference between a good leader and a tyrant.

Hugh, however, had no qualms in exploiting the information Graham himself had provided. “I can see that everyone here is very conflicted about these new revelations,” he said. “I don’t normally do this, but I’d like to extend an invitation to all the members of Graham’s pack to stay here on a temporary basis. I feel that those who follow him would be in danger because of his mate.”

At that, Graham could no longer contain his temper. “Oh, aren’t you generous, Alpha Crane? Weren’t we all in danger when you pushed us away?”

“My choices as Alpha aren’t being debated here,” Hugh shot back, his eyes flashing with anger. “I did what I had to do to keep the pack safe. Large packs never survive, as they are weeded out by the draechen.”

“Agreed,” Graham replied. “So how long do you think you can accept that risk for the benefit of the members of my pack? One day? One week? How long until you decide to leave them to their own devices?”

Hugh snorted. “Rather than dwell on that, why don’t you ask yourself how much time you and your mate have until the Dog-Catcher finds your trail?”

As much as Graham hated to admit it, Hugh had a point. He wanted to believe he could protect his pack and his lover from Shtamakarein, but he didn’t have that certainty.

In the end, it was the rest of the wolves who had to decide. Turning away from Hugh, he faced them once again. “Well?”

It was instantly noticeable that all of those present remained silent. Awkwardness and regret practically irradiated off them. Or perhaps it was Caelyn’s emotion Graham felt. Either way, it hurt just the same.

His brother came to his side and hugged him tightly. “I’ll come with you. I’ll follow you wherever you go.”

Stuart might not have known it, but his honest affection shattered the ball of dismay and loss gathering in Graham’s chest. He knew in that moment what he had to do.

Breaking the embrace, Graham shook his head. “They’re right in their own way. This is my battle, and Caelyn’s. It’s not fair for us to draw all of you into it. But I don’t trust Hugh with my people. You have to stay to take care of them, like you did in my absence.”

“I’m no Alpha, Graham,” Stuart countered. “I’m not you.”

“No, but you’re a good wolf and a good brother. I have faith in you. Take care of them.”

Stuart’s expression of panic melted into decision. “Yes, Alpha. So I shall.”

Glancing one last time at all the men and women he had led for years, Graham offered them a small smile. “Good luck. Perhaps we’ll meet again one day.”

He’d never been one for excessively heartfelt good-byes, so that would have to do. He just nodded at his mother and father, and, at the last moment, decided to be the better man and mend the broken bridge with Hugh as well. “For as long as you can, protect them,” he told the other Alpha.

“I will,” Hugh promised. “Farewell, Graham. You were a good wolf.”

Graham had nothing to say to that. Clearly, Hugh thought Graham was heading toward his death. Graham was too frustrated to even grant that comment an answer.

Turning away from the group, Graham started to walk away, his mate trailing after him. He didn’t look behind once, and didn’t stop until the camp was behind them.

He might not have stopped at all, but Caelyn’s feelings started to overwhelm him. Pulling Caelyn into the shade of a nearby tree, Graham gazed deeply into Caelyn’s sky-blue eyes. “Angel, will you stop tormenting yourself? It’s better this way, for everyone.”

“I’m sorry,” Caelyn murmured, seemingly fighting back tears. “It’s my fault you lost your pack.”

It was a serious issue, something that needed to be addressed at once, but Graham couldn’t help it. He laughed. “Oh, Caelyn, we’re being ridiculous. I’m blaming myself for you having to leave your parents, and you’re doing the same thing now that I had to hand over my pack to Stuart.” He kissed Caelyn’s nose. “Don’t you see, angel? Both of us had to make a choice, and we chose each other. You don’t regret it, and neither do I. Sure, I’ll miss being an Alpha, but I have you now. You’re the single most beautiful thing that happened to me. It might be selfish, but I’m willing to throw all else to the wind as long as I have you.”

Those words quieted the guilt rushing through Caelyn and drew a small smile from the sprite. “I don’t think it counts as being selfish since I’m the one who gets all the advantages.”

The answer held a touch of the shy seductiveness that drove Graham insane with lust. Graham’s dick instantly responded. “I beg to differ, angel. And watch yourself. No matter how much I want to, I can’t fuck you here. It’s Hugh’s turf.”

The reminder of their reality did nothing to quiet their passion. Caelyn’s smile grew a little lazier, a touch wicked, and he pulled away from Graham. “Well, then, we should go. As soon as possible.”

It seemed incredible, but as they left the forest, the two of them were laughing, teasing each other, all sadness forgotten. And as they headed toward their new future, they left behind the shadow of tears and regret in the shade of the trees. They had their work cut out for them to make this relationship survive, but Graham believed in it. He believed in their love, and he’d willingly set his life on the line to protect it.

Chapter Seven

“Come on, baby. Don’t do this to Daddy. Come on.”

Caelyn rolled his eyes and released a heavy sigh. “Would you stop baby-talking the car?” he asked his mate in frustration. “It’s not going to start because of it.”

Graham ignored him, repeating the litany of endearments for the vehicle. “Come on, sweetie. Prove him wrong. You can do this.”

But as he turned the key in the ignition, the vehicle just huffed, spluttered, and refused to work. Cursing, Graham turned toward Caelyn and glowered. “You jinxed it.”

“Oh, for Jenarra’s sake.”

Caelyn pushed the car door open and stepped outside onto the tarmac. If they kept at this, he was either going to strangle Graham or fuck the nonsense out of him. The latter option appealed more to Caelyn’s libido, but his pride refused.

As he stalked away from the vehicle, Caelyn considered his options. There was a town nearby, but they were still a good forty miles away from it. The idea of walking there didn’t fill Caelyn with enthusiasm. His only hope seemed hitching a ride from someone and maybe finding a mechanic in the town. He couldn’t understand why Graham was being so absurd and stubborn about this.

Behind him, the sound of cursing and banging alerted him to the fact that Graham had decided a little tough love was the next step in his relationship with the car. As the werewolf lifted the hood of the car and leaned over, presumably to investigate what was wrong with the confounded thing, Caelyn allowed himself a few moments to admire the sight of Graham’s delicious ass, then returned to his mate’s side. “Do you even know what you’re doing?” he inquired.

Graham speared him with a dark look that could have crushed diamonds. “Actually, yes. Unlike you privileged folk, my people always have to make do on our own.”

Shocked, Caelyn recoiled, the venom in Graham’s voice sending a thousand needles in his heart. He took a step back, but Graham stopped him before he could move away. “I’m so sorry, angel,” Graham whispered, pulling him close. “Gods, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

Caelyn believed that, but he also knew there was some truth in Graham’s words. They were used to different ways of handling things. But that was bound to happen for any relationship. Even mates needed to take time to adjust to each other. Given their different backgrounds and circumstances, this explosion should have happened a long time ago.

“You didn’t, and you did,” he replied softly, hugging Graham back. “But that’s all right. I understand.”

They were both irritated and tired after having been on the road continuously ever since they’d left Graham’s pack. Graham had promised they would stop to catch their breaths once they reached a safer location, but so far, nothing seemed to qualify to his standards. And now, the car had broken down in the middle of nowhere.

“Yeah, okay,” Graham said with a sigh, “but I’m still sorry. I shouldn’t have raised my voice at you.”

“I’m sorry, too.” Clearing his throat, Caelyn pulled away from the embrace. There was still a measure of awkwardness between them, but they’d just have to deal with it later. “Now, have you figured out what’s wrong with it?”

“I can’t be sure just yet, but it looks like dirty fuel clogged the injectors. That’s why the engine stopped.”

“Err…okay,” Caelyn answered. “So can you fix it?”

Graham shook his head. “I could, but I need to replace the fuel filter. It’s not a hard part to come by, but I don’t have it here.” He smiled sheepishly. “So basically, you were right. We have to go to town.”

Caelyn almost wanted to burst into laughter, the tension starting to drain out of him. “Okay. Should we grab the bags and go, or wait?”

“Let’s just go,” Graham answered. “I’ve never liked just standing there, twiddling my thumbs in hope that someone would drop by to offer me the solution to my problems.”

Of course he hadn’t. He was an Alpha, after all, a problem solver. Suddenly feeling much better about the entire situation, Caelyn walked to the trunk of their car and grabbed one of their bags. As Graham shouldered the second one, they locked the vehicle up and started to walk in the general direction of the town.

The first milestone they saw read Youngsville, forty-one miles. With a silent sigh, Caelyn prepared himself for a long trek. And since he didn’t want to leave anything poisonous between them, he hesitantly said, “Please, let’s not fight again. I hate it when we do.”

“Me, too, angel,” Graham answered. “I suppose it’s inevitable for our tempers to clash, but I need you to realize that whatever I said back there, I do value you, as my mate and my partner.”

Graham sounded genuinely regretful, and the last traces of the Caelyn’s anxiousness disappeared. Through their bond, he felt the true extent of Graham’s emotions, and he knew that his mate not only desired him, but also loved and respected him. “We’ll get used to each other,” he replied, brushing a light kiss over Graham’s cheek. “We’re just in a difficult position right now, but I’m convinced it’ll happen. After all, we’re mates. We belong together.”

He could almost see Graham’s wolf perk up and wag its tail, which really made him smile. He was actually tempted to stop for a little fun romp, but they had to deal with the more immediate problem. “So is this a complicated repair?” he asked his mate.

“Nah,” Graham answered. “If I find the part, we’ll be out of here in a couple of hours.”

Relief swamped Caelyn. The last thing they needed was to be stranded here with no means of transportation. True, their new documents would allow them to buy a new vehicle or use busses and trains, but they needed to keep a low profile. So far the draechen hadn’t found them, and Caelyn wanted to keep it that way.

“So where are we going next?” he inquired. “If we go any further north, we’ll go into Canada.”

“Actually, I was thinking of finding a place to lie low for a while, here in Vermont,” Graham answered. “We both need to recharge our batteries, and sometimes, hiding in plain sight is the best solution. But I’m not sure where yet.”

Before Caelyn could reply to that, Graham startled, making a sound of realization. At first, Caelyn himself couldn’t hear what Graham had. While his senses were better than those of humans, they weren’t nearly as finely tuned as Graham’s. He did, however, acknowledge the reason of Graham’s behavior because of his bond with the wolf. A car was quickly approaching. Soon, Caelyn’s hearing caught it, too. They stopped, hoping they could get the driver to help them.

As the vehicle appeared in the distance, Caelyn started to wave at it. Fortunately, they seemed to be in luck. The driver slowed down until the car finally came to a halt straight next to them. The window rolled down, and a pretty, dark-haired woman stuck her head out.

“Oh, hi there,” she said, smiling warmly. “You boys look tired. What’s up?”

“Our car broke down,” Caelyn said. “We need to get to town for a part. I don’t suppose you could drive us there for it?”

She arched a brow at him, then stole a look at Graham. “She’s going to say no,” Graham whispered through their bond. “I’m too big and threatening.”

Sadly, Graham had a point. Human women had to be careful with whom they helped out, as there were all sorts of bad people roaming about. In spite of this, though, the unknown woman slid out of the car, still smiling. “Tell you what. I know the town mechanic well. I can call him and ask him to pick your car up. How does that sound?”

“Really?” Graham asked. “That would be great. We’re just a little down the road. It looked like there was a problem with the fuel injectors, but if we change the filter, it should be all right.”

“But we’re being rude,” Caelyn piped up. “I’m Lincoln Farrington and this is my…uhh…friend, Graham York.”

Yeah, that sounded convincing. Raul had created an entire history and educational background for the two of them, and Caelyn had gotten used to the new name, but he always had problems when explaining the relationship between him and Graham.

The human woman didn’t even blink or acknowledge his awkward comment. “Caroline Connors. Come on, get in. Let me just call Bill, and we’ll be on our way.”

“She’s a strange one,” Graham commented as they obediently slid into the backseat.

Outside, their new friend dialed a number and soon started a conversation. “Hi, Bill. Carol here.”

Caelyn’s hearing caught the answer to her greeting. “Hello, Carol. You okay, girl?”

“Yeah, fine.” Caroline laughed. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You only ever call when you have car trouble.”

Caroline gasped. “That’s not true. Oh, you’re being unfair.”

“Uh-huh.” A brief pause came at the other side of the connection, and Caelyn though he could hear the sound of an intake of breath, as if the man, Bill, was smoking. “So what’s the problem?”

“I ran into two guys on the freeway,” Caroline answered. “Their car broke down, and they need help. Can you come?”

Bill released a curse. “Oh, you never learn. I told you to be more careful. You’re always picking up strays.”

Caelyn winced. The analogy was far too similar to what draechen called Graham. Graham shook his head and said, “He’s just worried about Caroline, and probably right. We could be axe murderers for all he knows.”

“I know,” Caelyn replied, “but I can’t help it. It bothers me.”

“Let’s just wait and see what happens.” His mate entwined their fingers together and squeezed. “After all, we just have to get the car part and then we can leave.”

“Come on, Bill. They’re nice,” Caroline insisted. She seemed to grow genuinely upset at the comment. “And stop saying that. You know I don’t like it.”

The man groaned. “That came out wrong. Sorry. You know how much I like your cousin. Just wait there. I’ll be over in a bit.”

The call ended, and Caroline sighed deeply. “Sorry about that. He’s coming. He’s just going to be…” She waved her hand around as if trying to come up with a word. “A little snappish,” she finally finished.

“It’s all right,” Graham answered. “We’re used to it.”

Caroline’s face fell at the comment. “Because… Well, I don’t mean to pry, but is it because you’re a couple?”

Caelyn averted his gaze, for some reason embarrassed by the sympathy he saw in her gaze. “Yes,” Graham replied, kissing Caelyn’s hand. “Our families didn’t agree, so we just left and we’ve been on the road ever since.”

It was true, even if not only for the reasons Caroline likely imagined. Nevertheless, the words seemed to move the woman. “Okay, well, you won’t find any of that here,” she said as she slipped back into the driver’s seat. Inserting the key into the ignition, she asked, “You said just a little further for your car, right?”

“Yeah,” Caelyn answered, surprised at the change. “But you don’t have to trust us on our word. We could tell that your friend doesn’t.”

“It’s fine.” Caroline scoffed as she started the car. “Sometimes, you just have to have faith. Otherwise, you’ll never be happy.”

At that, Caelyn shared a smile with his mate. She had no idea how right she was. His faith and his trust in his bond with his mate had brought them here, and if Caelyn had his way, it would help them build a better future for each other.

* * * *

An hour later

“Well, boy, it does look like the filter needs changing.” Bill Liverman grunted. “Your guess was right on the money.”

Graham just grimaced at the mechanic. He resented being called “boy,” especially since he was likely much older than the human. But he had to play along, if only because he didn’t want to cause a conflict. “It’s not a hard problem to figure out. I’d have fixed it myself, but I didn’t have the part.”

“I can sell it to you, if you want,” Bill answered, “or I can fix it. Your call.”

“Just fix it, Bill,” Caroline piped up from behind Graham. “I’m taking Graham and Lincoln to the Spoon for lunch.”

Bill nodded, already starting to look for the part in his surprisingly large shop. Graham, however, wasn’t so happy about the idea. “I don’t think that’s a—”

“Just go with it, boy,” Bill said, interrupting him. “You’ll live longer and better if you understand that there’s no point in arguing with women. Even if you are gay.”

Graham spluttered as Caroline dragged him out of the shop. Caelyn was already there, engaged in conversation with a young man Graham hadn’t met before. As Graham and Caroline approached, the two turned toward them. “Oh, hey, Graham. This is Raleigh, Caroline’s cousin. He heard about us and wanted to come welcome us to town.”

The wonders of living in small towns. Graham and Caelyn had been here for perhaps an hour, but their arrival seemed to have already stirred things up. Graham supposed it might have had something to do with the fact that Caroline seemed to have taken them under her wing. He hadn’t meant to guilt her into anything when he’d randomly mentioned receiving bad treatment before. The words had just come out since the “stray” comment had made some bitterness resurface. Nevertheless, Caroline appeared to have been very affected by their suffering and determined to help them out.

“Shouldn’t you be at the diner at this hour?” Caroline asked her cousin teasingly.

“I took a break.” Raleigh grinned. “Mom was alarmed when she heard you’re giving rides to strange men, so she wanted to check up on you.”

Caroline shook her head, as if exasperated. “They always do that. Come on, cuz. We’re just heading to The Spoon anyway. Graham and Lincoln looked starved.”

“Please, call me Lini,” Caelyn piped up. “All my friends do.”

“Lini,” Raleigh repeated. “I like it. Okay, Lini it is.”

Graham took his mate’s hand, knowing the real reason why Caelyn had asked the humans to call him that. He had kept his first name since it wasn’t as specific and unique as Caelyn’s, but it hadn’t been safe for Caelyn to do the same. Using the nickname that Sari had given Caelyn—or, at least a form of it—would help ease the transition.

They walked from the mechanic’s shop down the main street, not even bothering to take the car. Youngsville was the epitome of a classic and traditional American small town. There were no huge sprawling malls, just a theatre, several stores, and a couple of diners, all mostly run by the same families for generations. As it turned out, their destination was one of these shops, a place eloquently called The Greasy Spoon.

“Your family owns this?” Caelyn asked as the building came into view.

Raleigh nodded. “My mom and dad have been working here forever. I help out when I can, but I don’t have as much time as I used to since I started university. Carol has a job here, too.”

“I actually had a day off today,” she said, “but it seems that no matter what happens, I always end up here.”

She didn’t seem to mind it at all. In fact, she appeared to be quite happy about it, and in a way, Graham understood her. It was like he’d once felt when living in a small pack. A closely knit community like the town of Youngsville fostered a sense of togetherness, something that could be quite rare in today’s world.

The enticing smells hit Graham from the moment they opened the door, and his stomach growled. Raleigh chuckled. “Oh, I can already tell you’re going to be very popular with Mom. She loves to feed big, hungry men.”

Graham could have sworn the words held a dose of innuendo. He arched a brow at his companion. “Sorry, but I’m taken,” he replied.

Caroline elbowed Raleigh in the stomach, and Raleigh released a small awkward laugh. “Yeah, I know. My bad. I see a hot man, and I flirt. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

So, this must be one of the reasons why Caroline was so open-minded toward gay people. She seemed to be very close to her cousin, so perhaps her protectiveness of Raleigh now extended onto Caelyn and Graham.

“It’s fine,” Caelyn said. Even if he wrapped his arm around Graham’s waist, he didn’t feel in any way threatened by Raleigh’s comment. He liked these humans, Graham realized. And maybe, just maybe, Graham liked them a little, too.

As they walked into the diner, a heavy-set man appeared from the back, followed by a portly but very lovely woman. They gave Caelyn and Graham curious looks, but before they could ask any question, Raleigh made the introductions. “Mom, Dad, this is Graham York and his boyfriend Lini Farrington,” he said. “Graham, Lini, my parents, James and Elizabeth Connors.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Caelyn said smoothly. He was a little nervous, so he’d automatically fallen onto his courtly manners. Fortunately, the humans didn’t seem to notice, or perhaps they didn’t care.

“The pleasure is all ours,” the woman, Elizabeth, said. “Go ahead and sit down at a table.”

“Just a second, Aunt Beth,” Caroline said. “I want a word with you and Uncle James.”

The two older humans looked puzzled, but nodded. “All right, but make it quick,” Elizabeth said. “I have orders to prepare.”

“It’s okay,” Caroline answered. “I can talk while you cook.”

The three of them went into the back, while Raleigh led Graham and Caelyn to a table. “So how do you like Youngsville so far?” he asked.

“It’s nice,” Graham said. “Reminds me a lot of home. Or what I used to call home.”

He didn’t know why he said that, but Raleigh seemed to understand what he meant, at least to some extent. The human nodded as they slid into a booth and made themselves comfortable. “Many people say that about Youngsville. You know, Carol is worried about you two.”

“Worried?” Caelyn repeated.

“Yup,” Raleigh replied. “I’m just telling you this because I can tell you’re confused, and it might just get stranger. See, I’m not Beth and James’s son. Everyone around here knows it since I came here only a couple of years before. But because of it, because of me, they’re particularly sensitive about young men and women who experience problems due to their sexual orientation.”

It seemed strange that Raleigh would share something so personal with them, but soon, the reason came to be revealed. Beth emerged from the kitchen, looking a little misty-eyed. “Oh, you poor boys. Carol told me what happened to you. Don’t you worry about a thing.”

Since Graham was closest to her, he suddenly found himself engulfed in a warm, cinnamon-scented embrace. Since werewolves were very tactile people, Graham ended up hugging her back. Apparently, his gesture made him seem starved for affection as Beth sniffed, sounding very close to tears. “You wait right here. I’ll get you something to eat, and then we can talk more.”

“A piece of pie would be enough, thank you, and then we really should be on our way,” Graham replied. He didn’t want to abuse their generosity or hospitality.

“Nonsense. You look like a man who likes a good steak. And your boyfriend…oh, he’s so thin. He definitely needs some meat on his bones.”

Graham opened his mouth, overwhelmed and tempted to refuse, but Beth didn’t give him the chance. She was a whirlwind of activity, bringing them several dishes and somehow managing to do so without neglecting the other customers in the diner. At one point, Raleigh left to help her, having obviously expected this reaction.

In the end, Graham more than enjoyed his lunch. Beth’s guess had been on the money. One of the advantages of being a werewolf was that he could eat stuff that could make humans sick if they indulged too much. In fact, his metabolism demanded a lot of protein, so this place was like heaven for him. Meanwhile, Caelyn seemed to be discovering a new appreciation for the rich and savory dishes. It seemed sprite cuisine was very different, but Caelyn was enjoying Beth’s cooking a great deal, regardless.

At the end of the meal, the members of the Connors family gathered around Caelyn and Graham’s booth. “I know we might have scared you there a little, son,” James said, “but your story touched us.”

“Ummm… Raleigh explained a little,” Caelyn replied. “But truly, you shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble.”

“It’s no trouble,” Caroline replied, squeezing Caelyn’s hand and beaming widely at him.

“And we’ve been thinking,” Beth said. “We don’t mean to presume, but we know a small place in town that just freed up and is waiting for a tenant. James and I are getting too old to handle this place, even with Carol and Raleigh’s help, so one of you could work here.”

Graham gaped at them, unable to believe his ears. He really didn’t know what to say. “We don’t want to push you,” Raleigh offered. “How about you just stay the night for now and give it some thought?”

“I suppose it can’t hurt,” Graham answered. They’d been on the road for a while, and they were both tired and in dire need of some rest. In fact, Graham was looking forward to getting his mate alone, preferably in a room with a bed, and not necessarily for sleeping purposes.

“Thank you so much, for everything,” Caelyn added, now getting up and sliding out of the booth. His thoughts were a whirlwind of questions, desires, and dilemmas.

“Make sure you come by tomorrow,” Beth told them, “even if you decide to go.”

Graham nodded and retrieved his wallet. “Of course. Now, how much do we owe you?”

The family tried to protest, so Graham ended up forcing them to accept a fifty he stuck down Beth’s apron. He and Caelyn made their escape before the woman could try to return it.

“What do you think?” he asked Caelyn through their bond as they walked toward the mechanic’s shop.

“They mean well,” Caelyn replied. “And I admit I like it here. But is it safe?”

“As long as we’re careful, it should be. Let’s give it some more thought. We have time to decide.”

But as someone he didn’t know waved at him on the street, Graham had the sudden feeling the decision had already been made. They might not be able to settle down here for life, as they were still on the run from the draechen. Still, this small town was certainly perfect as a spot to lie low. Besides, Caelyn deserved better than to continuously be dragged from town to town.

Youngsville, Vermont was a good place to stop for a breather. Perhaps it would also give them the chance to begin a new life. Stranger things had happened, and out of the blue, Graham actually felt optimism bubble inside him. Yes, they could do this. And even if it didn’t work out, things would still be all right, because he and Caelyn would be together. Always.

* * * *

A few weeks later

“Here’s your bill, Sir.” Caelyn offered his best professional smile as he slid the piece of paper to the customer sitting at the table. “I hope you enjoyed your visit at The Greasy Spoon.”

“I certainly did.” The man chuckled and offered Caelyn five ten dollar bills. It covered the man’s order twofold. “Keep the change.”

“How do you always get the biggest tips?” Caroline asked as the customer exited the restaurant. She pouted at him, mock-glaring. “I don’t get it. You have to tell me your secret.”

“It’s no secret. It’s because he’s prettier and nicer than you,” Beth called out. “Now come here and get this order.”

“Hold your horses, Aunt Beth,” she grumbled. “Coming.”

Caelyn snickered as he watched her go. He liked working at The Spoon. No matter how many times Caroline teased him, she wasn’t actually jealous of him. From that first moment she had met with them on the freeway, she’d become one of his dearest friends.

Truth be told, he’d never in his life imagined that he’d one day end up working as a waiter for the small mom-and-pop restaurant in this tiny, human town. Stranger still, this simple life made him happier than he’d ever been in the luxurious home he’d once shared with his family. He did miss them at times, and he hoped that Sari would manage to get word to him regarding their well-being, but that melancholy aside, it truly seemed his life was perfect.

Smiling, Caelyn made his way to the cash register and secured the sum the generous tourist had paid. He tucked two of the bills into his apron, already making plans as to how he’d use them. If he earned more, he might manage to buy something nice from the grocery store tonight, maybe a bottle of wine he and Graham could share. It wouldn’t be a 1977 Pinot Noir, but from Graham’s lips, it would taste like ambrosia.

He was snapped out of his romantic musings when the bell over the door of the diner rang, announcing the arrival of another customer. Excitement exploded through Caelyn, and not because he anticipated another huge tip.

The man who had changed his life stalked into the diner, seemingly filling the entire place with his sheer presence. Graham might have stopped being the leader of his pack, but he was still all Alpha. The way he moved remained as predatory as ever, and when he looked at Caelyn, Caelyn’s knees always went weak.

Now was no different. Caelyn’s body instantly responded to Graham’s presence, his dick stiffening as he remembered he had this wonderful man in his bed every night. And every morning, and afternoon, too, if they could muster the time. In fact, it was far too easy for Caelyn to remember how good Graham had felt inside him just a few hours ago. He could still feel Graham’s prick within him as the werewolf fucked him over and over. Jenarra above, it had been so good.

“Hi,” he said breathlessly, wanting to leap into Graham’s arms and only keeping himself from doing so because of all the other customers present. “I thought you were working overtime at Bill’s.”

“Not tonight, angel,” Graham replied as he leaned against the counter. “It’s a special day, after all.” He brushed his thumb over Caelyn’s lower lip, making him whimper slightly. “But you know that, right?”

Caelyn nodded. A month back, Graham had claimed him, binding their lives for all time. It had been the first step they’d taken, and in spite of everything, also one of the most beautiful moments of Caelyn’s life. How could he possibly forget their anniversary?

“Of course I do,” he replied, licking his lips. “Did you take time off?”

“Yep.” Graham grinned. “I wanted us to do something together today.”

Caelyn released a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry. It didn’t occur to me.”

He truly should have thought of it, given how special this day was for them, but he hadn’t known his mate’s plans and hadn’t wanted to assume. “So now what?” he asked morosely.

As if in answer to his question, the restaurant door opened yet again, and Raleigh burst inside. “What are you doing still here?” he asked without preamble.

Caelyn released an unintelligent noise. “Huh?”

“I’m picking up your shift,” Raleigh said. “Go and enjoy yourself, Lini. It isn’t every day that you and Graham celebrate the first anniversary of becoming partners.”

At Raleigh’s words, a small pang of guilt struck Caelyn. Sometimes, Caelyn really wished he could tell his new friends the truth, but it wouldn’t be safe. Pushing aside the foolish desire, he smiled at Raleigh. “Thanks. Are you sure you can take over? Aren’t you busy tonight?”

Raleigh shook his head. “Nah. I’m done with the work I had for uni. Besides, what are friends for?”

Caelyn took off his apron and placed it in a nearby drawer. Grinning, he went to Raleigh and hugged him tightly. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

Raleigh embraced him back, snickering. “You’d better be careful with all the PDAs, Lini. Graham is glaring.”

In some ways, Raleigh reminded Caelyn a lot of Sari. They had very different lives, with Sari living isolated, almost imprisoned, in the Ivenian palace, and Raleigh enjoying a simple life, yet one full of freedom. But for some reason, Caelyn saw the same loneliness in both of them. It might have had something to do with Raleigh’s past. Either way, Caelyn hoped Raleigh and Sari would one day manage to find their other halves.

There was nothing he could do about it now. Instead, he broke away from his new friend, but he did so while laughing. “Don’t worry about it,” he replied to Raleigh’s teasing statement regarding Graham. “He’s all bark, and no bite.”

Behind him, Graham snorted. “Uh-huh,” he said through their bond. “Sure I am.”

“Well, it’s true, where Raleigh is concerned at least,” Caelyn answered. He knew that his mate was a very dangerous man, and it kind of aroused him. But as much as it frustrated Caelyn, the humans had to be kept from the truth.

Oblivious to Caelyn’s thoughts, Raleigh added, “Come on, get. I can handle things here.”

Thanking Raleigh once again, Caelyn took his mate’s hand and left The Greasy Spoon. As they exited the building, he threw a glance toward Graham and arched a brow at his lover. “How exactly did you manage to keep all this from me?”

Graham chuckled. “I did have the hardest time doing so, but I wanted to prepare a little surprise for you. I hope you don’t mind.”

“As long as you don’t make a habit out of hiding things from me,” Caelyn answered. In truth, Graham’s decision to keep his plans from him didn’t bother him. A true mate bond wasn’t based on sharing each and every notion of their minds. What mattered in it was trust, the same trust that had guided Caelyn into accepting the mate bond and throwing everything else to the wind.

A wave of love swept over Caelyn from his mate. It felt as soothing as the pleasant spring breeze toying with Caelyn’s hair. Obviously, Graham had overheard Caelyn’s thoughts. “I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve everything you’ve given me, angel,” the werewolf said, “but I’ll do my best to show you how much I appreciate it.”

Caelyn allowed himself to wrap his arm around Graham’s waist and lean against his mate’s shoulder. Gay couples weren’t always well received by humans, so he and Graham tried to avoid displaying their love for each other in public, but sometimes Caelyn couldn’t help it. Fortunately, the humans in this little town were strikingly accepting. Of course, there was the occasional bigoted comment, but compared to the prejudice of the shifter castes, it was nothing.

Graham guided him to their car and unlocked it. “Where are we going?” Caelyn inquired as he obediently slid inside. In the small town, most everything was within walking distance, so they rarely used the car anymore.

“Shh,” Graham said, taking the driver’s seat. “Don’t spoil the surprise.”

He was trying not to think about the destination, but Caelyn still saw Graham’s plan. A picnic, just for the two of them, to enjoy the beautiful spring weather. Both of them liked nature a great deal, and Graham had found a perfect spot in the outskirts of the town.

Graham released a small groan and stabbed the key in the ignition. “It seems I just can’t win.”

“You’re trying too hard.” Caelyn kissed Graham’s cheek and buckled his seat belt. “You don’t have to impress me with your organizational abilities. I already know you’re an amazing man.”

“Maybe,” Graham said as they drove off, “but I want you to have anything you desire.”

He was incurable. No matter how much he gave to Caelyn, it never seemed to be enough. Caelyn decided that, for once, he’d allow Graham to spoil him. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to think about anything else that wasn’t Graham and what his mate might have in store for him. A movie. He’d seen the trailer for an upcoming paranormal film, and it had made him burst into laughter at how close, and yet how far, it had been from the truth.

“Do you know that a lot of those movies are controlled and sponsored by the draechen?” Graham asked.

“Really?” Caelyn perked up. He’d thought he’d known his world, but every day, he learned more and more. “How so?”

Graham nodded, still keeping his gaze on the road, but his focus somehow remaining on Caelyn. “At one point, the upper castes decided that the best way to prevent humans from learning about us was to flood the entertainment market with various versions of our reality. That way, when someone says they saw a shifter or a magic user, no one will believe him.”

“That’s actually a good idea,” Caelyn admitted reluctantly.

“It was Prince Shtamakarein’s,” Graham said. “Even the lower castes grudgingly admire him for that.”

Of course it had been Karein’s plan. Caelyn wondered now how they’d managed to escape the man to begin with.

“You know, I’ve actually been thinking about that,” Graham said. “He was acting strangely that day, when I left. I think he actually let me get away.”

This was the first time Graham had mentioned this. In fact, Caelyn suspected Graham had actively tried to push aside those unpleasant recollections. But now, in Graham’s memories, Caelyn saw flashes of what had happened during the escape from the draechen base. He had to admit it scared him a little, but it also puzzled him. “Why do you think he did that?”

“I wondered if he meant to trail me to you, or perhaps to the rest of my pack,” Graham replied. “But it just doesn’t match my image of him. He just seemed to resent me so much that I don’t see him allowing me to escape.”

“Maybe he’s planning to avenge his honor,” Caelyn reasoned. “By rights, I’m the one he hates.”

For all they knew, Karein fully intended to allow them to live their life happily for a while, then to snatch it away from them. A shiver coursed through Caelyn at the thought. If anyone was capable of doing that, it was Karein.

A hand landed on Caelyn’s shoulder, squeezing gently. “I’m sorry. I never should have mentioned him. I’m really making a mess of things. Just… Don’t think about it. I know it sounds like a poor policy, but if we stress over what the draechen do, we’ll never get to enjoy our happiness.”

Caelyn hid a smile. Graham might have said that, but Caelyn knew for a fact that, every day, Graham checked for any sign that the draechen might have found them. They still had plenty of money from the stash Raul had given them, which they kept in case they’d have to leave Youngsville unexpectedly. It was why they only ever spent the money they earned from their respective jobs. So far, they seemed safe, but it was likely that Graham and Caelyn would soon be forced to abandon their new friends and tenuously stable life.

But Graham had a point in that they couldn’t live their lives forever looking over their shoulder. Caelyn trusted that Graham would protect him, and he’d take whatever came in stride.

He’d have wanted to say that out loud, but he never got the chance as his lover stopped the car. During the conversation, they had apparently reached their destination.

“We have to walk from here, I’m afraid,” Graham said, pointing to a smaller dirt road.

“That’s fine with me,” Caelyn answered. “So it looks like I certainly got distracted from your surprise.”

“Next time we decide that’s a good idea, think about something boring,” Graham said as they left the car.

“Something boring?” Caelyn repeated inquiringly. “Like what?”

“Strippers,” Graham blurted out, “and bad food.”

There was so much wrong with that statement that Caelyn didn’t even know how to counter it. “Strippers aren’t boring” he finally argued.

“Of course they are,” Graham answered slyly. “They’re not you.”

Caelyn’s face flamed at the suggestiveness in his mate’s tone. “I could be a stripper,” he shot back. “What would you say then?”

“Depends.” Graham hummed thoughtfully as he opened the trunk and retrieved the picnic basket from inside. “If you intended to show that lovely body to anyone else… Well, of course I wouldn’t be very happy about it.”

Caelyn grinned, hooking his hand through Graham’s arm. “And if I was your very own personal go-go boy?”

“Then I’d revise my statement and say certain strippers are not boring at all.” He squeezed Caelyn’s ass and directed him toward the dirt road. “Come on, angel. We’re close now.”

In silence, they walked through the path. The clear air, the blue sky, and most of all, Graham’s presence wiped away Caelyn’s anxiety. More importantly, his arousal returned with a vengeance, bubbling under the surface, just waiting to be released.

At last, they reached the spot Graham had picked beforehand. Graham placed a blanket on the ground and then gestured Caelyn to sit down. Caelyn complied, dropping onto the quilt on his back. As he looked from the gorgeous blue sky to his mate’s handsome face, he had trouble figuring out which of the two sights was the real image of perfection. Actually, no, he didn’t have trouble with it at all. His mate was and would always be the most beautiful thing in his life.

“Right back at you, angel,” Graham said as he joined Caelyn on the blanket.

Caelyn could feel Graham’s appreciative gaze on him, so he half expected the man to pounce him right then and there, but he didn’t. Instead, he opened the picnic basket and started to retrieve several items from inside. There seemed to be various dishes ready to be consumed, and judging from the enticing scents coming from each box, Caelyn suspected that Beth had been involved in this little plot, too.

“What did you coax her into?” Caelyn asked with a chuckle.

“Finger foods, mostly,” Graham offered. He opened one of the boxes and revealed delicious-looking chicken tenders. “Things I can feed you, bite by bite.”

It looked like Graham had everything very well planned out. So who was Caelyn to go against his wishes? He lay back against the quilt, ready to do whatever his Alpha mate wished.

“Mmmm, I like that,” Graham said, offering him a bite of chicken. It was so tender Caelyn couldn’t help a little moan. A piece of bruschetta was next, followed by a delicious deviled egg.

Caelyn closed his eyes, enjoying the textures and scents, the sensual experience Graham was offering him. As a Sutharlainn, he’d always been served all sorts of fancy foods on a regular basis, but he’d never found quite as much enjoyment in it. As Graham offered him a strawberry dipped in whipped cream, though, Caelyn had to admit that while the food itself tasted amazing, it was the company that made it all special.

In truth, he was quite greedy for his mate, and he found himself sucking on Graham’s fingers even as he enjoyed the flavor of Beth Connors’s cooking. He was quite enthusiastic about it, too, and soon, he had his mate groaning, his lust rushing over Caelyn in a wave that threatened to overcome him.

Finally, Graham started to put away the food, making Caelyn open his eyes. “Don’t I get to feed you, too?” he asked.

“I’m only hungry for one thing, and it’s not chicken tenders,” Graham replied, his voice filled with gravel.

The way his hot gaze raked over Caelyn’s body said more than words ever could. Caelyn licked his lips, already craving the passion he could read in those eyes and feel through their bond.

Graham crawled on top of Caelyn, bringing their bodies together. He whispered one single word, “Angel…”

Caelyn had many times wanted to say that he was no angel. Sometimes, he wondered if the actual angels would mind being compared to him. But that pet name held so much meaning, so much love, that whatever connection it might have had to any other person had long ago faded. Now, it was a vocalization of their love, a love that would never die.

“Yes, beloved,” he whispered back. “Come to me.”

After that, there were no more words. Graham pressed his mouth to Caelyn’s, taking his lips in an all-consuming kiss. They surrendered to their hunger, one that had nothing to do with the meal Caelyn had just had. It was a deeper need, one that went beyond the physical into a nearly transcendental realm. This was a craving that wouldn’t abate, not until they were one.

Graham thrust his tongue into Caelyn’s mouth, tasting him, seemingly even more ravenous than usual. Caelyn wrapped his arms around his mate’s neck and his legs around Graham’s waist. Graham’s reaction didn’t delay in appearing. His clawed hand clutched Caelyn’s hip, the sharp tips touching Caelyn’s flesh ever so slightly. It probably shouldn’t have aroused Caelyn, but it did. He’d never have thought that pain would be something that excited him, and yet, his dick throbbed with desire at that dangerous touch. Perhaps it wasn’t the pain itself, but rather the evidence of the fact that Graham was losing control with him. That had always been a potent aphrodisiac for Caelyn, and now was no different.

Rubbing against his mate, Caelyn bit Graham’s lower lip, impatient, desperate, needing more. His human clothes suddenly seemed so very restrictive, making his skin itch. He hated the barriers between him and Graham. He wanted everything off. He needed to feel Graham’s naked body under his fingertips.

Fortunately, his mate seemed of a similar mind. Tearing his mouth away from Caelyn, he struggled to take off Caelyn’s T-shirt. The damn thing caught in Caelyn’s hair, making him wish he’d chopped his long tresses off. He’d left the impractical fashion choices of sprite aristocracy behind. Why should he keep it like this?

He got his answer when Graham tore the uncooperative shirt, tossed the remnants aside, and fisted his fingers into his locks, pulling it hard. “Don’t you dare.” He growled. “This is mine. You’re mine. I want to hold onto your hair and look into your eyes as I fuck you.”

Maybe it should have pissed Caelyn off that Graham presumed so much. After all, it was Caelyn’s hair. He should be able to do whatever he wanted with it. Instead, this show of dominance aroused him, and he arched his back, moaning. He wanted that. He wanted Graham to hold him down by his locks while Graham’s dick pounded in and out of his ass.

Graham cursed, his hands frantically working the zipper of Caelyn’s jeans. It probably wasn’t smart to allow his mate to do that—Caelyn had lost countless items of clothing that way, and currently, replacing them was their largest expense—but Caelyn had his own priorities, namely getting Graham naked.

Since moving would have hindered Graham’s progress, Caelyn tried to use his telekinesis abilities instead. The result was only half-satisfactory. Graham’s shirt flew off, torn into pieces by the force of Caelyn’s enthusiasm.

Caelyn had been trying to learn the reasons and limitations of his new power. He surmised its development had something to do with finding his mate, and actually felt quite grateful for it. Sadly, getting accustomed to it wasn’t very easy. When he could concentrate, he generally managed to tame it. Suffice to say, now was not one of those moments. So, to be fair, Caelyn had to admit that Graham’s own wardrobe had suffered quite a bit. Neither of them would have had it any other way.

With some effort, Graham managed to undo Caelyn’s jeans, freeing his erection from its confines. He started to pull the garment off, only to realize Caelyn’s sneakers were blocking him. Growling in frustration, he got rid of Caelyn’s footwear in record time.

At last, he discarded Caelyn’s jeans, leaving him naked with the exception of his socks. Caelyn tried to keep up, he did, but Graham was relentless. And when his mate’s fist engulfed his erection… Well, who could have blamed him for completely surrendering to Graham’s will and ministrations?

Graham didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. His eyes had gone nearly black with lust, his mind lost in a whirlpool of desire. And when he lowered his mouth over Caelyn’s prick, Caelyn forgot everything else except that lust consuming both of them.

His mate started to bob his head up and down Caelyn’s dick, frantic, as if he needed Caelyn’s spunk more than his next breath. He was hot, volcanic passion, swamping Caelyn, short-circuiting his brain, taking over every cell of his body. Caelyn became a willing slave to it, losing himself in Graham’s wild intensity. He threaded his fingers through his lover’s hair and started to thrust his dick in and out of Graham’s mouth, instinct and need taking over as his rational side burned out in the face of their fiery want.

Their bond guaranteed that he felt everything Graham did, and for that reason, he knew how much Graham enjoyed his submission, how much his mate liked to have him like this, at his mercy. The connection became so strong that Caelyn could almost taste the flavor of his own pre-cum and feel the weight of his own erection on his tongue.

And then, Graham’s dry finger slid into Caelyn’s ass, zeroing in on his prostate. Caelyn actually saw stars. Screaming his mate’s name, he came, filling his lover’s mouth with streams of hot cum.

By some miracle, he managed not to lose consciousness, which was fortunate because it gave him the chance to watch Graham’s sinful mouth gulp down every drop of his seed. Graham’s body was still buzzing with unfulfilled pleasure—Caelyn could feel it through their connection—and yet, the werewolf lingered, licking Caelyn clean.

Caelyn desperately wanted to return to favor. Well, in all reality, he actually needed for Graham to find completion within his body. With regard to Graham, he had become a complete wanton.

For the moment, though, his bones seemed to have melted and he couldn’t move a muscle. But of course, with such a sexy mate, not even that sexual satisfaction could control the impossibly powerful attraction between them. As Caelyn struggled through the aftermath of his mind-numbing orgasm, he saw his mate rummage through the basket and finally come up with a tube of lubricant. Just the sight of that familiar bottle had his dick hardening again and his libido reawakening. It was a visceral, Pavlovian response to the knowledge of what would come. Even if he’d just climaxed, Caelyn felt so relieved he could have sobbed.

Graham toed off his sneakers and quickly got rid of his jeans, revealing the perfect expanse of his body. Caelyn could never get enough of watching his mate’s naked body. Seeing him there, so close and so very handsome, drew a moan out of Caelyn. If Graham didn’t fuck him in the next ten seconds, Caelyn would likely lose his mind.

Fortunately, Graham was right there with him in his desire. He crawled back to Caelyn’s side and lifted Caelyn’s legs onto his shoulders. Caelyn held his breath as his mate positioned his dick at his opening. And then, in one single smooth thrust, Graham slid into Caelyn’s body, his prick burning Caelyn from the inside out.

For a few moments, Graham stilled inside him, giving him the time to adjust. But they’d always fit together just right, and Caelyn’s mate was well aware of that. Holding Caelyn’s gaze with his own, he began to move in and out of him, starting an almost punishing rhythm.

If anyone had asked him what it was like to have sex with his mate, Caelyn didn’t think he could have found adequate words to describe it. The ecstasy of the burn, of the stretch, the way Graham hit his prostate so perfectly had him breathless, but it wasn’t the only thing he experienced. He also sensed Graham’s pleasure, the tightness and the heat of his own body as it squeezed Graham’s dick. The onslaught of sensation overwhelmed his body and his mind. It was so strong that he couldn’t even compute it. For a few moments, it seemed like his very heart would stop at the intensity of it.

But if that would happen, what a way to go. Like an addict seeking his fix, he pushed back against Graham, impaling himself on his mate’s dick, seeking more, always more. Graham gave it to him, fucking him harder and harder. Sweat beaded his brow, and his lip was curled in a near-snarl so familiar it hurt.

It was pure sexual beauty, and they fell together into the dance as old as time. Caelyn’s rapture fueled Graham’s, over and over, the fire becoming fuel for an even brighter flame. Soon, that blaze became too much to withstand, and only a brief thread of unfulfilled need held Caelyn’s orgasm back.

Tilting his head, Caelyn willed his mate to claim him once again. Graham didn’t delay in satisfying his wordless request. Sharp pleasure-pain exploded through Caelyn, and with another ragged cry, he came. Graham thrust inside him one last time and found his peak as well. It felt like Caelyn himself had experienced another climax.

He couldn’t hope to withstand the bliss of their shared orgasm, but as he lost track of reality, he fell into a new one, where his thoughts and Graham’s became one. The perfection of the moment would have caused him to burst into tears if his body hadn’t been too overcome by bliss to allow his tear glands to function.

Caelyn would have liked this to never end, to live within the golden glow of Graham’s love for him forever. But then, in Graham’s mind, he saw something else, another secret Graham had endeavored to keep from him. He saw a ring.

That image was the one that propelled him back to the real world. As he stared up at his mate, Graham slid out of him and said, “Marry me.”

Caelyn truly didn’t know what to say. His mind still hadn’t recovered from his two orgasms, and he hadn’t even managed to catch his breath. His immediate impulse was to say yes, but the shock kept him from speaking.

Acknowledging Caelyn’s need for space, Graham briefly pulled away and reached for the basket again. This time, from inside he retrieved a velvet ring box. Looking nervous, he opened it, showing Caelyn the contents.

“It’s not much,” he said shyly, “or anything like the jewelry you wore as a sprite, but I’d be honored if you accepted it.”

It was a simple yet elegant band, apparently made out of white gold. Graham had chosen a wavy shape, and Caelyn knew that it was because it reminded the werewolf of the fall of his hair. The ring had been engraved with the words, With love, for my angel.

“But we can’t even use our real names,” Caelyn argued, finally finding his words.

“I know,” Graham said, his voice trembling a little as he lifted the ring in his palm. “But what does it matter? We can start a new life, angel. We might have met as Graham Powers and Caelyn Sutharlainn, and we’re still those people, but we can love each other just as well as Graham York and Lincoln Farrington.”

Caelyn still watched him, trying to contain the wild beating of his heart. It didn’t help that Graham was growing increasingly anxious. “I’d planned to be much more suave about this,” the werewolf added, “to sweep you off your feet, as it were, but I simply can’t think when I’m around you.”

Emotion clogged Caelyn’s throat, choking him, keeping him quiet. For once, Graham misinterpreted his silence. With a sound of frustrated embarrassment, he fumbled with the ring, trying to pocket it again.

At that, Caelyn snapped out of his trance and quickly caught his mate’s hand. “Yes,” he said breathlessly. “Jenarra be praised, yes. I want to marry you.”

“Really?” Graham asked, his eyes widening.

Caelyn bit his lip, a little frustrated with himself. He kind of hated Graham’s expression of surprise, and he hated his own original reaction. In fact, he’d have liked to give Graham a token of his affection, too. “I don’t have a ring for you.”

“I took the liberty of getting a second one,” Graham admitted, “well two. For us to exchange at our wedding.”

It was likely the first time Caelyn had seen Graham blush. Technically speaking, by the way of the wolves, they were already bonded, but this would be a beautiful reinforcement of it. Happiness bubbled inside Caelyn, and he pounced on the werewolf, crawling into his mate’s lap. “Ask me again,” he whispered through their mate bond as he pressed his mouth to Graham’s.

Graham immediately took control of the kiss, and somehow still managed to inquire, “Will you marry me, angel?”

“Yes,” Caelyn said again. “A million times yes. I want to be your husband, your mate, your lover. Forever.”

“Forever,” Graham repeated.

As they surrendered to their passion once more, Caelyn knew that Graham had been completely right. They had left their past behind for a love that was their future. Now, they would build something new together, and they’d find their own way in life. Together, as two mates should always be.

Chapter Eight

A few weeks later

Youngsville, Vermont. Karein shook his head in bemusement as he read through the provided report. “Are you sure about this?” he asked his brother.

“As sure as I can be without actually going there,” Hareem answered. “So when are you going after them?”

Karein didn’t reply. He still hadn’t decided what to do about his elusive ex-fiancé. He’d never actually wanted to marry Caelyn Sutharlainn. The sprite was far too young and delicate to withstand the demands of being Karein’s anchor. He’d only agreed because he’d seen the chemistry between Caelyn and that damn werewolf. Anyone was better for Caelyn than that ninth caste mutt, even Karein.

And so, Karein had decided to keep the wolf under lock and key, knowing that Caelyn might attempt a rescue. He’d had a tentative plan of changing the prisoner’s location, but he simply hadn’t managed to do so in time. In fact, nothing had worked out the way he’d hoped.

Still, there was something in that wolf that seemed special. Graham Powers, that was his name, and Karein had chased him and the pack he led for years. He had been determined to keep him from getting to Caelyn at all costs. In fact, that night, he could have killed Graham with ease.

Why hadn’t he done so? He still wasn’t really sure himself. Perhaps he admired his foe’s bravery in facing him, or maybe some part of him had been touched by Caelyn’s strange dedication toward the wolf. The thought displeased him, but he wouldn’t have dwelled too much on it if now he hadn’t found himself reluctant to pursue the two fugitives.

“Any news on who helped them get away?” he asked his brother instead of offering a reply.

“The Sutharlainn have been pretty cooperative in that regard. All evidence points to the royal fae family.”

Of course it did. Because Karein’s life wasn’t already complicated enough. He had to worry about his former engagement breaking a tentative treaty that had lasted for generations before he’d even been born.

Karein stole a look at the painting hanging from his wall. He usually didn’t decorate much, but each of his offices had a piece of artwork depicting his ancestor, Prince Kaelezrin, with his mate, Talrasar.

Whenever Karein found his resolve faltering, he looked at those images and remembered everything that had been lost because of the lower castes. If he wanted to be honest, he’d never particularly liked the Directive, but he had his reasons why he considered it a necessary evil.

Right now, however, his ancestor’s legacy was truly in peril. If it ever came out that the Norrenddare family was behind Caelyn’s escape, Karein’s father would undoubtedly use the information to start a war against the fae.

“We can’t let Father know,” Karein told Hareem. “No matter what, that information has to be kept from him.”

Hareem frowned. “Brother, it’s not so easy. The Sutharlainn aren’t exactly secretive about it. They’re willing to blame anyone for their son’s deed, including the fae royal family. Well, a member of it, at least. Sareltae Norrenddare. Apparently, he and Caelyn were great friends growing up.”

“Sareltae…” Karein said the musical name out loud, trying to remember if he’d ever heard it before. “It doesn’t really ring a bell.”

“I imagine not. It seems he’s a bastard son, although he has a privileged position because his mother is the High Priestess of Jenarra.”

Karein groaned. He could only imagine the deep pool of intrigue he’d have to jump into if he ever touched that family with a ten-foot pole. “Don’t tell Father, at least, not unless he asks you outright. Avoid it as much as you can.”

“Father is not an idiot,” Hareem pointed out. “He has other sources and more spies than anyone else, including me. Likely he knows already. Besides, he is pissed at you for letting them get away in the first place.”

Karein glowered at his sibling. Sometimes, it seemed that Hareem’s favorite activity was to state obvious facts.

“I assure you he made that abundantly clear the last time I went to the palace,” he grumbled.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Karein, would you stop glaring at me? It’s not my fault you scare all your suitors away.”

Karein got up from his seat, making his brother’s eyes widen. “Errr… I didn’t mean that the way it came out,” Hareem stammered.

Hadn’t he? Karein somehow doubted that. But it didn’t matter in the end. Hareem was completely right, regardless. Caelyn was the fourth failed engagement so far. Every time, men and women vied for his favor, seeking the privileges, wealth, and importance being his mate would naturally bring. They inevitably changed their minds once they got to know him a little better.

“Of course, this is the first time you were abandoned for a werewolf,” Hareem emphasized unhelpfully.

Karein took a deep breath as his dragon reared out of him. He angrily pulled it back, leashing it with the strength built up from a lifetime of discipline. This time, it yielded to his mastery, but how much longer would it submit to Karein’s reason? His two hundredth birthday was rapidly approaching, like a death sentence for him, and for many others.

“Stop saying useless shit,” he snapped at Hareem. “I don’t need you to piss me off on top of everything else.”

Hareem winced. “Sorry. It’s just…I don’t understand you, Karein. If you go get Caelyn and the mutt, you’ll calm Father down and that will be the end of it. We’ll manage to avoid the conflict with the fae.”

Karein snorted. “And you’ll succeed in drawing attention from yourself. I imagine it wouldn’t be good for you if Father learns what you’re hiding in your quarters.”

Hareem’s eyes flashed with icy anger. “Don’t play games with me, brother. You might be commander over the Wyverns, but I’m the heir apparent. You and I have always understood each other perfectly. We’re not friends. We are allies. So mind your own business, and I won’t ask you why the fuck you let the werewolf go that night.”

Of course Hareem had realized what Karein had done. He might not be the strategist Karein was, but they knew each other too well to have deception between them. Karein actually suspected that Hareem could one day become an outstanding emperor. For now, though, thinking about it or even mentioning it could be considered treason. Their father, Emperor Kavehquader, had no compassion for any shifter, and his children were no exception.

“It’s your ass on the line, not mine,” he replied, shrugging. “Just don’t think you can manipulate me.”

“This might be useful for me, I admit,” Hareem shot back, “but you have to realize that it is the only way. For the Overlords, brother, you’re the Dog-Catcher. Take the Wyverns and wipe those two off the face of the Earth. It’s the perfect solution.”

Karein plopped back down on his chair. “Leave me. I need to think on this.”

Hareem huffed, but stalked out of the office. Sighing, Karein buried his face in his hands. In hindsight, he should have known better than to order his brother around, but his dragon was still straining against the frayed edges of his control. All the while, he kept remembering Caelyn’s face as it had been that night, and Graham’s words as he lay in the grip of Karein’s power. “You’re filth, Dog-Catcher, and that won’t ever change. No one will ever love you.”

Was it true? Was he doomed to never find his anchor and succumb to the very power that had made him so ruthless?

Once again, Karein looked at the painting of Talrasar and Kaelezrin. Kael was the last known dragon to have Karein’s powers. The irony of it was that he had found his mate and anchor in Talrasar, but they hadn’t lived to enjoy it. Did this magic come with a curse?

Perhaps. But if Karein was condemned to die, he’d make sure the alliance with the fae remained secured. At the very least, he could do that. In honor of the past and in hope for a better future, Caelyn Sutharlainn and his werewolf had to die.

* * * *

Graham bounced from foot to foot, looking at his watch. Caelyn was late. What if he’d changed his mind? What if he thought it was a terrible idea, after all?

“Relax,” Bill Liverman said by his side. “He probably got ambushed by your friends. I know Carol was very excited about it.”

Graham chuckled at the memory. It was true. When he and Caelyn had announced they were getting married, Caroline had squealed so loudly Graham could have sworn she had some dolphin-shifter genes. She’d hugged them both and immediately begun to make plans, including location, what they were going to wear, who was going to marry them, and so on and so forth.

Although Graham had originally planned to take care of everything himself, he found that the involvement of their new friends made both him and Caelyn happy. It made sense, in a way. He’d been Alpha once, and while he’d left those days behind, he still craved that togetherness, the feeling of belonging to something greater. Caelyn gave him that, but in a different way.

Therefore, Graham and Caelyn had ended up inviting all their human friends to their celebration. It would be a small wedding, with just a handful of people, but it suited them just fine. All the members of the Connors family were, of course, among the guests, along with Graham’s boss, Bill.

With Caroline’s help, they’d found the perfect venue, a small resort next to Montpelier, set in the middle of nature. A floral arbor overlooking a lovely lake would be the backdrop of the ceremonies. The staff had already placed seats for the guests, and the justice of the peace had arrived.

Only the second groom, Caroline, and Raleigh were missing. From the first row of the seats, James Connors tsked. “I swear, those kids are going to delay the entire ceremony.”

His wife, Beth, patted his hand comfortingly. “They’re romantic. They want it all to be perfect.”

James’s brother, Mark, snorted. “Nothing’s perfect, no matter how much you try.”

“Would you stop chattering?” Bill demanded, crossing his arms over his muscular chest. “You’re making the groom even more nervous.”

For a man well into his fifties, Bill still looked very fit. A life working on cars had toned his muscles, making him appear stronger than people ten years younger. However, his hair had gone completely gray when his only son had gone missing in Afghanistan. He smoked a lot and spoke little, but he’d been very good to Graham and had immediately accepted being best man.

And as always, Bill was completely correct. Graham’s nerves were starting to get to him. He was very tempted to just use his mate bond with Caelyn to investigate his mate’s location, but Caelyn had made him promise he wouldn’t do so. Apparently, the sprite had prepared a few surprises of his own.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, a horse-drawn carriage pulled up on the hill and came to a halt. Graham’s breath caught as a vision of beauty stepped out of the vehicle.

Caelyn was wearing sprite-style robes. One shoulder was left uncovered, but the rest of his marble white skin was covered by the high-collared garment. The result was like a cross between an Indian sherwani and a Chinese cheongsam, hugging his body to perfection while keeping a strict, elegant cut. His eyes were lined with dark make-up, just like they had been when Graham had first seen him.

Graham had never a seen a sprite wedding, but he imagined Caelyn’s current clothes resembled what he’d have worn back home. However, there were two clear differences that shattered the illusion. A pendant with a stylized wolf hung from his neck, a clear reference to Graham’s shifter nature. And he was wearing sneakers.

It might have seemed like an odd choice, except Graham saw the meaning behind it. Ironically, he’d done something similar. For his outfit, he had chosen elegant tuxedo pants, but only a loose simple shirt as a top. He’d have gone bare-chested if not for the concern that he’d shock his human audience. For jewelry, he had chosen a pendant depicting an angel in flight.

“I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me,” Bill muttered by his side, “although he looks better than you.”

“Of course he does,” Graham replied numbly. “My angel looks good in anything.”

Caelyn’s voice drifted into his mind, soft and loving. “And here I thought I had to put effort into my appearance. All that time wasted.”

“Not wasted,” Graham rushed to reassure his mate. “Certainly not wasted.”

Caelyn made his way to Graham’s side, walking as if in slow motion. Reality seemed to pass in a staccato rhythm. One moment, Caelyn was standing next to the carriage, and the next, he’d advanced halfway across the makeshift aisle. Graham’s mind spun with desire, want, and love, and by the time Caelyn reached him, he was ready to howl, sob, and kiss the life out of Caelyn.

Instead, he took Caelyn’s hand and turned toward the justice of the peace. The man began by greeting them all, welcoming them to the ceremony, and speaking a few words about the meaning of marriage. Graham listened patiently, willing him to speak faster.

It was likely strange of him to think this way. By the ways of the shifters, he was already bonded to Caelyn. But he wanted Caelyn to have a ceremony, and he wanted to celebrate it like this, with the rites of his new pack, a pack of humans.

At last, the moment came for them to say their vows. They had picked a traditional commitment reading of the Pueblo Indian, in deference to Graham’s shifter background. American Indians had a strong connection with werewolves, which was one of the reasons why they had suffered so much upon the expansion of the white man in the United States.

In English, Graham said, “Before we met, you and I were halves unjoined except in the wide rivers of our minds. We were each other’s distant shore, the opposite wings of a bird, the other half of a seashell. We did not know the other then, did not know our determination to keep alive the cry of one riverbank to the other. We were apart, yet connected in our ignorance of each other, like two apples sharing a common tree. Remember, Lini?”

Caelyn took a deep breath and continued, “I knew you existed long before you understood my desire to join my freedom to yours. Our paths collided long enough for our indecision to be swallowed up by the greater need of love. When you came to me, the sun surged toward the earth and the moon escaped from darkness to bless the union of two spirits, so alike that the creator had designed them for life’s endless circle. Graham, beloved partner, keeper of my heart’s odd secrets, clothed in summer blossoms so the icy hand of winter never touches us, I thank your patience. Our joining is like a tree to earth, a cloud to sky, and even more. We are the reason the world can laugh on its battlefields and rise from the ashes of its selfishness to hear me say, in this time, this place, this way—I loved you best of all.”

Completing this part of their vows, Graham repeated, “In this time, this place, this way—I loved you best of all.”

Okay, so maybe the vow in itself was a little flowery, but Graham liked it, and he respected its original creators. They almost seemed to have written down an exact depiction of how he felt for Caelyn, in a way he’d never have thought of. He’d have been a little embarrassed to say all that, but somehow, it came out naturally.

For their part, the humans seemed touched. In the first row of the seats, Beth Connors dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief. By Caelyn’s side, Caroline leaned against Raleigh, looking like she was going to cry as well. Huh? When had they gotten there? Graham hadn’t even seen them arrive. Of course, that was likely because his focus had been completely on Caelyn. He had to say that he disagreed with the assessment of Mark Connors. Nothing was perfect, but one exception did exist. Caelyn.

But they hadn’t finished with their vows just yet. Passing into the sprite tongue, Caelyn said, “In the name of Jenarra, I take you, Graham Powers, as my mate.” As he spoke, he retrieved Graham’s ring from his robes and slid it onto Graham’s finger. Engraved with the words, I am yours, my beloved, it felt comforting and solid around Graham’s digit, just like their bond around his heart. “May Jenarra forever bless us with days as bright as the sun’s rays and nights as fiery as its heat.”

“In the name of the gods, I take you, Caelyn Sutharlainn, as my mate,” Graham added. Since werewolves didn’t have a wedding ritual they spoke in words, Caelyn had taught him what to say. Fortunately, it hadn’t been very hard since Graham had already known a little of the sprite language. He experienced a brief moment of panic when he didn’t find the ring in his pocket, but Bill quickly provided him with the item. “May they forever bless us with love, togetherness, family, and security,” he finished, sliding the ring onto Caelyn’s finger. It was a larger version of the engagement ring, with the same words that had been written on the original band.

The humans didn’t understand the final words of the ceremony, but Caelyn and Graham had told them in advance that they would be saying something in Caelyn’s mother tongue, although they hadn’t offered any further details on that.

Of course, they were all puzzled, as evidenced by Caroline’s soft inquiry. “What language is that?” she whispered in Raleigh’s ear.

“I don’t have a clue,” Raleigh replied. “Now be quiet.”

Grinning and holding tightly onto his mate’s hand, Graham turned toward the justice of the peace. The man looked quite touched as well, but nevertheless said, “Graham York, Lincoln Farrington, by the power vested in me by the State of Vermont, I pronounce you wed. You may kiss.”

Graham did exactly that. Pulling his mate into his arms, he crushed their mouths together. Was it possible for Caelyn to taste sweeter and sweeter every day? It seemed unlikely, and yet, time and again, his mate proved him different.

As Caelyn melted in his embrace, cheers erupted around them from their friends. They weren’t many here since, sadly, they hadn’t been able to invite their loved ones from the paranormal world. Graham would have liked to have his brother and Philip here, and Caelyn had wanted to invite Sari and Eanera. But it wasn’t realistically possible, so they’d settled for this discreet ceremony with only a handful of humans.

Graham could have easily gone on kissing Caelyn forever, but their friends were waiting. Whose bright idea had been to invite them again? Right, he’d thought it would be nice to have a human pack. He had to admit that now, the only thing he wanted was to be alone with his mate, his new husband.

As they broke the kiss, Caelyn laughed breathlessly. “You’re insatiable,” he whispered through their bond.

“How can I not be when I have you as my mate?”

Still smiling, Caelyn turned toward their guests. Amidst the sound of applause, he said, “And now, we’ve prepared a small reception for everyone here, to thank you for your presence here,” he said. “The staff of the resort is waiting.”

He spoke so smoothly and elegantly that Graham realized just how well the life of a prince would have suited Caelyn. But even now, when he had no title, he maintained his aristocratic bearing. Graham might have felt guilty at stealing Caelyn from his people, but he was too aroused to think about anything but shattering that facade of perfect politeness.

“Soon, beloved,” Caelyn promised him through their bond. He seemed to be completely focused on their friends, but actually, his mind was filled with erotic images and desires. Graham’s knees almost buckled as his mate started to daydream about dropping to his knees and sucking Graham’s cock.

From his point of view, soon couldn’t come quick enough.

Chapter Nine

“And those vows were so incredibly touching.” Beth squeezed Caelyn’s arm, sniffing slightly. “Oh, James never said anything so beautiful to me in his entire life. He’s about as romantic as a rock.”

Caelyn chuckled at the woman’s words. She was quickly becoming a motherly figure for him, although she couldn’t have been more different than his own parent. Britanni was pure sprite elegance, willowy, always poised, and dressed in the latest fashion, but that beauty often felt cold. Meanwhile, Elizabeth didn’t have all those adornments. Her generous bosom and curves didn’t hold up to the sprite standard of beauty, and her hair held far too many gray strands. But her brown eyes always shone with kindness, and even when she admonished her son or niece, she did so affectionately.

“I’m sure he loves you a great deal,” he replied. “I mean, how could he not?”

Beth actually burst into laughter and took a sip of champagne from her glass. “Did you hear this boy, James? If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was lying.”

“Nope,” Caroline said as she leaned against Caelyn’s shoulder. “You know what they say. The good ones are always gay or taken.”

“Or both,” Raleigh offered, smirking. Leaning closer to Caelyn, he whispered, “I’m personally interested in that hot man you’ve left all by his lonesome. I don’t suppose you’d be interested in sharing?”

Caelyn playfully punched Raleigh in the chest. “Sorry, but no.”

Raleigh had a point, though. The celebration had been fun, more than Caelyn had imagined, but now, it was time for them to have a little party of their own. Besides, he was having the hardest time keeping his latest secret to himself and not screaming it to the winds like he wanted to.

Graham abandoned the conversation he’d been having with Bill and slid to Caelyn’s side. “You don’t mind if I steal him away, do you?”

Caroline grinned. “I’m actually surprised you haven’t done so already. As much as I enjoy Lini’s company, a wedding is for the couple.”

“Nah.” Raleigh wiggled his brows. “That’s the wedding night.”

“And speaking of which,” Graham said, “I do believe I reserved a suite for me and my…new husband.”

Caelyn’s face flamed at the suggestiveness in Graham’s tone, although he did note the brief pause. It wasn’t that Graham hadn’t gotten used to the idea of being married to Caelyn. Rather, the first thing that came to the werewolf’s mind and lips when he thought of Caelyn was mate. And really, even if today they’d also become husbands in the eyes of their human friends, Caelyn wouldn’t have had it any other way.

In the well-wishes of the friends, Caelyn took Graham’s hand and stepped out of the room. It might have seemed a little selfish, but he had faith that his guests would be able to tend to themselves and have fun together without Caelyn present. He was just so happy that they all understood him so well. He was happy, period, maybe more than he should have been.

Their marriage had involved expenses, yes, but it hadn’t been anything beyond their budget. However, a part of Caelyn still remained unsettled. Not having Sari and his family here reminded him of everything that could still go wrong.

As they walked down the hallway of the bed and breakfast they had rented for their party, Graham suddenly stopped. He picked Caelyn up in his arms, holding him as if he were a bride, not a groom.

“Graham?” Caelyn asked in bemusement.

“Shh,” Graham said, sounding strikingly focused. “Just relax and enjoy.”

Caelyn obeyed, relaxing in Graham’s embrace. As his mate started to walk up the wooden stairs of the building, Graham continued, “Mark said something today, while we were waiting for you. He said that nothing’s perfect. But I don’t want that to be true. I want this day to be perfect, just for you.”

Caelyn practically melted. He still couldn’t believe how this man had ever thought he wasn’t romantic. There were so many things he would have liked to say, in words or thoughts, but instead, he flooded their bond with the love that swamped him, the same love he had declared to Graham today in front of their friends.

In response, Graham sped up, moving as quickly as he could without risking revealing his paranormal nature to the humans around them. At last, they reached their quarters and rushed inside, both of them bursting with eagerness to couple.

Graham closed the door behind them and carried Caelyn to the bed. He deposited Caelyn onto the mattress, and he quickly joined him. All pretense of normality was abandoned, and his claws emerged, piercing the material of his wedding garb. “I want to fuck you with this on.”

“I don’t think that’s a very good idea,” Caelyn somehow managed to croak out. “You’ll rip it. I want to save it for our child’s wedding day.”

Graham froze with his hand on Caelyn’s hip as Caelyn opened his mind and revealed the secret he’d kept tightly hidden in his heart. It was a very new thing, which was likely the only reason Graham hadn’t figured it out already. By rights, Caelyn himself shouldn’t have been so sure, but he knew his body well, and he felt a new spark inside him, one that hadn’t been there before, the spark of an incipient life.

“A child.” Graham pulled away, looking dazed. “When? How?”

Caelyn snickered at the lost expression on Graham’s expression. “I’m pretty sure I don’t have to explain how. Surely you must know men of my people can give birth, too.”

Graham nodded, although he likely didn’t have a full understanding of how it worked. Most mammal-shifters, werewolves included, didn’t have male pregnancy, and given Graham’s sexual orientation, he’d probably not given too much thought to having a child.

Sprites didn’t have those limitations, at least not fully. Granted, not all male sprites could get pregnant. Those who did were generally more delicate-looking, like Caelyn, and some people argued, more powerful.

Either way, Caelyn had been reluctant to say anything about it before it had become an issue. Now, he admitted that he felt a little nervous as to how his mate would react. Would Graham be angry about it? Would he hate the idea of becoming a parent? There was also the obvious consequence that, once the pregnancy started showing, they’d have to find a more secluded place for Caelyn to give birth. Not to mention that being on the run with a newborn wasn’t exactly the perfect position to be in.

As if broken from a trance, Graham reached for him and gently cupped his cheek. “Just when I think that you can’t possibly surprise me or give me any more than you already have, you come up with something like this. You truly are an angel from the gods. Don’t worry about a thing. We’ll handle it all together.”

Caelyn’s breath caught, and he berated himself for even doubting his mate. “You don’t mind?” he heard himself ask, regardless.

“Mind?” Graham repeated, a touch of disbelief in his voice. “If I were any happier, I’d think it was all a dream.”

Caelyn couldn’t take it anymore. He reached out to his mate, whispering, “Come to me, beloved. I need you.”

Graham hesitated, clenching his fists once, then a second time. “Is it safe? I don’t want to hurt you, or the baby.”

Oh, no, Caelyn wasn’t letting him get away with that. Graham looked furiously aroused, but also completely serious about leaving both of them hanging if it meant keeping Caelyn and their unborn child safe.

But that cautiousness wasn’t necessary, and Caelyn had no plans of going ten months without sex. With a growl that could have rivaled one of Graham’s, he pinned the werewolf against the mattress. As Graham’s back hit the bed, Caelyn crawled onto his mate’s lap, rubbing his ass against the werewolf’s crotch. “You’d never hurt me, beloved.”

Graham’s hands landed on Caelyn’s hips again. “My wolf—”

“I love it, like I love every part of you,” Caelyn said, interrupting his lover. “Now, shh… We just got married. Let’s enjoy it, shall we?”

Under normal circumstances, Graham was the one who did all the work. Both of them were always very eager for each other, but Graham overwhelmed Caelyn with his desire, leaving Caelyn unable to do much of anything.

Now, though, it was up to Caelyn to seduce his still-reluctant mate. Remembering one of their older conversations, he grinned down at Graham. “But maybe I haven’t been convincing enough.”

Still holding his mate’s gaze, he reached for the buttons holding his garment in place. He and Caroline had struggled for weeks to get it just right. She had helped him craft it exactly after his indications, which fortunately meant that, unlike with traditional sprite wedding garbs, he could take it off himself.

Undoing the button of his high collar, he then proceeded to focus on his zipper. As he lowered it, he tossed his hair, wiggling out of the top part of the garment. Sadly, to finish the job, he had to leave Graham’s lap. He quickly did so and toed off his sneakers. Getting up next to the bed, he shimmied his hips, which effectively made his robes pool at his feet.

The result was more than satisfactory. Graham clenched his fists into the sheets, looking seconds away from pouncing on Caelyn. Hiding a self-satisfied smile, Caelyn congratulated himself for choosing to forgo underwear. He lowered his fist over his already-insistent erection, brushing his thumb over the leaking tip. His own touch felt good, but more so because of the heat in Graham’s eyes as his mate watched him.

Caelyn crawled back onto the bed and straddled Graham’s face. Since the werewolf was all Alpha and always tended to take control, they’d never done this before, but Caelyn wasn’t averse to trying something new. He brushed his cock over Graham’s lips, teasing his mate with just a taste of him. Graham opened his mouth, lust and need pouring off him and flooding their connection, making Caelyn high on the drug of his mate’s emotions.

Unable to hold back, Caelyn thrust his cock into Graham’s mouth. Graham released a groan, sucking Caelyn in, all the way into his throat. Caelyn tried to continue his plan of seduction, he did, but the delicious suction short-circuited every synapse of his brain. He completely lost control, moving almost mindlessly in and out of his mate’s wet cavern.

He never had much resilience when Graham was involved, and soon, he was on the brink of coming, so close to climax it seemed ridiculous. In fact, he was practically on the edge of falling into the abyss of rapture when, out of the blue, Graham pushed him off.

Eyes widening, Caelyn fell back on the pillows. His cock protested being denied the volcanic heat of Graham’s mouth, but he didn’t have the chance to protest. Any words he might have said died in his throat as Graham slid off the bed and started to take his clothes off.

The werewolf’s fierce intensity might have been scary for anyone else, but it just aroused Caelyn. A man on a mission, Graham got rid of his clothing. Surprisingly enough, he was more careful than usual, perhaps wanting to preserve the memory of their wedding day just like Caelyn had. In spite of this, though, he managed to discard his shirt, slacks, and shoes on the floor. He found a tube of lubricant, which they had prepared beforehand, and returned to the bed.

Already burning with lust, Caelyn lifted his legs, exposing his hole to his mate’s inspection. In response, Graham opened the bottle of lube and poured a generous amount on his fingers. Reaching behind Caelyn, Graham rubbed one slick digit against Caelyn’s opening. Caelyn arched his back, his anus clenching and begging for more. “Hurry,” he gasped out. “Please, beloved. Inside me.”

“Patience, angel,” Graham answered huskily. “All in due time.”

No matter how much their lust for each other was urging them on, Graham seemed to have no plans to rush things. He slid a finger inside Caelyn with excruciating, almost exasperating gentleness. When Caelyn would have impaled himself on those fingers, Graham held onto his hip, preventing him from moving.

Caelyn could do nothing but allow his mate to decide how this was going to go. With an expression of complete concentration, Graham moved his digit in and out of Caelyn’s passage. As Graham’s fingertip brushed against Caelyn’s prostate, though, Caelyn couldn’t prevent a gasp. Graham hesitated briefly, driving Caelyn into sheer despair. Thankfully, the mate bond saved him from having to endure pointless but adoring questions like, “Are you all right?” Yes, he was perfectly fine. He just needed to be fucked.

Graham chuckled, having probably intercepted his thoughts. He didn’t speak, but he did add another finger into Caelyn’s ass. He started to scissor them inside Caelyn, stretching him, preparing him for what was to come. The light touch provided teasing sensations that only encouraged the lust building up to unbearable proportions inside Caelyn.

It was, again, fortunate that Graham felt what he did. As dedicated as the werewolf was to Caelyn’s safety and comfort, he couldn’t withstand the heat of their own need. The savagery of his beast roared just beneath the surface. Caelyn could hear it, almost see the wolf pacing. One more time, he called out, “Beloved, please… Graham!”

This time, he couldn’t even say the words out loud, but he did convey it through their bond. It might have been better this way, because the intimacy of it finally cracked Graham’s precious control. Snarling, Graham removed his fingers from Caelyn’s ass and used more lube, this time applying on his dick. Supporting Caelyn’s legs on his muscular shoulders, the werewolf positioned his dick at Caelyn’s opening and pushed.

Caelyn screamed as his mate’s erection pierced his body. This, this was what he’d craved. Nothing could make him complete except the feeling of Graham’s prick inside him. Unfortunately, his shout caused Graham to still inside him. Mindful of Caelyn’s safety, Graham was nevertheless close to exploding out of sheer sexual need. His thoughts were a whirlwind in Caelyn’s brain. “Ah, shit, so tight… No, wait. Need to keep him safe. Gods above, angel. Oh, fuck, please.”

“Yes, fuck, please,” Caelyn echoed. “Now.”

To illustrate what he had in mind, Caelyn tightened his muscles around Graham’s dick. At last, Graham succumbed to the passion between them. He pulled out of Caelyn’s ass and thrust back inside. His testicles slapped against Caelyn’s cheeks as he started fucking Caelyn in earnest.

Caelyn clutched Graham’s shoulders to anchor himself in a world that was quickly started to blur. Molten lava coursed through Caelyn’s veins as his mate’s dick pounded inside him, stretching him so beautifully. Graham might have said that Caelyn was the perfect one, but no. The reality was that the two of them, individually, had flaws, but when they came together, they completed each other, like yin and yang.

Caelyn pushed back against his mate, feeling like he was going to explode. The sexual tension gathering all throughout the day consumed him, so much so that he couldn’t even remember anything beyond, “Yes, yes, please, make me come. Claim me.” His cock ached with painful, unfulfilled desire, and his orgasm seemed so close it was burning in his spine, in his balls.

And then, Graham finally gave him the last thing he needed. He buried his fangs in Caelyn’s flesh, groaning as their connection flared to brilliant life. Screaming his mate’s name, Caelyn exploded, sending streams of hot white cum all over his own chest and Graham’s.

Still holding onto Caelyn’s throat, Graham found his peak as well, filling Caelyn’s ass with his spunk. Their shared orgasm flowed through both of them like a powerful river, carrying them to a place where only the absolute truth of their connection remained.

There, in that special world, they found the spark Caelyn had instinctively felt. Only from a spark, it exploded into a light so bright that it nearly blinded Caelyn, or would have if he’d been bound by physical limitations. Instead, he was filled by a cascade of love, his love for Graham and his unborn child, Graham’s near-worshipful adoration of Caelyn and his genuine joy at the prospect of becoming a parent, and the shy, tentative touch of that new life. For a few beautiful moments, or perhaps for eternity, there were simply no boundaries between Caelyn and the two souls so dear to him.

Sexual pleasure melded and mixed with emotions so strong they seemed impossible. When the high of the climax finally began to fade, those feelings followed him into the real world. And as Graham finally released his hold on Caelyn’s neck and looked at him, Caelyn met his gaze, his vision blurry with tears.

“Thank you, beloved. Thank you.”

He didn’t even know what, in specific, he was thanking his mate for, but Graham understood him regardless. Even as he slid out of Caelyn’s body, he smiled brightly and replied, “No, angel. Thank you.”

Chapter Ten

As a werewolf and a member of the ninth caste, Graham had never had time to slow down and relax while just holding a lover in his arms. The knowledge that the draechen pursued him had always been at the forefront of his mind, keeping him on the alert.

It was this instinct he had cultivated during all those years as an Alpha that woke him. One moment, he lay slumbering on the bed next to Caelyn, and the next, he felt something was very wrong.

His eyes shot open, and he scanned the room, instantly on the alert. It didn’t take him long to realize how much he had failed his mate.

Prince Shtamakarein Tersain sat on the armchair, cross-legged and reading through a leaflet advertising the resort. “Nice little place they have here,” he commented as he looked toward Graham. “Very…quaint.”

Panic rose within Graham. His first instinct was to cover Caelyn with the sheets. While that gave his naked mate some modesty, it wouldn’t protect him from the hatred of the draechen. And their child… Oh, sweet gods.

Damn it. Damn it all to hell. He’d been so sure they were safe. He’d taken all the precautions necessary. Staying in Youngsville had been a calculated risk, although he had planned to leave shortly after the wedding, especially given the news he’d just received. But there had been no sign, nothing to indicate that the draechen were on to them.

It hadn’t been the first time he’d been on the run from the Dog-Catcher, and he had always managed to avoid capture before. Caelyn might not have realized it, but Youngsville had been the perfect hiding place. Then again, perhaps it had been too perfect.

As if guessing Graham’s thoughts, Shtamakarein hummed thoughtfully. “Don’t beat yourself up,” he said. “It did take me quite a long time to find you here. Do you have any idea how many towns just like Youngsville exist in the whole of the United States?”

Just as the draechen prince finished asking this, Caelyn stirred, Graham’s panic waking him from his sexually-induced exhaustion. “Beloved, what…”

He trailed off and paled when his eyes fell on Shtamakarein. “Karein…” he whispered softly.

Graham twitched at the familiar address. He had always disliked the fact that Caelyn thought of the Dog-Catcher in those terms. It meant nothing, but Caelyn’s old engagement to Graham’s worst enemy was still a sore spot for him.

And the Dog-Catcher knew it, damn him. He got up, smirking as he looked from Caelyn to Graham and back. “I have to admit I see the appeal of both of you. I can already tell you two have a lot of fun together. Isn’t that right, my dear fiancé?”

Caelyn winced. “Look, Karein, I’m sorry I deceived you, but there was no other way. I love Graham.”

The fake pleasantness on Shtamakarein’s face melted into something dark and unyielding. “Do you remember what I told you that day, Caelyn? Do you remember what I said during our dance?”

“You said many things then,” Caelyn replied without missing a beat.

“Indeed, I did, and it was all useless. You didn’t understand that it wasn’t me that you needed to fear. And now, it’s too late.”

Those words were Graham’s only warning before Shtamakarein lunged for them. He moved so quickly, frighteningly so, but Graham had been waiting for him to make a move. Before the draechen prince could reach them, he leapt at Shtamakarein, shifting in midair. “Run,” he sent to his mate through their bond. “Go.”

He was well aware that he couldn’t possibly face the draechen in battle and win. But if he could at least stall for a little while, he’d give Caelyn the chance to escape. He had to make sure his mate and child were safe, and he’d do so, even if he had to sacrifice himself for it.

They had a single thing that could help them, although Graham knew better than to rely on it. A crossbow, one that Raul had given to them when they’d left New York. The bolts it used were diamond-tipped, and according to Raul, could even pierce dragon scales.

Out of pure precaution, or perhaps anticipating this, Graham had brought the weapon along. But it was in their bag, out of Graham’s reach. To get to it, Graham would have to go through Shtamakarein.

He might have been able to do so if things had been like before, but this time, though, the Dog-Catcher didn’t seem inclined to play games or show any mercy. No sooner had their bodies come into contact than Graham felt that strange power seep into his body, draining his strength. He managed to scratch his opponent’s chest and shred his shirt, but that was just a minor annoyance, barely even succeeding to draw his attention.

“Graham!” Caelyn shouted, immediately rushing to his side.

“Angel, you have to get out of here,” Graham replied with his last remaining strength.

“How could I possibly leave you?” Caelyn slowly caressed Graham’s fur, his eyes filling with tears.

“It’s all over now,” Shtamakarein said, looming behind Caelyn.

Caelyn’s spine went rigid. As he looked away from Graham, the room began to shake. “It’s not even begun.”

* * * *

Despair and fury exploded through Caelyn. He didn’t know what Karein had done to Graham, but he refused to just back down without a fight. He wouldn’t abandon his mate in the draechen’s clutches.

“You have to, angel. He doesn’t realize how powerful you are. Get the crossbow. Distract him somehow and run. You need to live for our child.”

It was such a horrible choice to make, and the hopelessness of the situation, the sorrow, agony, and loss rushed out of him, transformed into power. The same armchair Karein had been sitting on flew at the draechen prince, hitting Caelyn’s foe. Karein grunted, but didn’t fall, catching the item of furniture with very little effort. Frowning, he narrowed his eyes at Caelyn. “Interesting,” he said as he threw the armchair aside with a lazy gesture. “It seems the dog taught you to bite.”

Caelyn didn’t deign that with a reply. Instead, he focused every drop of power within him, attacking Karein with everything he had. Lamps shattered, windows broke, the flooring cracked and even the wallpaper peeled back. All the while, he focused on the bag and the item he knew to be inside. He had thought it unnecessary when Graham had packed it, but now, it had become their only hope.

Using his power, Caelyn summoned the crossbow and six bolts to him. The weapon flew at him. With some difficulty, Caelyn caught them, only to find himself facing a new problem. He was no elf. He had no idea how to use the damn weapon.

“You must be joking.” The draechen prince scoffed. “Bolts, Caelyn? I’ve taken bullets and survived without a scratch.”

Caelyn ignored him. In the end, he didn’t need the crossbow to propel the bolts. Through the sheer force of his mind, he propelled the projectiles at Karein.

His aim was true. Karein managed to dodge three of the bolts, but the other three hit their target, striking Karein in the shoulder, stomach, and leg. All the while, Caelyn threw pure telekinetic force at the draechen, struggling to push him back.

That wave of power threw Karein back, and with a hopeful gasp, Caelyn grabbed his mate’s fallen body and started to carry him away. Even if sprites weren’t known for their advanced physical strength, he was stronger than a human his size would have been. Trying to help him, Graham shifted back into his legged form.

They didn’t have time to make their escape, though. An angry roar sounded behind them, and through the corner of his eye, Caelyn caught sight of Karein pulling out the bolts in brisk, efficient motions. Before Caelyn could try anything else again, Karein had reached his side once again.

“Do you know what my ability is, little Caelyn?” he asked. “I drain and manipulate energy. Nothing you do can harm me.”

He passed a finger over Caelyn’s cheek and just like that, any opposition Caelyn might have tried to put up crumbled. With a gasp, Caelyn dropped to his knees, his mate falling right next to him.

“I see that you prepared some surprises for me.” Karein glared at them. “Tell me, Caelyn, exactly where did you get these very interesting weapons?”

Caelyn stubbornly held his tongue. The last thing he wanted was to implicate someone else in this disaster. “So, your fae friend,” Karein concluded, growling. “Just perfect.”

As if things hadn’t already been bad enough, Karein leaned in closer, “Hmmm… Wait a second. Something’s different about you.”

Caelyn tried to hide it, to keep the beauty of the new life within him from being tainted by the hatred of the draechen. Karein’s powers, though, seemed to read him like an open book. “You little fool.” Karein cursed. “How could you be so irresponsible as to bring a child into this?”

“And what’s your solution, draechen?” Graham shot back, finally finding his voice. “You’d keep the entire ninth caste from reproducing, just so that you can control us. But guess what? You can’t touch that child. He’s also half-sprite.”

It was true. The Shifter Directive clearly forbade shape-changers from reproducing outside their own caste, with a few exceptions. But magical creatures weren’t bound by the Directive, and so, Graham and Caelyn could legally have as many children they wanted.

It was also true that the Directive had been largely meant to control the reproductive process of the lower castes. In the beginning, it had been a huge problem since even if draechen-shifters had been far more powerful, their numbers had been insignificant at best. Now, though, the balance had completely shifted, and Caelyn and his new family were right in the middle of the chaos.

“You think the Directive will protect you.” Karein glowered at them. “You’re more foolish than I thought.”

Karein’s tone sent a wave of dread through Caelyn. “W–what do you mean?” he stammered.

He knew what they risked, and he was realistic enough to realize that, under the circumstances, their lives might very well be forfeit. But he at least had hope that his unborn child would be spared, if only to live as a member of the ninth caste, under the leadership of the draechen.

“Don’t listen to him, angel,” Graham said. “He’s just trying to hurt you through his words.”

Karein released a frustrated sound. “Look at me, werewolf,” Karein said. As Graham obeyed and angrily glanced toward him, he continued, “My father will torture you for ten months, ripping you apart slowly, until no inch of you is left unscathed. And then, when your child is born, he’ll tear that baby limb from limb. When he is done, he’ll proceed to your mate, and you will beg for death as you watch him destroy everything you’ve ever held dear. Do you understand, Graham Powers? Do you finally grasp your position?”

Karein’s father, Emperor Kavehquader Tersain. It hadn’t occurred to Caelyn that he might take a personal interest in the issue, which had probably been foolish of him. Of course he had. Caelyn’s behavior, the fact that he’d broken a promise toward his son, was a humiliation that Kavehquader could never allow.

“Why should we believe you?” Graham asked Karein, trying to get up, but failing. “You’ve only ever been known to hunt down my kind.”

“Yes,” Karein answered, crossing his arms over his chest, “I do hunt you down. It’s my job as commander of the Wyverns. But I have never, ever lied regarding my intentions. I have no reason to lie now. After all, I’ve already caught you.”

He was right. Karein had already defeated them, and prolonging this further would be useless to him. It might have seemed like a petty sort of vengeance, but there were far more effective tools that could be used for that purpose.

From that line of thought, it naturally followed that Karein was telling the truth. Trembling, more afraid than ever, Caelyn clutched Graham’s hand as tightly as he could. Was there truly no hope? Were they truly doomed?

“Angel, we’ll find a way,” Graham said desperately through their bond. “We’ll come up with something to escape.”

But even as Graham said this, Caelyn realized he didn’t truly believe it. It was unlikely that anyone could assist them now. Caelyn couldn’t possibly expect Sari to help him again. It had been difficult the first time, let alone now, when they had basically become enemies of the throne. Even Graham, with all his natural skepticism toward draechen words, could hear the stark truth in Karein’s words. They were all alone, helpless in the face of their fate.

Unless… Caelyn glanced up Karein, wondering. The draechen prince didn’t have to tell them all this. He could have already knocked them out and taken them to his father, forgetting all about them. Caelyn had lied to him and attacked him, and yet, Karein appeared to be almost frustrated by Caelyn’s situation. Could it be that, at the very least, Karein might empathize with their child?

Karein had seemed attracted to him once. Caelyn licked his lips, hating what he was going to do, but knowing there was no other way. Jenarra above, his mate was right there, and Caelyn intended to sexually touch another man. But he had to, if he wanted their child to have even one chance of survival.

“I’m so sorry, Graham,” he whispered through their bond. “This is all my fault.”

Even as he spoke, he moved away from the werewolf, reaching for Karein’s groin. Graham released a sound of dismay, and his pain and anger struck Caelyn, as if a thousand needles had embedded themselves in his heart. And the worst thing was that he felt no accusation in that agony, only Graham’s guilt and shame that he hadn’t been able to protect Caelyn.

Caelyn hated himself for putting both of them in this position, but his beauty was the last weapon at his disposal, the last ace up his sleeve. Much to his surprise, though, Karein took a step back, moving away from his touch.

“Don’t humiliate yourself, and me, by doing that,” he said coldly. “I don’t want kisses that taste like lies and despair.”

“Please,” Caelyn replied, “please help us. Our child is innocent in all of this. If you could at least find a way to slip him out of the Emperor’s reach…”

Karein growled, his eyes flashing with barely restrained anger. “You truly don’t understand what you’ve done, do you? Let me put it to you this way. Remember your childhood friend, Sareltae Norrenddare? Yes, well, your family remembered him, too, and was more than eager to point us in his direction when you escaped. And now, given what I’ve seen there, I can only surmise that he also provided you with weaponry especially built against draechen. Do you realize what that means?”

Caelyn released a choked noise. “Sari had nothing to do with it,” he lied.

“Uh-huh.” Karein snorted. “It doesn’t even matter anymore. Even the slight suspicion of his involvement is enough to cause a war between draechen and fae. I need to throw my father a bone to prevent it.”

A war. Caelyn was dumbfounded. Could it be true? Had he inadvertently caused a war by involving Sari in his own personal problems?

Surely, it wasn’t possible. The draechen had no proof that Sari had indeed been involved. Caelyn had been very careful. He’d even destroyed his cell phone beforehand, so that his phone call to Sari wouldn’t be found. Yes, the bolts were tangible evidence, but no one could actually trace them to Sari.

“This is madness,” he gasped out. “You can’t be serious. The draechen aren’t all-powerful. Your father can’t just do whatever he wants to. The Great Krites—”

“Your judges can’t touch the Ornozian emperor,” Karein interrupted him. “Be serious. In any case, I don’t have time to discuss this with you. It’s done. The decision is made. It’s your survival or world peace. Guess what I’m going for?”

As he spoke, he broke the crossbow and discarded the remnants on the floor. He did the same with the bolts, but pocketed the tips. After he finished, he pulled both Caelyn and Graham up, his ability coursing through them, preventing any sort of opposition. But just as they were about to leave the room, Graham said, “Please.”

It couldn’t have been easy for him to say that, to beg for mercy from the man he considered his worst enemy. Karein obviously realized that, because he froze.

After a pause that seemed to last a lifetime, he finally nodded. “Very well. For the child that your mate carries in his womb, I will help you. But you have to listen to me in everything. If not, Overlords help us all, because we might be signing a death sentence for an entire people.”

Caelyn gulped. He didn’t know if he could trust Karein, but what choice did he have? His only hope was to believe in Karein’s honesty, because if the draechen prince didn’t help them, their fate was well and truly sealed.

Chapter Eleven

There had always been something truly disquieting about the main draechen palace in Germany. Hidden deep into the mountains, Draechenburg was a cold place, in more than one way. Even if the temperature didn’t bother any of them much, and was actually appealing to ice dragons, no one ever felt at home in Draechenburg. Even Karein hated it, so he knew how intimidating it could be for people who saw it the first time, especially if they came here as prisoners.

The tall walls built out of harsh black stone didn’t allow any illusion to his captives that they might find a way out that didn’t involve cooperating with him. It could only be accessed through flying, as the cliff where it had been built was so harsh and unyielding it couldn’t be scaled. Of course, that had been more of a deterrent in ancient times, when draechen had been among the few shifters with the ability to fly. Other flying shifters had been assigned to the upper castes, so they had no quarrel with Karein’s people. Times had changed, though, and with the advent of flying machines, the palace had become even more of a citadel, with countless soldiers ever watchful, keeping guard and making sure no stray human ventured close by and no rebel dared to encroach on the territory of the Ornozian emperor.

He’d preferred living in one of the other residences of the Tersain family. Today, though, a new sense of dread filled him as the helicopter carrying him and his captives landed on the helipad in the courtyard. He had disappointed his father before, and had suffered the penalty of the emperor’s displeasure. As the highest-ranking military official, he was expected to have exemplary military conduct, and on the extremely rare occasions when he’d failed in this, his father had clearly pointed out that he would not allow it again. And now, Karein was actively planning to go against him, and all for an unborn half-sprite, half-werewolf child. He must have lost his mind.

He stole a look at the captive sprite who had once been his almost fiancé. Caelyn lay curled on the floor of the helicopter, dressed in human clothes which Karein himself had agreed to allow. From time to time, the sprite was grimacing in pain. A metal band had been strapped over his temple, fueled by special batteries and sending slight shocks of electricity through Caelyn’s brain. It prevented Caelyn from using his mental abilities in any way, creating any illusion, or trying to escape through his telekinetic abilities. It should have caused only mild discomfort, but obviously, Caelyn was trying to do something the device had been crafted to suppress.

“Whatever you’re planning, stop,” Karein said, hitting Caelyn’s leg lightly with his foot. “You can’t escape.”

“I know that,” Caelyn said weakly. His eyes fixed on Karein’s face, very blue and accusing. “I’m merely trying to…well, Graham…”

He shut up, obviously not wanting to say anything else in front of those present. But he had already blurted out too much. One of the guards with Karein sneered in disgust. “Mutt fucker.”

Caelyn gave no sign that he’d heard the insult, instead falling silent again. It seemed that he was talking to his werewolf lover, probably through their supposed mate bond. To preserve appearances, Karein had separated them, transporting them to the palace in two different helicopters. At the time, he had not expected this side effect.

It was almost troubling to see, but Karein didn’t dare to analyze the reason behind the strange emotion clutching at his insides. Pushing open the helicopter door, he slid out of the aircraft. The guards came after him, pushing Caelyn along.

The second chopper had already landed, and Graham was being ushered toward the palace entrance by Karein’s second-in-command, Sagenamadeen Zager. His hands had been shackled with special silver manacles. All the other Chrysalidian Wyverns gathered around Karein and his prisoners, either in shifted form or in their legged shape.

From the palace, Akara emerged, immediately frowning in distaste when she saw Karein. Doubtlessly, she was remembering the warm reception she had given the sprite. Karein made a mental note to be extra careful with what she said around her. She wouldn’t hesitate to enact revenge on Caelyn and Graham in whatever way came up.

“Father said you should go to him at once,” she said without preamble. “He wishes to see the prisoners as soon as possible.”

“Of course,” Karein answered. “Sage, follow me. Bring the wolf.”

“Yes, General,” his lieutenant answered, shoving Graham toward the entrance of the building. “Come on, mutt. Move it.”

As he and Sage led the couple inside, Akara followed them, falling into step next to Caelyn. “Welcome, Lord Caelyn,” she said sarcastically. “I do believe you’ll enjoy draechen hospitality even more than you did last time.”

Caelyn didn’t answer, which seemed to piss her off even more. To stop her from continuing a useless and potentially dangerous conversation, Karein asked, “Where’s Hareem?”

Akara shrugged. “He hasn’t arrived yet. Overlords only know where he is right now. Probably avoiding Father.”

That wasn’t good news. If Hareem was avoiding the emperor, likely their father must be in a bad mood. Then again, his brother had his own reasons to be wary. Karein had to tread carefully, lest he accidentally draw Kavehquader’s attention onto Hareem.

“How can you not know?” he asked Akara regardless. “The two of you are always bound at the hip.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” She snorted. “We might have been close as children, but we’re above the needy nature of a hatchling now.”

It was true, if somewhat painful. They were twins, so as young draechen, they’d been inseparable. But it seemed even the strongest bonds could break if they weren’t encouraged to withstand the strain of time and environment. Karein resented both of them for it since he’d never had a twin.

As always, though, he held his tongue. He had far more important things to think about than his family dynamic. They walked through the corridors of the Draechenburg citadel, their steps echoing on the marble floors with an almost ominous sound. Distantly, Karein wondered if Sage or Akara ever had doubts regarding the Directive. Did they wonder if obeying the emperor blindly was a good thing? Did they ask themselves what their ancestors would have wanted? Probably not.

In the end, Karein knew that with regard to his most recent plan, there was only one person he could trust, himself. He couldn’t in good conscience ask anyone else to go against the emperor for a cause that, in the bigger picture, seemed so insignificant.

It wasn’t insignificant for Karein. He might have been able to dismiss the death of the young couple as collateral damage and a necessary evil, the last chance they had to prevent the war. But in his opinion, even this worthy cause couldn’t justify quenching the incipient flame of an innocent life.

If he allowed this, it would only be the beginning. And of course, his father’s warmongering couldn’t be stopped with such flimsy excuses. He might still start a war since he’d had his eye on the fae for quite a while now. He’d only needed a pretext so as not to scandalize the entire paranormal community, and unfortunately, the current situation provided it with perverse perfection.

Karein absently toyed with the diamonds in his pocket. The revelation that there was weaponry that could hurt draechen troubled him. It meant that a war with the fae could potentially decimate Karein’s people as well, not only the fae. Karein couldn’t tell anyone about his discovery, though. If he did, things would be even worse. He’d just have to investigate the source of the weaponry by himself.

For now, though, he had something in mind that might be able to help him and his prisoners out, but he wasn’t sure if it would work yet. If it didn’t and his father realized Karein’s ploy… Well, suffice to say, the result wouldn’t be too pleasing, for either of them.

Karein was still musing over this as they finally reached the doors of the throne room. They were huge and imposing, built that way to allow the entrance of the emperor and to clearly suggest the majestic nature of the Ornozian Empire from the very beginning.

Both Caelyn and Graham tensed even further, but said nothing. The guards in front of the doors sneered at the young couple, and Karein suppressed a sound of exasperation. “If you’re done expressing your distaste, perhaps you should announce us.”

He had no patience for fools, and he didn’t appreciate important business being disregarded just because a couple of young hatchlings decided it was essential for them to show their distaste for the ninth caste.

As he glowered, both men paled, obviously realizing their rudeness and mistake. Saluting, they rushed to open the doors.

“I should come here more often,” Karein commented as he watched them. “They don’t seem to be disciplined enough.”

“Careful now, Karein,” Akara said. “That almost sounds like a criticism addressed to our beloved father.”

Karein didn’t get to reply to that because one of the guards slid into the room, bowing so lowly Karein was surprised he didn’t fall over. “Your Imperial Majesties, Prince Shtamakarein and Princess Akara, accompanied by His Lordship, Lieutenant Sagenamadeen Zager.”

“Let them in,” a female voice said.

It was unsurprising that Karein’s mother was present as well. She always supported her husband in everything, which would have been admirable if Karein’s father hadn’t been such a cruel leader. Karein had always thought she and his father made a great couple, in all the wrong ways.

As Karein entered the throne room, followed by his companions and prisoners, he found, as always, his father curled in shifted form on a grand pile of gold and priceless gems. Karein wondered if the position wasn’t uncomfortable, but he guessed the arrogance typical to the emperor would make him bear it, just because it looked so opulent and lavish.

In contrast, his mother waited on her throne, legs crossed and spine completely straight. The other throne, reserved for the emperor, was perfunctory, as generally, all Ornozian emperors stopped shifting in their second form after their ascension in the highest shape-shifter position in existence. For that reason, the Ornozian empress was of great importance as she had taken on the role of messenger between the emperor and the races that were reluctant to accept the draechen ways.

The throne room’s size rivaled that of a human amphitheatre, providing plenty of space for the emperor to do whatever in the world he pleased. Entire gatherings could be held here with no problem. It also meant that the walk to the throne took forever, and his mother had more than enough time to scrutinize him and find him lacking.

“Hello, Shtamakarein,” she said with a cool smile. She and his father were the only people in his family to call him by his full name. “I see you bring us great bounty this day.”

Karein dropped to his knees and bowed. Through the corner of his eye, he caught sight of his sister and second-in-command doing the same thing, while forcing Graham and Caelyn to kneel as well.

“As always, I live and die by your command,” Karein replied formally.

“I trust the expedition went well,” Rowenasheb said. “What of the humans?”

“As per the Directive, they were unharmed. The location of our incursion was destroyed, and the humans believe the two prisoners to have died in the explosion.”

It had been the cleanest, safest way to make sure no one learned of the real reason of Graham and Caelyn’s disappearance. Insofar as the humans were concerned, Karein congratulated himself for a job well done. Of course, this method had also made sure that the rest of the Wyverns didn’t discover the strange weaponry Caelyn had attacked Karein with, but that was something his mother would never know.

A dark, masculine voice drifted into his mind as his father stirred from the pile of jewels. “Perhaps one day, we won’t have to hide in the shadows,” he said.

The words unsettled Karein a great deal, as they suggested Kavehquader did indeed have some sort of plan that would involve a war. In fact, taking into account the matter at hand, it seemed to imply that the humans themselves were the enemy. It was truly an outrageous concept since their entire society had been based on a law that prohibited harming the humans and involving them in any way in the paranormal world.

Thankfully, his father’s telepathy was limited to communication, providing him an avenue of speech in this shifted form. Therefore, the emperor couldn’t read Karein’s mind, a very fortunate thing indeed. Such an ability would have brought about serious problems.

But since he didn’t have to worry about that, Karein replied out loud, “I’m sure that whatever Your Imperial Majesty decides will be best and will come to pass.”

“When the time comes, it will,” his father confirmed. His red scales glittered almost threateningly. “But for now, let’s see these creatures who dared to humiliate the Tersain. Bring them to me.”

At that, Karein got up and dragged Caelyn and Graham with him. He brought them to his father, who scanned them from head to toe. “So this is the sprite who chose a dog instead of a draechen prince,” he said as he passed a claw over Caelyn’s cheek. “I must admit he’s definitely very beautiful. It’s almost a pity that he has to die.”

It was likely better that Caelyn and Graham didn’t hear those words, as they might have panicked and ruined the whole thing before Karein even managed to put his plan into practice. His mother did, however, hear it and said, “Perhaps we can find some use for him, still. I believe you were searching for another concubine anyway.”

Graham released a low growl, the idea obviously not appealing to him. He looked like he wanted to lunge, so Karein pressed his hand to the werewolf’s shoulder, keeping him pinned in place.

“Oh, look.” Rowenasheb chuckled. “The idea doesn’t appeal to the mutt at all.”

“I admit it has some merit,” Karein’s father said. Karein prayed to the Overlords that they’d somehow prevent this. So far, his father had not realized Caelyn’s condition, but if he fucked the sprite, he’d likely do so. He didn’t have Karein’s energy reading abilities, but he was still the emperor, and his affinity with fire would likely make him sense the spark of life. There was a slight chance that he would miss it and he might end up believing the child was his, but in the long run, that would only be worse.

Of course, the fact that Caelyn would suffer at being made the draechen emperor’s whore was significant as well, not to mention that Karein had seen what it meant to be an imperial concubine. After all, there was a very good reason why his father needed a new addition to his harem. Likely, all the old ones were dead, or worse.

Fortunately, someone up there must have heard him, because his father gave him an inquiring look, moving away from Caelyn. “But perhaps you would be interested in tasting him first, son, as reward for your successful expedition. He did, after all, insult you most.”

Karein grimaced, openly showing his distaste for the idea. “I mean no offense to you, Father, but as beautiful as the sprite might be, he’s been tainted by an animal. I have no desire for the leftovers of a mutt.”

The emperor’s eyes flashed with something like dark satisfaction. “I couldn’t have said it better myself. Indeed, the sprite is tainted.” He paused briefly, as if considering the situation. “They shall provide us with entertainment instead,” he continued. “I hear the ninth caste is quite brutal in their sexual practices. It would be interesting.”

“An excellent idea, my darling,” the empress said. “And after that?”

“I’m surprised you’re even asking,” Kavehquader replied. “They will die, at my dear son’s hands. Isn’t that right, General Shtamakarein?”

“I live and die by your command,” Karein replied automatically, once more kneeling. He didn’t even dare to look at his father, out of fear that his relief would show in his gaze. Yes, definitely, the Overlords were watching over him. In his arrogance and his desire to push Karein into murder, the emperor had given Karein the way out he had been hoping for ever since he’d agreed to help Graham and Caelyn. Karein only hoped he had enough time to arrange everything.

* * * *

Graham honestly didn’t know what he had expected to see in Draechenburg. Opulence, certainly. Violence and disdain for his kind, of course. But all his worst nightmares had been surpassed by the reality he’d been thrust into.

Kneeling on the marble floor of the throne room, he was well aware of his powerlessness, of how little he meant in the eyes of all these people. His Alpha abilities could do very little against the draechen. Werewolves had only ever been a threat to Shtamakarein’s kind because of their once-overwhelming number. But now, he was outnumbered and overpowered, and he couldn’t protect his sweet angel, or their child.

He had to rely on Shtamakarein for help, which boggled the mind. For the gods, he didn’t even understand what they planned to do to him. Half the conversation seemed to take place through mind speech, as obviously, the shape-shifted draechen emperor had a power similar to Graham’s Alpha one, conveying messages to his people through his mind. Most of what he did hear was spoken in the draechen tongue, but Graham had learned that out of sheer self-preservation.

Meanwhile, Caelyn’s terror flowed through their bond, making Graham’s wolf rear angrily, straining against the hold Shtamakarein had on him. He forced himself to keep it back, though, knowing that even the slightest attempt to attack would end any chance he and Caelyn had to save themselves.

“Excellent,” the empress said, clapping her hands together. “Akarawem, gather the entire court. Everyone must see what happens to the enemies of Ornoz.”

“Yes, Mother. I live and die by your command.”

Graham was getting tired of hearing that, although he suspected they weren’t just words. More importantly, though, he’d have liked to know exactly what the draechen had agreed to do.

A brief pause followed, during which the huge red dragon in front of them, the emperor, stirred around, swishing his large tail on the marble floor. He must have said something else, because there were more nods and agreements all around.

Finally, the draechen who’d knelt got up. Shtamakarein pulled Graham up, then Caelyn, and shoved them toward the door. If he was trying to make the entire deception convincing, he was definitely putting a lot of effort into it. Hell, even Graham had trouble not believing him.

In the end, being too tame would make the draechen suspicious, so Graham managed to snatch his arm out of Karein’s grip and pulled Caelyn away. The silver manacles kept him from shifting and freeing himself like he would have from different bindings, but he did manage to shatter the chain holding them together. Apparently, the draechen had not expected him to have any strength in him left, because several of those present cursed.

“Stay away, Dog-Catcher,” Graham snapped. “We want nothing to do with you.”

Karein moved so quickly Graham would have had trouble seeing him if not for his werewolf abilities. He managed to dodge the draechen prince, but a blow of magic soon had his muscles lax once more. “You should have thought of that when you set your sights on something that belonged to me,” he said.

“Caelyn is not a thing. He’s a person,” Graham answered, still trying to pull away.

“Please, let us go,” Caelyn continued. “We’ll never bother you again.”

“Enough of this,” the empress snapped. “Take them away and imprison them until tonight. Do make use of this time, son. I think the mutt should get acquainted with the taste of silver a bit more elaborately.”

“And the sprite?” Karein inquired.

“We’ll leave that to your discretion.” The empress smirked. “He is, after all, your responsibility.”

Karein’s lips twisted into a dark smile. The fleeting expression vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a neutral look. “I understand,” he said.

This time, as Karein directed them toward the massive doors of the throne room, there was no escaping the draechen’s power, and no reason to even try. The draechen lieutenant who had been presented as Sagenamadeen flanked them, as did Princess Akarawem. It was interesting to see that, at least in the princess and empress’s regard, draechen females were just as brutal and cruel as the men. Draechen certainly had gender equality right.

As they walked into the hallway, the large doors closed behind them. Karein didn’t even bother to hold onto Graham. Instead, he draped Caelyn over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. Through his connection with the sprite, Graham felt the moment Karein’s power swept through Caelyn, keeping him completely immobile.

Clenching his fists, Graham debated attacking. Karein just smirked. “You want to escape?” he asked with a smirk. “Just try it. I have your mate. If you even breathe the wrong way, he’ll pay the price.”

“Oh, I like that, brother,” Akarawem said. “On your knees, werewolf.”

When Graham didn’t immediately obey, she went to Shtamakarein’s side and passed her finger over Caelyn’s arm. The touch burned right through Caelyn’s borrowed clothing and scorched the delicate skin underneath.

Instantly, Graham dropped to his knees. “Stop,” he whispered brokenly. “I beg of you, Your Highness. Don’t hurt him.”

Akarawem burst into laughter. “Oh, how lovely. It’s so beautiful and so pathetic to see them break like this. Come here and lick my boots, mutt.”

Graham had to obey. Even his wolf understood that, his natural instinct to lead surrendering to the need to protect his mate. But before he could follow the command, Shtamakarein stopped him. “Enough of this nonsense,” he said. “I don’t have time for you to enjoy yourself at the expense of the mutt.”

Turning on his heel, he added, “Follow me.”

It seemed obvious that he was addressing Graham, so Graham obeyed. He made a move to get up, but Akarawem shoved him back down. “You will crawl, like the animal you are.”

This time, Shtamakarein said nothing, already walking ahead and threatening to take Graham’s mate from him. What could Graham do? He crawled, walking on all fours even if he was in his human form.

“Would you look at that?” the princess asked. “The mighty werewolf is actually a pathetic puppy.”

How could they be so cruel? They understood the strength of the mate bond. They had an equivalent that was just as potent. They’d even acknowledged its existence in the Directive. How could they not respect it?

The irony was that they meant to humiliate him through this, to humble him, but the act of walking on all fours didn’t bother him in itself. He and his wolf were one. It was natural for a shifter to accept his beast, and if the draechen thought differently, they were the ones in the wrong.

The idea of humbling himself in front of the draechen imperial family did irk him, but he’d gladly do that and more for his mate. And if he wanted to be honest, he still preserved the hope that Karein might help them.

For what seemed like forever, they advanced through the cold palace, traveling through dark hallways and down staircases that seemed to lead into the very bowels of the mountain. The jeers of the draechen sounded in his ears, and it was awkward to move with the shackles still burning his wrists, but Graham didn’t care. He only had eyes for his mate, only cared about his beautiful Caelyn.

Naturally, he did keep track of the number of guards they passed, which seemed quite overwhelming indeed. And as they kept descending to lower levels, his wolf’s instincts mapped the route the draechen prince was taking. He didn’t know if the information would help him in any way, but it wouldn’t hurt.

“Oh, Graham,” Caelyn whispered, his mental voice straining under the power of the disruptor placed on him to keep him from using his abilities. “What are we going to do?”

“I know it’s hard, angel,” he sent to Caelyn, “but you have to be strong. Close your eyes and think about our son. Don’t try to use our bond.”

The disruptor caused the sprite to feel pain when he attempted to talk to Graham. However, he could still hear Graham, even though it was better if he didn’t try to communicate with him.

“Prince Shtamakarein will help us, you’ll see,” he said. “For some reason, he actually seems fond of you. I admit I don’t understand him half the time, but given what I’ve seen of his family, I’m actually surprised he even wants to prevent a war.”

“I suspect he’s very dedicated to the memory and legacy of his ancestor,” Caelyn replied stubbornly. He seemed to be trying to adapt to the hold of the disruptor, circumvent it somehow. Graham would have insisted for Caelyn not to do that, but he realized that his mate’s abilities might come in handy, no matter what Karein had promised.

“Well, that makes sense,” he said. Prince Kaelezrin had been the driving force behind the original defeat of the werewolves and had become an extremely hated figure in the ninth caste. He’d also been said to have mated the second warrior prince who’d died in the days of the Great Sacrifice, a fae, Talrasar. “But he’s misguided if he’s so dedicated to a dead man. What happened then isn’t relevant for our current reality.”

Truth be told, unlike other werewolves, Graham was aware that the Directive had been a punishment the ninth caste had, to a certain extent, deserved. He realized that at the time it had been written, it must have had its uses. He wasn’t proud of it, but his own ancestors had likely resembled the animals the draechen now accused Graham and his people to be. But what the draechen didn’t realize was that, in their quest to suppress the unrestrained nature of the vampires and werewolves, they had become beasts themselves, with no compassion or caring for the pain of others. Graham had seen it in the eyes of the imperial family, ironically, with the exception of Shtamakarein. He had no doubt now that the draechen prince had been telling the truth with regard to the emperor’s goal of starting a war.

With a mental sigh, Graham pushed those thoughts away and focused on his mate. Caelyn’s arm still hurt from the burn, and likely he wouldn’t receive any medical attention. Graham couldn’t heal him, but he could distract him from it.

“Do you know, angel, what we’ll do when we get out of here?” he asked. “We’ll build a little house of our very own, somewhere in the mountains, where no one can find us. I’ll watch over you as our child grows inside you, and when the time comes, as you bring a new life into the world. And we’ll raise him there, in the shade of the trees and under the clear blue sky, a free wolf, a free sprite, loved by both of us.”

He could almost see the image now, see the two of them laughing in the shadow of a large tree, wiggling their fingers at a small wolf pup. “And maybe we can give that wolf a sibling. What do you say?”

A small smile flitted on Caelyn’s lips for the briefest moment. His gaze met Graham’s, and in spite of the awkward angle, it no longer seemed to matter that they were trapped in the stronghold of the draechen. They were together, and out of the blue, Graham truly felt like everything would be all right.

The illusion was shattered when suddenly, Shtamakarein stopped. Apparently, they’d reached their destinations, the cells that the draechen had assigned to them. As far as he could guess, they’d been taken into a lower level of the palace compound, dug directly into the mountain.

There were even more guards at this level, so any hope Graham might have had left of escaping this place unaided faded altogether. The soldiers all saluted upon seeing Shtamakarein. The draechen prince waved off their greeting without much ceremony. “Open this cell and give me the key,” he demanded.

As one guard complied, unlocking the door to the cell, the prince turned toward Graham. “Get up and get in.”

Graham silently obeyed, but only after Shtamakarein himself entered. He didn’t put it beyond the draechen to separate him and Caelyn, and he wanted to avoid that at all costs. Fortunately, their unlikely ally didn’t seem to have this intention.

“Shackle them down,” Shtamakarein continued, confirming Graham’s hope and guess.

As the soldiers rushed to follow their general’s order, the princess asked, “Are you putting both of them in one cell?” the princess asked. The idea appeared to displease her.

“For the moment,” Graham heard Shtamakarein reply. “I have my reasons for it.”

His tone held a dark promise, which seemed to please the princess. As the guards pushed Graham to the wall and began to strap him down using heavy silver chains, Akarawem added, “Well, I should be going. But first…”

She walked to Graham’s side and gripped his hand. At first, Graham didn’t even realize what she wanted, until her fingers brushed against his wedding ring. “How sweet,” she sneered. “The mutt actually got married to his whore.”

Graham clenched his hands into fists. The draechen had taken everything else from him. He wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted to steal this memory, too. Fortunately, Shtamakarein stopped her before she could do anything like that. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, Akara. Don’t you have something better to do? Like a celebration to prepare?”

“I know my duties perfectly,” Akara replied, glowering at her brother.

“Good. Take Sage with you,” Shtamakarein suggested. “There isn’t much time left until the appointed hour, and you need all the help you can get.”

“I don’t need a babysitter. It’s not the first time I’m doing this,” the princess commented. Obviously, she didn’t like being ordered around.

“You mean you’ve prepared a feast with the entire court in five hours before? All by yourself?” Shtamakarein sounded bemused. “When? Mother’s always helped you.”

Akarawem huffed, but nevertheless turned toward the draechen lieutenant. “Come on, Sagenamadeen. We need to make haste. The hour grows late.”

“Yes, Highness,” Sage replied. Bowing toward Shtamakarein, he saluted. “With your permission, General.”

As the two draechen departed, Shtamakarein waved the guards off as well. “I don’t want anyone to disturb me,” he said, “only if Their Imperial Majesties have new orders for me. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Highness.” With curt nods, they abandoned the cell, closing the door behind them.

Graham was relieved that at least they’d gotten rid of the princess, who’d seemed intent on being as petty as possible. Even so, he waited, not sure if it was fully safe for them to talk in here. As if guessing his thoughts, Shtamakarein said, “It’s all right. They can’t hear us now, unless you shout really loudly.”

“Is that practical?” Caelyn asked softly. “Someone might attempt to escape, and the guards wouldn’t realize it.”

“You’re kidding, right?” The draechen laughed. “No one, not even I, could get out of here without…I don’t know, dynamite? What do the humans use these days to craft tunnels through mountains?”

“How can you laugh?” Graham asked, anger bursting through him. “Do you think anything at all about this situation is funny?”

The prince’s mirth instantly vanished. “Actually, no. In fact, the sooner you grasp the seriousness of the situation, the better.”

“What exactly is going to happen to us?” Caelyn inquired.

“Father wants you two to put on a show for him,” Shtamakarein replied.

“A show?” Caelyn repeated inquiringly. “I don’t understand.”

“He expects you to fuck for his entertainment. Hopefully, if you’re in luck, it won’t occur to him to add something else to it, other people, although I wouldn’t bet on it.”

What the fuck? They couldn’t be serious. Sure, the draechen had been discussing something like that in the throne room. Graham had understood that much from the conversation. However, he’d thought the idea had been struck down. At least, that had been his impression. Apparently, he’d been mistaken.

He only realized he’d said most of that out loud when Shtamakarein replied, “Yes, you were mistaken.” He walked to a small cabinet, the only piece of furniture present in the room. As he opened it, he added, “Also I’m expected to torture you, so prepare yourselves to scream.”

Graham went rigid, straining against his bindings. He watched helplessly as the draechen retrieved several wicked looking knives and torture instruments from the cabinet.

It had all been a deception, false promises spoken to stop them to eliminate any resistance. Graham had been a fool to trust the Dog-Catcher.

“Do whatever you want to me, but leave Caelyn out of it,” he gritted out.

Shtamakarein rolled his eyes. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Give me some credit. I have no intention to torture you. You just need to play along so I can make it convincing. Got it?”

Graham shared a look with his mate. Together, they nodded. “What do we have to do?” Graham inquired.

“Like I said, scream. Don’t overdo it, or it won’t be believable. Unfortunately, I do have to harm you a little. Otherwise it will all be for naught.”

Graham said nothing. Even if he’d wanted to refuse, he was in the hands of the draechen prince. He had no real choice.

As it turned out, Shtamakarein was very good at what he did, disturbingly so. He handled all the utensils with the ease of someone who’d used them many times before. “Let me ask you something,” Graham said as a silver knife dipped into his flesh. “Just how often do you torture people?”

“Not often,” Shtamakarein replied offhandedly. “It’s considered beneath me. I have more important things to do, and a personal dislike for it, if you must know. But this time, my father specifically asked me to do it, so I couldn’t have refused even if I’d wanted to.”

“Why did he ask you?” Graham asked, half because he wanted to keep his attention away from the poison in his blood, or rather, distract Caelyn from the pain it was causing.

“Come now,” the draechen prince answered, “surely you can figure it out on your own. He doesn’t trust me, at least not completely. He knows something went wrong when you escaped. I’m not someone who’s easily deceived or beaten, and he realizes that.”

That actually made sense. The situation was far more complicated than Graham himself had dared to believe. In a way, Graham didn’t understand it. He couldn’t figure out why, in spite of everything he risked, Shtamakarein was helping them.

Over Shtamakarein’s shoulder, Graham smiled at Caelyn. His mate’s eyes were swimming in tears, but he smiled back. Suddenly, their situation no longer seemed so grim. What Graham had told Caelyn was a dream and a hope, nothing more, but they still had a chance to reach it. He had to believe that, because the alternative was inconceivable.

Chapter Twelve

For a long time, Caelyn had been in a privileged position, enjoying the comfortable security of being allied to draechen and watching as the rest of the world, those not so lucky, suffered. He had hated it with every fiber of his being and had wished to do something about it, even if he hadn’t known what.

Today, though, the wheel of fate had turned, and he was the one on his knees in the face of a gathering, weak and defeated. As the guards carried him into the throne room and dumped him on the floor, Caelyn looked around, only to see what seemed to be like hundreds of faces staring down at him, observing him with both lascivious and disgusted interest.

More soldiers brought Graham, depositing him next to Caelyn. His mate looked worse than he actually felt. In fact, Karein’s efforts had been so thorough that Caelyn would have been seriously concerned if not for the mate bond.

But Karein had explained that all of this needed to be done for the final part of the plan to have any chance of success. Caelyn himself had suffered some minor injuries, which seemed far more serious than they were.

The result was gratifying, or at least Caelyn thought so. The empress, who had been sitting on her throne, tsked lightly. “It seems like you got a little overenthusiastic, my son.”

The words themselves might have seemed reprimanding, but they weren’t, not really. Caelyn didn’t know the draechen emperor and empress well, but he was pretty sure they weren’t warm parental types. In fact, he suspected this was the first time the empress had called Karein “son” in quite a while.

Nevertheless, Karein played along. “You have my apologies, Your Majesty. In my anger with the enemies of the empire, I overstepped my boundaries.”

“It’s quite all right, as long as they can still perform,” the empress said.

“The ninth caste is full of rutting beasts,” Karein answered, his voice dripping with cool disdain. “They can perform.”

A small pause followed, during which the large red dragon made his way toward the thrones. His large tale swished on the marble floor like a whip as he positioned himself straight in front of Caelyn and Karein.

He must have said something through his mental abilities, because Karein stepped back and ordered, “I live and die by your command, Majesty. Jertan, Goyan, come here.”

Two draechen appeared from the crowd, so imposing and huge they almost rivaled Karein’s size. “You will fight the wolf. Should you defeat him, you will both share the wolf’s mate. You’re not allowed to kill either of them. Begin.”

So Karein had been right to fear that something else would occur to the emperor. Caelyn released a soft whimper. He couldn’t fathom his mate being able to face both those two draechen, win, and still preserve the illusion that they’d been tortured by Karein.

He opened his mouth, intent on protesting, on somehow stopping this. Karein gave him a look that silenced him, but he wasn’t the one who spoke.

“Do you understand, mutt?” the empress asked. “You need to defeat these two soldiers.”

At that, Graham struggled to his feet. “And if I win, you’ll let me and Caelyn go?”

“Oh, the dog speaks. Wonders never cease.” She shook her head and replied, “Don’t be ridiculous, mutt. You’ll die either way. But you’re being given the chance to do so with honor.”

Caelyn got up as well, but didn’t address the empress. Instead, he forced himself to speak to Graham using their bond. The disruptor still kept him from focusing, but he’d managed to circumvent it, which at least allowed him to speak to his mate. “Graham, this is hopeless. You can’t possible hope to defeat them. Let me—”

“No,” Graham interrupted him. “Don’t even say it. I will die before I allow them to touch you.”

That was the problem. Caelyn feared that his mate would perish, that they wouldn’t get the chance to follow Karein’s plan, their only hope to get out of this place.

“Don’t be afraid, angel,” Graham said, taking a deep breath as he scanned his two opponents. “Just trust me. I can beat them. You are my strength, and they don’t have that.”

Caelyn pushed back his own apprehension and focused on his bond with Graham. The situation seemed desperate, yes, but the draechen underestimated Graham. They underestimated the mate bond between Graham and Caelyn.

Steeling himself, Caelyn opened his heart and believed. “Yes,” he replied. “We can do it.”

It was the last thing he managed to say before Karein pushed him back and away from his mate. Meanwhile, someone released Graham from his shackles, supposedly to give the battle a measure of equality. “Let the battle begin,” he shouted.

The crowd of gathered draechen cheered, obviously eager to see the proud werewolf being torn apart and his mate humiliated. They moved back, giving the future combatants space in the center of the throne room. Since it had been built specifically to allow draechen in shifted form to move around with ease, it wasn’t hard. Hell, it almost seemed like half of a generous-sized Elusian mansion would fit in this one room.

The entire thing was almost surreal. How had Caelyn never fully acknowledged the reality of the brutal nature of the draechen? How did they have the nerve to call Graham’s people animals when they were so much worse?

But this wasn’t over yet. He and Graham were together in this, and Caelyn would not let these cruel people separate them. He never should have doubted the power of their bond, even for a second.

Caelyn forced his way past the disruptor. It hurt like hell, and he couldn’t mold his energy in a spell of his own. However, his instinctual connection with Graham allowed him to pour his strength into his mate.

The change in Graham’s stance was so subtle that no one except Caelyn could have noticed it. Graham didn’t even acknowledge it in any way. He remained completely motionless, just watching the two draechen he was supposed to fight.

The wait paid off. At first, the soldiers in question just circled around Graham, as if looking for weakness in Graham’s defenses, but then, all of the sudden, they both lunged forward, one from Graham’s front, the other from behind. They moved so quickly that Caelyn thought evasive maneuvers were likely impossible. Somehow, though, Graham managed. He melted into his wolf form, freeing himself from his clothes and dancing away from his attackers. The two draechen ended up clawing at empty air.

With twin roars, the two draechen turned toward Graham, now furious. Graham faced them bravely, and Caelyn held his breath, waiting to see what would come next. All the while, he kept feeding his power into the bond, helping Graham insofar as he could.

Unfortunately, the size of the throne room allowed the draechen to assume their secondary forms. The air blurred as the two soldiers began to change. Caelyn noted the delay, but so did Graham. With a howl, he lunged toward the draechen closest to him, interrupting the process midshift. The soldier fell back with an oof that sounded quite animalistic indeed, and Caelyn gasped as Graham had done. The man in question seemed dazed, but caught somewhere between his legged form and his dragon one. His face had reshaped itself, growing longer, reptilian, and he’d sprouted scales. He was also much larger than before, but Graham had attacked so fast that the change hadn’t been complete.

Even the empress seemed shocked by this development. She released a soft noise, but the emperor lifted a claw, not allowing any interruption. Taking the offered opportunity, Graham sunk his fangs in the draechen guard’s flesh.

But all this gave the second draechen time to complete his own shift. Where the tall soldier had stood, a large blue dragon appeared. An ice dragon, if Caelyn remembered correctly from his lessons. Most draechen were aligned with either ice or fire, although there were a handful of those who had a connection to earth or wind. Caelyn didn’t know where Karein fit in that picture, but he did understand quite well that one spell from that ice dragon could easily incapacitate Graham.

As if meaning to make reality Caelyn’s worst fears, the ice dragon roared again. This time, a torrent of ice emerged from his fanged snout. But before the blizzard could strike Graham, Caelyn’s mate quickly pulled back. The motion caused him to effectively tear off the flesh he’d held in his jaws. Caelyn suspected it wouldn’t have been a lethal injury, as draechen were resilient and their scales thick. The hold Graham had managed to get on the fallen draechen had been limited. But unfortunately for the soldier in question, his companion proved to be overzealous. The ice dragon missed Graham, but he hit the body of his fellow fighter.

The crowd grew restless, fidgeting, now clearly uncomfortable and no longer so certain of what they’d thought was inevitable. The ice dragon seemed even more enraged by this show of distrust. Summoning another spell, he blew the ice at Graham, but once more, he was too slow. Graham managed to escape it at the last moment.

Caelyn did his best to support his mate, but then, Karein squeezed his shoulder. The gesture could have meant anything at all, even a reassurance. However, Caelyn read a warning in it. If he pushed it, if he pushed himself too much, the emperor would notice and then, all would be lost.

Sadly, Karein was right. The migraine pounding at the back of his skull was quickly melting into a nearly unbearable ache. But he was reluctant to leave his mate without his help, to allow Graham to fight the ice dragon alone.

“It’s okay, angel,” Graham sent to him as he dodged another icy attack. “You’ve helped more than enough. I can handle him. I have a plan.”

Caelyn obeyed, although the ploy he saw in Graham’s mind terrified him. Graham moved back, drawing the large beast closer to the two thrones. With his opponent in this form, there was very little Graham could do while unarmed. However, the draechen knew it and relied upon it. They didn’t understand that sometimes, brute strength wasn’t enough.

“He’s insane,” Karein murmured as he seemed to understand what Graham intended. “He’ll get us all killed.”

Caelyn just hoped and prayed that it would work, because honestly, he couldn’t come up with anything better. As it turned out, though, it was quite easy. Graham stopped only a small distance away from the draechen emperor. The large red dragon gave him a curious look, but didn’t move. And then, the ice dragon blew another bolt of ice. In his anger, he didn’t realize what he was doing. In a striking echo of what had happened before, the ice headed directly toward the emperor.

Moving faster than the eye could see, Karein got between his father and the ice. He released a grunt as the spell hit him, congealing the upper part of his back. But then, he took a deep breath, and the ice seemed to melt, as if absorbed within his body.

Nevertheless, in spite of Karein’s intervention, Graham’s ploy worked. “Enough of this,” the empress said, leaving her throne. “Both of you, shift back.”

The draechen immediately started to melt back into his legged form. When the change was complete, he fell to his knees, looking horrified with what he’d done. “I–I live and die by your command.”

The emperor must have said something else, because the draechen soldier paled even further. “No,” he answered. “I have nothing to say in my defense.”

A fireball appeared in the clawed paw of the Ornozian leader. Without a sound, he launched it at the unfortunate draechen. A tortured scream echoed in the throne room when the spell hit the soldier, consuming his face and torso.

As the soldier fell, writhing in pain, no one even dared to make a move, obviously unwilling to draw the wrath of their ruler onto them. Karein was the first to act, although he did utter those familiar words before. Lowering his hand over the soldier’s face, he closed his eyes and focused. The fire began to dissipate, leaving behind scorched, mangled flesh. When he was done, he went to the other fallen soldier and repeated the process, this time melting the ice.

More people appeared and carried the injured men away. For his part, Karein didn’t seem to be much worse for the wear, which was quite humbling given that he’d received a blow that would have likely killed anyone else and seriously hurt the emperor.

Meanwhile, Graham changed shapes as well and waited patiently where he’d stopped upon leaping away from the ice dragon’s attack. Once the two draechen soldiers were taken away, the empress turned toward him. “Well, you must think you’re very smart,” he empress said, sounding displeased.

“I do what I can and what I must to protect what’s mine,” Graham replied, meeting her gaze without flinching.

“For that trickery, we should dispatch you right now,” she shot back. “My son’s loyalty saved you. But now, we all require some entertainment. Bring forward the sprite.”

Graham released a growl and took a threatening step forward. “You said that if I won, no one would touch Caelyn.”

“And we shall uphold that part of the deal,” the empress answered, sitting back on her throne. “We will give the sprite to you, one last time. After all, we can say that you’ve earned it. If nothing else, you weeded out two inadequate individuals from our guard.”

Caelyn winced at the words. The draechen soldiers might not have been killed, but the fate that awaited them was likely not pleasant. But this was war, and the draechen were enemies. There had been no other way. They would have gladly killed Graham if they’d had the chance. For that alone, they deserved whatever they got.

More guards ushered him forward, directing him toward his mate. Caelyn couldn’t control himself and lunged at his lover, hugging Graham tightly. Graham caught him, burying his face in his hair and inhaling deeply. “It’s all right,” he whispered through their bond. “You’re safe. They won’t hurt you.”

Only, it wasn’t all right. Caelyn wondered if it ever would be again. Yes, Graham had kept him safe this time, but it was only Karein’s intervention that had prevented a disaster. “I knew something like that would happen,” Graham replied in response to that thought. “There was no way that ice bolt would have hit the emperor, but just the attack is sufficient insult. I admit I’m surprised the imperial guards didn’t act more promptly. The prince shouldn’t have had to be harmed.”

“I think none of them thought this was possible,” Caelyn answered. “Likely, they’ll pay the price for it.”

Caelyn found that the thought didn’t disturb him all that much. Some of these men had families, loved ones, but so did the members of the ninth caste they had oppressed for so long. An eye for an eye. Like Graham’s draechen opponents, they had earned their fate.

Graham released a soft noise and broke the embrace. As he brushed his thumb over Caelyn’s lower lip, he said, “Don’t allow hatred to consume you, angel. You are too pure of heart. I don’t want that to change.”

Caelyn didn’t get the chance to reply to that, as the draechen emperor released an impatient noise. The empress was the one to translate it. “Begin,” she ordered.

The circumstances weren’t arousing in the slightest, but Caelyn had been prepared for that. Licking his lips, he tuned everyone out and focused only on Graham. Graham met his gaze and actually smiled. “Here we are, angel, just the two of us, together again.”

Yes, just the two of them, no more draechen, no more violence, only Caelyn and Graham. Suddenly, hot urgency burst through Caelyn. He crushed his mouth to Graham’s, needing to taste his mate more than ever.

His mate didn’t delay in responding, and as Caelyn parted his lips, Graham thrust his tongue inside Caelyn’s wet cavern. He groaned wildly as he licked, sucked, and explored, as greedy as Caelyn, or perhaps even more so. His beast was very close to the surface, a consequence of the battle that now seemed so long ago. And yet, he was gentle with Caelyn.

Slowly, he directed Caelyn to lie down, never once breaking the kiss. As they knelt together on the floor, Caelyn reached for Graham’s now-erect cock. Having a shape-shifter as his mate came with certain perks, and one of them was easy access to the thing of beauty that was Graham’s dick.

Since Graham had changed shapes, he was now naked, so there were no barriers to keep the werewolf’s body from Caelyn. As he engulfed Graham’s length in his hand, a wave of pleasure swept through Caelyn, half his own, half Graham’s. The pure, raw sexuality of his mate never ceased to arouse Caelyn, making every part of him awaken in need. He found himself moving his hand up and down Graham’s dick in a frantic rhythm, trying to rush Graham along, already earnest and anxious.

Graham broke the kiss, brushing Caelyn’s hair out of his face. “Shh, angel,” he whispered through their bond, “I’ll give you what you need.”

With a wiggle of his hips, Graham freed himself from Caelyn’s grip. Caelyn whimpered, but didn’t protest since his mate started to help him out of his clothes. A small part of him acknowledged the presence of a crowd still around him and balked at exposing himself, but Caelyn didn’t care anymore. Let them see. Let them realize the passion between true mates. Let them understand the reason why Caelyn and Graham were being punished. Caelyn was proud of it, proud of this bond, and of belonging to Graham.

He’d have liked to use his powers to help his mate along, but he couldn’t because of the device on him, so he tried to do it the old-fashioned way. His hands were trembling, though, and his arousal and desperate desire made him clumsy. Graham didn’t seem to mind. He took Caelyn’s hands and kissed them. “Let me,” he said out loud.

The gentleness tamed Caelyn’s desire, or rather molded it to Graham’s will. Caelyn could do nothing but submit to his mate as the werewolf continued on his task. His mind swirled with desire, and before he knew it, his mate had discarded Caelyn’s shirt and was working on his pants.

It was a little harder with this troublesome garment, but Caelyn managed to toe off his shoes and at least help Graham this way. Graham undid Caelyn’s zipper, pulling the slacks down and revealing Caelyn’s erection.

As Graham removed Caelyn’s pants, Caelyn was left sitting naked on the cold floor, only in his socks. There was a general chill in the palace, probably caused by its location, but now, after the battle, it had grown even more prominent. Even if Graham’s passion was keeping him warm, his mate nevertheless noticed the potential for discomfort. He quickly created a nest from Caelyn’s own clothes and gestured for him to lay there.

Caelyn saw what Graham desired through their bond. He sat back on the clothes, facing his mate. Instead of rushing into the act of penetration like the draechen had undoubtedly expected, Graham crawled on top of Caelyn and brushed a butterfly-light kiss to his lips. As he moved away, he licked down Caelyn’s collarbone and over the hollow of his throat, re-acquainting himself with Caelyn’s erogenous zones.

It was just like the time they’d made love after Caelyn had confessed being pregnant. No, impossibly, it was even slower, gentler. Graham seemed to want to map every part of him, not leaving an inch of skin untouched. He lingered over Caelyn’s nipples, fellating them with the same eagerness he’d once used on Caelyn’s dick, but he was just as enthusiastic when he kissed down Caelyn’s legs and reached his feet. He rolled off Caelyn’s socks, which almost relieved Caelyn since he thought he must have looked ridiculous with only them on. Of course, that idea became irrelevant when Graham took Caelyn’s foot in his mouth, swirling his tongue around each toe, groaning in obvious delight.

An avalanche of pleasure swamped Caelyn’s senses, and Graham hadn’t even touched his dick yet. Just as Caelyn thought this, Graham decided to rectify what he must have considered an unforgivable error.

Abandoning Caelyn’s feet, Graham lowered his mouth over Caelyn’s dick, taking it all the way into his throat. There was no gentleness in that, just the raw passion of a barely leashed wolf who wanted to claim his mate. And oh yes, Caelyn wanted to be claimed, to be devoured by Graham’s passion.

As Graham began to move his head up and down, Caelyn writhed under him, clutching at the nest of clothes, but unable to get a good grip on anything. In the end, he went with the only thing that could possibly anchor him and held onto Graham’s hair. Surrendering to his need, he thrust his dick into the heat of his mate’s wet cavern.

But in spite of the mind-numbing sensations, a part of Caelyn didn’t feel complete. Underneath the carnal pleasure Graham’s mouth drew out of him, Caelyn craved more. Distantly, he was aware of his own voice crying out, “Graham, oh, yes… Beloved! Please… Fuck me.”

He didn’t know if he was speaking out loud, or through their bond, but nevertheless, Graham understood. Releasing Caelyn’s dick from his mouth, he flipped Caelyn onto all fours. Biting his lip, Caelyn closed his eyes and pushed his ass out, waiting for his mate’s touch.

Graham’s breath caught, and through their bond, Caelyn could feel the werewolf’s awe and almost overpowering desire. Perhaps both of those emotions urged Graham to slow down again. He brushed Caelyn’s long hair aside and pressed a kiss to Caelyn’s nape. “I love you so much,” he murmured out loud. “No matter what happens, always remember that.”

Those words felt too much like good-bye, so Caelyn’s eyes filled with tears. “I love you, too.”

He didn’t care if the draechen heard them. Caelyn and Graham’s love was a private emotion, but they had been forced into this situation. Let the draechen see. Maybe then, they’d realize what they were doing.

All thoughts of his foes vanished as Graham kissed down his spine until he reached the small of his back. Caelyn’s breath caught, his dick throbbing as his anus clenched in anticipation.

Fortunately, Graham didn’t make him wait any longer. The werewolf’s hands were like hot brands when they came to rest on Caelyn’s ass. Slowly, Graham parted his cheeks, revealing the hole hidden there.

Rapture exploded Caelyn as his mate licked over his crease. He couldn’t have controlled his cries if he’d wanted to. As Graham’s tongue wriggled into his ass, stretching and preparing him, Caelyn pushed back, fucking Graham’s face. The sinful caress awoke every nerve ending in his body, which seemed impossible since Caelyn had been convinced that Graham’s previous ministrations had already managed that. But then, no matter how much pleasure Graham gave him, the werewolf always had something more, always added another layer to Caelyn’s bliss. And it wasn’t over yet, not by far. They hadn’t come together in that unique way that made Caelyn touch the heavens.

In response to Caelyn’s thought, Graham removed his tongue from Caelyn’s ass and pressed another kiss to his shoulder, steadying his hips as he did so. He positioned his cock at Caelyn’s opening and slowly, ever so slowly, slid home.

Caelyn cried out as pleasure-pain rushed over him in a torrent of lava. Oh, he couldn’t deny that it hurt a little. After all, it couldn’t not hurt. In spite of the little rimming session, saliva couldn’t account for real lubricant. But that pain, the burn of the stretch, just added to the sensations, making him feel more alive than he’d ever been.

Of course, Graham remained mindful of Caelyn’s comfort. As he fully seated himself inside Caelyn, he stopped, allowing him to get used to the penetration. Caelyn didn’t actually need it, at least not for the pain, but it was useful to keep him from coming outright.

But soon, that small comfort became a frustration. He felt like he was burning, no, like he and Graham were burning together in a firestorm that seemed impossible to quench. His mate’s need echoed his own, and Graham pulled out of him, only to thrust back in seconds later.

In the process, he struck Caelyn’s prostate with such force that Caelyn nearly found his peak on the spot. He somehow managed to avoid it, but he did lose his balance, and he’d surely have fallen if his mate hadn’t wrapped an arm around his waist to steady him.

From that point on, everything became a blur. Caelyn melted into a receptacle of passion, his own and Graham’s. He received everything Graham gave him and demanded more, his bond with Graham glowing with the bright light of their desire.

Even the hold the disruptor had on him was a distant, forgotten thing. Its power couldn’t hope to circumvent the potency of the moment. It was like a distant, nagging fly trying to make its way over through a hurricane.

The technology would have still kept him from casting any spell, but as Graham fucked him, he clutched Caelyn’s hair and pulled hard. In the process, he managed to dislodge the disruptor just a little, enough to allow Caelyn to use the spell they required.

Caelyn felt actually surprised that Graham had managed to remember to do his part of the plan. Until now, Caelyn had completely forgotten there even was a plan, having lost himself in their passion. But now, he did remember. It didn’t scare him, though. He had faith in his bond with Graham. Something so deep and beautiful couldn’t be destroyed. He was sure of it.

Over and over, Graham moved in and out of him. His groans mixed with Caelyn’s cries, echoing in the cavernous room and filling it with their intoxicating passion. Every stroke of Graham’s dick hit Caelyn’s prostate, until Caelyn could practically taste his orgasm, so very close.

He needed one more thing, one last thing to make this moment perfect. He tilted his head, offering his mate his neck. Instantly, Graham struck. The rush of ecstatic agony burst over Caelyn, and with another cry, he came.

As their minds became fully connected, love, truth, and rapture engulfed them, a physical and emotional link that could never be broken. Two bodies, two souls, and two identities became one single entity. It was a perfect instant of purity and bliss, during which Caelyn truly felt no one could harm them or separate them.

Slowly, that bright rush of orgasm started to fade. Graham slipped out of him, but even then, that feeling of togetherness didn’t vanish. Caelyn collapsed in the nest of clothing, content and satisfied.

The beauty of the moment was shattered when a cold female voice said, “Well, that was interesting. I believe it’s time to end this. Shtamakarein?”

At once, Caelyn remembered his circumstances. He gasped and turned, catching a glimpse of Karein as the draechen prince approached. Graham was already on his feet, as if intending to attack and seeming seconds away from shifting.

But Karein didn’t give them a chance to even utter one word. When the blow of magic came, it stole Caelyn’s breath. An iron-like vise seemed to squeeze his lungs, and his vision grew faint. By his side, Graham collapsed onto the floor, incapacitated by Karein’s power.

The time had come to go through the plan. Karein had promised it wouldn’t hurt Caelyn’s child, but Caelyn was still afraid. Instinctively, he curled what little power he had left within himself, trying to keep his baby safe. Somehow, though, Karein managed to stay away from the spark of new life growing inside Caelyn.

It was the strangest thing, as if Karein’s presence and will was crushing him from the inside out. And yet, it didn’t hurt, at least, not very much. The draechen was being deliberately gentle.

Finally, Graham went limp and still by his side. Caelyn couldn’t move either, but then, the hold of Karein’s power released him. Focusing on his natural skill, Caelyn summoned the simplest of illusions, the only one he could have created in this moment.

It was a basic spell, one that muted the sounds of his and Graham’s heartbeats and breaths and masked the motions of their chests. However, it wouldn’t last for long, so Caelyn gave everything he had in an attempt to steady the enchantment.

At last, there was nothing left to give without risking harming their child. It was all in Karein’s hands now. Hoping the illusion would hold, Caelyn sent a prayer to Jenarra and surrendered to unconsciousness.

Chapter Thirteen

Karein looked at the bodies of the two men he was supposed to have killed. The memory of the way they had moved together refused to leave him. It had been sexy, yes, but for some reason, it had made him uncomfortable. He had said that werewolves were nothing more than rutting beasts, but it hadn’t been like that at all. He’d felt like a voyeur, spying on something private that shouldn’t have been used for a petty purpose such as entertainment. Of course, he hadn’t shown it, but he’d seen similar discomfort on the faces of some of the draechen present.

Everyone was quiet now, no cheers echoing through the throne room. They gave him wary looks, perhaps even without realizing it. Of course, they were always wary of him, but never because of having witnessed what was, essentially, him doing his job. Something had changed. They were uncomfortable with the light of a mate bond being extinguished, for whatever reason it might have been.

As he faced his parents, Karein hid a smile. His father had meant to humiliate Graham and Caelyn in front of the entire court, but the only thing he’d managed to do was to show the other draechen a side of the werewolves they hadn’t known existed. Actually, Karein himself had been surprised. He wondered now what other things he must have missed in his dedication to uphold his ancestor’s legacy.

But Karein had other, more pressing concerns right now. His mother must have realized what had happened as well, because she narrowed her eyes in displeasure. She left the throne and slowly approached until she reached his side.

Nudging Graham’s body with the sharp tip of her shoe, she scanned the fallen forms of the two men. Karein waited, hoping and praying that the illusion would hold. Behind his mother, he could see his father examining Graham and Caelyn, too. If they took much longer, Caelyn’s spell would collapse.

By some miracle, his mother pulled away and returned to the throne. “Very good, Shtamakarein,” she said as she sat back down on the throne.

“What will you have me do with the bodies?” Karein inquired, keeping his voice steady and neutral.

This was the flaw in his plan. Here was where it would all go wrong. He couldn’t offer to dispose of the bodies himself, not outright, because it would look suspicious. After all, it wasn’t a job for a prince to do. But if someone else was assigned to the task, they would throw the incapacitated couple off the cliff, and that would kill them indeed.

“Get rid of them,” his mother ordered. “You are dismissed.”

Karein suppressed a sigh of relief. Bowing again, he gestured a few guards forward. As the draechen in question picked up the fallen couple, Karein saluted. “I live and die by your command.”

With the guards in tow, he left the throne room. He almost thought he’d escaped, but then, Sage fell into step next to him. “A word with you, General?” he asked.

Insofar as he could like anyone, Karein liked Sage. He had earned his position as Karein’s second-in-command, and while Sage shared Karein’s disdain for the ninth caste, he was never unnecessarily cruel. However, out of everyone in his company, he was the most likely person who could figure out Karein had something planned.

“What is it, Sage?” he asked. “Better yet, can it wait?”

Sage stole a look at the guards carrying the bodies of Graham and Caelyn. “Actually…” he began to say.

He was about to ask Karein to stop to talk to him. The result could prove to be catastrophic as the guards might find it natural to dispose of Graham and Caelyn themselves. Releasing a frustrated sigh, Karein gestured the guards to a nearby receiving room. As he entered the empty quarters, he ordered, “Leave the prisoners here. Sage and I will handle it, as the Emperor requested.”

Fortunately, the men didn’t question him. Perhaps they thought he wanted to personally get rid of the sprite who’d betrayed him. Or maybe they just feared him. Today’s little show had reminded them that there was very little anyone could do to stop him if he ran amok, and under the circumstances, they were not inclined to question him. Thank the Overlords for small mercies.

The soldiers saluted and fled, closing the door behind them. So far, so good. Now, he only needed to get rid of Sage. “What is it?” he asked with far more calmness than he felt.

For a few moments, Sage remained quiet. “I just…I know it is not my place, Highness,” he said finally, “but the company has been concerned about you.” He shook his head and amended, “I have been concerned about you. What with your two hundredth birthday approaching—”

“Now is hardly the time for this conversation, Sage,” Karein said, interrupting him. “I appreciate your concern, but I have a duty toward the Emperor. That will have to be enough.”

Likely, he was far harsher that he usually would have been, because Sage frowned. “Highness, I can sense something is wrong. I have been loyal to you for decades, Highness. Trust me. I will not fail you.”

Karein would have trusted his lieutenant with his life, but this was a far more delicate issue. Nevertheless, Sage was too smart for his own good and had already figured out something wasn’t quite right. Granted, he thought it was connected to Karein’s two hundredth birthday, but still, he had felt it.

Taking a deep breath, Karein decided to take a leap of faith. The truth was that, while he had a plan in place, walking through the palace carrying both of them would draw attention. “I’m getting them out of here. They’re not dead.”

Sage’s eyes widened. “But how? They weren’t breathing. Their hearts weren’t beating. I looked.”

“It’s a spell,” Karein answered. “I don’t have time to explain it now. Since I drained them of energy, it’s going to fade soon.”

Indeed, just as he spoke, the illusion making Caelyn and Graham seem dead cracked. Karein had expected it, but he still cursed. “All right, you have to help me. We need to take them out onto the cliff and down into the forest.”

From that point on, he was very much relying on someone else, but the circumstances had forced him into solutions he wouldn’t have normally considered. Overlords, involving Sage was already something he’d have preferred to avoid, but he couldn’t change it now.

“As you wish, Highness,” Sage answered.

He took Caelyn in his arms while Karein draped Graham’s body over his shoulder. “Don’t hold him like that,” he said to his second-in-command. “Someone will see his chest move or his eyelashes flutter.”

Immediately, he changed the position to echo the way Karein was holding the wolf. As they exited the room, Karein added, “Keep a steady stream of conversation. We need to cover the sound of their breaths.”

They started walking down the hallway and few awkward moments passed. Neither he nor Sage had ever been too open. It just wasn’t their way. The only time they even spoke was when he conveyed orders, with few exceptions, such as inquiries on Sage’s twin sister, to whom he was very close. But those times were few and far in between, and it would be a little strange to discuss family when he’d just killed someone.

In the end, Sage was the one who broke the silence. “Has the identity of the prisoners’ accomplices been discovered?”

Karein twitched. Out of all the possible topics of conversation, why was that the one Sage had picked? “Not just yet,” he replied curtly. “We’re looking into it, but all clues lead to mercenaries.”

His own personal inquiries had led him to the identity of the man who’d shot him back in Sacramento. He hadn’t shared it with anyone, not even Hareem, and he congratulated himself for it now.

Sage must have noticed Karein’s reluctance to talk about it, as he fell silent once more. Karein detected a few guards up ahead, and decided the quiet simply would not do. The sound of Graham’s heartbeat seemed obscenely loud, so he had to cover it.

“I wanted to thank you for your concern,” he finally said. “I assure you I’m perfectly all right.”

After a brief moment of pause, Sage took the opening and answered, “As always, I have complete faith in you, General. But if there’s anything I can do to help, you only need ask.”

Karein chuckled. “Only one person can help me now, and that’s my anchor. So unless you’re that person…”

Sage’s breath caught, and he gave Karein a wide-eyed look. “You just have to say the word, General,” he blurted out.

Karein released a heavy sigh. This was definitely not the right moment to have his second-in-command declare his feelings for him. He’d have felt embarrassed, except he knew that Sage had only offered out of loyalty, not out of true desire for him. Perhaps under different circumstances, there might have been a measure of attraction between them, but Sage feared him too much for that to be possible.

Regardless, Karein respected his lieutenant as a person and as a soldier. “Thank you, Sage,” he replied, “but I still have hope that the Overlords will guide me to the one person who can open himself to what I offer.”

He didn’t know why he said those words, or where they came from. He didn’t even know why he had said him. After all, he didn’t know for a fact that his supposed and unknown mate was male. But he’d said it regardless, even if a part of him didn’t believe in them. A true mate as an anchor was more than he could expect from life.

In three months, his two hundredth birthday was coming up. If he didn’t have a mate before the eve of that date, he would be imprisoned for all eternity in the bowels of the mountain, or perhaps even killed. By rights, the thought should have frightened him, but Karein was resigned to his fate. Likely, he deserved whatever happened to him, and more.

But that didn’t matter right now. Graham and Caelyn did. During his conversation with Sage, they’d crossed the castle at speed and finally reached the side entrance. When they bypassed the last guards inside the building, they stepped into the cold of the night. “So what now?” Sage inquired once they were convinced no one was within earshot.

“Now, you have to cover my tracks while I carry them to the foot of the mountain,” Karein replied. There were still plenty of soldiers patrolling the area. Karein’s presence would undoubtedly be spotted, but Sage might be able to distract them long enough for Karein to finish his task.

Thankfully, Sage didn’t ask any questions. “I understand,” he replied, placing Caelyn on the cold ground.

Karein abandoned Graham’s still form next to Caelyn’s and straightened his back. Closing his eyes, he allowed the change to flow over him. The dragon roared out of him, powerful and wild, more so than most people even imagined. Soon, in the place of Karein the man stood a great, black beast.

Now ready, Karein took Graham and Caelyn into his clawed paws. With a final look toward Sage, he launched himself into the air.

For a little while, he flew straight up, as if he were intending to dump the two bodies from an elevated position. Then, when he was safely away from the mountain, he flew down, until he reached the forest.

He found the meeting spot with ease. Philip Strange was already there, and while he seemed alone, every tree around them held one of his mercenaries. Karein didn’t acknowledge them in any way, although he could have easily disposed of at least a couple of them.

Instead, he landed next to the panther-shifter and deposited the unconscious couple at Philip’s feet. The mercenary was wearing a mask, but even so, Karein could read the tension in him. “What did you do to them?” he asked.

Karein shifted into his human form to look a little less threatening. “I used my powers on them and drained their energy,” he replied. As he did so, Karein knelt next to Caelyn and Graham, willing the energy he had taken from them back into their bodies. It wasn’t a perfect transference procedure, as some of it had already been absorbed within Karein and could no longer be returned. He would have done it earlier, but the process took time, more than Karein had afforded when at the palace. But even with the delay, it would help in their recovery.

“They should be all right soon,” he said when he finally got up. “Once they awaken, make sure they get lots of rest and fluids, perhaps IV lines. Particularly for Caelyn as he is with child.”

Philip’s breath caught. “And you still…” He shook his head, as if disgusted. “Never mind. I can’t expect anything else from the Dog-Catcher.”

The comment bothered Karein more than it should have. He had done everything that had been in his power under the circumstances. He’d been careful so as not to harm Caelyn’s unborn child. But had it been enough?

Frustrated with himself, Karein pushed those thoughts away. It didn’t matter. Once Caelyn and Graham were gone, he could return to his duty. In the end, he still had a job to do. Caelyn and Graham might love each other very much, but they were just two people. The ninth caste remained a dangerous element that needed to be contained.

“No, you can’t,” he replied coldly. “Be very careful who you cross, Mr. Strange. I found out who you are. I can easily track you down, even if you are seventh caste. And without me, your friends wouldn’t be alive.”

It was true. Karein hadn’t revealed the extent of his knowledge of Philip’s operations. He had chosen to only send a message to the man through the underground grapevine. Fortunately, Philip seemed quite fond of Graham as he had readily agreed to pick the werewolf and his mate up.

“I’m sure if it had been that easy, you’d have killed me a long time ago,” Philip replied.

Karein just smiled coldly. “If I killed everyone who hates me, half of the world’s paranormal population wouldn’t see the next sunrise.” Philip might not realize it, but Karein knew everything about him now. He was no idiot, and he realized exactly why Philip Strange had been able to come to Germany on such short notice. He had actually considered handing the mercenary in to his father, but had changed his mind. Philip was undoubtedly the person who could incriminate the Norrenddare family most. His capture could have easily sparked the war Karein had been trying to avoid.

But he didn’t tell Philip any of that. “Take care of your friends, Mr. Strange. Next time I see them, I won’t be so merciful.”

Without further ado, Karein melted into his dragon form and launched himself into the air. It was time to put Caelyn and Graham behind him and deal with his more pressing concerns. Hopefully, what he’d done today wouldn’t come back and blow up in his face.

* * * *

As the black dragon disappeared into the distance, some of Philip’s tension finally vanished. He dropped to his knees next to his unconscious friends. “Cal,” he shouted, “come on. “We need to get them out of here.”

As Cal joined him in the clearing, Philip slapped Graham’s face, trying to wake his friend up, but to no avail. Caelyn was just as unresponsive. Philip was no healer, but he had to do something to help them. “To the jet, quickly,” he ordered. Rest, fluids, and an IV line. That was what the draechen had said. He could provide that.

He took Graham in his arms, while Cal lifted Caelyn. They rushed to the jet that had carried them here from Berlin. He was fairly certain he’d revealed far too much about his location by jumping to Graham’s assistance like this, but there had been no other option. He couldn’t have abandoned Caelyn and Graham. They just had to relocate from Germany and find a different outpost.

The small jet was hidden within the vegetation. As everyone hastened inside, its doors closed, and the engines already started to rumble. At this point, humans would have been smart to buckle their seat belts, but feline shifters had excellent balance. Instead, Philip ran to the back room of the plane.

Inside, he found two beds prepared for the injured couple. His mother was in the room and gestured him to hurry. “Place them here. Quickly now, boy.”

Philip complied and positioned Graham on one of the beds. Cal did the same with Caelyn, and Philip watched as his mother started to look over Graham and Caelyn. He couldn’t help but be a little nervous. Of course, he trusted his mother would take care of his friends. Diane Strange might not have been the warmest, kindest mother in existence, but she’d always been there for him when it mattered. Still, he didn’t know the exact extent of the damage, so he felt naturally concerned.

“Are they going to be all right?” he asked.

“For the moment, they are very weak,” she answered. “I can’t tell you anything certain until I examine them more closely. Go on. I’ll watch over them.”

Her voice was both gentle and stern, and Philip found reassurance in it. “Come on, Cal,” he told his friend. “We have some arrangements to make.”

As they left the room, they headed into the cockpit. The plane was just taking off, the pilots guiding it back to Berlin. “Set a course for Brasilia,” he said without preamble. “Europe’s not safe for us right now.”

Germany had been perfect precisely because the draechen would have never thought to look for Philip so close to home. But now, they had no choice but to relocate. Brazil was as good a place as any.

“We’ll have to stop to refuel,” the pilot warned.

“Unfortunate, but necessary. Get us out of here. This place is making my fur itch.”

“I could scratch it for you,” Cal purred in his ear.

The idea held some appeal, but sadly, it wasn’t feasible, not with Caelyn and Graham unconscious in the other room. “Maybe later. We’ll see.”

Cal narrowed his eyes at Philip, but didn’t comment. Instead, he slipped back into the main area of the plane. Philip wanted to hit his head against the plane door. As bad as the draechen were regarding the ninth caste, felines didn’t like werewolves much either. The first time, Philip’s people had obeyed him mostly because of the generous pay involved, courtesy of the fae. But Philip’s willingness to jump to Graham’s aid didn’t sit well with many of them, especially Cal, who was aware of Philip’s history with Graham.

As he watched Cal go, Philip wondered what in the world he was going to do now. Even if his friends made a complete recovery, it was only a matter of time until Graham and Caelyn became outcasts for the felines, too. Philip couldn’t protect them. Where would they go then?

* * * *

A few days later

Graham ran through the darkness, dazed and exhausted. His paws felt like they were weighed down by lead. He sniffed the air, trying to find a trace of his mate, but the scent simply wasn’t there.

Whining, Graham followed the instinctive mate bond that connected him to Caelyn. As always, it shone bright and true, but it didn’t seem to give him any clue as to how to find his mate.

Graham didn’t know how long he ran, how long he kept searching. From time to time, he thought he could see the darkness melting into shadows, and on occasion, he heard voices somewhere nearby. But none of them belonged to Caelyn, and he kept walking, kept trying, to no avail.

At one point, though, the darkness began to clear. Graham didn’t want to leave, didn’t want to return to the light, but he had no choice.

Suddenly, the wolf was gone, and Graham opened his eyes, now back in the real world. “Caelyn? Angel, where are you?”

Unfortunately, Caelyn didn’t answer, but a familiar voice did offer a reply. “Welcome back, Graham,” Philip said. “We were very worried about you.”

As Graham’s vision cleared, his gaze fell onto Philip. For once, his friend had taken his mask off. His tired smile held a great deal of relief, but also a dose of regret. Instantly, alarm rushed over Graham. “Where’s Caelyn?” he asked. “Philip, what happened to my mate?”

“Graham, you have to calm down,” the panther said softly. “You’re in good hands.”

Graham shot out of the bed, all weakness chased out of him as if by magic. “Philip! Where is he?”

“He’s in the next room.” Philip got up, lifting his hands as if trying to calm down a wild beast. “I’m sorry. He’s still unconscious, and so far, nothing we’ve tried to do has been able to rouse him.”

“So far?” Graham repeated. “Wait a second. How much time passed? Is our child all right? How did we get here in the first place? I want to see Caelyn now.”

He was rambling, incoherent with concern, his wolf howling in panic. He wanted to grab Philip and physically shake him, to force the information out of him. Fortunately, it wasn’t necessary. Philip took his hand and led him out of room and into the hallway.

Graham still had no clue where they were, although judging by the significant increase in temperature, they’d left Draechenburg behind. The humidity in the area made sweat bead over Graham’s forehead, or maybe it was just his anxiousness at not having any real knowledge of Caelyn.

But that was easily fixed. As they rushed toward the adjoining room, Philip began to explain. “Prince Shtamakarein somehow figured out I helped you two in your original escape. He contacted me through another friend of mine, which suffice to say, didn’t make anyone happy. Anyway, I came to pick you up and brought you here, to Brazil. You seemed to be doing fine, and almost woke up once or twice, but you lost consciousness again and again for no real medical reason. You’ve been out of it for days. Caelyn hasn’t recovered at all, although he does look much better than when you first arrived. He’s in here.”

Philip opened the door to the room in question and let Graham in. Graham’s heart nearly stopped at the sight that met his eyes. Caelyn lay in bed, looking so very beautiful, like a true angel. It almost seemed that he was sleeping, but he was far too pale. The machines monitoring his heartbeat and breath beeped steadily, but he didn’t stir at all as Graham walked to his side and knelt next to his bed.

“It’s nice to see you up and about, Mr. Powers,” a distantly familiar voice said. Graham briefly turned, only to see a handsome, dark-haired man approach. Graham recognized him as Raul Gomez, the fae who’d assisted them in New York.

He couldn’t really come up with any polite platitude to say, so it was fortunate that Philip intervened. “When I realized this was beyond my knowledge, I brought in Raul. I thought that since he’s fae, he might be able to help your mate.”

At that, Graham snapped out of his trance. “I don’t understand any of this. I’m told I’ve been unconscious for days now. That makes no sense. And what’s wrong with my mate? Is our child all right?”

“You’re quite right that your recovery should have been faster, but you practically refused to come back because your mate was still in that situation. Your wolf felt that you might be able to find your mate in the cloud of your unconsciousness, which was, of course, deceiving. Thankfully, your body and survival instinct pulled you out of it.”

Graham supposed that he understood that, but Raul hadn’t answered the most important part of the inquiry. “And Caelyn?”

“Your mate is fine. In fact, he’s perfectly all right. Medically, there’s nothing wrong with him, and your child’s development is normal.” Raul paused and gave him a look full of regret. “I don’t know why he isn’t waking up. Perhaps you can tell us. Did he do anything strenuous that might have caused this? A particularly complicated spell, perhaps?”

The pieces of the puzzle began to come together. “Toward the end of our captivity, Caelyn cast an illusion to make us seem dead,” Graham replied numbly. “He said it would be easy, that he could do it even if the Dog-Catcher drained him of energy.”

Raul frowned. “So he cast the spell, and it lasted even after he lost consciousness.”

“That was the plan, although I’m not entirely sure.” Graham wished he had asked Caelyn more about what needed to be done, but it was too late now. Remembering something else, he added, “Before, I also had to fight some draechen, and he helped me through it, feeding me power. He had this… disruptor thing on that was blocking his power.”

“Well, that explains it.” Raul released a heavy sigh. “I suspect that your mate must have put too much of an effort into everything he did, and forcing his way past the disruptor couldn’t have been easy. You see, Mr. Powers, illusions are tricky things. For them to outlast the will and consciousness of the caster, the enchantment has to have a lot of power backing it up. The spell itself might not have been complicated, but what it entailed took a lot out of your mate. Since he must have already been weak from the disruptor’s effect… Well, it was simply too much.”

The words made Graham feel a little sick. “But Caelyn…he said it wouldn’t hurt him.”

And so had Shtamakarein, damn him. This was entirely and completely the draechen’s fault. But Graham couldn’t say that. Likely, he had already said too much by mentioning Shtamakarein in front of Raul. They had agreed to keep their arrangement a secret, insofar as it was possible at least. Everyone had to believe Caelyn and Graham were dead if they had any hope of building a life together. Not to mention that the draechen prince’s involvement in the ruse could easily get him killed, too.

“Likely he didn’t realize what could happen,” Raul explained. “It’s no one’s fault. It was an accident.”

Graham forced himself to calm down and not start screaming at the unfairness of it. “All right. An accident. The real question is, can you do anything about it?”

“Not me, but I might know someone who can.”

* * * *

Fae palace of Rose Noire, somewhere near Calais, France

Sari paced through the hallway, his steps echoing against the marble flooring of the temple. He needed to speak with his mother at once, but sometimes, there were real disadvantages to being the child of the Great Priestess. Yes, he was always well received in the Temple of Jenarra, but his mother wasn’t always available to him.

Normally, he understood that, and it didn’t really bother him. It was almost a privilege since it meant he had grown around all the other priestesses, and they loved and cared for him as well. But sometimes, like now, only a mother would do.

Finally, another priestess walked up to his side and said, “She will see you now.”

Sari barely managed to suppress his sigh of relief. “Thank you,” he answered as she allowed him to enter the Great Priestess’s rooms.

His mother was already waiting for him there, lounging on a settee, almost looking asleep. The priestess bowed and took her leave, closing the door behind her.

For a little while, Sari just waited. He knew that his mother wasn’t asleep or ignoring him. If she’d agreed to see him, she would do so. Of course, the visions from Jenarra came and went with no regard to the wishes of the individual, but Sari respected that. He was impatient, but he couldn’t exactly shake his mother out of meditation.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Eanera opened her eyes. “You’re unsettled, dear child. Come closer. Come to me.”

Sari did. As he sat down onto the couch, Eanera pulled him close, petting his hair. “Oh, Mother… Father told me Graham and Caelyn were captured,” he blurted out. “He said the draechen are blaming us for the entire debacle.”

“Yes, they are,” his mother answered. “Calm down, Sari. Selbrian doesn’t blame you for anything. It’s not your fault at all.”

Wasn’t it? He didn’t think he could have done things differently, because he never would have forgiven himself if he hadn’t helped Caelyn. But what if his involvement in the matter plunged Ivenia into a war, breaking a tentative truce that had lasted for generations? Could he have handled the matter in a better way?

“Sari, listen to me. If this hadn’t happened, the draechen would have just come up with something else. The emperor is a truly evil man.”

Sari’s eyes widened. “What are you saying? That a war with Ornoz is inevitable?”

Eanera shook her head. “Nothing is inevitable. Contrary to popular belief, sweet child, I do not know the future. I only know what Jenarra decides to show me.”

“And what has she showed you now? What happened to Graham and Caelyn?”

“They were nearly killed and only narrowly avoided it,” she answered. “Unfortunately, Caelyn has yet to recover. He desperately tried to support his mate and protect his child while straining himself to extend a spell. I believe I don’t have to tell you that’s a recipe for disaster.”

Sari released a gasp of distress. “He could die from that. Wait…child? Oh, Mother…please. We have to help. I know it’s dangerous and crazy. But there has to be something we can do.”

“Caelyn is with an agent of mine right now. One word from me, and Raul will bring both of them to France. It will be tricky, but I can get you out of here for a few hours.”

“Truly?” Hope bubbled inside Sari. He was forbidden to leave the Ivenian citadel without heavy guard, and he’d never been allowed to step into a human town. His life had always been here, and the only people he’d had contact with who weren’t fae had been sprites. The unknown didn’t frighten him, though. Oh, if his mother could manage that, he might be able to help Caelyn.

“Yes, sweet child. You’re the only healer other than me that can assist him. For obvious reasons, I cannot leave. But I will arrange it so that you can do so.”

Sari almost couldn’t believe his luck. “But Father, and Queen Onyerre…Jenarra above, if Queen Onyerre finds out…I don’t even want to think about it.”

“Let me worry about Onyerre,” a male voice suddenly rang out. “You need to do this, Sari, and you need to get them somewhere safe. No matter what happens, the draechen must not find them again.”

Sari turned, only to see his father leaning against the doorjamb of his mother’s private quarters. He gaped in shock. He had just come from a private audience with the man. Granted, he’d been waiting for a while outside, but surely his sire would have mentioned something if he planned to come see his mother.

But then again, his father was king. He didn’t owe Sari any explanations. Although Sari was curious as to what other things his parents must have discussed, he decided to ask as few questions as possible.

In their own ways, his parents loved him, but Sari knew that he was also an inconvenience to them. His mother had only ever been affectionate to him, but there were times when she stopped being the woman who’d given him birth and became just the High Priestess of Jenarra. It made her seem aloof and distant, like a star that shone in the night sky, guiding Sari but forever beyond his reach.

Similarly, his father cared for him. But Selbrian had another family, separate from Sari and Eanera, a legitimate one that hated Sari. Suffice to say, Sari didn’t belong there either.

So, Sari made no inquiries whatsoever. “I understand, Father,” he said instead. “I will not fail you.”

“No, you won’t,” Selbrian answered. He made his way to Sari’s side and pressed his hand to Sari’s shoulder. “You are a good son, and I love you a great deal. Go, and let us worry about the rest.”

Sari bowed and gleefully rushed toward the door. As his hand hovered over the doorknob, he hesitated and threw another look over his shoulder. A part of him, the one that was still a child seeking their approval, wanted to go embrace them, to thank them for this opportunity. But Selbrian didn’t give him the chance. “Go,” his father said again. “Your mother and I will send for you when it’s time.”

Sari made another bow, this time far more polite than before. “I will be waiting, Father. Thank you.”

But oddly enough, even as he left his mother’s quarters, a cloud of uncertainty settled over his heart. He couldn’t get her words out of his mind. The draechen wouldn’t be satisfied until they started a war with Sari’s people. They weren’t satisfied with their leadership over the shifter world. They wanted to rule the magical creatures as well. Sari might be able to help his friends today, but what would happen tomorrow?

Chapter Fourteen

“How much longer until he gets here?”

Graham looked at his watch and growled. “He’s taking forever.”

“Be patient, Mr. Powers,” Raul said. “His Highness has a unique position. He isn’t as free with his time as he’d like.”

Graham didn’t appreciate being chastised like a child, but he had to admit Raul was probably right. Caelyn had told him once that Sareltae Norrenddare, Caelyn’s best friend, wasn’t even allowed to leave the Ivenian palace without heavy guard. He was one of the strongest healers in Ivenian history, and because of this, and other reasons, he’d ended up trapped in the gilded cage of his home.

Somehow, he’d been given permission to leave or managed to sneak out this time, at least, according to Raul. The Hispanic fae had been the one to insist it was absolutely necessary for them to leave for France, where the home of the fae was apparently located.

However, Philip’s mother, Diane, had cautioned against moving Caelyn, and the knowledge that he might have inadvertently harmed his mate in his eagerness to get him back weighed heavily on Graham. He had trusted that Sari had helped them once, and would do so again. But now, the fae prince was late, and every second that passed felt like an age.

“He’ll be here, Graham,” Philip encouraged him. “It’s early still.”

“I understand you’re concerned,” Raul added, “but you must trust in His Highness. He would never abandon Lord Caelyn.”

Graham nodded curtly. “I believe you. Otherwise, I’d have never come here in the first place. I just want my mate back.”

As he spoke, Graham stole a look at the medical helicopter where Caelyn lay. Out of the felines, only Philip and Diane had come along on this trip. Graham suspected that some of Philip’s mercenary friends hadn’t been very happy about their boss’s involvement in this conflict. His friend hadn’t said anything about it, however, and Graham was honestly too worried about his mate to ask.

At last, the sound of an approaching aircraft reached Graham’s ears. Graham looked up and indeed saw another helicopter closing in fast.

“Here they come,” Raul said, pointing out the obvious.

Graham swallowed around the knot in his throat. This was it, the moment when he would learn whether there was any hope for him and Caelyn or not. He had taken a chance in agreeing to come here because his heart had told him it was what Caelyn would have wanted or done had the situation been reversed. But the fear wouldn’t leave him, and likely wouldn’t do so until he saw Caelyn smile at him again. If it ever happened.

At last, the second helicopter landed next to them. Graham, Philip, and Raul stepped back as the rush of air threatened to blind them. When the blades of the aircraft stopped moving, its doors opened, and Sareltae Norrenddare, or Sari as Caelyn called him, stepped out.

They’d only seen each other once, through the message pearl that they’d been given upon their escape. At that time, Graham hadn’t realized just how alike Sari and Caelyn were. It wasn’t only their build and stature that tended to be on the smaller side. The world abounded in slender and short people. But there was a glow coming from Sari, one of grace, love, and peace, that immediately reminded Graham of Caelyn.

As if they’d known each other forever, Sari bounded toward Graham and hugged him tightly. “Oh, Graham, I just heard. Take me to him.”

Several guards manifested behind Sari. One of them pressed a hand to Sari’s shoulder. “Your Highness,” the guard said warningly.

Sari released a heavy sigh and broke the embrace. “You must pardon him. He’s under strict instructions to never let me out of his sight or allow me to do anything dangerous.”

Graham wanted to ask exactly who had given these instructions, but he decided against it. In the end, it didn’t really matter, as long as Sari was here. “Hurry,” he said, grabbing Sari’s hand and pulling the fae toward the helicopter. “He is here.”

His behavior obviously didn’t sit well with the guards, but they didn’t have time to say anything. Sari eagerly followed after Graham, and together, they climbed into the chopper.

Diane Strange eyed Sari with obvious wariness, but nevertheless said, “We’ve done everything we can to stabilize his condition. As far as I can tell, there is no real medical reason why he isn’t waking up.”

Sari brushed his fingers over Caelyn’s forehead, his eyes drifting closed. “Of course there isn’t. Magic doesn’t follow the rules of traditional medicine.”

He obviously didn’t say it as criticism, but Diane still took it as such. “Well I can see now that I’m not needed any longer since my knowledge is useless. I’ll be outside until you finish whatever you plan to do.”

Sari didn’t answer and gave no sign at all that he’d ever heard her. As she slid out of the helicopter, he seemed to become entirely focused on Caelyn, which suited Graham just fine.

“Well, can you help him?” he inquired.

Frustratingly enough, Sari didn’t reply to him either. However, he did something better. The gem in the center of his forehead began to glow, softly at first, then brighter and brighter. At one point, it became so powerful that it engulfed Sari’s entire being, and then Caelyn. Since he was so close to them, Graham himself was bathed in the strange rays.

It felt like he’d been thrust in the purest, clearest river in existence. It felt fresh and cool, and yet so very warm and comforting. For a few moments, Graham felt like the world was a better place. He saw himself standing next to Caelyn on their wedding day, and then in a thousand other places, always with his mate, sometimes with other people, too. He couldn’t identify any of those memories, and more often than not, the flashes were too brief for him to make any sense of it, but he did grasp one thing very clearly. The gods approved of his mating with Caelyn. He and his beautiful sprite had a future.

When the slide show of images dimmed and Graham was thrust back into reality, he found his thoughts being confirmed in the best way possible. His vision cleared of dancing spots just in time to see Caelyn opening his eyes.

For a few moments, Graham just stared, unable to believe that Caelyn was truly back. And then, Caelyn’s soft voice broke the silence. “Hi. Where am I, and why do you look like you’re about to cry?”

In place of a response, Graham pressed his mouth to Caelyn’s. At first, he went slowly, testing to see if Caelyn was truly okay. Their bond glowed between them, providing the answer in the strong surge of his mate’s need. Yes, Caelyn was back in his arms, in his life, safe again. Oh, thank the gods.

Caelyn released a soft gasp of surprise, and Graham took advantage of the offered opportunity to thrust his tongue into Caelyn’s mouth. As he tasted the ambrosia of Caelyn’s flavor, his wolf howled inside him, demanding that he claim his mate, to solidify this beautiful reality with the union of their bodies.

He might have done just that, but the sound of a cleared throat reminded him of where they were. Breaking the kiss, Graham faced a blushing Sari. “I’m sorry about interrupting,” the fae said softly, “but I don’t have much time at my disposal, and I needed to tell you a couple more things.”

Caelyn blinked, as if he’d just realized Sari was there. “Oh, hi, Sari.” His cheeks flushed in an appealing shade of pink. It was so strange that Graham found that amazingly sexy when he only saw Sari’s blush as somewhat cute. “What happened?”

“You entered a type of coma because of the spells you cast,” Sari replied. “Essentially, the effort you put into all of it burnt out your magic, so even if there was nothing wrong with you physically, you couldn’t come back to us.”

Caelyn’s eyes widened, and he placed a protective hand over his abdomen. “But now…?”

“The baby is perfectly all right,” Sari answered. “There’s no risk for you to relapse, either. However, I need you to make sure you eat well and rest a great deal.”

“Yes, of course,” Graham replied in Caelyn’s stead. His wolf was already whining in protest, foreseeing being denied sex.

Looking a little horrified, Caelyn took a deep breath. He seemed to debate whether he should risk further embarrassment for both himself and Sari. In the end, it was really a no-brainer, and he blurted out, “Does that mean we can’t have sex?”

“Not at all,” Sari answered in surprisingly steady tone. “In fact, copulation is very important for your recovery. I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but for sprites, fae, and other such magical creatures, the mate bond stimulates the development of our magic a great deal. Sexual contact between the two mates unlocks the full potential of the bond.”

Graham almost couldn’t believe his ears. “So your medical advice in this case is to have as much sex as possible?”

Sari brushed his hand through his hair and arranged his robes, looking a little embarrassed again. “That’s not exactly what I said, but yes. You must understand that Caelyn’s affliction wasn’t physical. His magic was the source of the problem. So largely, what you must avoid is casting complicated enchantments.” Sari paused and cleared his throat. “Which brings me to the second part of what I have to say. My family has been receiving some heat for my participation in your escape. Suffice to say, the situation is quite delicate at this moment.”

“But the draechen think we’re dead now,” Graham replied. “Surely that will help.”

“It might.” Sari rubbed his eyes tiredly. “I don’t really know. It’s out of my hands now. But I have been entrusted to directing you to a place where you’ll be safe and out of the draechen’s reach.”

Graham frowned. “Does such a place even exist?”

If so, why hadn’t the fae directed them there to begin with? They could have avoided Caelyn getting injured, everything they had suffered since their escape.

“Yes and no,” Sari answered. He stole a look toward their friends, still waiting outside. “I’m afraid I can’t say anything here. You’re just going to have to trust me on this one.”

Graham shared a look with his mate. “What’s up with all the mystery?” he asked Caelyn. “Philip wouldn’t say anything, and neither would anyone else here.”

“I don’t know, but fae have always been reclusive and secretive,” Caelyn replied. “I think we should respect that and go with it.”

He was right. The fae had been very good to them, almost suspiciously so even. If not for the fae guard’s attitude, Graham would have almost thought they were planning something against him because it all seemed too good to be true.

As it was, he answered, “Okay. So… We’re supposed to go with you?”

Sari nodded and stepped out of the chopper. “We’ll take our helicopter. Come. There isn’t much time.”

Fortunately, Graham had thought to bring along a bag of clothes for him and Caelyn, although all their real belongings, things they’d purchased in the United States, had been left behind after their kidnapping. The only exception was their wedding rings, which had miraculously survived throughout it all. In his dark moments, Graham had told himself it was a sign that Caelyn would come back to him, that their relationship would endure, no matter what.

As he shouldered the bag with clothes, Graham helped Caelyn out of the helicopter. Together, they walked to where their friends were waiting.

“Welcome back, Lord Caelyn,” Philip said enthusiastically. “We were all very concerned.”

Diane threw an apologetic glance Sari’s way. “I guess I was wrong about your methods.”

Sari smiled and waved off her apology. “Quite all right.”

Graham actually suspected Sari had no idea what she was talking about. But he had to focus on his mate’s confusion, not Sari’s, and to be quick about it. “Caelyn, this is Diane. You know Raul, and you’ve met my friend, Philip Strange.”

“Ah.” Realization dawned for Caelyn. “The famous Lip. And it’s so nice to see you again, Mr. Gomez.”

Raul smiled, while Philip twitched satisfyingly. “I just knew His Highness would be able to do what I could not,” Raul said. “Welcome back.”

“And congrats on your recovery from me, too,” Philip added. “But for the record, I hate that nickname. I’d have never done this piercing if I’d known.”

Graham ignored him. “Philip was the one who picked us up after Shtamakarein freed us, and Diane gave us medical assistance,” he explained through his bond with Caelyn.

“I understand we owe you both a great deal of gratitude,” Caelyn instantly said out loud. “I truly don’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done.”

Diane looked surprised at Caelyn’s comment. Perhaps she had expected Caelyn to be more arrogant, given his previous position and his connections in the paranormal world. “It was our pleasure to help a friend,” she said.

“Sadly, we have to go now,” Caelyn added, “but perhaps one day, we’ll meet once again, and Graham and I will be able to repay that debt.”

On impulse, Graham hugged Philip tightly. He had a feeling it would be a while until he saw the panther again. “Take care of yourself, and thank you so much again.”

“Don’t mention it,” Philip replied, as he returned the embrace. When they broke away, he looked a little misty-eyed. “Now, go. Your fae friend is looking a little impatient.”

They were more good-byes all around, and then, Caelyn and Graham got into Sari’s helicopter next to the fae prince. Graham noticed that other than Sari, only the fae pilot was inside.

“Aren’t your guards coming along?” he asked.

Sari shook his head. “Our pilot is a priestess. She will take us to our destination. But everyone else has to stay here. We’ll pick them up afterward.”

“But…they’re your security staff.” Graham simply couldn’t understand it. “Don’t you trust them?”

“It’s not about trust,” Caelyn answered as he closed the helicopter door. “It is forbidden.”

Graham still didn’t get it, but decided to hold his tongue. He made sure his mate was comfortable and safe in his seat and strapped himself up, too. As the helicopter took off, though, he had to ask, “Where are we going?”

It was hard to speak over the sound of the engine, but nevertheless, Sari did. “Does the name Eternelle sound familiar?”

Caelyn’s eyes widened. “Of course. It is the old citadel of the battle of the Great Sacrifice. But it was destroyed. Wasn’t it?”

Sari shook his head. “The actual citadel no longer exists as it used to, but a temple was built in its place, to honor those who died that day. It is a closely guarded secret. Outside the higher ranking members of the Jenarra priesthood, the royal family is the only one aware of its existence. We are its keepers now. My father has agreed to allow you to stay there. Even if a war does start, that is the safest place you can be in.”

After that, Graham didn’t ask anything else. Instead, holding onto his mate’s hand, he forced himself to relax and looked outside through the window. Beneath them, the lovely landscapes of the French countryside formed a picturesque, postcard-worthy sight. Graham had trouble seeing it.

Eternelle. The place where the slavery of his people had begun. What were the fae thinking? How could he, as a werewolf Alpha, step onto the soil where that battle had taken place?

“Perhaps that’s the point,” Caelyn whispered in his mind. “Even if they do learn of Eternelle’s existence, the draechen would never guess we are there.”

“But isn’t it a mockery, angel, a mockery of the blood that was shed there?”

Caelyn squeezed his hand comfortingly. “No, Graham. You aren’t like those wolves who sealed the fate of your kind. By rights, the Directive should have long ago been abolished. It is King Selbrian’s way of acknowledging it.”

Graham threw a look Sari’s way and wanted to kick himself. He had the fae prince practically revealing state secrets, and he was complaining. “I’m sorry,” he said, knowing that Sari must have noticed his frustration with the situation.

“Don’t worry. I can understand your anxiousness. Eternelle is… Well, I cannot describe it. I go there as often as I am allowed since it feels special to me. But I think that it could come to be special for you, too.”

A weight seemed to lift off of Graham’s heart. He didn’t know if it was Sari’s words or just the warmth of Caelyn’s presence that caused it, but he was certain of one thing. He and Caelyn had started something beautiful together, and if Graham had his way, it would be, like their new home, eternal.

Epilogue

A few months later

As always, the courtyard of the temple of Jenarra was quiet, almost too quiet. In the beginning, when Graham and Caelyn had first moved to Eternelle, it had made Graham nervous. Now, he found it natural. The figures of the silent priestesses barely registered anymore, stirring only mild interest from the wolf.

This could be considered both good and bad. Normally, Graham liked it. No one disturbed him, and he didn’t disturb anyone. But now, he’d have appreciated something that would distract him from his worries.

With a mental sigh, Graham padded to the large pillar that dominated the courtyard. Surprisingly, for a work of art that represented an homage to the Great Sacrifice, it didn’t focus only on the deaths of Princes Talrasar and Kaelezrin. In fact, there were no outright graphical depictions on the surface of the pillar, just engravings, writings in a language long forgotten.

But then, it wasn’t a work of art, not really. The Obelisk of Eternelle was considered the closest thing the two princes had as a grave. Graham might have been skeptical about it, but sometimes, when he looked at it, he thought he saw shifting shadows beneath the engravings. He wondered if the spirits of those who’d died here lingered in the stone, seeking a way to give their descendants a clue on how they should act.

After stealing one look at the symbols, Graham curled at the base of the monument. His wolf didn’t really care about complicated histories and blood-tainted pasts. It liked this place. There was something about it that seemed so very peaceful, reaching out to that part of Graham that desperately needed the calm.

Absently, he watched the priestesses as they walked past him. Some of them had been wary of him at first, especially when he shifted. However, in a strange development, when they had seen how much both he and Caelyn enjoyed visiting the obelisk, their apprehension had vanished. It seemed that Caelyn and Graham’s openness toward Jenarra had earned them the respect of the priesthood. They even greeted him with warm smiles and nods, without intruding on his privacy.

But in spite of the beauty of it, Graham couldn’t stay still. He was very tempted to access his mate bond with Caelyn, but he forced himself not to. The priestess in charge of checking his mate over had respectfully asked him to hold back, insofar as he could, for the good of them all.

It was easy for her to say. Graham got up and randomly sniffed one of the flowers growing at the base of the monument, sneezing as the pollen tickled his sensitive nostrils. With a frustrated growl, he started to pace around the statue. Just how much longer was his mate going to take?

Finally, just as he was debating throwing all caution to the wind and bursting inside the temple, the familiar feel of his mate’s presence encroached on his senses. Graham allowed himself to access their connection once again and was greatly relieved to feel only warmth and happiness coming from Caelyn.

As he turned, he saw his mate approaching, a wide smile on his face. “You know, I’m not sure the priestesses will be very happy with you eating their flowers,” Caelyn commented as he reached the monument. Impossibly, he looked even more beautiful than usual. The simple fae robes framed his figure nicely, but also allowed the slight bump of his stomach to be seen. Whenever he looked at it, Graham felt a surge of pride and possessiveness course through him. This was his mate, his family. Looking back at what his life had been a few months ago, it seemed unbelievable.

Graham melted back into his human form and grinned at his mate. “I’m not eating them, merely…assessing them. Besides, it’s all their fault for not letting me be with you during the examination.”

Or so he said, but really, he understood why the priestesses had requested Caelyn to be alone while they checked him over. At first, they had allowed Graham’s presence, but soon, it had become obvious that Graham’s wolf instincts were simply too powerful. Sometimes, the priestesses needed to touch Caelyn’s naked body to make sure everything was in order, and on occasion, it made Graham’s animal rear in anger or in lust. For the purpose of easier checkups, Graham had, in the end, agreed to back off.

He brushed a kiss over Caelyn’s lips and briefly embraced his mate, then changed back into his wolf form. It would be rude for him to prance around naked in the presence of the priestesses. Here in Eternelle, Graham and Caelyn were the only men around, as, for the fae, the Jenarra clerics were exclusively female. Apparently, Sari and his father, fae king Selbrian, were the only men who ever came here. Even they were rare presences, as Sari only had permission to visit once a month, and Selbrian was too busy. It seemed a little strange to Graham, but who was he to question their ways?

As they started to walk away from the monument, Graham used their bond to ask, “So it went well?”

“You know it did,” his mate’s answer. “Our son is doing great. He is developing quite nicely, and his magic responded to mine beautifully.”

“So he’ll be sprite then?” Graham inquired. The thought didn’t bother him in the slightest, although it did puzzle him slightly. He had to admit that ever since he’d learned about Caelyn’s pregnancy, he’d been looking forward to teaching his pup what it meant to be a shifter. But even if it didn’t happen, even if his son wouldn’t be a wolf, he would be very loved just the same.

“Half-sprite, naturally,” Caelyn shot back, arching a brow at him. “All signs point that he’ll have shifter abilities, although he is developing in human form since my body isn’t compatible with giving birth to a puppy.”

Actually, that made sense. In hindsight, Graham should have figured it out since he’d learned that Caelyn was only carrying one child. Most shifter pregnancies had at least two children, as in the case of Graham and Stuart. Their litter had been smaller than those of other wolves, but nevertheless, single births were very rare.

“But it is safe? There isn’t any risk to you?”

“Of course not,” Caelyn replied, chuckling. “Like I said, the priestess gave me the green light, although we do have to continue monitoring my pregnancy carefully.”

Graham might have asked something else, but as they walked out of the temple, they were greeted by the sight of Sari approaching. The fae waved at them enthusiastically, smiling brightly. “Hey,” he said, brushing a brief kiss over Caelyn’s cheek. “How are you doing?”

Caelyn hugged his friend tightly, and Graham barely managed to suppress a little growl. Intellectually, he knew there was nothing between the two, and that Caelyn was his, but his wolf couldn’t help it. It howled that Caelyn was his, and no one else should touch the lovely sprite.

As Caelyn broke the embrace, he glanced at Graham with that look that screamed, “Are you serious?” Knowing that he’d displeased his mate, Graham gave Caelyn a pleading glance, wagging his tail slightly and doing his best to look harmless.

Sari’s glance fell on him, and his lips twitched in a small smile. He was too nice and diplomatic to comment on it, though, which just made Graham feel even worse about his jealous nature.

Caelyn rolled his eyes and hooked his arm through Sari’s. They started to walk in the direction of the little cabin Caelyn and Graham used as a home. Eternelle was truly a beautiful place. The main complex, positioned in a huge clearing, was formed out of the temple, a security facility, and several other buildings reserved for research and administration. For the moment, Graham hadn’t been given an official position, although he had taken to assisting the guards with making rounds.

Meanwhile, the actual homes were situated outside these important buildings, hidden in the trees. As they left the main complex, Sari glanced at Caelyn again. “So I take it someone looked you over?” he inquired.

Caelyn nodded. “Just had my checkup. Everything’s in order.”

“Excellent,” Sari answered. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear that.”

“What about you?” Caelyn asked. “How is the situation in Rose Noire? And has there been any further news of my family?”

Sari had been monitoring the situation of the Sutharlainn for them. Fortunately, the draechen had freed them, and from what Caelyn and Graham had been told, the fae family had already returned to their previous home. Similarly, he’d also looked into the situation of the Connors family. Apparently, their human friends were convinced that Caelyn and Graham were dead, which had caused a great deal of suffering. Still, other than that, the Connors were fine, which had relieved both Graham and Caelyn.

“Things seemed to have settled down a little. I think the Great Krites intervened on behalf of your family, so no harm has come to them.” He glanced toward Graham. “According to my mother, your pack is safe. In the end, news of your supposed death led your previous Alpha to continue to lead them.”

That took a weight off Graham’s shoulders. He would have liked to express his gratitude. Fortunately, Caelyn did it in his stead. “We appreciate you looking into their welfare.”

“We knew you would be concerned,” Sari answered. “Besides, I’m just conveying a message. My mother was the one who did everything.”

Graham suspected Sari was minimizing his contribution with regard to his and Caelyn’s rescue. Perhaps he’d have shifted and addressed it, but Caelyn chose to inquire into a matter that had been bothering both of them. “What about you, Sari?”

“For my part, the rumors of my involvement in your escape have died down—in every circle,” Sari answered. “It never got too far in the first place, but now, it’s been completely abandoned. I’m told that the draechen emperor might have something to do with that.”

Sari looked thoughtful, and not entirely pleased. Graham didn’t blame him. It all sounded a little too perfect. “You think it’s too good to be true,” Caelyn said, echoing Graham’s thoughts.

The fae nodded. “I’m unsettled. The truth is, I just came to see you two and pray. My father requested my presence. He seems to want to talk to me about a matter of grave importance.”

“How is that unusual?” Graham asked his mate since he couldn’t speak to Sari. As Caelyn repeated the inquiry, Sari released a heavy sigh. “You have to understand that while my father and I talk all the time, this is different. I was officially summoned. It’s going to be a conversation between a king and his subject. Under the circumstances, I just know the draechen are planning something.”

Since they’d reached a safe enough distance, Graham turned into his legged shape. “Are you going to be all right?” He truly was concerned for the fae, no matter how jealous he could get. If not for Sari, he and Caelyn wouldn’t have been here right now.

“You mustn’t fret over me,” Sari answered. “I’ll be fine.”

When he looked at Graham, he blushed slightly. Oddly, Graham found that comforting. Sari never changed.

Caelyn and Sari hugged again, and, on impulse, Graham embraced the fae as well. When he broke away, Sari’s face was positively flaming, while Caelyn’s bond with Graham overflowed with confusing emotions.

“Well, I truly must be off now,” Sari said. “Good-bye, Lyni, Graham. Hopefully, we’ll see each other again soon. Take care of yourselves.”

And with that, Sari bounded away. Now that he and Caelyn were alone, Graham grabbed his mate’s hand and dragged him toward their cabin. “Now wait a second, mister,” Caelyn protested, nevertheless following after Graham. “What was that back there?”

Graham stole a look over his shoulder and smirked. “I have no idea what you mean.”

“Uh-huh. First, you were acting like you planned to jump at Sari’s throat, and then you were all over him.”

Graham didn’t immediately reply, not until their cabin was in sight. It was a tiny place, with only two rooms and a tiny kitchen. Fortunately, Eternelle was like a city in itself, so in spite of being quite isolated, they had indoor plumbing and electricity. Graham would have been able to do without it—he was, after all, a wolf—but it would have been much harder for Caelyn.

Once they reached the structure, Graham took his mate in his arms, carrying him bridal style. “The truth is, angel, I want you. I want to fuck you, touch you, and hold you.”

“That’s not much of an excuse,” Caelyn whispered back.

“No, it isn’t,” Graham answered as he opened the door and carried his mate inside. “But you forgive me anyway, right? Or should I do something to make sure there aren’t any hard feelings?”

To illustrate what he had in mind, Graham squeezed Caelyn’s ass, passing his fingers over the crease. Caelyn shivered, his frustration melting away like it had never been. “Graham… Beloved, please.”

One of the best things about having a pregnant mate, other than the obvious, was the fact that just like Sari had told them once, they had lots of sex. Quick sex, slow and lazy sex, sex in a bed, in a tub, outside on the grass, even on the kitchen table. He tried not to strain his mate in any way, but sometimes, it just happened.

This time was no different. Even if Graham had been the one to make the suggestion, his wolf reared out of him more aggressively only when he heard Caelyn’s words. No matter how smooth Graham tried to be, Caelyn just had to breathe on him to make his animal come wagging and his dick stand up and demand its due. Caelyn’s submissiveness was simply addictive. Graham desired him with every fiber of his being, as a wolf, and as a man.

“Your wish is my command, angel,” he whispered back.

Enjoying the rush of want that came through their bond, he carried his mate to their small bedroom and slipped inside. The once nondescript room had now been decorated through their shared efforts. Caelyn wasn’t much of a craftsman since, as a sprite, he’d never had to create anything real before. However, he’d surprised Graham when it had been revealed that he was actually great at gardening. Apparently, this was something he and Sari used to do all the time as children. The end result was that their small home always abounded in flowers. And because Caelyn was, after all, a sprite, there were small illusions that made it all more cheerful, like the way the paint on the walls seemed to come to life and actually show landscapes. The enchantments only worked when Caelyn and Graham were around, but they were truly lovely.

For his part, Graham had put all his efforts in making sure their home was ready for their boy. A crib waited for the arrival of the newest family member, and he was experimenting with carving toys.

In fact, one of his works in progress had somehow ended up on the floor, and as he walked with his mate in his arms, he tripped on it and nearly fell over. It was only his naturally excellent athletic skills that kept him from going down.

Fortunately, he managed to get to the bed with no other incident. “What the hell?” he muttered under his breath as he placed his mate onto the mattress. “How did that get there?”

Caelyn shrugged. “Must have fallen from the table.” Making himself comfortable on the pillows, he threw off his sandals and extended his hands at Graham. “Now come here and kiss me.”

The toy, the room, and Eternelle itself was forgotten as Graham’s thoughts melted in the heat of Caelyn’s eyes. He crawled onto the bed, on top of Caelyn, and pressed his mouth to that of the fae.

Moaning, Caelyn parted his lips, granting Graham entrance. His hands tangled in Graham’s hair, pulling hard, and his erection nudged against Graham’s hip. The scent of his arousal was like the sweetest of perfumes, making Graham drunk with lust and wild with desire.

As he thrust his tongue into Caelyn’s mouth, Graham tore at his mate’s clothing, needing skin to skin. Since he was already naked, his mate had the advantage, but that was all right since Graham enjoyed the challenge of unwrapping the lovely present that was his mate. Neither of them was too willing to make the sacrifice of pulling away from each other, so Caelyn’s clothes were the ones that had to go, one way or another. Graham decided for the quick and efficient approach. Using his claws, he tore the seams keeping the robes in place on both sides of Caelyn’s body. After that, a few tugs had the material yielding to Graham’s efforts. Discarding the remnants of the robes, Graham progressed toward Caelyn’s underclothes and dealt with them in a similar fashion.

At last, he had his mate naked underneath him. He broke the kiss half because he had to breathe, but mostly out of the sudden need to observe his mate. Of course, he was not disappointed. No matter how many times he and Caelyn came together, the sprite still made Graham’s heart race. He was so beautiful, with his lovely blond hair mussed, his lips slightly swollen from Graham’s kisses, and the light blue of his eyes darkening in desire. His nipples had already pebbled, as if begging for attention, and his slender cock stood rigid, already leaking copious amounts of fluid.

Graham didn’t even know what to touch first, but in the end, he went with something he had wanted to do the entire day. He pressed his lips to Caelyn’s swollen belly, an expression of both his desire for his mate, but also the awe and gratitude he felt every day, just upon waking up at Caelyn’s side.

Once again, Caelyn caressed his hair, their passion bubbling under the surface of Graham’s gentleness. The sprite’s grip on Graham’s locks tightened as he swirled his tongue over Caelyn’s belly button. As Caelyn’s pregnancy advanced, his body was becoming even more sensitive to Graham’s caresses, and Graham looked forward to exploiting that, again and again.

Of course, Graham could only keep things platonic for so long. The aroma of Caelyn’s pre-cum practically made his wolf pant and howl in distressed want. On impulse, Graham kissed over Caelyn’s chest and tongued his mate’s nipples, while his fist engulfed Caelyn’s erection.

Caelyn released a choked gasp that could have been an attempt to utter Graham’s name, or something else entirely. But between them, passion didn’t have to be vocalized. Already, Caelyn’s pleasure was swamping Graham, bursting inside him through their connection.

As he moved his hand up and down Caelyn’s dick, it felt strangely as if he was touching himself, and yet not. In fact, his needy prick throbbed, and if it had been able to speak, it would have likely screamed at him to get on with it.

“I think I agree,” Caelyn panted out, having obviously overheard his thought.

“Mmmm…” Graham released Caelyn’s nipple from his mouth with a wet pop. “You would. But you know what? It’s not up to you.”

Before Caelyn could try to say anything else, Graham crawled down his body and took his mate’s dick in his mouth. If Caelyn had wanted to protest, that certainly shut him up. Of course, it shut Graham up, too, but that was quite all right since he had every intention of letting his body and their bond do the talking.

Swimming in Caelyn’s rapture, Graham bobbed his head up and down the sprite’s prick. Caelyn didn’t delay in responding to his ministrations, thrusting his dick in and out of Graham’s mouth. The pure, uncomplicated pleasure swept them away in a vicious circle of lust, fueling the bright flame of their passion.

But it was not enough. Graham would have loved to make Caelyn come just by using his mouth, but he’d run out of patience. He needed his mate, now. He had to be inside Caelyn. Otherwise… Gods, Graham couldn’t even think about what would happen.

Tearing his mouth away from Caelyn’s dick, Graham reached for the nightstand, intending to find the oil. The bottle landed in his hand before he could do so, courtesy of Caelyn’s own urgency. Normally, Graham would have cautioned Caelyn against using his powers, but he knew that, at times like these, Caelyn couldn’t help it. Not to mention that it definitely came in handy.

As Caelyn spread his legs, Graham opened the bottle and poured a generous amount in his palm. The oil had been an unexpected gift from the priestesses, and Graham found it much better than any lubricant he and Caelyn had used before. The slick liquid heated against his palm, and Graham reached for Caelyn’s opening, slowly sliding two fingers inside.

His mate’s body swallowed the digits right up, now eager for Graham, almost trained for it. Graham couldn’t help a small groan. He’d never have thought that he’d be jealous of his own fingers, but there it was.

“You don’t need to be jealous,” Caelyn whispered, each word punctuated by a gasp and a whimper. “Come on, Graham.”

Graham bravely fought Caelyn’s lure for as long as he could. He thrust his fingers in and out of Caelyn’s ass, stretching his mate, making sure Caelyn wouldn’t be in any way hurt. Naturally, he took advantage of the opportunity to rub Caelyn’s prostate, but that worked against him since the rush of Caelyn’s bliss sabotaged Graham’s every attempt to keep his calm.

In the end, Graham’s need to claim his mate could no longer be contained. He removed his fingers from Caelyn’s ass and used more oil to slick up his dick. Lifting his mate’s legs on his shoulders, Graham positioned his cock against his mate’s anus and slowly breached the tight ring of muscle.

The volcanic heat of Caelyn’s ass almost made him come right then and there. It didn’t help that he could feel the onslaught of pure nirvana that flowed through their bond, originating from Caelyn. Through some miracle, Graham managed to hold back. As he bottomed out inside Caelyn, he stopped, giving both himself and Sari a few seconds to get used to the sensations.

But Caelyn had never been very patient when it came to intercourse. Clutching Graham’s shoulders, the sprite bit his lower lip in that way that Graham found so endearing and begged, “Please, beloved, fuck me.”

The sound of those filthy words coming from Caelyn’s pretty lips snapped the final threads of Graham’s already-frayed control. With a snarl, he pulled out of his mate’s channel and thrust back in, so hard he nearly dislodged Caelyn’s hold on him. Caelyn didn’t seem to mind at all, though. He buried his fingernails into Graham’s flesh and hissed, “Yes, just like that. More.”

Graham gave Caelyn what he demanded. He started a quick, hard pace, one bordering on violent. In the past few months, he’d grown a little less fearful that he’d crush Caelyn during intercourse, and they were both enjoying the results of this realization. Caelyn moved with him, so very open to everything Graham offered, so uninhibited in his pleasure. He was pure sin and pure beauty, and Graham couldn’t get enough.

They came together in a dance of passion that made both their souls and their bodies connect at the deepest level. There was nothing in this world quite like this, nothing that could even compare. Graham wanted to get deeper inside his mate, so that they would become one and never be separated.

As their pleasure spiraled higher and higher, Graham knew he could not prolong this for much longer. With his beautiful mate writhing under him, he had no hope to contain the desperate urge to claim, to mark what was his. Fortunately, he didn’t have to. Caelyn tilted his head, offering himself to Graham. Instantly, Graham reacted, burying his fangs in Caelyn’s flesh.

The moment Caelyn’s sweet blood hit Graham’s taste buds, his whole world, no, he himself melted inside Caelyn, within their bond. That connection expanded to engulf everything, from their breaths, their thoughts, their memories, to their identities, and for all Graham knew, the entire universe. All the pain Graham still kept bottled in, the frustration that he couldn’t help his people, his concern for his brother and his pack came out, free once more. Similarly, Caelyn’s melancholy, his questions, and his enduring wish to have done more echoed inside Graham’s mind. But stronger than all of this was the love, so beautiful and bright that it seemed like a second sun. It was a love emanating from their connection, but also from the new life growing inside Caelyn, the baby they both treasured so much.

Alas, nothing quite so perfect could last forever. The sensations finally began to die down, and Graham found himself drifting back to reality. His dick slid out of the snug hold of Caelyn’s ass. A part of Graham regretted it, but he was more than compensated for it when Caelyn cuddled close to him.

For a few moments, they just lay there, enjoying the quiet and the warm peacefulness of the afterglow. Oddly, the air seemed to glow in all the colors of the rainbow. It might have been that Graham’s brain had been short-circuited by the climax, but somehow, he doubted it. Stranger things had happened, and Caelyn was more than capable of doing that, and more.

Before Graham could inquiry into the oddity of it, Caelyn broke the silence. “You know, Sari thinks you’re handsome,” he whispered in Graham’s ear.

Graham grunted. “I don’t care. There’s only one guy whose appreciation I’m interested in, and I’m looking at him.”

“Is that right?” Caelyn laughed, crawling on top of Graham. He kissed Graham’s nose and brushed a gust of hot air over his ear. “Then how come you were parading naked in front of Sari?”

Graham chuckled and rolled them over, climbing on top of Caelyn once more. “Maybe it wasn’t him my display was meant for.”

Caelyn arched a brow. “Who else would have been the target? I was the only other person there, and I’ve already seen everything you have to show.”

Graham couldn’t help it. He burst into scandalized laughter. “So you’re bored with me. Is that it?”

“Well, you have been a bit lax about tending to my needs.” Caelyn grinned, clearly showing that he wasn’t serious.

“Oh dear.” Graham did his best to look concerned, but probably failed abysmally. “That’s an unforgivable mistake.” Shaking his head, he gave Caelyn a glance full of mock regret and started to pull away. “I’m so ashamed of myself. I don’t even know how I could begin to fix such a serious oversight.”

Caelyn grabbed his arm and stopped him, wrapping a leg around Graham’s leg. “I’m sure you can figure something out.”

Growling, Graham fell upon his mate once again, and he spent the rest of the day proving to Caelyn that he was more than qualified to tend to every need he had. He had remained aware of the things he’d left behind and sacrificed, but in the end, it had been worth it. He had found his way, his true path in life, by Caelyn’s side, and he would never leave it.

* * * *

Sari knelt in front of the monument and brushed his hands over the engraved surface. Closing his eyes, he sought the answers that often came to him whenever he visited The Obelisk of Eternelle. “What am I to do?” he asked his ancestors. “Why am I so restless? What’s going to happen?”

Voices seemed to whisper in his ear, images flashing through his mind’s eye. They made no sense to him now, and likely, they never would, but in those images, Sari felt the powers he had come here looking for.

The obelisk was said to hold the restless spirits of princes Talrasar and Kaelezrin. Sari didn’t know if that was true, and his mother had never given him a straight answer, but regardless, he was always inexorably drawn to this place, like a moth to the flame.

At times, he thought he could understand what the voices said, but more often than not, it seemed like a fool’s errand. How could he, with his limited comprehension, possibly grasp what messages his ancestors might be trying to transmit? If they were even doing so, that was, and Sari wasn’t completely insane.

Today, the obelisk didn’t provide him with a real answer, not that Sari expected it to. Still, when he opened his eyes, he felt a little calmer, more prepared to face whatever happened. And then, he saw it. At the base of the monument sat a toy carved out of wood. How strange. Sari hadn’t seen it there when he’d first arrived. He was pretty sure it belonged to Graham and Caelyn, since Graham had been crafting them for their still unborn child. But what could it be doing here?

Sari reached for the item and took it in his hand. This particular toy was actually a depiction of a howling wolf. There was a button on the animal’s belly, but when Sari pressed it, nothing happened. He guessed Graham mustn’t have finished the mechanism yet. He didn’t know what he expected to find, but there was no mysterious answer in the wooden eyes of the wolf. Even so, Sari found himself pocketing the item. He’d apologize to Caelyn and Graham the next time he came to visit. Maybe he would explain. He didn’t think they would mind anyway.

Nodding to himself, Sari took one last look at the monument and said, “Thank you. I’ll take good care of your gift, and I won’t fail you.”

And as he walked away from the obelisk, Sari thought he distinctly heard the words, “No. You won’t.”

* * * *

“They’re really dead, aren’t they? Those bastards killed them.”

Raleigh clenched his fist around his gun, fighting back helpless tears as he turned toward Caroline. “I’m sorry, Carol. It’s all over the paranormal grapevine. Prince Shtamakarein Tersain murdered Caelyn and Graham.”

Unlike him, Caroline couldn’t suppress her tears. She fell into his arms, sobbing, her tears wetting his shirt. Raleigh just held her, knowing that nothing he could ever say would make her feel better.

In front of him, his adoptive parents stepped out of the shadows, followed by Caroline’s father. His mother was still wearing her cook apron, which clashed horribly with the gun in her hand. “We’ll make them pay, Carol,” she promised. “I promise you that.”

Raleigh closed his eyes and remembered Caelyn’s smiling face, his easy laughter and honest affection. He remembered the way Graham would wrap a possessive arm around Caelyn’s waist and how the werewolf had grown closer to Raleigh’s family as time passed.

The couple had never realized that Raleigh and the others knew the truth about their identities and had their own stakes in the paranormal world. It hadn’t been very hard to figure out, since Caelyn’s rejection of Prince Shtamakarein was common knowledge. The Connors had connections with numerous sources that had kept them informed, without Caelyn and Graham being able to figure it out.

In spite of the fact that there had always been those secrets between them, Raleigh had cared about the two deeply. Their love had been like a flame that encouraged Raleigh to believe that he could find someone, too, one day. And now, it had been extinguished by that monster.

Raleigh didn’t say anything else to his family. In his mind, though, he made a promise of his own, a promise to his dead friends. He wouldn’t let the Dog-Catcher get away with this. Shtamakarein Tersain would regret the day he ever messed with Caelyn Sutharlainn and Graham Powers.

End of Book 1: Werewolf's Way

To be continued in

Book 2: Draechen's Mate

WWW.SCARLETHYACINTH.WEBS.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A native Romanian, Scarlet was born in 1986 and grew up an avid fan of Karl May and Jules Verne, reading fantasy stories and adventure. Later, when she was out of fantasy stories to read, she delved into her mother’s collection of books and, of course, stumbled onto romance.

As a writer though, Scarlet Hyacinth was born one sunny summer day, when a dear friend of hers—the same friend who introduced her to GLBT fiction—proposed they start writing a story of their own. As it turns out, the two friends never did finish that particular story, but Scarlet discovered she had a knack for writing and ended up starting to write individually. And so, between working on her dissertation, studying for exams, and reading yaoi manga, she started writing the Kaldor Saga. Along the way, Scarlet met a lot of wonderful people who supported her, and in the end, she found her story a home and, in the process, fulfilled a beautiful dream.

For all titles by Scarlet Hyacinth, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/scarlet-hyacinth

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

Table of Contents

- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Prologue
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Seven
- Chapter Eight
- Chapter Nine
- Chapter Ten
- Chapter Eleven
- Chapter Twelve
- Chapter Thirteen
- Chapter Fourteen
- Epilogue
- About the Author