There was a strange clenching in my chest at those words from Cazz. He hadn’t shut down in the bond, so I could feel him—angry and apprehensive, and his simmering pride as well. There was a lot of conflict in him, but when I looked at him, all I could see was an utterly self-assured King, eyeing those approaching him as if they were annoyances.
I prayed that’s all they could sense, too, though with the wolf scent and bonds… who knew?
“Cazz—”
“Quiet.” He bit the word off, his eyes never leaving the males moving towards him. “Do not waver. Do not question me. And do. Not. Speak. Not unless you are asked to do so specifically. So help me, Jesse, you have got to let me handle this.”
<~ JESSE ~Cazz’s eyes narrowed and I felt him curse in the bond.“And the King stands sure,” he called back, then lifted his eyes to the crowd below them all, raising his chin with pride. “Tonight the King will meet Council and answer the call. But, the rite stands and the traditions are met.”Then he looked a challenge down at Cayn, his upper lip trembling like he fought not to bare his teeth.Cayn nodded once, snorted the air from his nose, then turned on his heel and marched back down the steps to the crowd below as if that had been his plan all along.Cazz watched his back, fury and indignation burning i
~ JESSE ~“Can I have everyone’s attention please?” Rake called from up on the dais.I felt the rush of relief rock through Cazz, immediately followed by a new zing of tension. We were standing elbow to elbow in front of a cluster of older females that Cazz had introduced me to as matriarchs of three different packs. The females were all eyeing me with a combination of disapproval and sharp attention, but all of us turned to face the stage then because Rake was calling the rite to a close.“The King and Queen thank you for your attention and attendance tonight. And they wish all the Select blessings and clarity. Now that our traditions have been fulfilled, you will be given seven days to consider—to grow to know each other better. Then all of us will return here a week from tonight for any f
~ JESSE ~Rake gaped at me as I forced myself to stop stumbling back, fisting my hands at my sides.“If this is how the wolves react when someone does something outside the traditions, then… then you need to have your world shaken up a bit I think.”Rake shook his head, glaring at me. “Really, Jesse? Really? You’re just going to stand your ground and learn nothing?!”“I didn’t say I wouldn’t learn—I just meant—”“You just meant that you aren’t going to let anyone tell you that there was another way to handl
~ CASIMIR ~As we gathered in council, I was grinding my teeth, pacing back and forth across the center of the room, staring Cayn down at any moment I had the option. Because the fucker had every right to call me to account like this—but I was beyond angry that he’d chosen to do so publicly. He knew that my mate had stumbled into this minefield. He knew that if we worked together we could smooth ruffled fur and turn bared fangs into submissive stances.But instead, he’d publicly called me to answer for her.Her.My heart squeezed as Jesse’s face swam in my memories—her bright eyed eagerness to stand in front of the wolves and call a female. She’d been like a child with a surprise. And there was a part of me that wanted to tell
~ CASIMIR ~“You believe my mate is capable of… neutering me? Choose your words very carefully, Cayn,” I muttered.All eyes in the room snapped back and forth between me and the elder wolf, whose stony expression didn’t waver, though I caught the tang of fear in his scent.He swallowed, but he didn’t submit, and when he spoke his voice was strong and sure.“Your previous mates have been little more than vessels at your side.”“Weak and mindless, both of them,” I growled. “Jesse’s streng
~ CASIMIR ~Cayn’s eyes widened. He was rigid, his body bowed away from me, but held upright by my grip on his lapels.I snarled in his face, the power swirling around me and through me and lashing him like a whip. I didn’t hear the other wolves, didn’t see them, didn’t know anything except that my mate was under threat and my authority was being challenged, and suddenly everything in me wanted to fight.Everything.My wolf snapped and threw itself against the cage of my ribs.My power swelled and crashed, driving me to unleash—I held it back by my fingernails.
~ CASIMIR ~Every wolf in the room felt the weight of the order and flinched.‘Cazz?’ Jesse sounded frantic. I sent her a sense of having placed a steadying hand on her back, but didn’t turn my focus from the wolves in the room with me.‘Go, and lead. You have not been outranked—show those below you how to face an unknown. Walk in dignity and strength. And do not waver.’ My voice echoed with the power until I wasn’t sure if I was instructing, or compelling them. I shivered, a bead of sweat sliding down my spine.At my feet, Cayn stirred, pushing up on his hands, trying desperately to get up, but unable to keep his feet under him. I snee
~ CASIMIR ~The scent of fear hung in the air like perfume, wrinkling my nose, because I knew it coated the walls after all those wolves descended into panic together.It was a measure of Rory’s steadiness that he’d returned so quickly—and that he met my eyes steadily, even if there was tension in him.He approached carefully, his steps deliberate, eyes on me, but his senses pricked. If he’d been in his wolf, his ears would be flicking to every corner of the room as he instinctively gauged the level of danger in this room.I sighed. “I will not compel you,” I growled. “That is, not unless you have distasteful things to say about my mate as well?” I arched one brow, half-trying to ease the tension, half-warning him of the bou
~ CASIMIR ~I was pretty sure if I didn’t get inside her, I was going to eat her alive.Scooting with her in my lap, still straddling me, I got her so both my knees and her back were flat against the wall. Then I flipped open the wide, leather cuffs that had been secured directly to the wall and first lifted one of her hands, to strap it in so her hand was levered above her shoulder, but with her arm comfortably bent so she could relax. Then I did the same with her other hand on the other side.So I straddled the banana-seat, while she straddled me and her hands were secured to the wall behind her.Her breasts rose and fell with her heavy breathing, and her eyes were bright with desire.Overwhelmed again with how much thought she’d put into this, for a moment I just took her face in my hands and kissed her. But that drew us together—my cock pressing against her, and I couldn’t resist rolling my hips, teasing
~ CASIMIR ~“I made a new Den,” Jesse whispered, her hands over her mouth, staring up at me—those beautiful eyes wide, but also a little fearful. “I know it’s not the same, but I got Ghere to help me because he remembered what things you’d had before and… I hope you like it.”Like it? Was she serious?My heart was slamming against my ribs, and I was having trouble breathing.The room seemed smaller than I remembered because the walls were painted a dull black. But the tighter space than what I’d had down next to the Den just made it feel more intimate.There were two lamps, one on each end, and a chandelier high above. Candles everywhere, though she hadn’t lit mo
~ JESSE ~It was Cazz’s turn to plan the monthly date. But I was humming about this one. Things were finally ready, and impossibly, Ghere had helped me successfully pull off the surprise. But I still had to figure out how to get Cazz there without ruining it.He’d taken me out to the meadow again—my favorite date. Though we’d enjoyed several others now too—and we’d just finished eating. He was leaning back against the cab of the truck, looking out at the city lights, his brows a little heavy.“What are you thinking about?” I asked him, though I had a hunch.He had his arm around me and I was leaning on his shoulder. His hand trailed up and
~ CASIMIR ~I came out of the bathing room after a long bath rubbing my hair with a towel, to find my mate standing in the middle of the chamber with her arms folded and looking sternly at my daughter, who sat on the floor in nothing but a diaper, with her chubby legs straight out. She, too, had her arms folded and her lips pursed in the perfect reflection of her mother.The two glared at each other and half my heart went cold, while the other half wanted to splutter with laughter.“Abigail, I have told you—”“No!”Our daughter could only get her tongue around a few words so far, but
~ JESSE (a few weeks later) ~I had just finished nursing Abigail and was holding her on my lap while Reeca sat with me on the couch.Her eyes were bright and she was beginning to smile, so I was tickling her cheeks to see if I could get her to do it. But she was sleepy because she’d just eaten and only yawned and cooed.“She’s a very calm baby,” Reeca commented from the other end of the couch, smiling. She loved babies, and had been so helpful when I was tired—and just for reassurance for me.She was a calm presence in any room, and with Abigail, she showed a lot of delight and joy that she seemed to stifle in other areas of her life.“Reeca,” I said carefully, because I’d b
~ JESSE ~I was too tired to do more than lift my hands to his neck, so I just curled my face into his chest and let him settle us into the chair, cradled in his arms with my ass in his lap.When he’d sat, I had my head resting on his shoulder and my body curled in his arms.“Do you hurt?” he asked quickly.“No, just tired, like I said.”I felt him relax a little then and another chill started in my blood.“Cazz… what’s happened?” I asked quietly.He turned his head to meet my eyes and lifted his hand to comb hair back from my face. His throat bobbed, but his touch was g
~ JESSE (Hours later) ~My dreams were disturbing—my body in pain, screams of terror, darkness, the floor shaking, the mountain falling, humans fleeing and wolves…I tried to break free, tried desperately to open my eyes and to speak, because I knew I was asleep. But all I did was fade… in and out. The nightmares, or nothing.And through it all, his voice.“Heal… live.”My heart ached. My body hurt. My chest didn’t want to expand. It was as if my flesh fought his words, and I didn’t understand.But finally, the dreams faded and I could hear a heartbeat. Little, and quick. And feel warm flesh. And the breath of my m
~ CASIMIR ~I felt the moment the power went out of Jesse. The entire mountain felt it.I howled with triumph and shifted, sprinting towards the room, ecstatic when there was no sense of Maya gripping my mind or stealing anything from me. But of course, there was no power left for her to steal.I prayed and pleaded and ran, Rory and the others coming in my wake. And the moment I broke through that door in my wolf—the only power left to me anymore—everything slowed. Though my body whipped and my mind was singularly focused, it was as if everything happened in slow motion.I caught a bare glimpse of Jesse on the bed, and at first my heart leaped. She was moving, awake, aware,
~ JESSE ~Maya had me sitting up in the bed, curled forward, gripping my knees. Reeca on one side, helping prop me up, a guard on the other.My body was nothing but a conduit for pain. Wave after wave, my entire lower body condensing, contracting, pushing to get this baby out. I could barely think.Cazz was there, so quiet, so distant, but there, calling his encouragement and pushing love at me through the bond.There was a moment when I thought I wouldn’t make it, when I thought my body would give and I would just drift away.But then I caught Maya smiling. Leaning forward between my legs, reaching, grasping, for