A couple of hours later, the palace tunnels and the packlink were quiet. Jesse lay in my arms, deeply asleep, both of us warm in the soft cocoon of her furs. But even though I loved having her there and close and it soothed something in my heart… I couldn’t sleep.
I couldn’t stop thinking about her father and what he’d said. I couldn’t stop seeing the similarities between how she felt about him, and how I’d felt about my own father—even if they used different tactics to mold us.
And the hair on my arms kept rising every time I thought of that man and the network he likely had in the city…
He may not have had my father’s supernatural power. But it was clear he’d been a charismatic and influential man
~ CASIMIR ~I paced that cell, grinding my teeth, hands clenched at my sides as I cracked his mind open like an egg—careful not to change anything, but sending those sifting threads through him just as surely as I did with any wolf under the mountain.He’d managed to evade my torrent of searching power because I’d sent everything towards the catacombs, while he’d been downhill from us.I wasn’t going to make that mistake a second time.Much as I hated it, I was using a technique my father had taught me.The power, like anything else, needed to be molded and directed. Compelling a person to truth and nothing else was fine—if you knew the questions to ask. But compulsion created its own ri
~ JESSE ~I sat in a chair in my room. There was food on the table, because Cazz was making sure there was always food nearby. And my females had gathered to sit with me—except for Wylde.I’d finally told them what was going on and how I was feeling, stumbling over my words and fighting back tears, but I’d been honest, and now… now I was waiting, tense, for their responses.I swallowed hard as Tynker folded her arms.“Well, I don’t know what you’re worrying about,” she said, flipping her dirty-blonde hair over her shoulder with a dismissive nose scrunch. She was the bluntest of the females Maya had introduced me to, and even though I appr
~ JESSE ~Reeca was sitting closest to me, and hadn’t spoken at all through my entire little rant about what was going on and what I was feeling and how scared I was that I was going to mess us up. Plus, I was rapidly gaining weight from the baby and even though I knew that was normal, it was happening so fast, my body was a strange mix of good, lush feeling, and discomfort and weird things.Yet, Cazz was so sweet with me. Every night he fell asleep holding me, cradling my stomach. Every night and every morning he leaned down to talk to my belly and good-naturedly shushed me if I tried to talk too, because he said it was important time for his son to get to know his voice.He kept me glu
~ JESSE ~We sat at the head of the massive, royal dining table that was brimming with wolves—most of whom I’d never met, or had only seen at the Selection. Everyone dressed in fine clothing, though not quite as flashy as the Selection, still… they all looked wonderful.And I felt fat and small and tired and… ugh.Rake was here in his long tunic and loose trousers again with that medallion on his chest. And Rory in some kind of suit that looked almost like a military jacket without the medals and trim—his mate sat at his side, beaming, in a beautiful dress that was simple, but stunning. Ghere sat at my other side with his notes on his thigh, reaching under the table to scribble different things while the others talked and talked and talked.
~ CASIMIR ~I stood there, gaping, as my mate, my wife, the mother of my child, cursed under her breath, then stormed away.I snapped my fingers at Sven, and two other guards and sent them after her, but I still didn’t go back into the dining room. I waited, watching, as they surrounded her while she stomped down the hall.And my chest got tighter and tighter with every step she took without looking back at me.I just need some space, Cazz—you remember what that feels like, right?I did. I remembered exactly how that felt. And it terrified me. Because I needed space like that when I’d cared about her but didn&r
~ JESSE ~“Even this right now,” I said sullenly. “Once again, it’s the old pattern, right? He doesn’t know what to do so he sends you—”“No, Jesse. I thought that too, at first. I even said something to him. But he said you couldn’t hear him right now. He sent me because he wants to know how he can make this better, but he thinks you can’t tell him. So he wanted me to ask. And I have to say, after everything that’s happened… I mean he could have chosen anyone else. He sent me because he thought that would help you.”I sighed again. “See? He’s being sweet and good and I can see that. So then I feel
~ CASIMIR ~I could barely focus on the conversation with the Alphas while they were gone. Kept having to ask males to repeat themselves. But I could feel her—feel the tension in her, the frustration, the love, the turmoil… I prayed she’d tell Rake something. Anything.I was so consumed with her I couldn’t even find it in me to be embarrassed that they’d all heard us argue. There were some benefits to being King—one scathing look at them all when I walked back into the dining room had quelled any curious looks. And a quick turn of the conversation back to the problems at hand distracted them.But it didn’t stop my heart tugging me back to her.When Rake slipped back into the dining
~ JESSE ~‘Jesse, did you eat?’Cazz’s voice in my head brought a jolt of adrenaline, a wash of relief, and a fist of fear as well.‘I’m not hungry.’ I knew I sounded petulant, so I took a deep breath. ‘But thank you for checking on me.’‘I want to help you, Jesse. I love you.’ It was strange to hear him so certain and so shaky at the same time. The ring of simple truth clanging up against the vibration of unease.‘I know, Cazz. I love you too.’