Page 73 of Toward Immortal Ruin

“My wards have been breached. There’s a Raeth on the outskirts of clan lands—one I don’t know,” Nero hissed as Zia teleported beside them. “Zia, don’t leave her side.”

Zia nodded.

Nero pressed a chaste kiss into Eden’s temple. “Stay with Zia.”

“Go,” Eden said. “Be safe.”

Her mate teleported away. With his absence, she suddenly felt exhausted, like the weight on her shoulders had seeped her of all strength.

She couldn’t even muster a reassuring smile for the Raeth lieutenant. Though Zia’s attention seemed split with keeping tabs on Nero, Eden didn’t doubt her safety for a moment.

Now, in the silence of his home, she would make the decision that would define the rest of her life—whether that was a mere forty-eight hours … or forever.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Nero’s panther wanted blood.Surprised on his own turf, the beast within him was spitting mad—and the Raeth who’d entered his territory with the intent to do harm was courting death.

The intruder was wearing a Shield, rendering the sovereign incapable of latching onto his psychic signature. But Nero trusted his wards and teleported to the breach.

When he manifested behind the clanless Raeth along his border, his blade was already in play. It sung through the air, but his enemy had split-second reflexes.

Dodging the blow, the man spun. Shock laced the air. It bled into Nero’s gifts, potent and alien. Their blades met in a volley of steel and sparks. As they fought, Nero catalogued everything about his opponent. Black hair. Light blue eyes. Young. Clanless. Born of destruction. Based on description alone, this was the Raeth who was working for theCitizens.

And he was here for Eden.

Nero, motivated by protecting his turf and mate, easily gained the upper hand. His blade met flesh over and over and came away red, as his enemy grew desperate.

Nero recognized the bundling of energy for what it was: preparation to teleport. At the last moment, he lunged forward, wrapping his hand around the intruder’s neck as the teleport took him.

There would be no escape.

A split-second of weightlessness was followed by a jarring landing. The man Nero had fought with was clearly unaccustomed to a passenger, and the pair of them landed hard on a concrete floor, several feet apart.

It only took a second to gain his bearings, but in that moment, the other Raeth teleported again. This time, Nero had no hope of following. Without being able to acquire his psychic signature, the sovereign couldn’t pinpoint the other man.

He’d lost him.

Cursing violently under his breath, he finally took stock of where he’d landed. Nero’s eyes adjusted to the low light instantly, and what he saw sickened him. As he sucked in a breath, pungent odors assaulted him. His horror was instantaneous.

Tens of wolves were crammed in cages less than five by five feet. They each wore a silver muzzle device, and their coats were mangy and matted. No food was visible in their cages, though scraps of meat had been left just out of reach outside of the silver bars. Soiled beyond comprehension, the cement floor was gouged by claw marks, testament to the wolves’ struggle and failed attempts to escape.

Everywhere he looked, Nero saw evidence of torture. Cattle prods, batons, and long silver knives lined the gore-stained tables shoved against the walls.

Nero’s psychic gifts exploded out of him, cataloging every nook and cranny, along with any living being inside. The bitter fear and overwhelming anger of those kept caged churned his stomach more than the putrid smells.

Given the situation, he didn’t pause to send the polite telepathic ping before he spoke into Zeke and Nina’s minds.

The Citizens Raeth intruded on my clan lands.He teleported, I latched onto him—and we landed in a kennel. There are tens of tortured and dying werewolves here, in really bad condition. I need backup immediately. Teleport to my signature.

Without waiting for a response, he switched the psychic channel to connect with his lieutenants.The Citizens’ Raeth was the intruder. He may be coming back—be on guard; protect Eden at all costs.

If theCitizens’Raeth went back to his clan lands, Nero would know. For the moment, he needed to remain here as a beacon for the others. They couldn’t allow this hellhole prison to continue.

Zeke, Aidan, Kaien, and Nova were the first to arrive. Only moments later, Remmus and Ava appeared. All of them stopped short. Aidan and Ava’s sounds of absolute horror fisted a hand around Nero’s heart and yanked. They immediately moved toward the wolves that still showed signs of life.

During the previousCitizensattacks, Nero had discovered that rabid wolves would not be swayed by his psychic influence. The affliction had taken any measure of emotional intelligence and abolished it beneath a swell of rising bloodlust. Regardless, he could still confirm to Aidan whether there was any shred of the person remaining behind.

Aidan went cage by cage. With every single one, Nero confirmed the wolf in captivity had been forever lost to them.

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