Page 11 of King

I laugh to myself at the mess I’ve made of his bed and stare down into my pup’s blue eyes like he’s the only one here. I end up completely forgetting about Bock until he takes a step closer to me.

My fangs reemerge, and the growl that erupts from my throat is from a whole other realm. I clutch Vaegon tightly, concealing him as best I can while baring my teeth at the Prime.

He freezes, then slowly retreats. I hiss and continue to stare him down, daring him to change his mind.

His expression hardens, and he turns to my mother again. “Find me when she’s healed,” he barks.

The selfish bastard is itching to mount me and claim me the second my body can handle it. Well, he’s going to have a tough time accomplishing that. I’m not letting go of this pup. Not for asecond, not for anyone.

He’s mine. I know there’s something big in store for him. It’s my job to protect him until he’s strong enough to carry it out. And there’s no one in this realm—Alpha, queen, or otherwise—who can stop me from fulfilling that duty.

Chapter 4

Durin

Farris rushes toward me as soon as I break through the tree line. “I think I know where they are!”

“Show me,” I say, already moving forward even though I don’t know which direction to go.

My body trembles with the pent-up rage and worry I was forced to swallow down all night. I didn’t sleep for a single second. I just paced the length of my room while praying no one could hear my restless footsteps.

As soon as the pink sun showed itself, I threw open my door and stormed out of the castle. No one gave me a second glance.

As we move deeper into the forest, the last thread holding me together begins to fray. Daylor must have stayed close after the queen was done with me. I’ll find a way to repay him for that. But, right now, I have to find Rue.

“It’s a couple of hours from here,” Farris says, squeezing between some bushes. “I tracked the wolf prints. I couldn’t get my eyes on Rue, though. I hit a wall of Alphas every time I tried. They either heard or smelled me no matter what illusion I used.”

He notes my glowing hands and looks at me apologetically. “Sorry, Durin. I don’t have the power you do. I’m no match for even one Alpha. I couldn’t get any closer.”

“Don’t apologize,” I say firmly. “You tracked them down. Thathas saved me a ton of time. Just get me close. I’ll take care of the Alphas.”

“I’ll illusion us when we get there. Even if they sense you, you’ll have an advantage.”

I nod, and we continue in silence, keeping a steady pace. My chest burns, and my stomach twists, urging me to run instead of walk. But I need to save my energy. From what Farris said about the Alpha wolves, it seems Rue has been taken to a shifter camp. There’s no way of telling how many Alphas will stand in my way.

Farris finally comes to a stop where the trees begin to thin. “Any closer, and they’ll spot us.”

The trees are sparser here. The ground is unnaturally smooth, worn down by the repetitive laps of wolves patrolling their territory. Fresh prints are etched into the damper parts of the dirt, soon to be smoothed over by time. This is definitely the edge of a shifter camp.

“Sprites are everywhere right now, getting frisky,” Farris whispers. “Let’s be sprites again. Don’t worry; I won’t forget your cute little skirt.”

I grunt at his attempt to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, my magic is not amused. I look down at my sprite form as soon as it appears. It’s all very convincing, except for my glowing blue hands. Somehow, my magic has broken through the illusion.

“Shit,” Farris mutters, rubbing a tiny hand over his little sprite face.

“Okay, something that glows then,” I say, scrambling to recall any lesser fae that might get away with glowing hands.

We spend seconds that feel like hours trying to think of something. But all my patience was drained over the long night. I can’t wait any longer.

“Just remove it,” I growl. “Take it off.”

Farris quickly lifts the illusion. I’ll just have to be me and get Rue the fuck out of here. There’s no telling what that sick Primeof hers has done. I can’t leave her with him a second more.

“Stay here, or go home,” I tell Farris. “I don’t want you in the middle of this. It could get ugly.”

I don’t wait for a response, charging deeper into the camp. He’s smart. I know he’ll keep himself safe.

About a minute later, the air feels warmer than it should be. And it’s too quiet. Instinct tells me there’s an Alpha close. He’s sure to be in wolf form, so I keep my gaze low, scanning near the ground for any sign of him. In seconds, he appears in my periphery, but I keep my face pointed straight. Just knowing where he is will be enough.

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