Page 131 of Wrath

I would be a shit queen.

Yet…

I stared at the faces surrounding me—some familiar, others entirely foreign. All of themunited by their shared goal. All of them willing to follow me.

Me.

Unease tiptoed up the back of my neck, raising the fine hairs there.

I wasn't sure if I could lead, but I knew Ihadto.

When we finally arrived at the capital, Atta, Axel, and a few nightmares I was only somewhat familiar with greeted us. I recognized them as members of the esteemed council—a council who were once loyal to the kings. All of them, excluding the shifter representative, must’ve been aware that Lilith had granted us her blessing, though I could see that most of them weren’t pleased by that.

They were going to be a problem.

Axel and Atta told us that a few were on our side, but looking at their faces now, I couldn’t believe it. They all looked like they wanted to skin me alive and wear my flesh like a coat.

“Little sister!” Axel boomed, descending the remaining steps and taking me in his arms.

He spun me around with a laugh.

Ryland released a jealous growl from the right of me, and Bash murmured something about blasting annoying assassins to space.

“It’s good to see you too, Axel.” I awkwardly patted his back until he put me down.

“Brother husbands!” Axel cried, racing towards Jax, who was nearest to him.

My vampire’s red eyes widened in horror, and he took an automatic step away, his hands raised to fend off the energetic shadow. But in the next moment, Axel gripped Jax around the waist and spun him around.

I had to bite my lower lip to keep from laughing, especially when Jax tossed me a wild-eyed,what the fuckstare.

Lupe hugged Atta tightly, the two siblings whispering to one another in urgent tones. I saw the exact moment that Atta noticed Mali. Her eyes widened, and her lips parted. Wordlessly, she stepped away from Lupe, a fine tremor reverberating through her.

Mali placed a hand to her mouth and released a choked, gasping sound.

“Mali,” Atta breathed.

Time stood still—suspended in a superficial tranquility, capable of breaking at the slightest provocation.

And then they ran towards each other and met in the middle, clashing like stars colliding.

I looked away to grant them some semblance of privacy and immediately made eye contact with a sour-faced man. He was dark-skinned, broad-shouldered, and seemed to have a perpetual scowl on his face. One glance, and I knew he was the shifter representative.

His firm lips pursed as he gave me a dismissive once-over before focusing on Lupe. “I heard what you did in the Shifter Kingdom, boy. I wonder what your father would say.”

Lupe pushed back his shoulders and met the representative’s eyes without an ounce of remorse. “I don’t give a damn what he would say. After all, he’s not in charge anymore. I am.”

The mage representative brushed at a strand of her curly brown hair. “From what I hear, you’re the only one of the princes to not have Lilith’s backing.”

If she expected to get a reaction out of my shifter, she was sorely mistaken.

Lupe simply shrugged his broad shoulders. “Not yet, but it’ll happen in time.”

Warmth unfurled in my chest at his confidence in not only himself, but the two of us.

Whispers arose amongst the representatives, and Devlin took the opportunity to step forward, clearing his throat.

Before we left camp, Devlin had changed back into one of his customary suits—this one gray, with a violet tie. I had no idea where he’d gotten it, but knowing Devlin, he had his ways. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had someone wish for it.

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