Page 87 of Hidden Fate

The hurt wafting from Thorn was worse than my bullet wound. I stumbled to him and took his hand, pushing my love toward him.

“Because I lived in his shadow,” Drake hissed. “Everything you did was because ofhim. Even when I made you proud, there was sadness behind your eyes. I’m tired of it, and I deserve toleadand be the best king ever known!” Drake’s chest heaved, and then he struck Jessie and reached for her gun.

The warrior ducked, countering the move, and when she rose again, she elbowed him in the nose. The pop of bone had Drake gripping his face, and Thorn released my hand, dodged Jessie, and launched himself on top of Drake.

Falling on his back, Drake moaned as Thorn straddled his waist and punched him in the face.

“You willnottouch mymateever again!” Thorn punched him in a rhythm. “You willstopcalling her yourwife!” And he jabbed again. “Andthisis forkissing her.” With each statement, Thorn hit Drake again and again. “Andthisis for looking at hernaked.”

“Thorn, don’t!” Queen Mira cried. She hurried to them and dropped to her knees. “Let him go.”

The white-hot rage crackling through my mate was unwavering. All his anger and resentment was coming to a head, and Drake deserved every bit of it. Looking around, I noticed every warrior, along with Theron and Vlad, watching the scene unfold.

I cleared my throat. We needed everyone to get out of here and, more importantly, for the battle outside to end. “Someone tell the warriors outside to halt their attack! Drake has been captured and is no longer in charge.”

One of the warriors who’d held Theron down glowered. “I don’t have to listen to you.”

Theron spun around, kicked the warrior in the face, and gritted, “Yes, you do.”

“I’ll handle it,” Uther said.

I nodded, and he hurried out the door. I turned around and noticed how bloody Drake’s face was. If Thorn kept it up, his brother would die.

Queen Mira continued to cry. She’d lost so much, and even though Drake was horrible, she didn’t want to lose another son.

Knowing I was the only one who could get through to him, I squatted beside Thorn and touched his arm, hoping that it would be enough to make him pause.There is a fate for him worse than death.

He stilled, and his eyes turned to me. I sucked in a startled breath.

They weren’t the eyes I was familiar with. They were dark, angry, and malicious…nothing like those of my mate…my husband.

Then I realized I couldn’t justtryto talk him into stopping. I had to succeed, or this might change him forever.

CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE

A cold chillran down my spine as the significance of this moment hit me. I pushed all my love and support toward Thorn, trying to break through to him the only way I knew how.

We shouldn’t kill him.

His nostrils flared, and he shook his head.That’s not an option.He turned to punch Drake in the face again, and instinct took over.

I leaned over Drake, blocking his face from Thorn’s view with my own.

What are you doing?Thorn snarled, his chest heaving. He dropped his hand, and some of that anger faded into concern.I could’ve hurt you.

But I knew you wouldn’t.I squeezed his arm softly, needing to take advantage of the moment.If you kill him, it’s the easy way out for him. You need to show our people that you have mercy but not forgiveness. That’ll make you different from your grandfather and dad.

Queen Mira sniffled but didn’t say anything. I suspected she knew what I was doing, especially given the way I was protecting Drake.

What do you mean?The cold, distant part of him remained. He could snap in a second.He deserves to die. After everything he did to you…to us…

I know he does.I understood his reasoning, but that didn’t make it right.But he’s out for the count and not attacking. Killing him would be no different from what he did to the injured. You’d be killing someone who can’t protect himself. The warriors were different. They were attacking us.

So we just…put him in prison and risk him escaping?Thorn’s neck corded.No fucking way.

No, you take his dragon.With my free hand, I lifted his chin.Then we use the story he and Peter gave the media about you kidnapping us. We blame them, find evidence that he has blackmailed and threatened people and killed your father, and expose my stepdad’s fraud, landing them both in prison…human prison. Two birds, one stone…kind of. But it takes care of the accusation of you kidnapping us. There’s no doubt Eva and Elliott will agree to correct that.

He sucked in a breath, and his forehead creased.

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