Chapter Twenty

As soon as Sierra ushers Leisel out of the room, carrying the child in her arms, I summon Claude, as well as the dozen warriors on security detail tonight into the dining hall. I’m ready to take all their heads for the damn near catastrophe that occurred, barely keeping my wolf in check as he howls and growls and wrestles me for dominance. It’s a miracle I have the presence of mind to assign stand-ins for the patrol men I’ve called on—my anger is taking away the majority of my rationality.

The image of Kyron holding Sierra to him, threatening to fuck her and kill her…it’s enough to drive me out of my mind with fury—to make my control over my wolf slip, which could be detrimental to everyone around me.

I’ve never felt so helpless in my life. I wanted to snatch Sierra and protect her from all danger, but Leisel’s life was in jeopardy—I couldn’t take the risk of losing Rockwell’s future Beta female. I also knew that any sudden moves could set Kyron off, making him react dangerously.

Inhaling deep breaths, reaching for a calm that evades me, I look over the thirteen men lined up against the wall of the dining hall, all of whom watch me with expectation, though none of them meet my eyes.

Wyatt is still seated at the table, twirling a steak knife in his hands and silently seething, while I stand in front of the line-up of people, flexing and relaxing my fists.

“You’re all likely wondering why you were summoned,” I say, unable to keep the sheer fury out of my voice.

The warriors cast nervous glances at each other but remain silent. As of now, the only people who know of the vampire appearing are Wyatt, Sierra, Leisel, and me.

“Fifteen minutes ago, a vampire teleported onto the premises. Into the very room we are standing in. He threatened the lives of both the Princess and the Queen.”

That sends a stir through the gathered men, all of them bristling, preparing to launch into action. Unfortunately, at this moment, no action can be taken. The one person who could’ve given information—though likely only after an extended bout of torture—was killed by my mate.

The sight was enthralling. Sierra’s irises began to swirl with gold, brightening until they were impossible not to stare at. The unnerving calm she displayed while in a critical situation, as well as how she got herself free, was stunning beyond compare. The way her fire roared, raged, and consumed Kyron confirmed that the ledgers were not misrepresenting the danger and sheer power that a black flame offers. It was both worrisome because Sierra could destroy the whole castle without blinking, and encouraging because she’s more than capable of protecting herself and others.

Unknowingly, she also displayed all of the most important qualities of an Alpha female. I could see that she was willing to sacrifice her life for Leisel, as true leaders are driven to do for their people. She also stayed collected in the face of a serious threat and proved that she is more than strong enough to be a queen. It wouldn’t surprise me if Sierra will turn out to be the strongest queen this realm has seen yet. Perhaps even stronger than my mother, whose life was taken by a vampire.

Claude, face pale and concern etched into every line of his face, asks, “What happened?”

I know there’s pride in my voice when I say, “Sierra neutralized the threat using her fire, killing Kyron faster than I could blink.”

“Kyron?” Claude repeats. “Of the royal family?”

I nod, knowing that his death will bring a whole slew of new problems, though it was inevitable considering he had the gall to invade my home.

Similarly to how shifters have a royal family that presides over all packs within the mythic species of shifters, vampires also have a royal family that presides over all clans that make up the vampire species. Kyron was the youngest member of the royal bloodline, with three older brothers—one of whom currently sits on the throne. Kyron’s death will prompt the royal family to speed up their plans of attack. They’ll take this as a declaration of war, using it to rile all vampires to fight against shifters.

Vampires don’t need much riling in the first place, as they’re natural enemies of shifters, but I’m now looking at mere weeks before battles begin, rather than the months I previously might’ve had.

“First of all, I’d be interested to know how Kyron managed to get into the castle,” I snap. Turning to Claude, I demand, “Don’t we have security to protect from magical intrusions?”

“We do,” Claude responds. “Or, at least, we did. The boundary of the castle grounds is protected with magic that keeps out anyone not explicitly brought or invited in. About twenty minutes ago, I felt the magic fading and went out to investigate. It would appear that Kyron had an accomplice with him, a young vampire who also has magic—a hybrid of some sort, I’d wager, which is a rare specimen amongst their kind. I attempted to detain him, but he fought, and I was ultimately forced to kill him.”

I clench my jaw. I should have been told the moment it happened so I could’ve had some forewarning. I could’ve done something rather than stand numbly in place like an idiot while Sierra and Leisel’s lives were threatened.

Claude must read my thoughts in my expression because he says, “There was no time to tell you. As soon as I disposed of the young vampire, I received your summons here—I was already on my way to speak with you.”

I glance at the dozen warriors. “Where were all of you when this happened? Ignoring your duties?”

Claude interjects calmly, “They were all at their posts. The vampire was a mile off property beyond their reach. The only reason I found him was I could sense his magic.”

Frustrated that there’s not anyone left for me to interrogate, I ask Claude, “Was the other vamp of any importance?”

Claude shakes his head. “Not that I could tell. His clothes were plain, and he didn’t wear any royal or noble seals.”

“What are you planning to do to prevent something like this from happening again?” I demand.

Claude shifts his weight slightly, eyes drifting behind me as he thinks. Finally, he offers, “I can reinforce the barrier, but it will inevitably fall if someone whose magic is stronger than mine attacks it, like the vampire hybrid. I barely managed to kill him in the fight, and mostly by luck.”

Hit with a thought, I ask, “Would Sierra’s magic hold against others?”

A small smile spreads on the witch doctor’s lips. “Oh, yes,” he drawls. “I’ve never met anyone with magic as powerful as hers. I could feel it radiating from her, even when she was unconscious. She’s singular, and it’s safe to assume her blood carries great magic with it.”

That doesn’t entirely surprise me. Though it takes someone who has magic to sense magic in another, it isn’t difficult to discern how powerful Sierra is merely from her presence—the force of which is never anything less than overwhelming.

If a barrier means protecting herself and her sister, I’m confident Sierra would agree to help. However, I also suspect she’ll assume that I’m using her for her power—that she only has value to me because of her magic. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I desire Sierra for far more than her magic; I desire her for her nature and soul, which is where her true beauty lies.

Her body is stunning, without a doubt, but some of the most beautiful people I’ve known were also the cruelest. She is far from cruel—at her very core, Sierra is good. That’s what truly attracts someone like me to her, a man who has many sins staining him. That, her fiery personality, and the fact that she’s a natural protector.

“I’ll speak with her about that,” I tell Claude. Then to the warriors, “Schedules will be changing. I want two dozen pack warriors on shift at a time, and you will be expected to patrol areas outside of the boundary. Two miles to start with, including the forest. For now, return to your posts; expect further orders within the hour.”

Watching as the warriors file out in a hurry, I fold my arms over my chest and look to Wyatt. He has a haunted expression on his face, which I understand all too well. He came as close to losing his mate tonight as I did; I’m surprised he’s sitting quietly rather than throwing things across the room. I’m equally surprised that I got through the conversation without tearing someone’s throat out.

Meeting my eyes, he grates, “I almost lost Leisel. I’ve known her for such a small amount of time—all of which she’s spent disliking and distrusting me—and she was almost gone.”

I know the depth of anguish he feels; the same anguish I felt when Kyron was holding Sierra just before she destroyed him. My heart stuttered and my very being felt like it was shriveling. I couldn’t imagine not having her, though I’m yet to truly have her. The fear I felt still lingers within me, though on a much smaller scale.

“Be grateful to Sierra,” I tell Wyatt, knowing that he doesn’t particularly like her, primarily because she tries to keep him away from his mate, though I don’t believe he truly dislikes her either. They just don’t know each other yet.

Wyatt nods. “I am. She displayed a great deal of power today, Brother. Power is what we respect. Once news of this spreads, Sierra will be even more accepted by the Rockwell Pack, as well as shifters everywhere.”

He’s right. Though Sierra will be accepted by shifters simply because she’s my mate, this situation will draw shifters to her as a person, not simply her title. She eliminated a threat that’s been terrorizing us for quite some time.

Kyron was known for invading rural shifter towns to rape and pillage and persecute the citizens—he’d often lead a battalion of men with the sole purpose of killing as many shifters as possible. Though the vampire hoards reside on a different continent than us, they periodically teleport groups over to cause mayhem and remind shifters that they’re never entirely safe. Many people have tried to kill him. All of them have lost their lives until Sierra took him down with what seemed like relative ease.

She’ll be vital in the coming war if she decides to fight for us. Which is a very big if. Commanding her to do so wouldn’t yield any results, she needs to want to help, and I don’t know why she would ever want to aid us. Unless, of course, there was a direct benefit to her…such as the safety of her sister.

“I’ll set about rebuilding a boundary,” Claude says, walking towards the entry to the room. “You’ll get progress reports regularly, though it should be done by dawn. If Sierra agrees to help ward, everyone on the royal territories could rest easily.”

Knowing that this will be a grueling, taxing ritual, I grit, “Thank you, Claude. I’ll work on Sierra.”

As Claude strides out, Wyatt says, “I heard a bit of advice from a mated shifter male once, on how to deal with his female when she was rightfully angry.”

I turn to look at him, equal parts exhausted from the evening and intrigued. “What would that have been?”

Anything that could help cool Sierra’s malice towards me would be most welcome.

Wyatt smiles, and from that smile alone, I know whatever he suggests isn’t going to be enjoyable for me.

“Provoke her,” he says simply. “Get her angry enough that she explodes. Then listen to everything she says while her words aren’t being carefully thought out. That’s where you’ll get true information. That might help you get insight as to what steps you need to take with her.”

“Provoke her?” I echo incredulously. “Anger her? Wyatt, I do not need to give my female yet another reason to hate me.”

“But you do need to know more about her if you want to get anywhere,” Wyatt points out. “This is the fastest way.”

Although everything within me rebels against causing Sierra upset, I have to admit that Wyatt has a point. Sierra has a quick mind and it’s easy to see she thinks through everything she says before she speaks. Her words are always measured, as is her demeanor—her only obvious grievance is that she has a grudge against all mythics. It would be prudent to learn more about her. I know that her parents died due to lack of medical care among other tidbits I learned from Aspen back in Aesara but not much beyond that.

“This might get me killed,” I admit, “but I see your point.”

Wyatt smiles, appearing reluctantly entertained despite the taxing evening. “You’re impervious to her magic, are you not? The bond should protect you from it.”

Recalling the time she slapped me with her flame-covered hand, I nod. The fire felt faintly warm when it touched me, but in no way harmful. I believe it’s fair to assume that I’m as impervious to it as she is.

“Nevertheless, good luck,” Wyatt says. “I have a feeling you’re going to need it.”

By all the gods, I know he’s right.