42. Maseo

Chapter 42

Maseo

O ne of the nicest parts of staying in Fordani was enjoying the late-night walks on the sandy beaches. The waves crashing against the shore as Maseo walked alone brought him a rare source of comfort. His mood had been surprisingly bright after his encounter with Rylan, who had given Maseo the ring from Kitsuki. The presence of his magic embracing Maseo made the half-wolf shifter feel less lonely for the first time in his life.

He reflexively reached up to touch the spot where his mother's necklace normally hung. After entrusting it to Rylan to deliver it to Kitsuki, Maseo sometimes forgot it wasn't there anymore. He felt almost naked without its reassuring presence, but he knew entrusting his wish pendant to Kitsuki had been the right decision.

"I thought I smelled a fucking loser," someone sneered behind him.

Maseo froze at the sound of Kio's voice. How had that bastard found him? He reminded himself Kitsuki's ring should protect him against any violence Kio might unleash on him. It was the only reason he felt safe enough to turn around and confront his ex. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Is that any way to talk to the only man in the Living Realm still willing to suck your dick?"

"I'd rather let it fall off than let you near it again," Maseo snapped.

Kio's smile was vicious. "You should fall to your knees and gratefully suck mine for being willing to even talk to you."

"I have nothing to say to you." Maseo stood his ground. "Go find someone else to abuse. I thought I made it clear last time that I'm done with your bullshit for good."

"Do you really think you'll find anyone else who will lower themselves to fuck you?" Kio taunted.

Maseo's temper flared. Kio's question playing on Maseo's insecurities, but he refused to give that asshole the win. "I'd rather be celibate the rest of my life than let you fuck me again."

"What, you suddenly think you're too good for me now?" Kio snarled. "You fucking owe me."

"I don't owe you shit." Maseo stared down Kio's hateful glare. "If I'm so pathetic, why do you want anything to do with me, anyway?"

"Because someone needs to put you in your fucking place." Kio moved closer to Maseo with a menacing air.

It took a supreme effort for the half-wolf shifter not to step back to put more distance between them. "Fuck you. Go away."

"You don't get to tell me no ," Kio snarled before launching himself in Maseo's direction.

It shocked them both when Kio bounced off an invisible barrier, which suddenly surrounded Maseo. Kio fell on the sand with a swear. Maseo didn't have time to rejoice because he saw Kio's nostrils flare as he got to his feet. "What. The. Fuck ?" Kio's rage hit a new high. "How in the three Realms is my asshole half brother's magic protecting you ?"

Maseo didn't dare answer.

"It's bad enough that motherfucker stole Auslin from me. But now he fucking stole you, too?" Kio's outraged noise made Maseo flinch instinctively from the violent anger he had been on the receiving end of one too many times.

"Auslin came back?" Maseo did his best to control his reaction. The last thing he needed was for Kio to scent his elation. He had feared something terrible had happened to the mage when he disappeared without a trace.

The murderous look on Kio's face terrified Maseo. "Yes, and that ungrateful piece of shit had the audacity to claim he loved the Ice King and not me." Kio snorted. "As if I would ever fucking believe that. That asshole's own mother probably couldn't love him, let alone Auslin."

Not for the first time did Maseo wonder what had happened in the two years since he had last seen Auslin and Kitsuki. How had they gotten together? "Auslin?—"

Kio didn't let Maseo finish his sentence. "Auslin is a traitorous piece of shit! He let my bastard half brother put a claiming mark on him. As if I'd ever let Auslin mate anyone else." His hand lowered to his sword hilt on his hip. "I'd rather kill Auslin than let Kitsuki have him. And now you ."

All of Maseo's instincts screamed at him to run away from the danger. But he remained rooted in place as Kio took another threatening step toward him. Kio snarled, "Explain yourself before I cut off your fucking tongue, you ungrateful bastard."

"I haven't done anything with Kitsuki," Maseo denied. "I know you can smell that's true."

"Then how the fuck did his magic protect you?" Kio looked around the desolate beach. "Hey, show yourself, you fucking coward! Come fight me like the man you claim to be!"

Maseo rolled his eyes at the theatrics. "He's not here, dumbass."

"Oh, yeah? Then how—wait, that bastard gave you a ring ?" Kio's voice went up an octave in his outrage.

The half-wolf shifter refused to reply. The answer was obvious enough.

"So you are fucking him!" When Kio was met with more silence, his expression turned ugly. "Oh, you've fucked up big-time, Maseo. I'll kill you before I let him fuck you again." Kio drew his sword, holding it at the ready.

Maseo's sword was strapped to his back, but he wanted to avoid a fight. "He doesn't want me! I literally haven't seen him in two years." Why would Kitsuki ever want Maseo if he had laid claim to someone as incredible as Auslin? "You're getting pissed about nothing."

"Then why is his magic protecting you?" Kio moved closer.

This time, Maseo didn't care about appearances. He stepped back to keep distance between them. "You're imagining things because you hate King Kitsuki!"

"Oh, am I?" Kio suddenly rushed Maseo with his sword raised.

Maseo drew his sword to defend himself, but the barrier repelled Kio farther back when he brought his sword crashing down to attack. The confrontation terrified the half-wolf shifter, but he swore he could feel Kitsuki's magic hugging him closer, whispering, "Safe ." It put him at ease, even though the fight was far from over.

Kio scrambled up with a feral snarl. He launched a flurry of attacks, but he was rebuffed each time by Kitsuki's barrier. When Kio put his sword away to use his hands to harm Maseo, silver dragon fire flared over the barrier, burning his attacker. Kio howled in pain from the burns now blistering his hands.

As Kio waited for his skin to heal, silence fell between them. There was an eerie calm to Kio's voice when he finally spoke. "If I kill Kitsuki, his magic can't protect you anymore. Then I'll make you fucking regret this. And I'll kill Auslin and you both for betraying me."

"Then I'll live forever because you'll never defeat King Kitsuki." Maseo trusted the dragon monarch with absolute certainty. "And how dare you say that Auslin and I betrayed you when you're the one who cheated on us constantly! You broke our hearts, not the other way around!"

"Pfft, that requires you having a heart to break." Kio rolled his eyes. "I'm going to enjoy making you and Auslin pay for this injustice. I can't wait to fuck up his Royal Consort Fatebonding ceremony with Kitsuki in a few days. And once I'm done killing them, you're fucking next."

Maseo's confidence in Kitsuki's abilities as a warrior made Kio's threat less scary. "Leave them alone! They deserve to be happy!"

"Ha! The only thing any of you assholes deserve is to be tortured to death." The cruelty in Kio's voice sent chills of dread through Maseo. "Enjoy your last few days of freedom, fucker. The next time you see me will be the day you die."

Maseo watched in disbelief as Kio walked away without any further challenges. Left alone on the beach, Maseo drew solace from Kitsuki's magic, which seemed to hold him tighter somehow. "I have to warn them," Maseo said to himself, even though stepping foot in Valzerna would mean almost certain death if Nasume found out.

" Dangerous ," the magic whispered deep in his soul. It sounded like Kitsuki's voice. " Stay ."

Maseo wasn't sure how magic could talk, but his instincts told him to obey. What use was a warning to Kitsuki, anyway? He was a thousand times the warrior Kio was. The half-shifter could never land a single blow on Kitsuki. If what Kio said was true, then Kitsuki would also keep Auslin safe.

It was strange. The thought of the two together made him feel heartbreakingly alone, but it also warmed his soul to know they had found happiness with each other. They deserved it more than anyone else. He just wished there was a place for him in their lives.

Maseo wasn't sure if Kitsuki could hear him through the magic, but he did his best to project his thoughts. Thank you for protecting me. I wish you and Auslin the greatest happiness as mates. Please stay safe.