Chapter Eight

CHAPTER EIGHT

ASCHER

H oly shit!

Morgan could only gape at the way Caedmon went all alpha over the assholes. He just seemed to burst out of his skin, his beast fully formed, like he couldn't be contained in his human body a second longer.

And he was massive!

The last time she'd seen him shift, he'd been fighting for their lives in the underground caves. Seeing him here, in broad daylight, was another matter entirely.

He was…beautiful.

He wasn't like the others of his kind—he was bigger, his body bulkier. There was no deformity or rot anywhere, the slightest taint gone like it had never been. A touch of fire and brimstone lingered in the air, like the doors of hell had been thrown wide open.

The ultimate warrior.

When they first met, there had been something broken about him that made her want to fix whatever had hurt him. While his time in hell might have changed him, it had also forged him into something much stronger.

An alpha werewolf.

A very possessive, protective alpha werewolf.

His overreaction baffled her.

While the alphas were annoying as fuck, they weren't in physical danger.

Not really.

His actions were worrisome, and her stomach clutched at the thought that his hold on his creature might be slipping.

No!

He'd come too far and they'd worked too hard to bring him back from the brink to lose him now.

If she couldn't figure out how to rein in his rage, they were going to have some explaining to do when all the alphas turned up dead.

As much as she didn't want to let the assholes off the hook for the way they'd treated her, killing them was a bit of an extreme. "Caedmon…"

Ryder grabbed her arm when she took a step toward the massive loup garou . When she glanced at him over her shoulder, his amber eyes were glowing. What shocked her was his wolf appeared calm, his eyes locked on Caedmon instead of her.

She recognized that nearly constipated look, and her eyes narrowed. It almost looked like the fuckers were communicating somehow.

She huffed with annoyance and glared at the both of them, tired of not being included once again. Then her eyes caught on Caedmon when he turned away from tormenting the alphas. The intensity of his yellow gaze made her still, and it had nothing to do with the nine-foot predator locking his sights on her.

No, there was something so fierce about his gaze that she froze to the spot, her skin feeling too tight. He wasn't out of control, and she saw no signs of the insatiable rage she'd expected.

Which only confused her more.

She absently rubbed her arm, something about his look making her skin prickle, and she repressed as shiver, an awareness of him filtering through her mind .

His face softened as he stared down at her, his temper melting away, leaving behind intelligent eyes that saw too much. There was something expectant in his yellow gaze, a combination of excitement and hope when she didn't flinch and tremble in fear.

Like he'd been worried about her reaction.

His form melted down, and she immediately glanced away, heat scalding her cheeks when she caught a glimpse of his bare ass—his very nice, firm bare ass. Her attention hovered on the giant moon tattoo etched across his back from shoulder to shoulder, then it flicked toward the alphas, and she narrowed her eyes, not trusting they wouldn't attack while he was vulnerable.

Thankfully, someone tossed him a pair of sweats.

Now that the immediate threat was gone, a few of the alphas had gotten back their mettle. Even worse, a couple appeared pleased, and she suspected that they'd been set up.

The alphas had organized the whole thing.

They'd wanted proof that the loup garou really existed, and now they had it.

They didn't want her…they wanted him.

Over my dead body.

It was all she could do to hold back her magic, and she gritted her teeth against the urge to strip away their flesh and make their pack play fetch with their bones.

"We're leaving," she snarled at the alphas, and both of her men stiffened, coming to rest at her side. She nudged them back, pushing them toward the door, scowling when they tried to put her first.

But as they neared the door, it opened and a group of ten wolves entered. They were massive, a wildness to them that said they've seen combat and knew how to handle themselves. One looked like his throat had been ravaged by a vicious beast, while another man had claws raked over his face, barely missing his eyes.

Since they were wolves, they should have healed instantly .

But they hadn't, and it revealed just how serious they'd been injured.

Caedmon moved to stand in front of her, firmly shoving her behind his back, while Ryder whirled and faced the Assembly. There was so much testosterone in the room that it threatened to choke her.

Which just pissed her off more.

She shoved away from the guys, ignoring them when they cursed and moved to keep her close. She glared at the alphas, noting that half of them wore smug expressions. "What's the meaning of this?"

" Loup garou were once wolves." One of the alphas who had been silent before stepped forward. He was shorter than the others, not as bulky. Despite being the runt of the litter, the rest of the alphas gave him a wide berth, like he was one of those hyperactive, yippy dogs that had gone feral. "We intend to rectify that and welcome them back in the fold."

It was an order, not an invitation, and her eyebrows rose. "And if we decline?"

He smiled, his mouth full of sharp fangs that shouldn't have been possible to fit in a human mouth. "Then we can take what we need off your dead bodies."

Instead of fear, Morgan smiled, and two of the alphas discretely stepped to the side, making themselves smaller targets. Whatever was happening, they wanted no part of it.

The others just ignored her, like she was a stupid female that didn't have the capacity to understand what was happening.

Idiots.

Now that they were no longer playing by the rules, she didn't have to either.

She sent a pulse of magic into the ground, then smiled when she felt it hit the statues outside. Their feet peeled away from the pedestals, and the main wolf tipped back his head and howled. It was eerie, a metallic tone that echoed in his chest until it sounded like hundreds of wolves. The statues didn't charge inside the building, but circled around to the back .

Unease skittered through the room when the first pair of metal wolves paced outside the window and looked into the room with their soulless eyes. One wolf brushed against the glass, and a horrible screech filled the room, loud enough to make her eardrums bleed, as the metal carved deep gouges out of the window.

More and more wolves appeared, a dozen in total, each stalking the men inside the room, their heads tilted at an unnatural angle that said they were not human. The warriors in the room instinctively took a step back, a whine of unease rumbling in their chests.

"You're doing this," the shorter alpha accused, glaring at her in annoyance that she would dare go against him.

"Of course." She smirked, discreetly slipping her arm against both Ryder and Caedmon. The men were smart enough not to react outwardly, their muscles easing under her touch. She usually preferred having room to fight, but that didn't really work well when confronted by wolves.

They liked to get in close and personal, fighting dirty with claws and fangs.

She glanced at the other alphas, ignoring the one who thought he was in charge. "I'm going to have to decline your polite offer. Next time you come after me or mine, I will see it as an act of aggression. If you change your mind and decide to seek my help, send Louis. M'kay? Bye."

She didn't wait for them to respond, just ripped open a portal under her own feet.

Shouts erupted in the room, quickly followed by the sounds of shattered glass as she released her hold on the wolves. It would take a few minutes or maybe even longer for the magic to leave the metal beasts.

As they fell into the void, Morgan tightened her arms around each man, afraid they would be torn from her. Both curled around her, tucking her between them until she felt surrounded, as if they thought to protect her .

Possibly sensing her urgency, they didn't linger in the void. It took only seconds before they were spit back out at the coven.

Unfortunately, Morgan wasn't prepared when they were suddenly dropped from the ceiling, and she gave a startled yelp when they crashed to the ground. Caedmon twisted so he took the brunt of the collision, landing with a grunt. She smacked against him a fraction of a second later, his body cushioning her drop.

Then oomphed when Ryder smashed into the both of them, squishing her between the two of them, his arms braced to soften the crush.

And she found her face plastered against Caedmon's shoulder.

His very naked shoulder.

She couldn't make herself look up.

She didn't want to see his expression, his rejection, because that meant she would have to pull away, and she wasn't ready for that. She just needed time to reassure herself that he was all right, one more minute to soak up his nearness before she had to face reality.

The scent of a wood burning stove had her unconsciously burrowing closer, only breathing a sigh of relief when the underlying sweet smell of plums reached her senses.

She expected Ryder to jump to his feet and help her rise. Yet he remained still, his nose brushing the back of her nape as he inhaled her scent, as if to reassure himself that she was unharmed.

Then she became aware of his erection pressing against her ass.

Her mind immediately landed in the gutter and wallowed there like a starved pig. She couldn't help but feel Caedmon's own erection low against her stomach.

Gods in heaven…erections everywhere!

Her mind seized, unable to process it.

She should be throwing elbows and knees in order to get to her feet, but her will to move was gone, her body completely boneless, content to be caught between them.

The inside of her arm burned and itched like crazy. She wiggled, brushing the underside of her arm against Caedmon's shoulder, her skin cooling the instant she touched his flesh.

Something niggled at the back of her mind at the familiar sensation, but she quickly became distracted when the guys gave twin moans and thrusted against her.

Her head snapped up, and her soul trembled when she saw Caedmon's renowned control stripped away, the hunger in his deep yellow eyes making her forget how to breathe, forgetting even her own name.

She couldn't remember why this wasn't a good idea, not when being caught between the two of them felt so right. Staring into his eyes, she slowly lowered her head, her stomach erupting with fairy wings when his breathing halted, his ravenous gaze searching her own before dropping down to her lips. Their mouths were only a breath apart when the door to the study was thrown open with a bang.

Morgan startled so badly that her magic wrapped around her, yanking her from between them. She landed in a crouch, her blades forming in her hands as she faced the threat.

She blinked when she saw Ascher storm in the room, his lean frame braced to do battle, not an inch of fat on him. Smoke rose from his clothes in his agitation, his sandy blond hair wild, the hint of curl unruly, like he'd struggled not to pull it out. His piercing blue eyes scanned the room, quickly coming to rest on her…then she'd swear a blush filled his high cheekbones, telling her that he'd seen the compromising position.

Morgan straightened slowly when nothing appeared to be chasing him. She cleared her throat awkwardly, avoiding his gaze, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole. She looked slightly over his shoulder to avoid his penetrating gaze, and shot him a brilliant smile. "Hey…what's up?"

She winced, wishing not for the first time that she'd been born with at least an ounce of sophistication. Instead, all she could do was watch what little dignity she had left go down the toilet.

A scher felt the instant Morgan returned to the coven, her power splashing through the mansion, and the muted connection between them flared to life. He had one second to breathe a sigh of relief that she was back.

Then her churning emotions hit him in the chest like a sledgehammer. Heart pounding, he charged out of the kitchen, his only thought to get to her in time. His beast surged toward the surface, wanting to rip anything apart that dared threaten his mate, and he struggled to keep from shifting.

Curses and pounding of feet thundered through the rest of the house, her other mates answering the call, but he had no intention of waiting. If they were returning via a portal and not with the van, something had gone wrong.

He didn't bother to hold back the growl that rumbled in his chest.

He fucking knew it was a bad idea to let her go off alone.

He pushed for more speed, shot across the foyer, his feet silent across the granite. It didn't matter that she hadn't gone alone, that she brought two of her mates with her for protection.

He hadn't been there to protect her.

The door to the study was closed. He didn't bother to slow as he threw his shoulder at the wood. It gave beneath his weight, creaking ominously before it thudded hard against the wall. He charged into the room…only to stumble to a halt when he saw the cause for her chaotic emotions.

Caedmon and Ryder.

He stood frozen as he saw her cradled between the two of them. His beast inhaled, and he caught the delicious, irresistible scent of her arousal.

He only had a second to process the sight before him when she vanished, reacting to his blundering entrance. One second she was in the throes of passion, the next, she was crouched before him, ready to do battle.

And damned if his heart didn't leap at the ferocious expression on her face.

This was the woman he'd fallen so madly in love with that he risked his life to keep her safe.

One look, and he'd been a goner.

He watched in amusement when recognition set in her expression, going from warrior to a flustered woman in just a heartbeat. His beast wanted to saunter up and comfort her, and he barely held back the impulse, knowing it would only make her more uncomfortable.

He ignored the glare Ryder shot him as the man lumbered to his feet. Caedmon was a different matter—whatever he was feeling, he kept it locked away, his face impassive as ever.

But Ascher saw the way he reacted to Morgan when he thought no one was looking.

The poor fucker was in love with her, and Morgan didn't have a clue.

He could sympathize over how it felt to be viewed only as a friend—it was fucking heaven and hell all mixed up just being near her. Though he wasn't sure how he felt about Morgan claiming another mate, he felt for the fae. To be so alone. Have no friends. No family. No connections.

They were solitary creatures born of hell. The horrors they endured were seared across their souls. To find a mate was beyond their wildest expectations.

It was a chance to win back a piece of the soul they'd thought lost.

A second chance at life.

A mate was precious beyond measure, something they would sell their souls to find.

Failing to claim the mate chosen for them was worse than spending an eternity in hell .

To forever be separated from them, unable to keep them safe, was their worst nightmare.

Ascher had been lucky enough to be picked as one of Morgan's first mates, but the torture of waiting had nearly driven him out of his mind. The only thing that soothed his possessive beast was seeing her bear his mark.

The others might have always known they would share a mate, but he never dared dream of finding anyone like Morgan. She made him yearn for more out of life—a chance for a future with her by his side.

For that alone, he decided not to interfere and let things unfold naturally between Caedmon and Morgan. Caedmon was a fierce warrior, and Ascher very much feared they would need him to keep Morgan safe once the gods finally made their demands.

The rest of the guys gathered behind him, and his heart softened at the wild panic that flashed in her violet eyes. As her mate, it was his job to protect her…even if it was from herself.

He spoke before the others could look too closely at the situation. "What happened at the Assembly?"

Morgan shot him a grateful look, her shoulders relaxing marginally at the change in subject. Each of the guys had a chance to court her and win her love on their own, so he would give Caedmon the same courtesy and keep his mouth shut until Morgan was ready to talk.

But only as long as the fae didn't do anything to upset her.

Then all bets were off, and he would crush the fucker.