7

ELIAS

“WE’RE expecting an evac team to join us in thenext five days,” Grey murmured, rubbing the corner of her eyes, “and we also have to prepare Ivy for a meeting with the Queen.”

It wasn’t my place to say anything, but fuck did I want to. None of this felt right. Not the evac team, which made my wolf uneasy, and certainly not a meeting with the damned Queen while Ivy’s trying to come to terms with what’s happening to her mother.

If I’d spoken up about the mate bond with Ivy sooner, then maybe I could have voiced all of that to Grey and had my opinion heard, but I’d let fear control me when it came to my sweet mate. No more. Not after the hell the wolf and I had gone through when she’d been kidnapped.

It made everything more complicated with Kingsley now recognising his bond. I shouldn’t have been surprised, especially with everything that had transpired between them.

“Who’s on the evac team?” I replied eventually, taking in the files littering Grey’s desk.

She reached for a stack and dumped them in front of me. Without a word, I picked it up and flipped through the pages of documents detailing the other team’s achievements, skills, and all the other bullshit Phoenix Centre staff decided was necessary to put into these personnel files.

Based on photos, I recognised the team from brief encounters over the years. I’d been working for the agency since I was eighteen, and some of these guys had come through as trainers or teachers at some stage. Their leader was one I hadn’t dealt with before, but a tightness started in my chest as I stared at him.

“Is it really necessary when we already have Jay’s team on the ground helping us?” I asked, tossing the files back at Grey.

She didn’t speak for a long moment as she gathered the documents and set them aside. I cocked my head as I watched her. The vampire seemed almost…stressed, which was uncharacteristic of her, and it certainly didn’t sit right in my gut. It soured her scent, which reminded me of the oceans along the Avalon coast, and forced me to sit a little straighter when her gaze finally landed on me.

“It doesn’t sit right with me either that we have to work with a secondary team,” Grey started, leaning back in her chair, steepling her fingers in front of her. “I personally want to keep our team as close as possible, and their team away from Ivy. But we don’t just have her to worry about.”

As much as I hated the idea of another team, she was right. We had the children to think about, and they were completely vulnerable. Having a few more agents on them would alleviate some of the stress from Ivy’s shoulders.

I ran a hand over my chin, taking note of the scruff growing along my jaw. Shaving hadn’t been a priority in days. “Can we trust this team?”

Grey’s eyes dropped to her hands. “I haven’t worked with any of them which worries me. We trust Jay because we’ve either trained with, or learnt from him.” She paused, shaking her head. “I don’t know about these new ones. But you should be aware that they are coming. I need you to keep an eye on them.”

Bowing my head, I blew out a breath. “I’m on it.”

“I would do it myself, but there is a lot of work to do to prepare for our departure.” Exhaustion filled her voice, and when I looked up, I couldn’t help but note the tired sag of her shoulders and how fatigue mingled with the stress in her scent. “I need to help Ivy with the plans for her mother.”

“I can handle these new agents,” I replied, shoulders tensing. I didn’t particularly like the woman, but Ivy and her sisters were suffering with Kerry Sullivan’s comatose status. In light of everything, I almost regretted my last words to her—more for Ivy’s sake than my own—but regardless, I wished there was more I could do for them. For my mate and her sisters. “Leave the evac team to me.”

Grey sighed and rose. “I’ll update you when I know they’re closer. We have time to prepare for them. Additional wards need to be set around the property. I want the few agents from Jay’s team to be aware of the new team but kept in the dark about anything else. We don’t need an accidental attack to draw attention to ourselves.”

I stood, taking one last look at the mess of files and documents scattering the desk. “You need help with anything else?” I asked cautiously, meeting her hard stare.

She watched at me for a few long moments, her eyes narrowed. As her second, she should have been leaning on me more, but I had a feeling Grey was used to doing things on her own. But that wouldn’t fly any longer, not when I had to think about Ivy.

Finally, the vampire shook her head and crossed her arms. “I have everything under control here. Your priority is the evac team.” She took a set of files from her desk drawer and handed them to me. “I made you copies of their documents. You might also want to ask Adrian and Rowan to look over them. See what they know about this team. In the meantime, leave everything else to me.”

My jaw clenched, but I took the files and tucked them under my arm. I didn’t say anything else as I slipped out of her office and into the dimly lit hall of the top floor. With all its modern fixtures and dark accents, the safe house was more like a fortress in disguise. Every inch of the place was doused in heavy enchantments, from Fae magic to the spells of mages and witches.

I stalked down to the ground floor and took in the silence that penetrated the house. It was late, and the soldiers from Jay’s team were out on patrol. I itched to join them, but the files weighed heavily in my hands.

I’d always been an on-the-ground type of soldier, so paperwork had never been my forte when training. They didn’t give that kind of work to orphans, especially not punching bags like me.

Once, I’d thought working my way up to a leadership position would be the start of a new life for me. One that had nothing to do with my upbringing.

Now, as I breathed in and caught Ivy’s sweetly intoxicating scent, I knew I had something else to work towards. Something better.

~

Darkness enveloped every corner of the ground floor bedroom, so I settled myself into a chair and flipped open the files. I read the basic documents used for each agent from the Phoenix Centre; names, ages, species, and skills. The evac team was similar to ours: multiple species clumped together to form the best of the best.

The only difference between us was that these guys had been working together for years. That meant something in our line of work. It proved they were a well-oiled machine, and as an evac crew, they’d done this many times before.

Because of that, I hoped Sir Ya’Dahir, the Queen’s mate and one of the overseers of the training centre, knew what he was doing assigning them to Ivy.

An hour passed while I scanned each personnel file thoroughly. Past cases were added to their overall achievements, and I made sure to check each one of those too.

A tingle of electricity lifted the hairs on my arms, forcing me away from the team leader’s personal documents. I breathed in deeply, and everything fell away.

Coconut, coffee, and vanilla tickled my nose, subtle yet sweet, the only scent that now comforted and calmed the beast within me. I checked the time and frowned. It was getting late, and she had no reason to be nearby.

I stiffened as her scent grew stronger, and without thinking, I rose, leaving the files open on the desk. I followed her scent into the large, open-plan living room, and found her curled up on one of the over-stuffed loveseats, her legs drawn up to her chest, and her chin resting on her knees. Dark hair fell around her face in soft curls, and she gazed unblinkingly into the forest.

My wolf clawed at me inside my chest, begging for release, to go to her and finally stake his claim. He wanted to take her, mate her. And I wanted that, too.

But I knew she didn’t, not yet. Fear heightened her scent, and I had a feeling it was over something intangible.

I stepped out from the shadows and walked up beside the couch. “Can’t sleep?”

Ivy startled, yelping softly as she leaned back against the cushions, her hand pressed to her heart. Fuck. I should have made a sound or at least let her know sooner that I was in the room.

I opened my mouth to apologise, but her faint giggles met my ears. Instead of fear, there was amusement in her honeyed eyes. The corners crinkled as she stared up at me, and after a moment, she shook her head.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, releasing a heavy breath as she returned to her previous position. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

A gentle smile tugged at her lips as she watched me in the window’s reflection. “I shouldn’t have scared you,” I replied, hands forming into fists. Fucking idiot, I chided myself. She’s probably liking me less and less now. And I deserved it, too. I’d been a fucking dick to her before, and I had no idea what to do to fix it.

But Ivy shook her head again. “It’s okay. You didn’t scare me. I just didn’t expect anyone else to be awake.”

I cocked my head, more wolf-like than human. “And why are you awake?”

She shrugged, a yawn falling from her lips. “Isn’t it obvious?”

I repressed a sigh as I stalked around the couch to face her. She looked up at me through thick lashes, which fluttered as she yawned again. “You don’t know if you’ll have one tonight, and exhausting yourself helps no one.”

Ivy averted her stare, curling in on herself. “It’s easier if I do. My theory is that if I exhaust myself for long enough, I may be too tired to dream. I think I’d like to test it.”

I shook my head and lowered myself to the coffee table across from her. Dark circles bruised the skin under her eyes, and her lips were pressed into a frown that only deepened as she watched me.

“What?” she snapped, shifting slightly.

“What do you need to feel safe?” I asked quietly, leaning my elbows on my knees. “What can we—can I—do to make you feel better about sleeping?”

Her mouth opened then closed, her lips forming a thin line. I let her think about it, but I had a feeling she already knew what she needed: her mates. But she’d be thinking about Kingsley, not me, not yet. And I’d put up with that so long as she finally slept through the night.

“I don’t think it’s fair to put that on him yet,” she whispered, closing her eyes. “What if something happens? I just—”

“He’s your mate. He’ll take that risk.”

Her eyes opened. “I know. That’s the problem.”

I sat back and considered her for a moment. I wouldn’t question her on it, not while she was vulnerable. But eventually, I would. Especially if she truly believed she was a danger to her mates, of all people.

“Give me a minute, and I’ll get you something to help with tonight.”

I didn’t give her time to respond and instead stalked up the stairs to the second floor, where the bedrooms lay. Kingsley’s wasn’t far from the room Ivy and Thea had chosen, which, for the most part, should give her some ease.

I knocked twice and waited for the prince to open the door. “I need something from you.”

He blinked up at me with bleary eyes. “What?”

“I need something for Ivy.”

The last moments of sleep disappeared from his face, and his eyes became alert. He stepped back, letting me into the room. “What happened? Is she okay?”

I stepped around him and waited until the door was closed before crossing my arms and leaning against the frame. “She’s trying to exhaust herself because of the nightmares. I think she’s too embarrassed and afraid to ask for your help with them, so I have an idea.”

Kingsley rubbed his chin, unease wafting from him. “She’s not letting me,” he replied quietly, almost forlorn. “So, anything I can do to help, I will.”

“Your shirt,” I said. “Scent should help her when she’s not with you. She knows exactly what she needs but isn’t sure how to ask for it. So, give her some part of you to at least help that.”

The prince stalked into his walk-in closet and rifled through the contents. My wolf paced within me, territorial and possessive. He wanted it to be our scent she wore to scare off the nightmares, and he didn’t care that she wasn’t aware of our mate status.

Kingsley emerged a moment later with the shirt he’d been wearing earlier. “Will this work?”

He threw it, and I caught it, barely needing to bring it to my nose. His scent was all over it, deep in the fabric’s fibres, and it was overwhelming.

I grimaced. “Yeah, it’ll be good.”

I turned to leave, opening the door with the intent of returning to her, but he spoke again, forcing me to pause in the doorway. “Do you think she wants to see me?” he asked quietly.

“You should probably ask her that,” I replied, suppressing the need to roll my eyes, but I sighed when he made a strangled sound. Looking over my shoulder, I found him running a hand through his hair, looking all kinds of nervous.

“You’re her mate. You are one of few people who can help her, yet you’re acting like a kicked puppy.”

His head snapped in my direction, and his eyes narrowed. “You have no idea—”

I snorted, cutting him off. “You could have figured this out yourself if you’d bothered to take control. She needs you to be in control for her own sake, Kingsley. Figure it out.”

Instead of giving him a chance to argue, I stalked out, leaving him standing alone in his bedroom. Hopefully, he’d step up without needing to be told again, because I sure as hell would be.