Chapter 19

Chapter

Nineteen

KILLIAN

W olfe stands in front of me in his human form, his eyes burning with fire.

"Are you certain she's your true mate as well?" I groan, a snarl behind my words. All of me adores the idea of Sage belonging to just me, so it's taking me a moment to accept that she's his, too.

He stares at me deadpan, as if I haven't been listening. Except I damn well heard every word, especially the part about him fucking her. We've shared everything since we were children, and I grind my teeth that this includes my true mate… our true mate.

I peer over at the door leading into his bedroom, knowing she's in there.

Wolfe crosses the main living area, picking up several towels from the floor, tossing them into the bathroom, and buzzing around the place, completely unlike him.

Around me, the walls of his quarters are covered with weapons and ancient artifacts, paintings, golden coins, and jewels from what we managed to salvage from the old kingdom. A heavy oak table sits in the center, covered with maps and scrolls.

My attention swings back to the bedroom door, eager to take a peek inside.

"Is this why you called me here? To fucking brag?" I ask, moving closer to the bedroom, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"It's to discuss what we're going to do about her father," he replies, his voice steady but filled with underlying urgency.

"She needs to know," I state instantly, turning away from the door, ready to do it myself. "As much as we fucking hate the idea, we have to do this sooner than later."

Wolfe's lips pinch tight, but he doesn't protest for a change. Of course, he sees clearly now that she's his true mate.

"Good," I say, trying to inject some finality into the conversation. "We tell her the truth, then we work out new plans to take him down."

Wolfe opens the door slightly and glances into the room. Even from out here, I hear the deep breathing of her sleeping, a sound that's oddly comforting. The idea of joining her is clawing at the back of my mind.

"She might hate us once she finds out, but it needs to be done," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper.

"We'll deal with it, and we'll make her see that we'll tear the world apart for her," I growl, stiffening.

I get it, all our plans are now compromised. But I have no damn intention of releasing her, let alone sacrificing her to her bastard father. We might have intended to use her as a bargaining chip initially, but not now that she's ours. I'm falling so fast for her that I'm drowning, so our plans will fucking change.

The intensity behind Wolfe's stare darkens every time he glances over to the bedroom. "We need Nyko to join us to confirm how we're handling this." He sighs deeply. "Why does he always fucking disappear when we need him?"

I chuckle, knowing Nyko vanishes often but never tells us what he's up to.

"We'll speak with him tonight." I suck in a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. I cross the room, unable to resist, and peer into the bedroom, too.

There she is, lying on the bed, completely naked, the sheets tossed aside, and she's flat on her back, fast asleep.

My breath catches in my chest, my cock twitching at the sight.

I slip into the room. Wolfe follows, both of us sitting on the large, engraved box at the end of the bed, an object he rescued from the bottom of the sea and restored.

Her bare feet are within arm's reach, my gaze traveling up to where she has one bent outward, giving us the perfect view of the sweetest cunt I've ever seen. Glistening lips, slightly parted, reveal a slice of her pink offering. My cock's growing harder at the sight, at the memory of my mouth wrapped around her clit, my tongue piercing her hole. A small tuft of hair shows deeper violet hues now. My attention slithers up over her soft stomach to those delicious breasts, her scrumptious nipples tight. It takes every ounce of strength not to climb closer, spread her legs, and devour her.

"She's beautiful," Wolfe mutters, distracting me. I glance over at him, and he's staring at her just as obsessively. "She needs to move in with one of us in our quarters."

"Mine," I respond instantly, earning a grin from him. I stare at the rise and fall of her chest. "She's shown her feisty side more recently," I explain. "Revealing her true Shadowfen side. She's going to change soon, so it's best we're with her."

"Someone tried to kill her in the Chamber of Rituals," he states, his tone serious.

"What the fuck?" I whisper as a surge of anger explodes within me, my fists curling, a growl rumbling in my chest. "Why didn't you start with that?"

She stirs, twisting onto her side, and we both step out of the room, shutting the door behind us to avoid waking her.

I take a deep breath, trying to control the rage boiling inside me.

"I found her terrified in the ritual room," he explains quietly. "She mentioned a snake creature, a Sylar, I'm guessing, chasing her. Its handler must have been there because a poisonous dart just missed striking her." He paces in the living area vigorously, suddenly lifting one of the sword weapons on display off the wall. He's studying it like he's seeing it for the first time.

I'm taken aback. What the hell is he doing? I shake that off and focus on this madness.

"Who the fuck would go after her? I haven't heard any grumblings among the Shadowfen about her arrival." My thoughts filter to her father, that he's somehow involved. "Shit, you think her son of a bitch father heard she's here and is trying to kidnap her for himself?"

Wolfe's expression darkens, his body visibly shaking, and he's pacing again.

"We can't dismiss that idea," he snarls. "It's exactly what that bastard would do." He's practicing with the sword, cutting through the air, looking ready to go into battle, exerting himself.

"Wolfe, what the hell is up with you?" Yet, I recognize this behavior almost immediately as I question him, remembering he's just fucked Sage. After I claimed her, the adrenaline rush was burning me alive. I had to go hunting just to shake it off… and now I watch Wolfe struggling with the same intensity.

He glances over at me, shaking from adrenaline. "I can't help it. There's something…"

"You're feeling it, too, aren't you?"

He growls, as though just standing still is killing him, and after a few more swings, he puts the sword back up on the cradle on the wall.

"Claiming Sage did something to you, just like it did to me. After I took her, I had an explosion of energy, so much that I needed to hunt before I went mad. And I see it in you now."

He blinks, his brow furrowing.

"It feels as though she's filling us with energy, like a battery, charging us to the maximum."

His eyes widen. "You think she…"

"I do. Her powers are coming forward, and fuck, if this is a taste, she's going to be a lot more powerful than any of us expected."

My heart thumps faster just thinking of her ability, how easily it can hurt her if she's not prepared.

"More reason to keep her protected with one of us at all times," Wolfe states my exact thoughts. "But right now, I'll fucking go insane if I don't release this energy." Pacing, he rubs his palms down the sides of his legs as though he has no idea what to do with them.

"Go!" I laugh, remembering very well the hyped-up intensity.

He's already on his way out of the door. "You remain here with her," he states, then he's gone.

Thinking of Sage, my pulse pounds, and the staggering need to shield her from danger has me just as damn overwhelmed as Wolfe.

Wolfe

I march out of my quarters, not wanting to be away from Sage's side. Yet, the adrenaline surges through me so fiercely I might go ballistic if I don't expend the energy. And I sure as fuck don't want to lose my shit in front of the other Shadowfen who are already questioning my ability to gain us back our kingdom.

My heart slams against my rib cage, muscles taut, insides tense—reminiscent of the times I've faced off with beasts. And now, I need to beat the shit out of something.

My thoughts spiral around her… as a half-Shadowfen, she should be weaker, her powers diluted, yet she carries an energy that impacts others in ways I've never seen before. All of my kind are born with their own level of shadow abilities, but this is something so much more. It's as though she's a conduit, transferring power into others.

That's fucking unheard of.

There are tales of Shadowfen with unusual abilities from the past, tales of someone born with such strength that they possessed control of others' shadows. It was so dangerous that they ended up locking her up in isolation. She carried the power to make others kill themselves, to turn against anyone, to manipulate the shadows as if they were her own limbs. She had the power of a God.

The thought churns deep in my gut, telling myself we won't have that problem with Sage.

I rush toward the training rooms, passing Shadowfen staff, who glance at me, bowing their heads in respect. I take the back corridors to the elevator, not in the mood to deal with anyone.

"Wolfe," a whiny voice calls from behind me, and I recognize it at once. Clay.

I roll my eyes, tensing all over as I twist around to find the captain coming at me like a Tidecreeper, his posture rigid, movements jerky. He's seething, eyes burning with an intensity that makes his birdlike frame even more imposing.

"We have to talk," he groans, the long, black and white feathers running the length under his arms fluttering in his approach.

"I'm busy," I snap. "But if you insist, you can join me in the training room, and I'll listen."

He grumbles, clearly displeased. The Shadowfen isn't a fighter, not with his frail appearance. He peers at me as if I'm joking.

"I've been trying to get hold of you, but you've been elusive."

"Okay, you have me now. Talk, as I need something from you, too." My annoyance rumbles behind my words at his persistence.

"You've commanded us to change course to the kingdom, and I've gotten all the weapons ready. Howler is ready for a full assault. We need to confirm our plan of action."

I cut him a sharp stare, but he doesn't look away. Yes, I changed course once Sage was on board, but that was before I knew about her being Killian's true mate or mine. Still, I haven't worked out our new plans, but it sure as fuck won't line up with Clay's destructive plans.

"As I've explained previously, we're not going in there to destroy the kingdom. Only the false King," I state flatly, my impatience tightening around my chest.

He exhales loudly, almost making a squawking sound in the process. "After what Bren and all those betrayers who followed him did to you… to all of us! They should be slaughtered."

I shake my head, exhaling slowly to keep my fury in check.

"Those who followed did it for the safety of their families, and I won't punish them for wanting to offer them protection. My goal is to remove the fucking murderer of a King, not decimate our Shadowfen. Have you forgotten our mission—bring the kingdom together as one, not divided?"

Clay glares at me, his feathers ruffling with irritation. "It's because she's Killian's true mate now, isn't it?" His voice drips with accusation. "I suspected the moment she arrived, with the way you all chased after her, that things would change."

Fury plays on my mind, muscles tensing. Sure, Clay is the captain of the Howler, who offered us a home after the Great Desolation, but this vessel belongs to the old kingdom, to my family, and he needs to remember his place.

"Watch your mouth, Clay," I growl. "Right now, you need to trust me, not question me."

His eyes narrow, the tension between us thickening.

"Maybe you should put your focus on why Howler couldn't identify who else was in the Chamber of Rituals when Sage was attacked. Something glitchy's going on, or perhaps someone hacked into the system," I snarl.

His eyes turn into round orbs, fright scribbled across his expression. "That's impossible. Howler's systems are impenetrable."

"Then explain why it couldn't detect the intruder?" I snap, shoulders curving forward.

Clay swallows hard, his usual composure slipping. "I'll look into it immediately. This puts us all in a very dangerous position. Perhaps someone on board is feeding information to King Bren?"

The darkness of his suggestion presses down on me but reminds me of a similar conversation Killian and I had just discussed.

"First, let's find out what the fuck is going on with Howler, and inform me at once."

"Of course, my Lord."

"And delay our approach to the kingdom by a few days. We're not ready yet."

A vein in his throat pulses, then he nods once.

I move past him, exhausted from this conversation, my fists refusing to unfurl. If I don't walk away, he'll be wearing them.

"Your father would never go soft on his enemies," he accuses behind me. "The traitor slaughtered him in cold blood."

I swing back on him, rage simmering just under the surface.

"My father isn't here," I hiss. "I am, and I know exactly what I'm doing."

He squares his shoulders, meeting my gaze head-on. "Do you?"

Tension ripples, and I'm moving toward him before I can think straight. Energy speeds through my veins, adding fuel to my anger at being pushed by this asshole. Captain or not, he's crossed the line.

Fear flickers behind his gaze, and he recoils. When a small group of children rush down the corridor, the gutless swine jumps in alongside them, escaping my side.

Turning, I slam a fist into the wall, leaving a crater of a hole. I don't lose fucking control of my emotions, but Clay's picked the wrong time to play fucker with me. He's always been the devil's advocate, that's nothing new, but today, I have zero patience for it.

Heart thundering in my chest, I pivot and storm toward the training rooms, furious at his damn persistence to destroy everyone in the kingdom. It's not the first time he's brought it up, and each time, I shoot him down. But he's starting to worry me…

He's angry; I get it. We all fucking are at what happened to our kingdom. But my father brought me up to do anything in my power to resolve a problem before resorting to war.

And I sure as fuck won't let anything—or anyone—stand in my way to achieve that.