Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Tucker

"What prophecy are you talking about?" I demand, the beast inside me enraged with a fury unlike anything I've ever felt. The very thought of some claiming our mate as theirs is enough to want to draw blood. To sink my claws into the flesh of those who dare come between my mate and me. More than that, to clamp my jaw on the throat of that person or being. I won't let anyone take her from me.

Orpheus moves around the table and claims one of the empty seats at the end. His eyes are still on Lake. Once he's settled, sitting there, looking like a fucking supreme ruler rather than a guest in our clubhouse, he finally answers my question. "In my years, I've heard of many prophecies. What you must understand is that when it comes to a prophecy, just as anything else in life, there are two sides to it. Think of a coin, you flip it one way, it has one thing, the other another. The same goes for each prophecy. There is no guarantee to either side winning. One that is only a possibility."

"Get to the point," Abel growls.

"Abel, calm down," Corbin orders, giving our brother a sharp look. He then slices his gaze to mine before glaring to Orpheus. "Skip to what we need to know, if you don't mind, Orpheus."

Orpheus shrugs and clasps his fingers together. "As I was saying, there are two stories to each prophecy." He pauses, his eyes getting a faraway look in them.

"In time, there will be one. A girl born of a nymph. She will be a special gift to those who love her. Her gifts will heal what's been broken. However, she'll need the guidance of the other half of her soul . . .her true mate. Many can take her as their mate, but only one is her true.With only her true mate will she be safe, and she'll learn to control what grows within her.

"This girl born will be unlike any nymph born. She's more than just a nymph by blood. There must be a that of human and Fae. If not protected, she will be taken. She'll be lost, and she'll not know the true mate she was meant for. The one who carries the mark of a true alpha, a tiger prince who lost everyone . . . is the last to hold the mark of his lineage. He'll be able to fight, but he mustn't do it alone. For the evil thrives on the dark." He blinks, clears his throat, and gets that look again.

"Evil wants what should be good. She, who is born of a nymph, can turn dark. She who carries the blood of a Fae will be unlike any other. She will be the queen to a king. Good or evil, it does not matter. Her mate will decide. The choice is hers, but it can be taken from her. If hatred fills her heart, only then will she become the dragon bride, queen to the Drakon King. The most feared queen to live. She will be the ending to all that is good. A scale must stay balanced. If tipped either way, the ending will come forth yet another dark age where dragons once again rule."

No one said a word as Orpheus spoke. Now that he was done, still, no one spoke. Those words filter through my head repeatedly. It's confusing, yet it answers questions all at the same time.

Her gift, the powers awakening inside her, they depend on my guidance. On me showing her the way. Helping her learn to control something I don't even know myself to what extent it'll be.

What's fucking with my head is the part that mentions me.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

It was prophesied I'd lose my entire family. Did Callum know? Is that why he gave her that damn night-light that has my tiger in it? Had her mother told him? Lake is the daughter of Nyx.

None of this about the prophecy makes sense to me. Mix that with everything else . . . yeah, it's fucking with my head. The only thing that doesn't bother me in the whole scenario is that Lake is mine. She's my mate. True only to me .

That alone is enough for me to keep my sanity.

"What do we do now?" Lake whispers.

I don't have to look at her to know what she's thinking. It's loud and very clear in my head. Even her scent screams to me that she's scared.

"We do as we're doing now," I tell her and press a kiss to her temple. Though I do my best to keep my voice level and calm, it doesn't work. My brothers hear the undertone of my voice. The threat to anyone who comes near me right now. To anyone who dares come close to Lake.

"But he's sending someone." Lake's head whips in my direction. "He's sending someone to kill you." Panic starts to rise in her voice, and her eyes widen. "They'll kill to get me."

"Let them try."

I turn my attention to Justice, who snarled those three words. "VP . . ." I start, but he slowly stands, hands on the table, and his body leaning forward.

"We now know the threat we're facing. They want one of us dead, they'll have to fight us all," Justice snarls, his lip curling up, showing his canines.

"But they're fire-breathing dragons," Lake utters, fear rolling off her in waves, tears shimmering in her eyes. "You can't put your lives in jeopardy."

"Lake," Corbin calls, getting her attention. "When it comes to protecting what's ours, we'll do whatever it takes. This club, it's a brotherhood, and when one of us is threatened, all of us are. You're Tucker's mate, which means you're one of us. Tucker is our brother, and he will not fight this alone." Corbin shifts his eyes to me. "You lost your family once. You won't lose another."

"What about Lake's family? Her father? Her uncles?" Karsyn asks, her hand firmly planted on her stomach in the protective way I've seen her do more than a few times. "The Drakon King has them."

I think about this for a moment, and a thought occurs to me as I look toward Orpheus. "What do you know about a Fae named Nyx Iceclove?"

Orpheus straightens in his seat, eyes narrowing. "I know Nyx Iceclove. How do you know of his name?"

"I believe he's Lake's biological father from what Lake shared of her dream," I explain and glance around the table. "The Fae and dragons have been at war with each other for well longer than a millennia. What if we contact the Fae and ask them to fight alongside us?" If we could get them to agree to work with us, it could work out. The Fae can open the portal needed to enter the dragon realm.

"You think they would do that?" Corbin asks.

"Not without a price," I answer, leaning back in my seat, bringing Lake with me, locking eyes with Corbin.

My Prez's eyes are calculating, watchful, and alert to all around him. I could see his mind at work. Maybe even running through scenarios and putting together a plan.

"If we could get Nyx to agree to help us into the dragon realm, we would get Lake and Abel's family back, and we could potentially do it without being detected. Once we get them back here to Redwich, we could even the playing field. We're more powerful here than we would be there," Corbin states and looks to Karsyn. "You would have to stay out of sight." He shifts his gaze to Lake. "And you would as well."

"Do you need to contact a Fae to open a way to the dragon realm?" Lake asks, turning in my arms, so that she's sitting on one leg, her body twisting more toward me, eyes locking with mine. "Couldn't I be the one to do it?"

"You have to know where the dragon realm is. And we don't know if you have the ability to do just that," I tell her, not wanting to hurt her feelings.

"But I think I could do it." The adamant tone she uses catches my attention, and I wait for her to continue. Lake nibbles her bottom lip for a moment and takes a breath. "Last night in the woods . . ."

"Go on," I urge.

"You know during . . ." Her cheeks tint a bright blush as she lowers her lashes. "Well, I was able to see the strands in the air. I felt it calling to me. Like I could rip the strands apart and open the world to a whole other new one." She pauses and takes a breath. "I'm not sure how to exactly explain it, but I do think I could open it. And with my dream, I feel like I might be able to get us there."

I stare at her briefly and nod. She wants to do this. She doesn't want to have to possibly face a man who helped in creating her. And going to the Fae, it would come with a price, just as anything does. As much as I don't want to put Lake in the way of danger, my every instinct tells me to shield her from it, but the Fae could demand her in reward for their help.

If Lake thinks she can take this one and be safe about it. Then maybe, just maybe, it will work. I can protect her at the same time getting her family back. Corbin's right, we can level the field if we bring them here.

"Alright, little Fae, you think you can do it, we'll give it a try."