Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

Tucker

I didn't like it, none of it, but it makes sense. Damn if it doesn't make sense. Weird as it may be, I understand it.

What I don't understand is why the damn fairy decided to come here and tell us this at all. He didn't have to. He could have stayed in it. But he'd shared what he knew about Lake that was so simple yet a pain in the ass all in one. She was going to have to face the dragons alongside me. My brothers and those who also came to help by putting themselves on the line to face off with fire-breathing dragons. Who the hell knew how many Zurri would be bringing with him.

I'd be lucky if she didn't have to be a part of it, but no, of course, fate would not allow this to be so simple.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

"Come on, little Fae, let's get out there and fill everyone in on the latest situation. At least the plan doesn't have to change too much for it to all work out." I take her hand in mine, and without waiting for her response, I tug her out of the room. The sooner we get everything organized, the better it will all turn out.

I fucking hope.

The next hours seem to tick by slower than usual. Corbin sent all the doxies away from the clubhouse for their protection. The looks they shot Lake on the way out, pissed me off enough to snarl at them all. If they can't respect my woman, then they'd learn real quick it wasn't going to be tolerated just as they'd learned to respect Karsyn.

I don't give a fuck if they want one of the club members to claim them as an ol' lady. It wasn't going to happen. My brothers aren't stupid enough to go for a bitch everyone's already fucked so much their pussy is too loose to really enjoy.

Plus, finding my mate, my fated mate, I don't see how anyone could deal with just picking. Then again, you find a woman that you can fall for, it doesn't really matter.

"Air's shifting," Dane says, pulling me out of my thoughts. Turning toward him, I see he's got his nose to the air. Out of all my brothers, except for Corbin himself, he's got the sharpest sense of smell.

"They're coming," Lake murmurs, tilting her head back, fingers clutching at my cut. "The strands are shifting."

I cock my head down to meet her gaze. The very look in hers tells me what I could already feel inside her. She's scared out of her mind.

"Don't worry, little Fae, I'm going to be right here with you. Remember, I'm not letting you get away from me. I won't let him win. You're my mate." Fury coils inside me, and it's all I can do to keep the beast inside me at bay. Together, him and I must defeat Zurri. Take him out and end this once and for all.

We need Lake to command the other dragons to her. The moment she does that (if it works) then we'll be able to end this quickly. If not, then we're all in for one hell of a battle.

"I know." Lake nods as the wind starts to pick up.

Jerking my head back up, I look around, scanning the area and seeing how the sky darkens. The trees are swaying, leaves falling from them blowing around. A sudden piercing screech noise fills the dark sky. The noise comes from more than just one. I'd say at least fifteen, maybe twenty.

"Here they come." Corbin snarls and half shifts, allowing his wolf to come forth.

I follow suit, as do those of my brothers who can. The ones who can't shift into one or the others that they're cross-bred between.

Stay near me until the fight starts. Once it does, you stay with your dad and uncles . I tell her through the bond we share.

"I'll be fine," she murmurs, taking in my massive size in this form. She's only seen me once, the night I took her virginity, and I scented the arousal that shot through her as she looked me over. I'd never take her in this form. If she'd been a shifter, then that's another story. But I'd kill her if I took her like this. It doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy doing other things while in this form with her. They don't call it the thrill of the chase for nothing.

"Don't even think about that right now. The last thing I need is to get turned on." She huffs, swatting at my chest.

Dane snorts and shakes his head.

"Focus," Lake snaps and whirls around, her hair slapping my chest in the process.

The horrible screech of the dragons grows closer, and suddenly, they come into view.

Fuck, those are some ugly beasts. The three in the front, though, they're not like the others. They look different.

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Lake moves in front of me. Her body humming, toes coming off the ground. Fuck.

Feeling what's going on with her, I step behind her, giving her the power she needs from me. I don't know how I know she needs it, but it comes through to me. I just do. Claws digging into her hips, I dip my head down and clamp my jaw on the mating mark.

Power rips through the both of us. Filling me more than I ever thought possible. Energy that I've felt course through Lake now courses through me.

The screeching of dragons grows silent, and suddenly, men are in the place of dragons as they fall from the sky, landing on their feet in graceful movements.

"My queen," one of the men states, going to his knee.

One by one, the others fall, doing the same thing.

"Get up, you fools." Zurri snarls. "She is not queen yet."

"We bow to the queen." the one who kneeled first states blatantly. "The power of Zirnitra runs through her veins."

"Zirni-who?" Lake whispers.

"You will not bow to her. Not until she is mine," Zurri commands, which his men ignore.

I step forward and wait for him to focus on me. "You want my mate, you'll have to kill me first."

"Then so be it." Zurri snarls, throws his head back and shifts.

Zurri screeches and blows fire straight to the sky before lowering himself. "You will not defeat me."

"Wanna bet?" I tell him, sneering and taking one of the bolts we've created out of Lake's night light from Corbin, who held them for me until now.

Rushing forward, even as fire comes at me, I run right through, not feeling it burn me, only the heat of it. Still, it does nothing to me. With the bolt raised, I shove it through the scales, going straight for where I learned his heart would be. Sinking deeper, I shift my claw, digging deeper into him.

Zurri lets out a horrible screech, and magic pours through us both as he shifts back, my hand still in his chest. "Long live the king," I snarl, my voice ragged in this form, barely understandable even to my own ears, and yank his heart from his body. Zurri drops down, and he's left in a heap of bloody mess on the ground. I toss his heart next to his head, the bolt still lodged in it, and look to the men who'd come with him. "You ally yourselves with us or fight. Pick now."

The all look to Lake, then back to me. "Our queen is your mate. We shall not go against her. The rightful power of Zirnitra courses through her." Coming to his feet, he sticks his hand out. "My name is Barrydi, and if you will have me, I'll lead the dragons for you honorably."

Lake steps forward, her father and uncles behind her, takes my hand, and looks at the man. "It's not me you need to follow. I'm no queen. If the dragons will follow you, then that's fine with me. I just want truces between worlds. No more fighting. No more wars."

"We could do that," Barrydi agrees, bowing his head slightly.

"Then work something out with Corbin, Cyrus, Tucker, and Orpheus. I want to be left out of this," Lake says and turns to me. "Can we please go for that ride now?"

I blink twice, shake my head, shift, and draw her into my arms. "Yeah, little Fae, we can go for that ride."

I knew just where I was going to take her. This part of our lives is over now, and for her, she'll never have to worry again. I won't let anyone dare fuck with her. I'll strike them through the heart before I allow someone to take them from me. Let the word spread about how I took out Zurri. He was too easy to kill, but if he was blinded by his own power to see that Lake and I together are stronger than he could ever possibly be.

Glancing over Lake's head to all those who stood around, I give them all a chin lift. Words aren't needed to show my appreciation. They all understand that after something like this, the need to be with our mates.

Being with Lake is all I need or want right now. Feeling her beneath me is even more important. The need to show her how much she means to me even more so.