Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
He clapped and the rest of the council joined in. “Well said, High Priestess, and thank you for lending your wisdom here today.” The absolute smugness in his tone grated on my ears. “Now, let us waste no more time. Luame has waited too long for her will to be done. We will not delay for another second.” Cygnus snapped his fingers. “Bring the water wolf first.”
“No,” Miriam screamed. “You will not do this, Cygnus. You will not turn my son into a rapist!”
Another sniff. “Whether or not it’s rape is entirely the girl’s choice. All she has to do is stop fighting her duty, lie still, and comply.”
Miriam gaped at him. “Spoken like an evil, fucking rapist pig yourself! How many women have you said that to!”
Cygnus reddened dangerously. “What did you just say to—?”
“Paxton, forget about me,” Miriam commanded her son. Water blasted out of the kitchens, soaring straight for Cygnus. “Don’t listen to him! Don’t hurt her!”
He dove out of the way, hitting the floor and rolling onto his knees. Fur sprouted from his body, filling his suit. His maw extended—rippling forth two vicious sets of fangs. “Lamond!”
“No! Stop!” Paxton bellowed. “Mom!”
The sword fell.
A towering wall of flames slammed into Lamond, throwing him off his feet. He flew into the wall beside the serving window, collapsing into a smoking, crispy pile.
“Argh!” Cygnus snarled, whirling on a blank-faced Orion as he lowered his arm.
Badr moved in front of his friend. “Sir, before you get mad, you should know Orion did that to help you.”
“Help me!?”
“Yes,” he replied calmly. “It’s one thing to kill a few traitorous epsilons that turned their backs on Wolf Nation, but executing a fellow alpha and a worried mother will not get you very much support.”
“You—!”
“I must agree, Cygnus,” Liliya broke in. “Calm down and remember what we’re here for. It’s for the good of all the alphas, Mrs. Clarke included, and she will come to see that eventually even if she doesn’t now.
“The traitors are captured. The high priestess is willing, and her fated mates are compliant. No more examples need to be made, so please...” She gestured to his throne. “Let us begin.”
Cygnus snapped back and forth among all the eyes staring at him, and finally noticed approval was held in none of them. “Uh, yes,” he said, straightening. “Well said, Councilwoman, and forgive me for forgetting myself. I can be overzealous in my devotion to Luame’s will.”
“As can we all. Let us begin,” she repeated more forcefully, finally acting to get that psychopath away from a female alpha from her clan.
“Gagging her will suffice. Daffyd, if you please.”
Mrs. Clarke’s shouting was quickly gagged and muffled.
“Let’s begin.” Cygnus claimed my throne. He flicked a finger at Paxton. “Paxton Clarke, mate with your chosen.”
Paxton didn’t move.
It took a second for him to put it together. “Blasted woman.” Cygnus flapped a hand. “Sunella, if you please.”
Sunella flicked to me, and the burning eyes glaring back at her. “Paxton Clarke, gently and lovingly mate with—”
“You think that’s going to make a difference? I will scream,” I rasped, making her wince. “I’ll fight, and kick, and make the whole world see exactly what you all are!”
“Daciana, please,” she cried. “There is no need for you to behave this way, or take it so personally. This must be done. You’ve known this your whole life. Simply stop making it difficult.”
“I stopped making it difficult when I agreed to mate with one of them at the end of every semester. Do you hear me out there?” I called, raising my voice at the cameras. “I agreed to fulfill Luame’s glorious purpose weeks ago! But they’re so determined to control and dominate me, they’re going back on the deal for no reason!”
“There is reason,” Elijah, the moon councilman, sliced in. “We never agreed to any deal. You made these plans with Sunella and Sunella only, and you did so before you unjustly attacked and maimed Councilman Cygnus, before you bribed, threatened, and slandered the clan leaders, and before you incited riots in omega communities all over Wolf Nation.”
Green eyes glittered behind thin, wire-framed glasses. “Don’t you dare question our integrity, Daciana. If any party broke the terms of this supposed deal, it was you.”
“But—”
“Your father was a friend of mine. I cared for him as I care for you, but Cygnus is right. You are not well. After you’ve completed your duty, you’ll receive the help you need, I promise you. But there’ll be no more of you running around unchecked—breaking every law under the sun.” He stared down his long, hooked nose. “You wanted an end to special treatment. Your wish is granted.”
“Listen to—!”
“Sunella,” Elijah barked.
“Paxton Clarke, gently and lovingly mate with Daciana.”
Paxton rose, his soul vanishing behind his eyes, and his chains fell away.
Miriam’s muffled screams rose louder and more urgent—as did my tears.