Dalton growled when Jewel sat in the chair in their room, instead of coming to the bed so he could hold her.

“Have you forgotten about the spell Volcan put on me? I haven’t.” Jewel said, looking determined. Dalton thought it was cute that she thought she was going to get her way.

“In case you haven’t noticed, romantic intimacy has been the furthest thing from my mind,” he said. “And before you go getting your cauldron boiling, it’s not because I’m not attracted to you. It’s because it’s enough for me to just get to hold you. After being separated from you for so long. I just want you near me, Little Dove. I need to hold you.”

He could tell she was trying not to smile as she glared at him. “Did you just say ‘getting your cauldron boiling’?”

He had known that would distract her. “Maybe.”

She shook her head at him. “Tacky.”

He chuckled. “Probably. Now come here, or I’ll just come get you.”

She huffed like a petulant child, but she got up and came over to him. Dalton grabbed her around the waist and pulled her onto the bed, laying her beside him. He was propped up on one elbow looking down at her.

“This is where you belong,” he whispered, his voice deep, caused by mixing his wolf’s voice with his human one.

“Are we going to talk about the elephant in the room?”

“I won’t let her sacrifice herself,” Dalton told his mate. “We’ll figure out something else. I wouldn’t ask you to lose her.”

“I don’t want to lose you either,” she said.

“You won’t.”

“You can’t promise me that.”

“I can promise you that we will find another way for the spell to work. There are too many magical minds involved in this to not come up with an alternative or to figure out a way to alter the spell in such a way no one dies. I want you to trust me.”

She answered immediately. “I do.”

“Good. Now get some sleep. It’s been an emotional day.”

“Peri wasn’t lying when she said you males were bossy.”

Dalton smiled. “You say bossy, I say gently recommending the action that is best for you.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “That sounded stupid.”

He was so caught off guard by her words that she laughed.

“I am going to sleep, but only because I’m tired. Not because of some nonsense about you recommending actions.” She yawned and tucked herself closer to him.

Dalton wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. He pressed his lips to her head. “Good night, Little Dove.”

Sleep did not find Dalton as quickly as it had his Jewel. His mind was too busy searching for a solution to their problem that didn’t involve his or Peri’s untimely demise. No matter what, he wouldn’t let Peri be the sacrifice. Dalton would do it himself. She would mourn him, but without the true mate bond, she wouldn’t have the emptiness that would never leave. She would eventually heal, and she would be able to find another to love her.

His hand fisted in her shirt, causing it to move up, and his fingers brushed the bare skin of her back. Dalton immediately pressed his hand to the flesh and felt his wolf relax. His wolf wasn’t worried. He had no doubt that he could protect his mate and do so without having to leave her. We go where she goes the wolf repeated what Dalton had been telling Jewel. We will protect her and stay with her. “How?” he whispered into the dark room. Pack. Our pack will rise up as one.

He didn’t understand what his wolf was trying to tell him, but then his wolf couldn’t even consider that they wouldn’t be able to keep their mate safe. To him there was simply no other option. They were made for her, to provide for her, love her, and protect her.

Just before he fell asleep, he heard Jewel mumbling in her sleep, “Dalton, come with me.”

He tucked his face down into her hair and took a deep breath of her scent before whispering in her ear. “Always, Little Dove.”

* * *

Gustavo stood in the hall, his hands in his pockets as he leaned his shoulder against the wall. His head was bowed, and his eyes were closed. He’d been trying to keep his wolf under control since Peri had ordered him not to complete the Blood Rites. The man understood her reasoning. The wolf snarled that she dared to give him orders or attempt to keep them from finishing the bond.

“You know I have several rooms in which you could wait. You needn’t stand in the hall next to the bathroom door,” Jezebel said as she took up her own position across from him.

“I do not mind waiting in the hall,” he said softly. He couldn’t look up at her, not with his eyes glowing with his wolf. It was so close to the surface, continuing to push his will on the man.

“Gustavo,” her voice was hesitant. “Are you alright?”

How did he answer that? He certainly couldn’t say, ”No I’m not alright. My wolf wants to go on a killing spree, and the only person safe is your daughter.” He was sure that might make Jezebel a little nervous.

“I just need Anna.” There. That sounded normal.

“Is Anna safe to be with you while you’re in this state?”

All right, apparently, he hadn’t sounded as normal as he thought. “Anna is the only person in the world who is always safe with me.”

“You’ll have to forgive me. I’ve never spent time around your species. I don’t know much about the Canis lupus.”

He shrugged a shoulder. “Most cannot understand the true mate bond. It is a supernatural joining. All you really need to know is that I will never hurt Anna. I will always take care of her, provide for her, and love her.”

“Will you make her smile?” Jezebel asked. “Will you make her feel like she is the only female in existence who can hold you captive? Will you do what is in her best interest?”

He was unable to stop his wolf from raising his head and piercing the woman with his glowing eyes. To her credit, she did not take a step back, though she visibly had difficulty swallowing. Gustavo was an Alpha, a top predator and powerful in his own right. Jezebel was getting a taste of that power as he met her stare. Her questions were valid, but his wolf felt challenged. He didn’t hear the bathroom door open, he was too focused on keeping his wolf from snarling.

“Mom, drop your eyes,” Anna said as she slipped her hand into his. “Staring into the eyes of a dominant wolf is a challenge.”

“I will do whatever it takes to make her smile every day. She always knows she is the only female in existence that holds me captive because she can see into my mind and feel my emotions. And I can do nothing other than look out for her best interests. She is the other half of mi alma. She is my light, my peace, my beloved, and she is mine.”

Jezebel stared silently back at him though her eyes where now on his shoulder. “Good.” She walked over and hugged Anna. “Just a mom being a mom,” she said as way of explanation.

Anna smiled. “He’s a big boy. He can handle it. Though next time you might want to wait until his eyes aren’t glowing.”

“Good to know,” Jezebel said. She waved to them as she walked down the hall, leaving them alone.

“You okay?” Anna asked him, though she kept her eyes averted.

Gustavo put a finger under her chin and raised her face. “Anna, you are the only one who can look me in the eyes. Look at me, mí amõr.”

She finally did. Her face softened immediately as she raised her hand to his cheek. “Why so worked up?”

Gustavo pressed his cheek into her hand, and his wolf rumbled. Her touch was amazing, and he would always crave it. “Room,” he managed to get out. He wanted to wrap her in his arms, tilt her head back to reveal her beautiful neck, and sink his teeth in so his mark would be on her for all to see that she was his.

She led him by his hand into the room. Her scent was all over the place, and his wolf reveled in it. There wasn’t much in the way of personal stuff here, no pictures of friends on the walls or posters. It was a bed, a dresser, a chair, and a desk.

“Are you upset about what Peri said?”

“You mean what she ordered.” He growled. “I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I’m not growling at you. My wolf, well, both of us are upset. You and I should be the ones to decide when the Blood Rites ceremony is performed. Not her.”

Gustavo pulled her to the bed. He sat and lifted her into his lap. It was one of his favorite places for her to be.

“Is it difficult for you to wait?” Her question was hesitant.

“It is, but that is not the reason we should choose to do it. It should be because you are ready. For you, I can wait. But I do not like being ordered by someone, no matter who they are. I understand her reasoning. And if it’s the best chance for this spell to work, then we will wait.”

“Do you think we should turn the other girls into witches?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I want whatever is going to keep you safe and get you out of Volcan’s clutches. But I know you wouldn’t want to hurt your friends. Sometimes, there is no good solution. There is only the lesser of bad ones.” Gustavo’s wolf was a little calmer now that he was holding Anna, but he was still disgruntled about the Blood Rites. He wanted his scent in her and hers in him. He wanted his mark on her.

She dragged him from his pouting when she stood up. He reached for her, but she held up her finger. “I need to see if I have a brush. My hair will get tangled if I sleep with it like this.”

She turned her back to him but had only taken two steps when Gustavo moved. His canines lengthened as he stared at her flesh. He wrapped his hands around her biceps and held her still.

“Gustavo? What’s wrong?”

When Anna had stood up from his lap, her shirt had risen up, revealing only her lower back, but it was enough for him to see. “Your markings, the ones that match my own. They’re on your back.”

“Seriously?” Her voice was nearly a squeak. “Let me see.” She pulled from his hold and walked over to her dresser where a mirror was hung above it. Anna turned so her back was facing the mirror and looked over her shoulder. Reaching back, she pulled the shirt up as far as she could. Her eyes widened. “Wow, they’re beautiful.”

Gustavo’s hand shook as he reached out to touch them but then stopped just before he would make contact with her flesh. “May I?”

Anna met his eyes in the mirror. “Of course.”

She took his breath away. She said it as if he didn’t have to ask to touch her.

“Gustavo, you don’t have to ask,” she said as she picked up on his thoughts. “If I’m not comfortable with something, I will tell you.”

When he started to kneel down, she stopped him.

“I want to see your face.”

“Què?”

“While you look at it, I want to see your face,” she clarified.

“For you, my Anna, anything.” He remained standing as he raised her shirt up and up. He paused when it reached the strap of her bra. The rest of the mark was still covered. To his surprise, Anna slipped her arms out of the shirt but kept it around her neck and pulled down in front. It didn’t matter what else might have been showing because the only thing he had eyes for were the beautiful markings that started on her lower left back. He’d had to tug the waist band of her skirt down a little to see where it started. Gustavo traced the black lines diagonally up her back to her right shoulder. She shivered, but he knew it wasn’t because she was cold.

Taking her at her word, he leaned down and kissed her shoulder without asking for permission. Her skin was silk against his mouth as he continued to kiss her. He paused and looked up at the mirror to see if she was okay. Her eyes were closed, and her mouth was open slightly. He looked back down at her back and continued to kiss the markings while tracing it with his fingers.

When he reached her hip, he gently nipped her, causing her to gasp. He liked that sound.

“You look quite proud of yourself,” she said as he stood back up.

“I like making you gasp.”

“At least you’re honest.”

She started to move her shirt so she could slip her arms back in the sleeves. He sighed.

“What?”

“I like seeing the markings,” he told her honestly. “It pleases my wolf, too.”

“I’ll remember that,” she said cryptically. “Feeling a little better?”

He nodded. “Thank you, Criña. That was a gift, and I am honored you trusted me to touch you, kiss you, and love you.”

She turned to look up at him. “You love me?”

“Very much. But I do not expect you to reciprocate. I understand this is different for you. I can wait to hear the words.” He motioned to the bed. “You need rest.”

Once she was in the bed, he slipped in beside her and wrapped an arm around her. Her face was pressed to his chest, and his hand was on her back. He couldn’t help himself as he slipped his hand under her shirt and ran his fingers over the markings. He couldn’t see them, but he knew where there were. The image of them was forever burned in his mind.

“That feels good. It’s making me sleepy,” she said with a yawn.

“Sleep, mí amõr.”

She yawned again. “Bossy.”

He smiled as he continued to touch her skin. His wolf was too stirred up for sleep. They’d waited centuries to see their markings on their mate. Finally, she was with them, in his arms, tucked close into the safety of his body. Taste, his wolf rumbled in his mind, and Gustavo chuckled. His wolf wanted to lick the markings the way he had kissed them.

One day, but not today. Today it was enough to touch her. He closed his eyes and slipped into her mind. He saw the memory of her looking at him through the mirror as he kissed and touched her markings. The look of adoration on her face took his breath away. She cared deeply for him already. It wouldn’t be long, he thought. She would love them.

He felt her stirring and a groggy presence in his mind before he heard her voice.

“Kind of already do.”

* * *

“No.”

Peri glared at the three male wolves. She’d returned to see if she could talk some sense into them, but they were being just as obstinate as they had been the first time she’d explained her plan.

“Why?”

“How can you expect us to be okay with you wanting to put Volcan’s blood into our mates?” Nick asked, his eyes cold and calculating. He may be playful when he was with Kara, but in defense of her, he was downright deadly.

“If it will save their two friends and help us defeat Volcan, how can you not be okay with it?” she snapped. “I realize that it’s hard for you to do the opposite of what your nature urges you to do. You need to protect your mates, I get that. But what if the only way to protect them is to first put them in danger.” She paused. “Okay, that didn’t come out totally right. What I’m trying to say is that this is the best way to keep them safe in the long run.”

Lucian stepped up next to her. “Have you spoken to your mates about it?”

Kale laughed. “Absolutely not. My lass would do it in a heartbeat, with a smile on her face and all the while cracking some joke about witches.”

“They know they would all do it,” Peri said. “That’s why they haven’t told them. It has to be their choice.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Ciro said in a cool voice. “We are mated. Bonded or not, we are a pair. That means we make decisions together. You cannot go to them behind our backs, Perizada. That would be extremely disrespectful to us and our relationship with out mates. Relationships that are new and still fragile.”

She knew he was right. But it irked her royally. “Fine. I’ll give you a few days. But you have to talk to them about it. Not telling them is essentially making the choice for them. The only way you can make a decision together is if you both have all the information.”

Ciro nodded. “I agree. I will admit I do not want Stella to have to endure such darkness inside of her. She’s been surrounded by enough darkness. If I could bear this for her, I would.”

“All of you would. And that is the one thing that overrides all your other crappy qualities.”

“Thank you … I think,” Nick said frowning at her.

“I’ll see you in three days.” Lucian took her hand, and she flashed them back to Jezebel’s apartment.

“You don’t have to say it.” She sighed as they stood in the quiet living room. It was dark, and everyone had gone to bed. The beauty of being a fae is the ability to add space where there wasn’t any. Peri had assisted in giving Jezebel’s home a couple extra rooms for her guests.

“Say what?” Lucian asked.

“That what I’m asking of them isn’t fair.”

“I wasn’t going to say that.”

“But you think it.”

“I think that, once again, we find ourselves in a position where we will all have to make sacrifices. That is what it means to stand on the side of good. It won’t be easy, but I think they will realize that what you are asking of them is necessary.” He pulled her to the couch and picked her up, laying her down on her back.

Peri smiled up at him. “Are you trying to distract me?” He simply stared down at her until she waved her hand and made the couch big enough for the both of them.

Lucian laid down beside her and pressed his hand to her cheek. “We are going to sleep, after I kiss you. And then tomorrow we will deal with you offering to sacrifice yourself without first talking to me.” He pressed his lips to hers, and she could feel his anger, but it was wrapped up in love. He was angry because he loved her so much and couldn’t stand the fact that she might be placed in danger.

She reached into his mind as he continued to kiss her, deepening this kiss by biting her lip and forcing her mouth open. “I love you.”

“And I love you. You’re still in trouble.”

“I should have discussed it with you first.”

“Yes.”

“You would have supported me.”

“Of course. That’s not the point. Respect is the point. I need you to respect me as much as you love me.”

He pulled back from her lips, leaned down, pressing his face into her neck, and nipped his mark.

Peri closed her eyes as the sensation washed over her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“We are still new at this, beloved. We won’t get it right very often.”

“I get it wrong more often than you.” She hated that she sounded pouty. But she hated disappointing Lucian. She’d never known she could love someone the way she loved him. And she really had never thought anyone could love her the way he did. She never wanted to jeopardize that by doing something to hurt him.

“Quit worrying. No matter how angry I get with you, I still love you, I still want you, and I will never give you up.”

“Thank you,” she told him, meaning it with every fiber of her being.

“You don’t need to thank me for something that I am honored to do.” He pressed another kiss to her lips, this one soft and sweet. “We will defeat Volcan and save our healers and their mates and then we will help Vasile and the mess they are in. We will rip apart the Order of the Burning Claw, and then there will be peace. Then we can look toward our future together, and you can give me pups.”

Peri’s eyes, which had been drifting closed, popped open. “Did you say pups?”

“Go to sleep, my precious mate. Stop worrying.”

Peri closed her eyes and told herself she’d just imagined him saying he wanted her to give him pups. She totally heard him wrong. She had to have heard him wrong. She continued to tell herself that until she fell asleep. Her dreams were filled with a very pregnant high fae waddling around like a duck. When she woke, she was going to turn him into a duck. Damn wolf.