“What about the draechen?” Monroe asked, swallowing around the strange knot in his throat. He couldn’t believe someone had knowingly taken such a chance for a man he didn’t even know. He was torn between the anger he felt at the knowledge of Taryn’s ordeal and another emotion he couldn’t quite identify. “Do they know where Taryn is?”
“They know,” Taryn replied quietly. “They’re coming.”
There was something behind Taryn’s words, a silent guilt that set Monroe on the edge. But he had to get his brother alone before he could discuss it. Not to mention that the draechen were dangerous for Taryn’s well-being.
Obviously the elf must have been thinking something similar. Alarm flashed over Jude’s face. “You have to be gone by the time they arrive.”
Monroe acknowledged the urgency of the situation, but Jude’s words unsettled him in more than one way. “Uh-huh… And what happens to you after that?”
Jude actually looked surprised, having obviously not expected Monroe to worry about him. Hell, they were merely strangers. But Monroe owed Jude a great debt of gratitude. At least, if someone asked, that would be his excuse for his failure to find a way out of his place as soon as possible.
“I’ll be fine,” Jude replied with a shrug. “It’s not like they’ll kill me. I’m still a prince, and as you must have noticed, I can protect myself.”
“You can’t rely on that, Jude,” Taryn warned him. “It might not work.”
“When that happens, it’d at least be for a good reason,” the elf answered, not seemingly bothered in the slightest. “But anyway, the draechen haven’t been so inclined to go against me lately. I very much doubt they’d start anything because of Taryn.”
No one seemed convinced. In fact, even the rest of Monroe’s pack appeared to be uncomfortable. Monroe himself didn’t feel inclined to trust the draechen’s goodwill. “No offense to you, Prince Jud’enealh, but—” Thomas started to say.
“Call me Jude,” the elf said. “And seriously, you need to go. If the draechen are aware of your location, it isn’t safe for you to be here.”
It was, in all honesty, humbling to see how much Jude had become invested in Taryn’s well-being. Monroe could have understood it from a pack member. Werewolves were like that. They protected their own, no matter what. But for an elf to jump to a wolf’s defense under such circumstances… It was unheard of. An uncomfortable emotion wormed its way into Monroe’s heart, following the warm glow of the gratitude.
Monroe couldn’t figure out Jude’s reasoning, and he didn’t have time to try. He’d have liked to do so. He’d have wanted to touch Jude, to see if his golden blond hair was as soft as it looked and if Jude’s lips would surrender to his when they kissed, or if Jude would fight him for supremacy. But Elena said, “Alpha…”
It was a reminder, one that Monroe didn’t need but acknowledged regardless. Still, he couldn’t just leave without even saying an appropriate good-bye and expressing his honest gratefulness. Taking a deep breath, Monroe went to the elf’s side and pressed his hand to Jude’s shoulder. “Thank—”
The words died in his throat as out of the blue, knowledge erupted in his mind. Mate, his wolf howled. Mate. Mine.
Monroe’s knees went weak as the wave of emotion swamped him. Meanwhile, Jude’s breath caught and his eyes widened. He obviously realized what Monroe did, that they were fated to be with each other.
Truth be told, Monroe didn’t even know why he hadn’t seen it from the very moment he’d stepped inside. He could only blame it on the fact that he’d been so very focused on Taryn. Right now, though, his wolf was clearly pointing out what an idiot Monroe had been to miss the obvious. He opened his mouth, aching to say so many things. He never got the chance.
The alarms began to sound again, sensors announcing that they had intruders coming in. Jude cursed, clutching his crossbow like a life-line. “It’s the draechen. They’ve come.” He broke free from Monroe’s hold, and Monroe felt it stronger than any spell the draechen could conjure.
“Go,” he told Monroe again. “I’ll hold them off for as long as I can.”
He rushed to the fireplace, and with the press of a button, revealed a control station that likely monitored the security systems outside. It must have been the same one the elf had used to allow Monroe and his pack passage, because Taryn didn’t look surprised upon seeing it. As Jude’s fingers flew over the keyboard, explosions sounded outside. On the monitors, Monroe caught glimpses of the chaos outside, and knew that they were severely outnumbered.
Monroe identified a particularly large blue dragon, and realized that the beast in question could very likely be the emperor. “Attack that one,” he told the elf. “He’s the leader.”
As Jude complied, Monroe shifted into his wolf form, readying himself for battle. His pack did the same, but before he could come up with the perfect strategy to handle the situation, Taryn released a cry. “No!”
He pushed Jude away from the controls, frantically trying to stop the weapons that were now aimed at the emperor. Outside, Jude’s inventions shot various bolts of what seemed to be diamond-tipped arrows at the blue dragon. Taryn released a low whine, at the same time seemingly attempting to mimic Jude’s earlier dismissal of the alarms.
When he had no success, he turned pleading eyes toward Jude. “Stop this. Stop hurting my mate.”
For a few seconds, Monroe couldn’t even breathe. Blood roared in his ears as he tried to take in what Taryn was saying. It couldn’t be true. His brother couldn’t have given his heart to the monster who’d separated them.
He must have conveyed some of that to Taryn through his mental abilities, because his little brother shot a glance his way. There was no regret in his gaze, so much like Monroe’s own, just urgency and a plea for understanding. “Monroe,” he whispered simply.
Monroe turned into his human form once again and directed his attention toward his own mate. “Do what he says. Stop the attack.”
His words weren’t necessary, because Jude was already on his feet and typing away at the main console. Outside, the explosions finally stopped, and the draechen miniature army landed in front of Jude’s cabin.
The doors burst open, a blizzard sweeping into the room, chilling Monroe to the bones. He hoped he’d done the right thing. No matter what the Tersain claimed, in Monroe’s eyes, they hadn’t changed a bit. One of his own had been killed just because he’d fallen for someone claimed by a Tersain. Monroe hadn’t forgotten it, and he would die before he allowed his little brother to suffer a similar fate.
Of course, the two situations weren’t really comparable. Still, Monroe had to handle the matter with care. He understood that shifters didn’t really have a choice with regard to the identity of their destined mates. However, he simply couldn’t imagine fate matching someone as gentle as Taryn with Emperor Hareematek Tersain. It had to be some sort of Stockholm syndrome, caused by Taryn’s captivity. His pregnancy couldn’t have helped, since Taryn likely loved the child very much. Either way, Monroe had to make Taryn see the truth, but without upsetting him too much and accidentally risking the baby’s life.
It was easier said than done. Taryn shot forward, rushing past Monroe and making a mad dash toward the door. Monroe caught his brother before the younger wolf could reach his destination, keeping him from leaving the cabin.
“Not so fast, little brother,” he told Taryn. “Whatever you might say, the draechen are dangerous. They could have easily fooled you.”
Taryn’s lower lip trembled, his eyes glittering with unshed tears. “Don’t you trust me?”
“Of course I do,” Monroe answered. “Otherwise, we never would have stopped Jude’s weapons.”
As he spoke, Monroe glanced at his mate. He didn’t want to think about how meeting Jude might have affected his decisions. More importantly, he hated that his agreement to Taryn’s plea might come at a great personal cost to him.
Taryn must have sensed his anxiety, not that it was very hard. “Don’t
worry,” he murmured. “Hareem is a good man. He loves me. You’ll see.”
He sounded like he truly believed his own words, so much so that Monroe had trouble coming up with a reply. His hesitation cost him, as before he could come up with something eloquent, a tall, muscular man entered the cabin. He was completely naked, but Monroe doubted he’d come here to flirt. His chilly blue eyes and his dark-blue hair spoke of his ice dragon nature. Right then and there, Monroe couldn’t imagine how his little brother had ever thought this man could love anyone. Because it seemed clear to him that he now faced Hareematek Tersain, the draechen who’d once stolen Taryn away and turned him into a slave. This time, though, Monroe wouldn’t allow the story to repeat itself. He would show the draechen emperor a thing or two about werewolf loyalty. By the time Monroe was done with him, Hareematek would rue the day he’d ever touched Taryn.
* * * *
Hareem stalked into the cabin, a man on a mission, more than ready to reclaim his mate. He was distantly aware that there were other people inside the room, but he couldn’t have cared less about them. They were just obstacles in his path, obstacles that he could easily remove. He didn’t even bother to summon his army to him. This was his fight, his mate, his right.
Having his foes attempt to thwart him in his quest to retrieve Taryn angered him, and his rational side remained anchored only because of his bond with Taryn. However, his dragon threatened to break free when he saw one of the other men had grabbed Taryn’s arm and was essentially holding him captive.
“I’d let him go if I were you,” he said with a growl. This man was his foe. He was trying to claim Taryn, and judging by the affection Taryn felt toward him, he might just succeed. “You’ll find that I’m not someone you want to cross. If you touch a hair on his head, you’ll be sorry.”
“Calm down, Hareem,” Taryn sent to him. “This is my brother, Monroe. He’s not a threat to you.”
Brother. Hareem blinked and tilted his head, analyzing Monroe Lovington from head to toe. Now that Taryn mentioned it, he could see the resemblance. Even if Taryn was far smaller than his muscular brother, they were very much alike. The sharp angle of their cheekbones, the full lips, and especially the gold-green eyes Hareem had once fallen in love with were identical. Hareem’s dragon settled down a bit, acknowledging the fact that Monroe was, essentially, family. As much as he hated it, Monroe had a say in Taryn’s welfare, too.
Not that Hareem would allow him to get in the way, but he knew how important Monroe was for Taryn. He had to play nice.
Monroe didn’t seem inclined toward good sentiments. “I’m not afraid of you, draechen. And you have got to be joking. You’re the one who’s dangerous for my brother, not me.”
“I would never hurt Taryn,” Hareem said slowly, walking further into the room. The other werewolves present bared their fangs at him, but Hareem ignored them. He did throw a glance toward the elf who stood among them, pointing a wicked-looking crossbow at Hareem.
“I am in your debt, Prince Jud’enealh,” he said. “You saved my mate and my child. For that, I thank you, and I will take your attack on me as a symptom of your protectiveness toward Taryn.”
The elf narrowed his eyes at Hareem. “I didn’t help Taryn to earn your gratitude. I believe you owe everyone here some answers, Your Imperial Majesty, at least if you want our tentative truce to stand.”
As he spoke, Jud’enealh lowered the crossbow, although he didn’t put it away. Hareem didn’t miss the betrayed look Monroe threw toward the elf, or the growl that emerged from the wolf. He wondered why that was. To Hareem’s knowledge, Monroe and Prince Jud’enealh hadn’t met until today, so Monroe shouldn’t have had any expectations regarding how the elf would behave. Besides, Jud’enealh hadn’t suddenly declared Hareem his best friend. He was merely giving Hareem the chance to present his case, so to speak.
“It is really quite simple,” he answered. “Taryn is my mate. Unfortunately, his connection to me drew some unwanted attention on him, but I’m here for him now.”
He turned and glanced toward Taryn, who remained standing by his brother, watching Hareem as if hypnotized. “I’ll always be here,” he added softly.
He wasn’t speaking to the elf any longer. In fact, everyone but Taryn had melted away again. This was ridiculous and unnecessary. He hadn’t come here to provide explanations. His dragon ached for Taryn, and he didn’t care who saw and knew.
With no hesitation, Hareem lunged forward, practically pouncing on his lover. A large form intercepted him, but Hareem pushed the intruder aside, not giving him a single thought. In the process, he broke the hold his supposed rival had on Taryn, something that pleased his dragon tremendously.
Growling, he pushed Taryn down, paying close attention so that the young werewolf wouldn’t hit the floor. Once he had his mate where he wanted him, he crushed their mouths together, tasting Taryn like he’d craved for what seemed like ages.
Taryn released a gasp, and Hareem took advantage of it to thrust his tongue into his lover’s wet cavern. The werewolf’s arms went around Hareem’s neck, and he melted against Hareem like he always did. For a few beautiful moments, they left time, forgetting all about everything and everyone else, focusing solely on their bond and on the beautiful baby they had created through their love.
At first, Hareem ravished Taryn, exploring his mouth with greed, taking no prisoners. Soon, though, Hareem’s instincts to claim yielded to his protectiveness. He remembered that his lover had just gone through a very traumatic experience and being mauled by Hareem was likely not what he needed right now.
Slowly, Hareem gentled the kiss, turning it into a closemouthed lip-lock. When he tried to pull away, Taryn wouldn’t let him, his libido having apparently been awoken by Hareem’s caresses. Hareem allowed it for a while longer, but then, he reluctantly broke apart from his mate. However, his heart wouldn’t allow him to abandon his mate’s side. He brushed his lips over Taryn’s cheeks, his eyelids, his forehead, and then his sweet mouth once again. After that, he went lower down, kissing Taryn’s swollen abdomen. As he caressed the swell of his mate’s belly, he could have sworn he felt an answering warmth echoing inside him, melting whatever ice might have lingered in his heart.
He couldn’t even imagine what he’d been thinking when he tried to send Taryn away. The sacrifice had been for Taryn’s own good, or so Hareem had thought at the time. But it seemed that no matter how much he tried, Taryn would always become a target, just because of their bond. It just wasn’t something that could be hidden. It was too powerful, and much too intense to be contained by societal norms.
“I’m sorry, sweeting,” he said through their bond. “This is all my fault. I should have never pushed you away.”
Taryn’s expression started to sober up. “I know you had your reasons for what you did, Hareem, and they haven’t changed, no matter what the vampires did. I’m still a werewolf, and you’re still the draechen emperor.”
Hareem took a deep breath, not allowing himself to panic. “Give me a second chance, Taryn.” He mentally did a count, then revised his statement. “Well, a third chance. Or is it a fourth one? Overlords, sweeting, I know I fucked up. I know I don’t deserve you or the beautiful gift you’ve given me. But I want to fix this. I want to fix things between us. I know we can find a way somehow.”
“You tried, and it didn’t work out,” Taryn pointed out. “What’s changed?”
Hareem mused over his answer and finally chose honesty. He pulled away from Taryn, giving his mate a little space to breathe. “Nothing, really, except me. I understand now what Prince Kaelezrin has been trying to tell me all along. The most important part of my life is you and our child. I never forgot that, but I got lost in trying to do what was best for everyone else that I ended up fucking us both over.”
“You’re an emperor, Hareem,” Taryn whispered, grabbing his arm and keeping him from going any further. “I understand. You’re stuck between a rock and a hard place.”
The word
s held so much understanding that it just about broke Hareem’s heart. He didn’t want Taryn to understand. He didn’t want his lover to accept anything except the spot he deserved. The Directive be damned, Hareem would make Taryn his consort. Even if it meant leaving his throne, he would make that choice before he pushed Taryn away again.
Taryn gaped at him. “Hareem, you can’t be serious,” he gasped out. “I can’t ask you to do that. Your people need you.”
This time, Taryn actually spoke out loud, and their companions seemed to take that as a cue to intrude on their conversation. Of course, up until that point, Hareem had completely forgotten they existed, but Monroe Lovington seemed to have quite a skill in getting himself noticed.
The werewolf now stood in front of Hareem and Taryn, glaring, his hands clenched into fists. “Get off my brother. Right. This. Instant.”
He was obviously angry that he’d allowed Hareem to bypass his defenses, but he didn’t actually move to pull Hareem away. Hareem could only guess that the older werewolf must have thought Taryn was being manipulated, and Hareem’s behavior had taken him by surprise.
In fact, it seemed apparent that no one had expected Hareem to act like this. They had surrounded Hareem and Taryn, and the hostility emanating from the werewolves might have made someone else wince. However, they weren’t attacking, and neither was Monroe. That meant something, although Hareem couldn’t rely on it any more than on goodwill from the part of draechen lords.
He wasn’t afraid of Monroe, and he had no intention to allow the werewolf to get between him and his mate. However, in deference of the obvious affection Taryn had toward his brother, he did get up. Much to his relief, Taryn followed and stepped into his embrace, cuddling to his side.
It was an automatic gesture, which gave Hareem the strength he needed to face not only these shifters, but an entire army of them. “Is there something you’d like to say to me?” he asked, arching a brow.
Emperor's Consort [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 5] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Page 10