by A C Wilds
“How does Nora fit into this? I understand she is your mother, but why does she work for that ass-hat?”
“She was taken. The same as you and me. She was a part of an experiment a while back. Witches were being used for breeding with wolf shifters, and she was one of the unfortunate few chosen. Once Michael saw the extent of her power, though, he knew he had to have her for a different reason. She was never changed into a wolf but instead made into the Light’s High Witch. She had me after she moved to Earth with the court. I was born in the middle of the night during a full wolf moon. My mother’s maid was able to smuggle me out. Michael thought I died in childbirth. She lied because she knew. She knew we were destined to get rid of the monarchy.”
“This is a lot, Noli. I need a minute to process it. Let me get changed, and check in with the guys, and then we can have a meal together. We all need to sit down anyway.
“You’re right, it’s all so fucked up. Just know that I didn’t mean to hurt you. That I would never hurt you.”
I give her a smile and a soft kiss on the cheek before getting up from the couch. I know deep down inside that she did what she thought was right, but I’m just not ready to look past it.
Closing the door behind me, I enter the hallway in time to see three very pissed off mates. Cass and Gunn have returned with Grey trailing behind them.
“I don’t want to stay here,” Cass says, looking around like at any moment Izzy is going to pop out of the closet.
“I understand that you are upset, but there is no other place for us. We need to stay where we are safe. We’re safe here, together,” I explain, willing him to feel my comfort through the bond. Everyone is on high-stress emotions right now, but I need for us to keep it together.
He doesn’t say anything, but makes his way up the stairs. I start to follow him in the hopes of finding a shower when Shax takes my hand and leads me up the steps. The wood paneling continues up as we go, giving way to landings that open up on each floor. When we arrive at the third, a huge hallway is laid out in front of us. There are several doors, and Shax opens up the second one on the right. This room is modest, with just a king sized bed, dresser, and desk. There is no ensuite like I am used to, so I look around for the bathroom.
“The third on the right and left are the bathrooms. We have the whole floor, but there aren’t rooms made to fit all of us at once,” he says, as I try to do the math of how many people can fit in that bed. I don’t want anyone away from me.
“We can rotate, then. I don’t want anyone to be uncomfortable,” I say, lifting my hand and placing it on his chest. I’m so exhausted I could sleep for a week. “I’m going to take a shower before we have to meet everyone downstairs. Someone find Cass and ask him to join me. We need to straighten him out before we see Izzy again.”
“I will,” Shax says. Turning from us, and retreating down the hall.
“I call dibs on the second shower,” Grey calls as he makes his way into the second bathroom. I smile at his ability to be sarcastic and so human every chance he gets.
“Want some company?” Gunn says with a mischievous look in his eyes. My body starts doing all sorts of things and I lean into him a bit.
“If you mean to wash my back, then I would love some, but I need to give Cass some of me so he will calm down, and I don’t think he is ready for the both of us,” I say, a bit breathless. I reach up on my tip toes and plant a sweet kiss on his mouth. He smells so delicious, like spearmint and cut grass.
“I’d love to do anything you’d want me to do. Just being near you keeps me grounded,” he confesses. I look at him a bit confused.
“Why would you need to be grounded?” I ask, realizing I don’t know anything about my mate, except that he is an Earth Fae.
“I’m a demi-god who has a wolf. It’s not always easy to keep him in check especially when he thinks these are all his subjects,” he says. His eyes burn brighter for a moment, but I see the struggle.
“I didn’t know. I feel like a horrible mate. After this is all over, we are going on vacation together. Doing nothing except sitting on the beach and having sex. All the sex, like every kind of sex, until we can’t stand each other anymore.”
“I don’t think that is possible, Az, you’re it for me. There is no other, and if you want our mates to join in, I won’t stop you from getting what you want. Just know that I will always want you.”
His words hit me in the chest — hard and fast. Throwing myself at him, I kiss him with all the passion and emotion that I feel for him. I want him to know that even though he is my last mate, the one that completed our pack, he isn’t forgotten. I’m certain I will grow to love this Fae just as much as I do the others.
Hearing the floor creak behind us, I detangle myself from Gunn’s arms and come face to face with Cass. It’s about time we had a chat.
Chapter 3
Truth in Lies
Azra
The bathroom is just as practical as the bedroom is. There is a sink, toilet, and shower/tub combo. I begin to peel off my clothes. Thank goddess Izzy had the sense to bring me a change of clothes when she rescued us, otherwise I would have been in a ballgown for the last few days.
I turn on the taps and let the water heat up. Turning toward Cass, I place a soft kiss on his lips before taking his clothes off. This isn’t about sex, it’s about understanding how fucked up life can be. We all have had a pretty shitty hand dealt to us, and we need to heal some of it before it gets so much worse.
“I want to feel close to you. It’s hitting me hard through the bond how you feel, and I need you in my arms to tell me you aren’t going to fall apart,” I whisper, placing my hands around his naked middle and hugging him close. His hard body is pressed against me, as his arms wrap around me. He curves his body down onto mine, and he lets go of all his emotions. Finding Izzy brought up all the shit with his mother. I can’t wait until I get to kill Michael.
“I love you,” he says into my hair. He begins to rub my back in languid circles, stopping at the curve of my ass. I’m about to take this little show in a whole different direction when Shax comes in.
“Mind if I shower with you? Grey and Gunn are taking turns in the other bathroom, and I need this grime off of me as soon as I can,” he asks. There is a flare of passion in his eyes from seeing us both naked, but now isn’t the time. I wish my lady parts would get that message.
“I never thought I’d say this to another male Fae before, but it would mean a lot if my alpha were to join us. You’re the family I have now, and I think we need to work to grow our bond in whatever way is best for us all,” Cass says, reaching out to Shax. Shax extends his arm, and they grasp each other’s forearms, holding each other’s gaze for a moment. The energy in the room spins out of control, and I need to clutch the wall before I fall over. The images that flash in my mind about these two heats me up.
I jump into the water spray before I can climb onto someones’ dick. The water is lukewarm, but it feels amazing. I let it cascade around my head, and the dirt and debris fall from my head and body, making the water turn murky for a moment. The curtain opens, and both men step in; Shax behind me, and Cass in the front.
“Ok boys, we can all feel what’s going on, but now is not the time for an Azra sandwich. We need to get things sorted downstairs first. So let’s take this time to take care of one another, and we can definitely explore these emotions later,” I say, a bit disappointed, as I grab for the soap. Shax takes it from me, as he washes the back half of me, spending a bit too much time washing my ass, but I’m not complaining. Cass works on my hair, and I just sit there in pure bliss, allowing them to get me clean.
“What are you going to do about Izzy?” Shax asks after we’re finished. Thank gods he broke the tension because I wasn’t sure how to approach this.
“I think I want to hate her. I want to never speak to her again, but she isn’t at fault here. If anything, she is just as much a victim of this as I am. I don’t even know if she is younger
or older than me. She could have been a child, he had hundreds of years before my mother was his wife,” Cass says, shrugging his shoulders.
“You’re right, and since she did save our asses from the Dark, I think you owe it to her to have a conversation. Whether it’s before or after the battle. You need to hear her side,” I say, moving closer and pulling him in for another hug. This causes Shax to move forward as well, and wrap his arms around both of us. My hormones start to pang all over the place, my clit throbbing from want. This is not fair.
“Azra, I’m not sure I can resist your arousal much more,” Shax growls in my ear. His voice travels straight to my core, and I arch my back into him a bit. Cass is on me in moments. His mouth over my breasts, licking and sucking, while Shax puts his hands in my hair, pulling it to one side so he can bite and kiss my neck.
Closing my eyes, I hear groans and look back to find two irresistible men, who are hard as fuck and more than ready for me. I swallow, grab a towel, and make a beeline for the bedroom. I need to cool the fuck off before we go downstairs.
It doesn’t take long for them to follow me. There is lust still in the air, but I am half dressed when they join me.
“You’re such a tease,” Shax says, with a smirk on his face. I know if we don’t get this show on the road, I will lose my willpower.
“Let’s go down and find Izzy and the guys,” I say, brushing past them. I make it into the hallway, and hear Grey and Gunn talking in the far room on the left.
The room is similar to the one they chose for me. This room is done in creams with dark wood accents. It’s a bit more masculine, but beautiful all the same.
Gunn is perched on the bed and Grey is lacing up his boots.
“You guys ready?” I ask, anticipation coursing through me. This is all starting to get real, and it’s scaring the shit out of me.
“You talk to Cass?” Grey asks, finishing up with his boots. He stands and walks over to me, placing a kiss on my head.
“We spoke, he’s better than before. I don’t know if he will ever get over it, but concentrating on this battle is the most important thing right now,” I reply.
“I’m sure he will compartmentalize. He lit up enough trees in the forest to get most of his anger out,” Gunn says with a chuckle.
“I don’t even want to know,” I say, walking out of the room.
Cass and Shax are in the hall waiting for us. They take the lead going down the stairs with me in the middle; Grey and Gunn take up the rear. Always the protective formation.
We near the foyer where we entered, and hear a commotion coming from the room on our left. Ever the nosy person, I make my way over to it.
“I need to see him. He’s my brother, you can’t tell me no!” a voice screams. My heart drops into my stomach. Grey pushes past me and slams open the doors so hard, they almost come off their hinges.
“Logan!” Grey yells. His wings outstretched in a protective gesture. When Logan sees us, his whole face collapses and he comes charging at Grey. Jumping into the air, he launches himself and Grey catches him mid-air.They embrace like two brothers who have been separated for too long.
Making my way over to them, a sense of relief and hope come over me. I’m so glad he is okay.
“Az, you’re ok!” Logan says, jumping out of Grey’s arms and attaching himself to my middle. I fold myself over him, and my wings pop out to shield us from the rest of the world. Tears leak from my face, and I squeeze him a little tighter. Gods, I missed this kid so much.
I break the hug to look at him but don’t move my wings.
“Are you ok? Are you hurt in any way?” I ask, giving him the once over. He’s a bit dirty but otherwise looks ok.
“I’m fine. Anna got us out when there was all that fighting. We all came here with this weird guy who showed us this place. I kept asking about you guys, but no one would listen to me, so I snuck in here to find you. I knew you’d be here. I had to come for you,” he says, throwing himself back onto me. My emotions are so high right now that all I can do is cry and hold onto him.
I feel a brush on my feathers and Grey through the bond. Releasing us from our cocoon, I let Grey in our little hug. We hold him tight, whispering how much we love him. Logan releases all he has been holding in and starts to cry. He is crying so hard, that the rest of the guys come and stand with us, each wrapping an arm around the other until we are all touching. I send some calming vibes out and feel Logan relax into us. We stay like this for a bit, before a throat clears behind us. We all jump at the realization that we aren’t alone.
Anna is standing at the doorway, looking a little worse for wear, but not hurt.
“Hi guys, I see he found you,” she says, pointing to Logan.
“I told you they were here. You should have listened to me,” Logan says with a bit of an attitude that any eleven-year-old would have.
“Watch your mouth. Anna is the reason why you are here,” Grey says, looking like the parent he has had to be for so long.
“Sorry, I just missed you and Azra,” he says, head downturned. “Oh, and you guys too.”
Shax gives him a smile and pulls him in for his own hug. I think all my guys have become attached to my Wolvie.
“Let’s get you cleaned up, and then we can all have something to eat,” Anna says, holding her hand out to Logan. He looks torn between us and Anna.
“Go with Anna, we have a meeting to get to. We’ll find you after,” I say, giving him a small smile.
Nodding his head, he gives Grey one more quick hug before running off with Anna in tow.
“Well, thank fuck for that,” I say, a rush of gratitude releasing from me.
“I’m so glad they got out safely,” Shax says. I think the feeling is unanimous between us all.
Tenoch walks in at that moment. He is freshly showered and dressed. He gives us all a nod and signals with his hand for us to follow. We file out of the room after him. He leads us down a hallway to the back of the home. The decor is the same throughout the house, heavy on earthy tones and woods. It reminds me of Gunn. Stepping back a bit, I wait for him to catch up, and take his hand in mine. I wish I had time to sit and share all the things in our lives. We are still so new to one another.
“In here,” Tenoch says, holding his hand out for us to walk through a door. Shax leads us in. It’s an operations room of some sort. Giant computer screens are hanging around the room, all showing a picture of some part of the town or forest. There are even ones watching different areas of the house. A long table sits in the middle with upholstered chairs in a dark burgundy. I take a seat in one of them and sink into its comfort. I really need to sleep.
Red, Ash, and Noli are already in the room with Izzy and her mates. There are also a few people that I haven’t met yet, including an older male who looks like something out of the Louisiana bayou.
Izzy takes a seat at the head, grabs a pile of papers to her left and pulls them in front of her. The only sounds are from chairs moving and the whirring of machines.
“I think we should catch each other up before we proceed with a plan,” Izzy suggests, focusing on me for confirmation.
“Agreed, there is so much I don’t know about you or your team, and I think it’s important that you know where I come from,” I reply, leaning into the chair a bit more. If I’m not careful, I’ll fall asleep.
“My mates and I are Warriors of the Underworld. During the revolt of the rebels, we sided with Red and Ash to try to overthrow the Queen. We had an inside woman, but she was killed during the battle,” she says with gritted teeth, looking toward Gunn.
It never occurred to me that he would know all of these Fae. Shax and Cass were younger when the rebels revolted, so they didn’t participate, but my other mate wasn’t, and he was on the wrong side. I suddenly feel a surge of protection make its way through my body. A spark of lightning makes my fingertips glow. I lean forward on the table and look directly at Izel.
“I don’t know what happened all those years a
go, and I’m sorry for your friend, but Gunn is my mate, and if you want the cooperation of the Changer, you will not throw threatening glances at him again,” I say in a very low tone. The room tenses and the temperature shoots up a bit. A hand brushes my shoulder, and I look over at Gunn. I can see his regret.
“It’s ok. It was a long time ago, and I’m a different Fae now. I’m sure Izzy and her mates see that. You need to calm down though, because if you lose control here, there are innocents all over,” he whispers into my ear as he pulls me closer. His touch soothes me, and I start to unravel the tension and anger coursing through me. My lightning dies out, and the temperature drops to normal. I find Izel’s gaze pinned on me, and I know she is now assessing me as an equal.
“It’ll be hard for us to bare, but for this — to get rid of Michael and Lucifer —I will do just about anything,” she says, looking to her mates for confirmation. They all nod their heads.
“She was amazing, your sister. I don’t know how much you remember of her, but she was one of the best Fae we knew,” Acalon says to Shax. He nods his head. I don’t want Gunn to feel bad, but he must have had a reason to do what he did. When he is ready, he will tell us.
“After the battle, we fled to this side of Faerie, and I wove the spell to create the shields. We’ve been hiding ever since,” she finishes.
“How do you know Michael is your father?” Cass asks. His emotions are written all over his face, and I want nothing more to comfort him.
“He told me. Before the rebellion, Michael came back to Faerie. He led an army of Fae guards and wolves throughout the land looking for witches who could survive the change into a wolf. Many of the witches he captured died, but a few survived. He bred a species of wolf/witch hybrids that are nearly unstoppable. I was the one who kicked him out of Faerie when he attempted to change the witches from my coven. He managed to take four, or so we thought. After the battle, we discovered that another witch was missing. Her name is Evanora, I believe you know her,” she explains, turning to Noli. A look of shock is on her face. I guess Nora didn’t tell her she was from the same coven.