“I brought you. Whatever was there, was better dealt with using brute strength,” Sullivan answered after inhaling deeply. The child had brought him more emotion in a few short days than he’d known since he’d lost Regana.
“Tempest is dead,” Hannah’s eyes went wide, staring up at Sullivan’s stark expression. “What is going on?”
Midnight and Brea was blinking, staring up at people who looked very upset.
Before she could speak, a collective gasp went through the large room and she 328
heard Wade’s voice.
“I would have knocked but I lost contact with Breanna,” Wade went immediately to her side, his hands moving over her face only after he went through Jase and Nick who immediately moved to block him. “I am not your enemy, shifters. She’s weeded out the traitor among us.”
“Tempest?” Hannah’s voice was filled with surprise as she sat back on her heels, letting Wade examine her daughter.
“I’m alright,” Brea finally said but gripped the edge of the quilts and pulled them closer. She met the curious eyes behind the glasses.
“Why did you ask about the throne, Sullivan?” Nick looked from one to the other, trying to follow along with all the unfolding answers.
“Because while my kind wants something physical from the child; her own kind wanted her dead because of her lineage.” He informed the room flatly. “The things happening weren’t from one direction, but two separate reasons behind the attacks.”
“I never told Tempest where you were, Hannah,” Wade said simply, silver threads of magic flowing from his fingers to Brea’s. “You did very well, child. Very well.
There was no way to stop them without their deaths, so do not blame yourself for their choices.” He saw the answer in her eyes and shook his head. “She will be fine. Between her grand-father, Hannah and myself, we’ve restored what she expelled. And our lessons will continue until you learn that you do not have to use every ounce of your power to achieve your goal,” he lectured sternly, rising to his feet and sighing.
“Tempest was trying to kill us,” Hannah said in disbelief. She felt Rey behind her, 329
his arms secure and protective. “For the throne? They seem to be managing just fine without someone pretending to rule them.”
“Some covet power as if it will bring them completion,” Wade said with a shrug.
“She had a selected group who believed as she did but to accomplish her goal, you and Brea had to be eliminated. And there is the chief reason the royal guard was always in effect around your mother. To hear the rumors and ferret out the problems before they became serious.”
“This was about someone ruling?” Jase gaped, looking from one to the other before sinking next to Brea and pulling her onto his lap. “You scared the living hell out of us.”
“I’m still getting the hang of things,” she laid her head down with a sigh.
“The news is that word is already spreading not to mess with the princess,” Wade said with a smile, glancing over at Sullivan. “The strains of your magic with hers, has told them that she has powerful allies, as well.”
“You’ve known about this?” Rey stood behind Hannah, holding her close.
“There have been rumors since you vanished,” Wade answered simply. “But none seemed willing to take chances because of the unknown. Believe me, I’ve kept rumors of your life alive in the Fae community,” he smiled wanly. “Just feeding them enough to keep them civil.”
“What do they hope to gain?” Brea pushed her feet to the floor, watching the tension in her father and grandfather. “Are there taxes to collect or…..or some massive boon they get for taking over a community that appears capable of governing itself?” 330
“There are insurgents in any species, child,” Sullivan shook his head. “Each wants to believe they’re better than the other, when they’re all truly the same. Living selflessly comes into conflict with greed and ego.”
“But what would they gain by killing me? By killing us?”
“The bragging rights,” Jase said with a glance around at the others.
“I haven’t been visible, but I have not abandoned them, either,” Hannah said quietly. “I’ve listened and governed without their knowledge. A great deal of information can be collected when no one knows who you are. I was wrong to dismiss their behavior as….as petulant children. Testing the limits.”
“They know you exist now, Hannah,” Wade said quietly. “Perhaps one day every couple weeks to keep a semblance of order to things. And it would be wise that among her training, your daughter join you in managing your people.”
“I have a business to run,” Brea said hurriedly.
“I have discovered there are some things you can only outrun for so long,” Sullivan said from her side, tipping her chin up and kissing her forehead. “Stay out of trouble, child. Good luck, wolves.”
“What? Wait! Just you wait right there,” Brea stomped her foot and went to her father, grabbing his hand and pulling. “You two talk to each other. All of everything between you was wrong!”
“Brea…..” Hannah winced.
“Brea…” Rey frowned at his daughter and then his father.
“Child…..” Sullivan snarled.
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“I know my name,” Brea growled back, ignoring the laughter from Jase and Nick who had taken up seats to watch from the sofa. “And I also know I will make both of your lives hell if you don’t at least start to speak with one another. Now,” she crossed her arms over her chest. “I am making a big dinner on Sunday at two in the afternoon.
I expect to see both of you here. Is that clear?” One bare foot tapped on the carpeting, lips pursed into a taut bow as she looked from her father to the creased brow and narrowed gaze of her grandfather.
“I don’t hear anything, gentlemen. And I’m feeling testy,” she said softly.
Nick set his elbow into Jase’s ribs just as the topic of her discussion realized they were floating above the carpeting.
“Breanna….”
Brea raised one palm, her finger out and a slight frown on her face.
“I haven’t figured out how that happens yet,” she admitted, tossing a glare behind her at her mates. “You two are not helping here.”
“Babe, you’re safe. Hopefully, the idiots out to conquer all have been…..handled,” Jase chose a polite word to avoid the look of guilt in her eyes.
“What he’s trying to say and failing at,” Nick interrupted. “Your father and grandfather would love to have dinner with us on Sunday, wouldn’t you, gentlemen?
Because if you aren’t at least civil and perhaps even friends, when the time comes, neither of you will see your grand-children.” Brea beamed at him. “Brilliant. Exactly.”
“Sunday,” Rey said with a glower and wince at the elbow in his side by Hannah.
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“Sunday,” Sullivan said tonelessly, but a small gleam in his eyes when he winked at Brea before he vanished.
“Feeling pretty powerful, mate?” Jase asked with a chuckle.
“Maybe,” she swaggered a little across the floor. “Yeah….maybe I am.”
“I’ll be going,” Wade looked from mother to daughter. “I’ll be in touch, Hannah.
We’ll talk about governing, perhaps designing something less……kingdom like. More modern.”
“I think that would be best, Wade,” Hannah crossed to Brea and hugged her tightly. “If I had known, Brea…..Tempest….I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
“You can’t control the behaviors of others, mom,” Brea hugged her and then went to her father. They stared at one another for a long minute. “Mad at me?”
“Furious.”
“He’s not a bad guy…..he’s sad and lonely,” Brea said softly, lifting the locket from inside her shirt and opening it. “He gave me this. She was beautiful.” Rey touched the oval portrait inside the gold locket and then ran his palm over her head. “Just as beautiful as her grand-daughter,” he bent and
kissed her forehead.
“Sunday,” he shook his head and took Hannah’s palm, both striding out the back toward the kitchen.
“I’m locking up,” Jase shook his head and went to check locks and alarms.
“Interesting night, mate,” Nick came up behind Brea, his arms surrounding her.
“I love you,” she said softly. Her eyes on Jase as he approached, his palms on her face. “And I love you. You make very good pets,” she teased, squealing and 333
ducking to take off running from the growls.
Her mates followed, catching her wasn’t a problem and keeping her was the best gift they’d ever known could exist. Especially since she wanted to show them how very important all their love had become to her.
For a very long time, she whispered to each of them long into the night.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Breanna Page 27