The Raven Queen

by Emma Jayne Mills

  “There is a delay, with obtaining the dagger,” Lykos admitted. `

  “You can’t find it,” Aurora assumed.

  “No, no, I’ve located it,” Lykos paused.

  “Get to the point, Lykos, what’s going on?” Aurora grew impatient.

  “It is currently part of a museum exhibit that is due to be auctioned,” Lykos announced.

  “And that makes is difficult?” Aurora asked, suspecting the answer was one she didn’t want to hear.

  “Difficult,” Lykos supplied and Aurora’s stomach churned with dread. “Not impossible. The auction is tomorrow night, attendance is by invitation only.”

  “And the problem is?”

  “I cannot use my name to gain an invitation, my brother is the current owner of the dagger. I have had to use another name.”

  “Mine?”

  “Yes,” Lykos paused for a beat, collecting his thoughts. “My brother knows of you, the talk of you on the island is rife. I knew your name would attract the attention I needed to get inside. I will arrange a female from my pack to fly over and pose as you…”

  “Shit!” Aurora looked at the shifters gathered around her, each wearing questioning frowns. “Where are you?”

  “Athens,” he answered. “Worry not, Koraki, as I said, it is merely a delay. I will still bring you the dagger. A little extra planning was required, but all is in hand.”

  “How fast can we get to Athens?” Aurora aimed her question at Zane.

  “Too far to fly Gloria, if we can get a plane, three hours, four depending on the size of the aircraft.” Zane rubbed his chin thoughtfully, while Cole pulled his phone from his pocket and began a search for nearby airfields. These men had worked together for so long, no instructions were needed. They moved seamlessly into action, each knowing what needed to be done and by whom.

  “Fuck!” Jax breathed, throwing his head back and looking to the sky.

  “We’ll come to you, text us your location,” Aurora instructed Lykos.

  “That is not necessary, I can handle my brother,” Lykos argued, but Aurora’s mind was made up.

  “You need me to get into that museum, old man. You are part of this team, are you not?” she questioned, with authority.

  “I am,” he answered, quietly.

  “And you need back up, do you not?”

  “I do,” he conceded, with obvious reluctance.

  “Well then, we are your back up!” She left no room for argument.

  “As you wish, my queen.” There was a hint of amusement and over familiarity in his tone that set Jax’s wolf on edge. He was more than a little resistant to opening the team up to a stranger, especially one who had kidnapped and attempted to claim his mate.

  “Send us your location, we’ll be with you tonight.” Aurora ended the call and handed the phone back to Zane.

  “There’s a small private airfield about half an hour from here, I’ll see if they have anything suitable.” Cole wandered away with his phone to his ear.

  “Are you certain about this, Aurora?” Marco asked the question on Jax’s lips.

  “You wanted me to embrace this prophecy and that’s exactly what I’m trying to do. Lykos is part of that. He’s one of us, whether we like it or not. We take care of our own, Marco, I shouldn’t have to remind you of that.”

  “I know, but…”

  “I would do the same for any one of you,” she informed not only her brother, but the group of shifters standing with them. “We’re pack.”

  “We are but…” Marco abandoned his argument when his sister’s eyes blazed with fury at him.

  “You should stay here, Cole will stay too. Mel can pose as you,” Zane immediately stopped talking when he saw the thunder in Aurora’s look.

  “We all go,” she stated. “The prophecy names Lykos as one of my warriors. If one of my warriors is in trouble then I will be there to get him out of it, just as he would for me. We need that dagger, the only way we’re going to get it is by going to Greece and helping Lykos. So, quit looking for excuses to hide me away, because you know I’ll never let it happen and let’s get on with it.”

  Jax squeezed his mate’s hip. Pride, love, and apprehension warred for power within him for the woman standing next to him. She was a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, that didn’t make her invulnerable.

  “Got something to say, O’Conner?” She glanced up at him, expecting a fight, some resistance at the very least.

  “No, I agree with you.”

  “You’re not going to fight me on this?”

  “I may have a few choice words for our Greek friend, but you, I have no argument with.” He reached for her hand and entwined their fingers.

  “Words, or fists?” She gave him a knowing smile.

  “We’ll start with words,” he said with a wink, as Cole joined the group again.

  “Does this mean she’s in charge now, boss?” Hunter questioned, with a nervous laugh.

  “There are three, soon to be four, alpha shifters on this team,” Zane answered. “It’s imperative we all learn when to step back and let another’s strengths lead when necessary.”

  “You’re our commander, Zane, I respect that, as does Jax, and it will remain that way.” Aurora wanted to be clear. “Lykos won’t give you any trouble.”

  “Understood,” Zane nodded once and smiled at her.

  She was becoming more regal by the day, a warrior in her own right, he couldn’t help but grow fond of her. The problem with fondness was that with it came attachment, an emotion Zane had resolved to bury many years ago, believing personal attachments made him weak. This team, these men and women, were penetrating his walls, working their way under his skin, and making him feel again. Making him want the relationships he had closed himself off from and he wasn’t sure he could remain detached for much longer.

  “But you’re right, we need to work together and for that we all need to clear the air over a few things.” Aurora’s voice invaded his thoughts.

  “Like the fact that Lykos kidnapped you and tried to force you to become his mate.” Hunter put in and Jax responded with a deep growl that resonated through his chest. “I don’t think any of us are getting over that so easily, bird girl. We almost watched you die because of him.”

  “There are… trust issues.” She looked from Hunter to Jax, also referring to the unresolved issues between her and her mate. “We need to make sure those issues don’t interfere with what needs to be done.”

  Things had been gradually getting better between them as they reacquainted themselves. Since Aurora’s talk with Cole, they had begun rekindling the friendship they once shared. Still, Jax was aware that if they didn’t resolve their problems completely, Lykos joining the team could be a huge step backwards for them. Especially taking into consideration his obvious feelings for Aurora. Not that he could blame him, Jax had been a slave to those feelings all his life, he could well understand how easy it would be for another man to fall for his mate.

  -We need to talk, Rory

  -I know, we will.

  “Let’s get everything ready to go while we wait for Cole to get transport sorted out.” Zane took charge once again. “Hunter, I’m going to need a flight plan.”

  Hunter took the phone from Zane and opened the message that had just pinged from Lykos. He made a mental note of the co-ordinates and handed the phone back. “I’ll be in the comms room,” He told the group before walking back towards the house.

  “Marco, weapons. Mel can assist. We’ll meet up in the comms room with Hunter in thirty minutes.” Zane looked to Aurora and Jax. “You two, go and do whatever it is you have to do to convince Jax not to slit Lykos’s throat on sight.”

  Jax led Aurora to the roof of the house and the hidden terrace, where they’d spent much of their time in recent days. They’d talked for countless hours, getting to know one another again. They were two people who had grown and changed yet remained the same. They needed to remember not only who they had once be
en but get to know who they now were. He was confident that the steps they’d taken were in the right direction, but he also knew that while there was no question that they belonged to each other, the trust she once had in him wasn’t quite back in place.

  They spent their nights coiled in a tormented embrace, craving that closeness through their bond, needing that touch, unable to bear being parted. While they hadn’t sealed the mate bond, there had been many heated moments between them, moments that turned the simplicity of a kiss into something so much more. When hands had roamed and their bodies had tangled, skin touching skin, both of them giving in to the burning passion and desire they shared.

  “You have nothing to worry about, you know this.” Aurora reached up to rest her fingers on his cheek. She was becoming more open with her affections towards him, no longer fighting her natural urge to touch him, in the way she had in those first days.

  “And yet, I do worry,” he admitted. Lack of confidence had never been a problem for Jax, but when it came to his wild thing, he needed guarantees.

  “Jax…” Her fingers tapered over his chin, moved back over his cheek, and settled at the back of his neck, pulling him down so she could touch her lips to his. “There’s no-one for me, but you. I’m not fighting it anymore.”

  “I know,” he smiled against her mouth. Her words weren’t enough. Nothing would be enough until the bond was complete. “But you still don’t trust me enough to seal the bond.”

  “I’m getting there, we’re getting there.” With no more than a millimetre of space between their mouths, her lips brushed against his skin as she spoke.

  “Rory,” he groaned. His hands squeezed her hips and he pulled her against him, freely letting her know the effect she had on his body. She responded with a needful groan of her own. “I need you.”

  “We don’t have time for this now, we have to get ready to leave.” She took a breath and stepped out of his hold.

  “Don’t,” he reached out and pulled her back by the hem of her t-shirt. “Don’t walk away from me. We’re not doing that anymore.”

  “I’m not walking away from you, I’m prioritising.”

  “Prioritising him over me.”

  “You’re being needy, Jax.” She didn’t try to step away from him again. Instead, she let her head fall back to look at the sky.

  “I am needy when it comes to you.” He lowered his mouth to her exposed throat, trailing kisses along her skin between words. “I’m needy, and greedy, and possessive, and selfish when it comes to you.”

  “I noticed,” she smiled, he heard it in her voice. “We’re not sealing the bond before we leave, Jax.”

  “I don’t want that,” he paused his kisses and they brought their faces level with each other. “I mean, obviously, I do want that, very much, but not like this.”

  “Then what do you want from me? I don’t know how many times and how many ways I can tell you that I have no interest in him as a mate.”

  “Make sure he knows that, that’s all I’m asking. Tell him I’m your wolf.” Jax trailed the thumb of one hand across her lips. “Can you do that for me?”

  “Hmm, my wolf, I like the sound of that. I can definitely tell him that,” she murmured through her smile and he closed his mouth over hers, sealing her words in a kiss. A kiss that grew into a promise that she was his and only his.

  Chapter Thirteen

  A claim must be confirmed,

  Or a challenge will ensue.

  “We’re taking the jet into a secure location in Athens, landing after dark. From there, we travel by road to Lykos’s location. As for the museum, at present, we’re going in blind.” Zane tapped a map of Athens. Hunter had a flight path planned, Cole had secured transport and they were gathered to go over what little they could plan. “All we know is what we have from Lykos, which isn’t much. His brother, Ambrosios, is the owner of the dagger, which is currently on display in a museum, due to be auctioned tomorrow night. Ambrosios is alpha of a large wolf pack, who are likely to be in attendance. We don’t yet know numbers or any other information. Hunter found the museum’s location, but as yet we have no detailed plans of the building, just the outside layout. Lykos has assured me he has everything we need and will brief us further on arrival. Aurora, I’m hoping you can give us some background on Ambrosios.”

  “Ambrosios, from what Lykos told me, is very much like their father, not a good man. Their father sold his daughters and made the male children fight against each other for his own entertainment, passed it off as training. He kept a harem of women whom he regularly beat and sexually abused. Any alphas among his children, and he had a lot of children, were made to fight to the death as soon as they came of shifting age.” Aurora gave them the information she believed relevant, not wanting to betray the trust Lykos had put in her, by revealing his past.

  “So, Lykos was abused as a kid, explains why he’s such a dick!” Marco remarked, sarcastically.

  “If Ambrosios followed his father’s ways, only the males will be at the museum -the women and children will remain segregated at the pack house - and they will know how to fight. They’ll be trained to an advanced level.”

  “What the fuck? Have we gone back in time? Lykos came from Neanderthals!” Marco spat.

  “Lykos isn’t like them.” Melaina threw a harsh glare at Marco. “He runs his pack completely differently. He protects the females and weaker wolves and would never induce segregation.”

  “He didn’t do much to protect you, did he? Or my sister!” Marco was not to be convinced.

  “Helpful, Marco. Thanks,” Aurora sniped, turning to Zane. “At some point, we’re probably going to have to fight. Zane, it’s time I met your bear.”

  “No!” Zane crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Hunter was fine,” Aurora argued. “If we were going to have a problem, it would have been with him.”

  “Hunter’s lion is in touch with the bond we all share, my bear is not, he is detached from my human side. He’s violent, Aurora, unpredictable, especially with females. I can’t get a read on his reaction to you yet, he’s intrigued, but not enough for me to guarantee your safety.”

  “You said we’re going in blind, boss. As much of a badass as you are in human form, that bear of yours would be mighty handy to have around in a fight,” Jax observed.

  “He accepts our animals. Surely, he’d see that Aurora and Mel are part of the team,” Cole reasoned. “Plus, he’ll pick up Jax’s scent on Aurora.”

  “That doesn’t protect Mel though.” Marco glanced at the female, who had suddenly become noticeably quiet.

  “What if I shift too?” Aurora suggested, wanting to move the focus from Melaina. She still didn’t know what was going on with the other woman’s animal and the men were beginning to notice she never shifted. Aurora wasn’t about to let her brother bring it up now. “Would it help to introduce our animals first?”

  “Maybe,” Zane relented somewhat, although he was still reluctant to unleash his bear on Aurora. The last time he’d attempted to introduce his animal to a woman… Well, he really didn’t want to think about that.

  “Let’s do that then.” Aurora whipped her t-shirt off over her head, kicked off her boots and walked outside into the courtyard. The team followed.

  “Rory, come on…” Jax pleaded when she handed him her shirt. Yes, shifters were used to naked bodies, but he still didn’t want the other men seeing her that way.

  “Deal with it, O’Conner!” With a sudden flutter, she shifted into her bird. The raven circled their heads a couple of times before landing on Jax’s shoulder and cocking its head at Zane.

  “Fuck!” Zane muttered under his breath and removed his shirt. “Keep Mel away.”

  Marco tugged Melaina behind him and took up a protective stance in front of her. Her curled lip told him she wasn’t particularly happy with the situation. He turned his back to her, leaving room for argument. There was no way the stubborn bitch was getting herself mauled by a bear on his
watch.

  Zane removed the rest of his clothes and shifted. The enormous brown bear reared up on its hind legs with a loud roar and landed with a thud, on all fours. Looking around and sniffing the air, it recognised the scent of the men immediately and accepted their presence. By some miracle, it completely bypassed Melaina, then the fierce predator fixed its gaze on the raven perched on Jax’s shoulder.

  The raven fluttered to the ground and the others watched anxiously as it approached the bear. The bird squawked, drawing gradually nearer and the bear snorted through its nose, bending its head lower and looking at the creature with curiosity.

  “It’s working,” Hunter dared to mutter.

  “Shut the fuck up!” Jax snapped, in a harsh whisper, not wanting anything to startle Zane’s bear into attacking. That thing could swallow the raven whole.

  The two animals continued to size each other up, approaching and backing off in the way unsure creatures do. Until the raven eventually stretched its wings and flew up, boldly landing on the bear’s back. The bear turned, looking for the bird, spotted it and reared up on its hind legs with another loud roar before dropping back down. There was no aggression in its stance, it wasn’t attacking. Sensing this, the raven fluttered its wings and moved to perch on the bear’s shoulder for a few seconds, before hopping back down to the ground under its nose.

  The two creatures gazed at each other for silent, drawn out seconds, until the bear lowered its body, submissively to the ground. Catching a glimmer of intention from the raven, Jax realised what was coming next and braced himself to get his mate out of there if her plan went wrong. While they couldn’t communicate with words during their shifts, Jax and Aurora could sense each other’s feelings, emotions, and intentions and he knew what she was going to do.

  “Be ready, she’s going to shift,” Jax warned the others.

  Aurora shifted.