Chapter 135: Chapter Forty-One

Mason

“I know…” Cassius had been trying to have a heart-to-heart with me ever since Alex and Hope disappeared into their room a week ago— I’d brought food to their door.

I wanted my friend to eat.

Even if Alex didn’t care about anything but sex.

She at least needed nutrition that wasn’t a part of licking his sweat off his body.

I shuddered at the thought.

A small pinprick of jealousy accompanied it. I shoved it away as hard and fast as possible.

For a brief moment, I’d felt what they’d felt.

And it was—everything.

Another painful reminder that I would never have that.

I’d always felt close to Hope and now I knew why. She’d been my best friend, and I her protector.

As a wolf it had been my job to be by her side day and night—until she made her choice and that choice ended up being the very thing I was to protect her from.

Anyone who would use her body without wanting her soul.

So basically a soul-sucking siren. As the last of her race, and royalty, she was the only elf alive that could reproduce and have children without dying.

It was a waste to do that with a man who wanted nothing but sex.

And yet? All I heard from the upstairs bedroom was Alex doing trying his damndest to make sure she was pregnant before sunrise.

Leave it to a sex-obsessed siren to be partially in charge of rebuilding an entire race of elves. I hated admitting it, but if anyone could do it, it would be him.

Another crashing sound emitted from upstairs, sending my hair on edge.

Years ago he would have destroyed the blue light within her.

And now? Now he was fanning it.

No wonder Sarial kept her in a deep slumber.

Because finally, Alex loved someone more than himself, and as the strongest siren in the world—he alone could give his essence and create something powerful—something good.

I growled as I swiped a pine cone off the table and chucked it in the air, only to nearly hit Cassius in the face.

He caught the pinecone, twisted it to the side and sighed. “This war is not over.” Cassius tried again. “I still need you to mate.”

And there it was.

“I need more time.” I stared down at my furry hands. It seemed the longer I waited, the harder it was to stay in human form; it was easier to let myself go, easier to regress, easier to sleep under a tree rather than in my bed, easier to forget to eat than to hunt.

“Mason!” Cassius roared. I jerked out of my seat and stood on my haunches ready to attack. “Either pick a mate, or I’ll do it for you.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would,” he hissed, his wings fanned out behind him. The purple and blue feathers shuddered as if shaking themselves at me, judging me. “So what’s it going to be?”

“I need more time. I can’t think, I—”

His eyes went white.

And then all hell broke loose as Ethan charged into the house with a bloody body in his arms. “She’s been hurt.”

“Who is she?”

“Vampire. Young.” He shook his head. “I’ve done all I can. She was dropped off at the front gate; it looks like someone tried to suck her dry and left her for dead.”

“Mason.” Cassius nodded at me. “Do your job.”

“Of course.” My job, I could do. Healing I could do. I reached down and pressed my hand against her forehead as I licked around the wounds, cleaning the sweet-tasting vampire blood and sealing every wound closed. Normally I hated their taste; it was too much of a sugar rush—and I was used to dirt, pinecones, berries. But her? She tasted like—life. When I was finished, I took a step back to survey my work, careful to keep my reaction completely indifferent.

The woman’s hand shot out and grabbed my arm. “You.”

I quickly glanced to Cassius, who had the brightest smile I’d ever seen on his face in all the years I’d known him.

“You bastard!” I roared.

“I guess I’ll just leave you to it.” Cassius shrugged and walked off.

Ethan gaped at the two of us. “But she’s a vampire.”

“Because that wasn’t obvious!” I yelled.

He looked between us, then smiled, barely managing to cover said smile with his hand before he coughed and then slapped me twice on the back. “Yeah, good luck with that.”

Cursing, I returned my attention to the woman, who still held me in a viselike grip, ready to scare her off, fight her if need be.

Instead, she released her hold, her green eyes flashing. “You look like my first puppy…” She passed out on the table.

And I was left wondering… if she’d been trying to insult me on purpose.

Or just didn’t realize that a wolf never wanted to be compared to a dog.

“Hell,” I muttered, transforming back to my human form. “Thanks for nothing, Cassius.”

Laughter echoed in my head.

Sometimes, I hated that guy.

^~End Of Book Three~^