Page 33 of Upon Shattered Bonds

Without another word, he severed the psychic line of communication. Returning his attention to the physical, he glanced to where Aidan and Kaien were already anticipating an explanation. “There was an attack on my territory.”

Both brothers frowned, but it was Aidan who asked, “Do you need to leave?”

Zeke shook his head. “My lieutenants can take care of it while I’m gone. I told you all already, I won’t leave Nina’s side.”

An inkling of what looked to be respect made the werewolf straighten. With a dip of his chin, Aidan acknowledged the sacrifice. “If you’d feel more comfortable returning to your clan lands, Kaien and I can remain with Nina while she sleeps. We’ll keep her safe.”

“I appreciate the offer.”

“But you won’t take us up on it?” Kaien asked.

Zeke’s jaw clenched. “I’ve put everyone else before her for eleven centuries. I think it’s time that changed, don’t you?”

For what seemed like the first time ever, Aidan’s face softened into a grin. “I think she’d be pleasantly surprised to hear you say that—but she’d never ask you to sit here eating quiche and shooting the breeze while she’s sleeping, instead of going to check no one’s dead in your territory.”

“No one’s dead,” Zeke bit out.

“That’s a good thing,” Kaien said, understanding in his eyes, “but I also know how much it’s killing you not to verify that for yourself. Go, Zeke. I’ll head up to sit with Nina now. She’s in good hands, I promise.”

Admitting he didn’t want to leave was like poison on his tongue. While a portion of him desperately wanted to confirm that everything was alright, his heart urged him to remain close to his vulnerable mate.

Denying her brothers might make them think he didn’t trust them to keep her safe. Either way, he was damned.

Zeke sighed. “I won’t be gone long.”

***

He was greeted with a thorough soaking of rain, in stark contrast with the sunny Lexington he’d left behind. Instantly, he took stock of the situation, wrath rising in his bones at the attempt on his territory. Someone had dared to endanger his people—while he’d been away.

What’s worse was that the disturbance hadn’t set off any of his mental alarms from afar—a sure sign his mind had been focused on other matters and the blocks he’d created to alert him in case of emergency only had been too rigid.

Tzuriel ‘ported to his side only seconds later, the man’s white shirt covered in ash and soot. “The perpetrators left no trail; they fire-bombed the structures and left before we could intercept them.”

“Injuries?”

“None,” Tzuriel replied, but his breath caught.

“Tell me.”

Zeke was in no mood for games, and the ire rising beneath his skin begged for blood and vengeance. The man who’d woken this morning content and cradling his mate was gone. In his place was a merciless sovereign intent on punishing those responsible.

“Nothing about this makes sense, sovereign.” Confusion slowed the other man’s words. “Why would they firebomb buildings and then just spirit away?”

“Has there been any change in the void at the border?”

“Unchanged, as far as we can tell.”

Zeke was still stewing on the thought an hour later when the fires had been reduced to embers and his people were reassured of his presence. They’d found no trace of motive behind the cowardly attacks, nor of who the perpetrators were.

Without a Raeth skilled in Hindsight, they’d have no way of knowing who’d committed the crime. Unfortunately, none of his clansmen were blessed with the gift, and revenge would have to wait.

Quiet, Zeke listened as his lieutenants traded theories and cast assumptions. He leaned against the wall of his living room, arms crossed, and jaw clenched. He’d checked in with Kaien multiple times throughout his short absence, reassuring himself that Nina was still well. This far away from her, protecting her would be difficult.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Arya growled, flipping her dagger back and forth between her hands. “The buildings were all unoccupied at the time and nothing within the storage units was of any real value.”

Unease riffled through the room. Through the network that connected them to Zeke, he felt their apprehension and disquiet. Instinctively, he sent calming vibes back through their links, willing them to think logically.

“Who noticed the intrusion first?”

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