Page 23 of His Lucky Moon Mate

She sounded hurt, and Binder knew from their bond that she was feeling tumultuous emotions at the hands of her blastedfather. In turn, that made Binder upset. He wanted to let his Wolf out. If he let his beast take over, they’d be done with the tiny pest for good. But likely, Shannon would not be okay with him eating her father.

He sighed, and her blue gaze flicked to his. Her hair was still long and down, back in the same loose braid she wore last night before he claimed her. Fuck, but she was beautiful. So soft and sweet and perfect. But she was no pushover, as he was clearly getting a first row seat to witness.

He liked that she was tough on her father, whom she obviously loved despite things being what they were. But who was Binder to question that? His family was loud, boisterous, and messy as ever. His siblings and he had made quite the stir growing up as Wolf pups. Damn, he thought of Shannon swollen with their own young and his heart started beating like mad all over again.

“What?” she asked while her father held his head in his hands muttering stuff and nonsense.

“Do you want children?” he asked, pleased when her cheeks went pink.

“Aye, with you, I do,” she whispered. “Oh, but it’s not easy for Fae sometimes?—”

“It will be okay, Shannon. I love you,” he said, kissing her hand.

Just then, her father erupted like a long dormant volcano. He jumped out of his chair and onto the table, beady eyes black with rage as he pointed at Binder and howled at Shannon like a banshee wailing.

“No! None of this. You must not say such things to my Shannon Rose! And you, stupid child, you must leave this place. Now!”

Binder was hanging onto his Wolf by a thread. He leaned over, hands flat on the table, and snarled at the old Leprechaun,the sound threatening even to his ears. He was trying to be respectful. Trying to stay in his lane and let Shannon handle her business. But he would tolerate no blatant disrespect. He couldn’t.

“Binder, it’s fine—” she began, but his rising snarl cut her off.

“No, it is not fine, Butterfly. He can’t talk to you like that,” he told her gently before turning his attention back to her Da. “Listen old man, I hate to break it to you—nah, fuck that. I take great pleasure in breaking it to you, but she’s not yours to worry about anymore. Shannon is my mate. Don’t tell her what to do,” Binder growled.

“I am trying to protect her, you fool. There is something you need to know, Shannon, I beg you not hate me?—”

But Keegan never did get to finish his sentence. Just then, a tremendous gust of wind hit the cabin sideways, blasting through the door and shattering the windowpanes. Binder grabbed Shannon, protecting her with his body as debris rained down on them from every which way.

“What is happening?” she screamed over the noise.

“Oh no,” her Da said. “He’s here! He’s found ya!”

“Who is here? What are you talking about, Da?” Shannon asked, still yelling over the howling wind.

“I believe he means me, Princess Mariposa,” the sharp voice of a stranger filled the air quite suddenly.

And in that moment, everything stopped. The roaring wind just ceased and all the debris floating around plummeted to the ground. Binder eased his hold on Shannon, turning so she was behind him. He felt her stand, her small hands clutching his shirt.

“No, my Lord, please, she does not know,” her father said, stumbling out from under a heavy wood panel.

He had bruises on his face and was bleeding from at least one scrape. Binder frowned. Her father was not his favorite person,but he hated seeing him hurt. Especially because it would hurt Shannon.

“Da, are you okay?” she asked, moving away from Binder, but he clasped her hands firmly on his body and held her in place.

Binder was not from Fairy. He was a lawyer from New Jersey. A simple Werewolf, but he was not stupid. He trusted his instincts, and there was something about this stranger that was not right. Thunderclouds loomed overhead, and the gentle though mystical forest they’d walked through the previous evening was replaced by something dark and menacing.

The air stank of ozone and preternatural energy. Finally, the fog surrounding the owner of that sharp voice came into view. He was coldly beautiful, Binder acknowledged with a growl. The Fae Lord had gray skin and silver hair that hung down to his knees. He wore a richly embroidered tunic over thick velvet leggings and knee high boots covered in silver scales.

“Please, my Lord. She does not know!” her father wailed again, dropping to his knees in front of the Fae.

The Fae’s sharp silver gaze narrowed at Shannon’s father, and with a quietly muttered word, the Leprechaun levitated. Binder held onto Shannon who would have run right to her father, but whatever magic the Fae Lord wielded, it did not look friendly. Her father groaned, eyes squeezed tight as if he were in pain.

“Stop it,” Binder growled. “You are hurting him.”

“Who is this dog? He thinks to speak tome? I will forgive this error, for I have not made my introductions. Call me Silver, Lord of these lands, Bringer of Thunder, and Bearer of the Star Blade,” he said, making a small bow as he brandished a deadly looking sword.

“I don’t give a fuck who you are,” Binder replied. “Let my mate’s father go.”

“Mate?”

---