Page 42 of Tucker's Strike

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“Come on, little Fae, let’s get out there and fill everyone in on the latest situation. At least the plan doesn’t have to change too much for it to all work out.” I take her hand in mine, and without waiting for her response, I tug her out of the room. The sooner we get everything organized, the better it will all turn out.

I fucking hope.

The next hours seem to tick by slower than usual. Corbin sent all the doxies away from the clubhouse for their protection. The looks they shot Lake on the way out, pissed me off enough to snarl at them all. If they can’t respect my woman, then they’d learn real quick it wasn’t going to be tolerated just as they’d learned to respect Karsyn.

I don’t give a fuck if they want one of the club members to claim them as an ol’ lady. It wasn’t going to happen. My brothers aren’t stupid enough to go for a bitch everyone’s already fucked so much their pussy is too loose to really enjoy.

Plus, finding my mate, my fated mate, I don’t see how anyone could deal with just picking. Then again, you find a woman that you can fall for, it doesn’t really matter.

“Air’s shifting,” Dane says, pulling me out of my thoughts. Turning toward him, I see he’s got his nose to the air. Out of all my brothers, except for Corbin himself, he’s got the sharpest sense of smell.

“They’re coming,” Lake murmurs, tilting her head back, fingers clutching at my cut. “The strands are shifting.”

I cock my head down to meet her gaze. The very look in hers tells me what I could already feel inside her. She’s scared out of her mind.

“Don’t worry, little Fae, I’m going to be right here with you. Remember, I’m not letting you get away from me. I won’t let him win. You’re my mate.” Fury coils inside me, and it’s all I can do to keep the beast inside me at bay. Together, him and I must defeat Zurri. Take him out and end this once and for all.

We need Lake to command the other dragons to her. The moment she does that (if it works) then we’ll be able to end this quickly. If not, then we’re all in for one hell of a battle.

“I know.” Lake nods as the wind starts to pick up.

Jerking my head back up, I look around, scanning the area and seeing how the sky darkens. The trees are swaying, leaves falling from them blowing around. A sudden piercing screech noise fills the dark sky. The noise comes from more than just one. I’d say at least fifteen, maybe twenty.

“Here they come.” Corbin snarls and half shifts, allowing his wolf to come forth.

I follow suit, as do those of my brothers who can. The ones who can’t shift into one or the others that they’re cross-bred between.

Stay near me until the fight starts. Once it does, you stay with your dad and uncles. I tell her through the bond we share.

“I’ll be fine,” she murmurs, taking in my massive size in this form. She’s only seen me once, the night I took her virginity, and I scented the arousal that shot through her as she looked me over. I’d never take her in this form. If she’d been a shifter, then that’s another story. But I’d kill her if I took her like this. It doesn’t mean I wouldn’t enjoy doing other things while in this form with her. They don’t call it the thrill of the chase for nothing.

“Don’t even think about that right now. The last thing I need is to get turned on.” She huffs, swatting at my chest.

Dane snorts and shakes his head.

“Focus,” Lake snaps and whirls around, her hair slapping my chest in the process.

The horrible screech of the dragons grows closer, and suddenly, they come into view.

Fuck, those are some ugly beasts. The three in the front, though, they’re not like the others. They look different.

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Lake moves in front of me. Her body humming, toes coming off the ground. Fuck.

Feeling what’s going on with her, I step behind her, giving her the power she needs from me. I don’t know how I know she needs it, but it comes through to me. I just do. Claws digging into her hips, I dip my head down and clamp my jaw on the mating mark.

Power rips through the both of us. Filling me more than I ever thought possible. Energy that I’ve felt course through Lake now courses through me.

The screeching of dragons grows silent, and suddenly, men are in the place of dragons as they fall from the sky, landing on their feet in graceful movements.

“My queen,” one of the men states, going to his knee.

One by one, the others fall, doing the same thing.

“Get up, you fools.” Zurri snarls. “She is not queen yet.”

“We bow to the queen.” the one who kneeled first states blatantly. “The power of Zirnitra runs through her veins.”

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