Page 40 of Tucker's Strike

“Who else do you think, kid?” Jair growls, shooting Abel a look.

From the way I’ve seen Lake’s uncles react around Abel, they’re surprised at the sight of him. They don’t know how to handle the news. Just as I’m sure Abel’s struggling with the fact he’s got more than just Lake now, but uncles. It almost makes me wonder how his mom will respond to the fact her mate’s family now knows about him.

That woman can be a bit intense with her protectiveness toward Abel. She hadn’t been able to have any more cubs after him, so she tends to make it a habit of popping up often. Luckily, she’s off on some vacation with some friends of hers. It’s a good thing since it’ll give him time before he has to tell her.

“It’s got to be Tucker,” Callum answers as he pops Jair on the back of his head. “It has to be him. But even still, you need an army behind you. Zurri won’t go toe to toe. He won’t fight fair in any fashion.”

“Then it’s a good damn thing he’s got us,” Dane growls, rolling his head on his shoulders. The popping of his neck could be heard throughout the room.

I cock a brow in his direction and grin. “You ready to get that fur singed, brother?”

“Fuck you, man, I’m just looking forward to a fight. I’m itching for it.”

“Then, let’s get this all sorted,” Corbin states. Before he can continue, the door opens.

I shouldn’t be surprised by it, but still, I find I am when Orpheus steps in with several of his men with him.

“Sorry to intrude, Corbin,” Orpheus remarks, his expression blank. “We wanted to offer our assistance in taking care of the problem that’s coming to your door.”

“What do you know of it? Other than what you already know?” Justice asks cautiously.

Orpheus’s eyes darken for a split second before he shrugs. “I know that the Drakon King is preparing to come to Redwich. I give him maybe a day, no more, before he makes his move. It could be as soon as in the next hour, though.”

“Fuck.” Just what I need.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Lake

Time seems to want to take its ever-loving time. I ended up excusing myself to go to Tucker’s room. I couldn’t just sit there and pretend pleasantries with Karsyn and Harmony. No matter how nice I thought they were.

I was just having a hard time sitting still and talking when I wanted to know what was going on. Several times, I’ve found myself going to the door and stopping from going any farther.

Tucker asked me to give him time with his brothers and everyone else who was there to help plan their next course of action. I could hear his thoughts, which I still found weirder than I ever thought possible, so I knew what he was sharing with me through the connection between us.

I want to be able to help, but I’ve got a feeling they won’t let me. Tucker won’t want me to. He’s made that clear. He didn’t have to say or even think it. It was in the way his body tensed.

Let’s not forget how he was while in the Drakon realm. He’d been pissed with me, more than a little. Furious. He didn’t likewhat I’d done, but he also didn’t want me there because of the danger of the situation.

Tucker has to know he can’t bubble-wrap me. I can’t be sealed away and kept out of it. It’s because of me all of this is happening. I won’t let him.

Twirling around the room, my eyes land on the night-light. Tucker thought something about it just a bit ago, how the wood could hurt the Drakon King. But I don’t want them to break my night-light for them to be able to do it.

I wish there was another way to take care of all of this without anyone getting hurt.

They all want to draw the dragons here to Redwich. I don’t think that’s what they should do. There are too many innocent people who could get caught in the crossfire.

“There are no innocents when it comes to war.”

I whirl around to come face to face with a man I’ve never seen before in my life. “Who are you?” I ask, but I’ve a feeling I know. He’s too beautiful looking. Hair is dark as night itself. The clothes he’s wearing seem to mold straight to his body. The top partially open, displaying his upper torso and chest. There’s a shimmer of some sort surrounding him, making him seem to glow. But it’s the eyes that send a shiver down my spine. I would know those eyes. I see them when I look in the mirror.

“I would think it obvious as to who I am, Lake. You do share my eyes and blood,” he says, almost like he was actually singing the words. Tucker once said I do the same thing. I wonder if it’s a Fae thing.

“What are you doing here?” I demand, shoving all other thoughts from my mind. I don’t need to be worrying about anything else other than the very issue at hand.

“Is that a way to speak to your father?” Nyx asks, clucking his tongue, one eye cocking mockingly.

“You aren’t my father,” I snap. “Before you go all Darth Vadar on me with the whole ‘Luke, I am your father’ bit, you can save it. We might share blood, but you aren’t a damn thing to me. Just the man who stole my mother away, impregnated her, and kept her prisoner.”

---