Page 257 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

“You’re creating enemies, Axel,” Bree said, cold and deadly.

“I create new enemies every day,” he sneered. “It’s just good business. Nowget out.”

“I think you will find it’s not as easy as you believe to keep a kingdom that was never yours,” Bree said, sauntering to the lift. Then she added, “After all, control can be an illusion as much as it can be fleeting.”

He let her have the last word, holding her stare the entire time until the lift doors closed and he heard it descending.

Then his hands drove into his hair as he started pacing. That hadnotbeen the plan.

“Um, Axel?” Kat asked tentatively.

“Yes, kitten?” he asked distractedly.

"You called me your wife."

He stopped mid-step, turning to face her. "Yeah. I guess I did."

"But...we're not that."

"We should be," he grumbled, resuming his pacing.

A strangled laugh came from her. “What?”

Then he was standing in front of her, and she lurched back.

“Stop doing that,” she admonished, her hand at her chest.

“Sorry,” he said in a rush, taking her face in his hands. “But I said we should be. You should be my wife.”

“Axel, I… How would that even work? It wouldn’t be a Match Contract because that’s between two Legacy,” she said, her brow furrowing in thought. “And the few Fae that are granted a union have to have it anointed by a priestess.”

She had a point. Fae had to petition for unions, prove it wouldn’t interfere with their duties to their kingdom, and get approval from whichever noble they answered to. In some cases, that was the ruling Lord or Lady themselves.

His father had never granted such a petition. Pen and Caris were proof enough of that.

He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. “Grab your shoes, kitten. We’re going out.”

“Out?” she repeated, a note of excitement in her tone. “You mean we can leave the penthouse?”

“We were hiding out, and our secrets were just revealed. Doesn’t make much sense to stay hidden anymore,” he answered. “Besides, I’ll be damned if Bree thinks I’m hiding fromhernow.”

There was a small smile playing on her lips when he looked over his shoulder after sliding on his own shoes. He quirked a brow. “Something to say, kitten?”

She shook her head, but that smile still tilted as she went upstairs to get her shoes. He didn’t know what it was for, but he liked seeing it on her.

Andwifesounded pretty damn good.

“Are you doing all right?” Axel asked, looking down at Kat where she strolled beside him.

They’d had to go to the Apothecary District to see a Witch. He’d been recognized, and when they’d ducked into a small shop of a Witch he knew, the female had smiled. Or, as close to a smile as Witches come. It was more of this tight-lipped press of lips as she said, “Cienna sent word you might be coming.”

In the end, it hadn’t taken much to get a union anointed, mainly because of who he was. Even in the Underground unions had to be petitioned and approved, but who was going to deny his own request when he was one of those who did the approving?

Now they both sported Union Marks on their hands. It was something usually reserved for Legacy Matches, but Axel was done pandering to traditions and outdated laws. The fact he’dmarried a Fae was proof enough of that, but just to drive the point home, he had the Union Marks bestowed. Now he wanted to take her to the Apparel District to secure rings too. He wanted any and every possible way to stake his claim.

As if the babe growing in her belly wasn’t enough.

“I’m fine, Axel,” Kat answered. “It feels good to be out and about. Thank you.”

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