Page 10 of The Buck Stops Hare

Beyond my range of sight, the door to the house opened from some annex, bringing with it a pulse of air, the rank scent of boar, and a creak of sound. “Grim! I’m here to see if you’d reconsider my—”

An aged familiar scent wafted by me, drawing a snarl from my throat. The demi that I’d witnessed while Storm cradled the dying body of his mate bore a scent so close to this male. Likely family.

“What guests have you brought?” A rather portly and stout man with dark eyes and piggish features eyed Cliff with pure lust. “And the omega has a few days left of his ripeness. Perfect. We can get started on giving me another son.”

I tensed and gritted my teeth, ready to tear the male to shreds, and allowed the span of time between one beat of my human heart to the next to give Grim the privilege of curbing his follower. But he wasn’t the one that acted first.

Eve did.

Her slender, taut frame snapped like a whip as she rushed forward, arm drawn back. Despite Grim and I having plentyof time and speed to act, her strike rang true, busting straight into the vulnerable tissue of the intruder’s upturned nose. The crunch—fleshy, wet, and satisfying—ended with a squeal and a splatter onto the floor. “Keep your nasty-ass lil’ pecker away from my baby bro. Okay? Now someone tell me what the fuck this porkchop here has to do with all this shit?”

Grim rose and strode sinfully slowly toward the scene, resting reassuring hands over the woman’s shoulders. “He was my follower.”

“Wa-was?” The snorting and hacking man on his knees held his nose and cowered, mealy brown hair laying limp and flat to his scalp. Even his skin was pink and piggish.

“You hinged my honor on your growing bloodline and struck out against the gods themselves in my name. Even still, I backed you, and you went after another god in retribution. Do you know who this boy is?” Grim pulled Eve back, every muscle in his body tightening as if he sought to draw her closer. I felt the same overwhelming urge, demanding I hold Cliff as his glazed eyes focused on her.

“R—Rayne the god-aspect’s brother.” He snorted and spat blood onto the floor.

“An aspect of the Buckling Stone, who bore the blood of a thousand men and women, spilled in anointment over his head.” Grim released Eve as she slipped from his grasp and folded her arms, ready to strike again.

“Strong whelps— Alpha son.” He sneered and glared up, eyes darting toward Cliff.

“That is not life for a life. That isrape. That is something I do not condone. Defiling a lifebringer is unforgiveable. They are to choose who to bestow with legacy.” Grim took a shuddering breath. “I renounce the boars. My power no longer rests with you, nor my blessings and all in your name, Maximillian.”

“You can’t just d—”

“Never tell a god what he can or cannot do, old friend. You shame me far more than the death of your kin.” Grim sneered and gestured for the man to leave, scrambling his way out amid a trail of blood.

“You can do it just like that?” Eve tilted her head.

“Always could, always will if my followers cease to listen to my decree.” Grim hung his head and sighed. “Give me a few days to tie my loose ends up here. I need to sever my ties to his people and hand over assets to those left who do not deserve the curse to come.”

“So, like that, it’s all over?” Eve glanced over at her brother; face twisted into a sad sort of sneer.

“Don’t think I’m not mad at you, sis. Fucken’ knew what I was ’n shit? Knew about all this?” Cliff waved his hand about. “Well, hey, I didn’t know Rayne had a baby, either.”

“Wait, Rayne had a—I thought he was— Oh. He’s the omega thing, too?” Cliff blinked rapidly, fighting off the stupor of lust that had his body. “Does that mean…” He pointed toward me.

I shrugged. “Not at the moment. But I suppose eventually?”

Cliff blanched and glanced from my face to Jacque’s for a moment. “Gods, this shit is messing with my head.”

“Don’t blame us for it.” Grim sighed. “But it is rather unfortunate. What say you, my Adamant Eve? Will you stay at my side?”

Eve huffed and glanced over at Grim, eying him up and down. “Eh, could be worse. I wanna go see my brother and my niece and figure all this shit out. Sibling family reunion!”

“Buckling Stone. May we trespass into your lands? I will send River a gift for crossing his territory.” Grim stared me down, no malice in his eyes.

“She has his aspect’s number. Call ahead and speak to them. My permission is only half of what needs to be there. Storm is the decider.”

Grim nodded. “Then I shall see to our travel while you tend to your mate. My blessings and forgiveness, brother.”

I nodded in return, and Cliff seemed to catch my drift. We approached one another, and like splinters of stone and the rumble of earth, our auras touched, the spirit between us trembling with life. “Anything you wish for, my aspect, my Weathering Cliff.”

“Ew. No. I like you way more than I should. Jacque likes you. Let’s go home. Please.” His upper lip curled, and I swept him into my arms, balancing him with Jacque. We’d fly to the one place in the world I had left. There, I’d make him mine.

Chapter Six

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