Page 16 of Gemini Hunted
Zara chuffs out a breath that speaks eloquently of her frustration with our possessive alpha drama.
Her frustration is understandable, genetically speaking, since she herself is an alpha. In this way and many others, our polycule is rare—virtually unknown among the arcane races—boasting four strong alphas instead of the typical one.
Our collective strength, and the bond of trust and love that binds us so tightly together, is our greatest advantage.
But if you heed the gossip, that very uniqueness is also our greatest weakness.
According to Zara’s enemies and the witching world airwaves they dominate, our queen and her harem are dangerously unstable.
As for Zara herself? They claim she’s violent.
Vicious.
Even psychotic.
I watched the latestZara Gemini: Unstable Rebeldocumentary today on WNN (the Witching News Network) in appalled dismay.
That propaganda piece was a hatchet job.
Admittedly, with witchcraft like hers, Zara certainly can be dangerous—yes, even deadly. But never to anyone she loves. Behind her tabloid notoriety, the terrifying power of her lightning voice, and all that mouthy rebel sass, she’s alarmingly vulnerable.
Even now, my beast longs to fling himself across her lap and smother her in wolf. This is a deeply primal instinct I’m barely holding at bay. Vasili is managing somewhat better…
But not by much.
Very clearly, he’s hiding something.
Of course, he’s always hiding something. He’s Vasili.
Still, now that I think upon it, his demeanor all day has been deeply suspicious. At the very least, he’s more abrasive than usual, by turns malignant and gloating.
Now Vasili slices Zara’s impatient face a narrow look. Subtly, the serrated edge of his tone softens.
“Believe me,” he says to her quietly, “I know what you’re capable of. While everyone else in this harem was wringing their hands and fussing over your daredevil plan to retrieve that Horn, I was the first to agree you needed to make that dive. I was the one who persuaded Max—andthat Dark Fae tyrant—to fly decoy patrols and throw Cleo’s odious little clique offthe scent, while you and Ronin conducted your risky offshore excursion.”
“Yeah.” Her grim mouth softens in a smile. “That was a good idea, Goblin King.”
“He’s right to be cautious, my dear.” Firmly ordering my wolf to behave, I gather a fleece throw and cross to Zara’s side to tuck it gently around her cold legs. “For all the good those decoys seem to have done.”
She gives me a grateful smile and reaches for my hand, tugging me down for a sweet kiss with a lick of tongue that melts my mouth with mint and chocolate.
My wolf rumbles his approval.
With some difficulty, I force myself to relinquish the warm press of my mate’s lush lips. Still clasping her hand, I lower myself to the sofa at her side.
It’s not hovering when we hold hands.
Or so I tell myself.
With the clatter of ice against metal, Vasili upends the shaker harshly into the inverted pyramid of his martini glass. “That wasbeforethe fucking kraken showed up. Not to mention my fucking father—who, as an outsider, is supposedly forbidden to interfere.”
“Much less try to murder you,” I growl at Zara, tone thick and distorted with wolf.
Damnation.
My fangs have dropped at the threat.
Again.
