Page 26 of A Reign of Malice
It’s enough.
I lean my head back against the wet stone, closing my eyes as exhaustion weighs me down once more. The darkness presses closer, whispering promises of peace if I just let go.
But I can’t. Not now.
Not when she’s out there, and I have no idea what kind of danger she might be in.
But I know this: if fate is cruel enough to bring her to me only to tear her away, I will drag myself from the abyss of death and rip this world apart to find her again.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
SLOANE
Gods, what did I do?
It’s as if I’ve bathed in pheromones, and now I can’t scrub them off. I’ve tried showering until my skin is raw, eating the most potent foods, and even drowning myself in unflattering clothes I own. Nothing helps. Since I went to Aeson’s room, he’s not left me alone for long, and I’m starting to go insane.
The next morning, he showed up at my door with a tray of breakfast, insisting we eat together in the privacy of my room. Clara, thankfully, burst in moments later, feigning an emergency with the pack. Aeson hadn’t been pleased, but he’d left with a lingering kiss to my temple that made my wolf recoil.
Later, when I walked through the town to check on my people, he appeared beside me like a shadow, hand on the small of my back the entire time. Possessive. Controlling. My pack watched with carefully blank expressions, but I’d caught more than one wary glance at Aeson’s public displays of affection. They didn’t speak aloud, but through our mental link, I’d asked if there were any concerns, any whispers ofmistreatment, anything they hadn’t wanted to voice with Aeson present.
Nothing,they’d all assured me. If anything, besides the side glances, my people seemed more settled than they had been in months. Food was plentiful, their quarters comfortable, and the guards kept their distance unless invited closer.
From the outside, everything looked perfect.
Now, thirty-six hours after I’d bitten him and collected his blood, he’s finally given me a sliver of space. Clara’s still buried in the books, chasing down every lead she can find on those damned runes. And me? I’m suffocating.
I need out.
My wolf, caged for days, pushes against my control, her restless energy making my limbs twitch with the need to move. I stride through the castle’s dimly lit halls, each step lighter than the last as the grand front doors come into view. The moment sunlight filters through the narrow windows lining the corridor, my chest loosens and my pace quickens.
Freedom.
We’re nearly there when the world plunges into darkness.
Harsh hands clamp down on my arms, yanking me sideways into a shadowy room. The door slams shut behind us, the faint click of the lock sealing my fate.
For a breathless moment, all I hear is my own pulse thundering in my ears. Then, Aeson’s scent hits me—dark spice and something colder beneath it, like snow melting over steel.
Instinct overrides thought. My wolf snaps to the surface, flooding me with raw, vicious strength. Canines extend, sharp and aching, while my fingers curl into claws. Before I can process the movement, my hand whips back, muscles coiling into a strike meant for his face.
Aeson catches my wrist mid-swing, slamming me against the wall with enough force to rattle the shelf beside us. My head pounds momentarily, but I blink away the pain, trying to process what’s happening.
“Easy, my queen,” he murmurs, voice smooth as silk. “It’s just me.”
I snarl, low and feral, the sound vibrating through my chest. My wolf doesn’t care who he is. He touched us without warning. Hedraggedus into the dark like we were prey.
Predators don’t take kindly to that.
I sweep my leg out, hooking his ankle and twisting. He stumbles, his grip loosening just enough for me to spin us around, slamming him against the cold stone. He might have six inches and fifty pounds on me, but I’ve taken down bigger threats with less adrenaline.
“Don’t grab me like that again,” I growl through gritted teeth.
His chuckle slides over my skin like acid. “Oh, Sloane. Come now. I was just trying to steal a moment alone with my mate. We’ve had hardly any time together since the other night.”
I don’t loosen my grip. If anything, my fingers tighten around his biceps, nails pricking through the thin linen of his shirt.
But I can’t. Not yet.
