Page 154 of The Lands Defying
His eyes flash black at that. “Are you going to say that a lot?”
“I am brave enough now.” Nearly dying will do that to you.
“You have always been brave.” My eyes shine with tears at that and I duck my head. Gods, I’m sick of crying.
He places a hand on the back of my head and gently takes my hair in his fist, pulling my head back. His eyes bounce between mine as he frowns.
“I hate your tears,” he murmurs, watching one fall as his eyes darken. “But there is no shame in it, even if I wish you wouldn’t let them fall. I’m sure you have wanted to cry many times and stopped yourself, you do not have to do that with me, little wolf. Never with me.” He places a gentle kiss on my lips and I let his words wash over me.
I look into his green eyes, and I’m still in disbelief that we are here, him holding me and me touching him.
I didn’t think I would ever be in this position.
He’s the only one who ever could. There is no other but him.
“My pack?” They were all so scared when I left them, so… lost within their horrors.
“Resting in their homes in Eridian.” I nod, thinking how that must be a comfort, if not for the fact that all cabins were raided. “What else has happened since I’ve been gone?”
“That didn’t take long, did it?” I shake my head, smiling softly. I need to see my pack…Kade. “The Highers are rallying at Wolvorn Castle as more of the people try to get past their gates. Rogures are more rampant than ever and then we got some news.”
“What news?”
“Patrick was seen with other Alphas that have pledged their loyalty to the Highers moving toward Wolvorn.”
My brows furrow. “Why didn’t they just port there?”
“They are being protected by rogures; it seems.”
“Rogures?”
“They are controlling them somehow. They are not attacking them or going off path. I’ve sent others to watch them.”
“I know what we saw in The Deadlands showed that those beasts were able to be controlled, but if rogures can be too, then the attack on Vokheim Keep…”
“Was coordinated,” he finishes for me. “I had some thoughts on that for a while. The rogures don’t attack keeps or castles, so why my keep? It didn’t make sense, but if they can be controlled, then it does.”
“But who is controlling them?”
“After seeing the Highers experiments, I think we have a good guess.”
“But why attack the keep? For what purpose?”
“To kill me.” I rear back. “I have not been doing as I am told and it seems they want a replacement.”
“Who?”
“Your cousin.”
“Patrick?” I shiver at his name on my lips and he rubs my arms, frowning.
“It doesn’t matter what they want to happen, what they think will happen, they arealldying.”
“Are we ready for that? Strong enough?” I think back to the fight, to Frederick and Mathew. “What happened in The Deadlands?”
“Mathew is dead, the beast is dead, and my men are watching over the many beasts and rogures that were below it through the rubble, killing them a few at a time.”
“Frederick?” I ask, lifting a hand to my throat as his phantom hands grab it.
