Page 8 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
The half-wolf shifter’s eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t understand.”
Before Auslin could explain, Kitsuki returned with a few rabbits and ducks in hand. “Good morning,” he greeted them both.
“Let me help,” Auslin offered as he rose.
Kitsuki shook his head. “I will take care of it. Please continue to rest.”
Auslin settled down beside Maseo once more. “If you insist.”
“I do.” Kitsuki sat in front of the fire and began preparing breakfast for them.
“Can I ask why you have the markings of a Power?” Maseo asked, regarding Auslin with curiosity.
Auslin rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish laugh. “Alothas changed since we last met.”
“Clearly.”
“Discovering my Divine heritage was a recent surprise.” Auslin rubbed the royal purple lines on his arm, which entwined with Kitsuki’s silver mating marks.
Maseo looked at him with open admiration. “That makes you even more remarkable.”
“I’m glad the seal on my magic was removed. Otherwise, I would have struggled to heal your injuries yesterday.” Auslin frowned as he looked at Maseo. “You were dangerously close to dying.”
“The important thing is that you healed me in time.”
“I don’t know how you made it to Balsimi with your leg and knee almost shattered.” The thought of Maseo’s battered state upset Auslin. He couldn’t understand how any parent could do that to their own child. “Whatever poison he used on you seemed to burn you from the inside out. I’ve never encountered anything like it before.”
“If Nasume is working with Ishibiya, then he may be the source of such a nefarious weapon,” Kitsuki commented as he floated the prepared meat over the fire to cook.
Maseo rubbed his stomach with a scowl. “It certainly felt like burning to death from the inside.”
“We must stop Nasume,” Auslin told his mate. “He can’t continue hurting people. If he’s willing to kill his only child, there’s no end to his cruelty.”
Kitsuki’s gaze softened as he looked at Auslin. “We will be victorious. There is no other acceptable outcome.”
“I have no right to ask, but can I fight alongside you?” Maseo requested. “No one wants to take down my asshole father more than I do.”
Kitsuki’s blank expression contrasted with the surprise Auslin felt echoing through their mating bond. “While your desire to stand up to your father is admirable, it would appear as if we were holding the son of our enemy hostage. It sends the wrong message to our allies.”
“What’s the alternative?” Auslin demanded. “Because I’m not okay with leaving him to fend for himself when I know Nasume would send people to finish the job of killing Maseo once he finds out he survived. He’s safer with us.”
“I do not disagree,” Kitsuki said. “But the optics would give our allies reason to reconsider Valzerna’s true intentions in the fight.”
Auslin refused to concede the point. “No, I think bringing Maseo to Tiora would show your benevolence in offering sanctuary to your enemy’s innocent son, who was almost sacrificed by his hateful father.”
“No one would believe me because I’m not injured anymore,” Maseo pointed out.
“They’d be able to tell from our scent that we aren’t lying,” Auslin countered. “That alone should convince people you were banished from your pack and want to fight against your father’s tyranny.”
“While I appreciate the sentiment, Kitsuki is right,” Maseo said. “It’s a terrible idea, especially when I’m sure there are many dragon shifters in Valzerna who would gladly line up to finish what my father started.”
“But what if you stayed in our guest quarters?” Auslin turned his focus to Kitsuki. “Wouldn’t that send the right message to our people? If you welcome Maseo despite your history withNasume, people will see you’re acting with integrity rather than spite.”
Kitsuki continued trying to reason with his mate. “People would be more inclined to believe that Nasume banished his son from their pack as a ruse so Maseo could enter our home as a spy.”
Maseo scoffed. “Yeah, right. As if I would ever help my father with anything after what he’s done to me.”
“Then give Maseo a responsibility to prove he’s helping our side,” Auslin suggested. “If people see Maseo making a genuine effort on behalf of Valzerna, they will have a reason to trust him when the war is over. He can live freely instead of in fear of being persecuted by proxy for his father’s crimes.”
