Page 20 of The Dark War

“I don’t want you to see the beast in me. It was hard today.” I nuzzled my nose into her neck. “It was so damn hard not to kill them all,” I whispered. Clara kissed my cheek, playing with my shaggy hair.

“I know it was, and you did so good.” I snapped my head back up to see her beautiful green eyes.

“But I wasn’t. I about killed Osirus!”

Clara scoffed. “He deserved it.” She laughed. “He knew what he was doing. You didn’t kill him once I got to you. You just needed some play time to release the pent-up frustration with Torin. I am totally okay with that, by the way.” Clara winked. My little minx. My shy little fox had turned into a sex addict since being my mate. She loved it as much as I did.

“You are okay with”—I cleared my throat—“me letting my… pent-up feelings out on you? To relieve the stress?” I raised a brow.

“I am your mate, made for you, snookums. I think I can take a pounding or two.” She giggled. Laughing with her, I rolled her into the moss, letting the light escape into the night as I peppered her with endless kisses.

Taking Clara back to camp, both in our animal form, I took her to our tent, making sure she wasn’t seen. My heart had lightened, now knowing my mate understood the turmoil that stirred with Torin. If I couldn’t kill, I’d fuck my mate until I felt better. And that was a damn good feeling.

I smiled, almost with a skip in my step, as I headed to the royal tent. Marcus ran up beside me in some short, flowered swim trunks. “The fuck are you wearing?” I eyed him suspiciously as I sauntered to the bonfire.

“Showing off my powerful legs, some lady fae said they loved my quads. They are used to seeing some dainty stick legs of the male fae. Thought I might get laid.” I rolled my eyes. Marcus had to get his head out of his ass before he met his mate.

Pushing the flap open, I stared at a seething Osirus. The last time I had seen his complexion this dark was with the battle with the rogue King Marcellus, when Clara was taken. It wasn’t a good look for him, I’ll tell you that.

Finley waved two fingers to meet me outside as Osirus stared at the two women sitting in the chairs. One named Peoni, a fairy that was his right-hand attendant, and the bitch fae we were fighting against, Daphne. “Daphne gave us information about where to find Cosmo.” Marcus’s face lit up, smacking me on the back.

“Ah, we will get this battle over with soon then.” The blue moon was high in the sky, and no battles were to be held at night. Fae could hardly stand the darkness and could barely heal without the light sources. Another reason shifters were better. We thrived in the night. My best warriors were out pulling the enemy fae out of their tents while they were sleeping. Best damn idea I ever had.

“That’s not all.” Finley sighed. “Peoni has been playing both sides.” Marcus gasped loudly like a school girl learning the latest gossip. “Fuck, no!” he hissed, wiping his mouth.

“Aye, and the worst part is she did it because of her mate. Carson, your best tracker, has been cursed by Cosmo in some way. We have yet to find him. Magic is now a part of this war. It only confirms Clara’s findings earlier this evening.”

That’s because my mate was damn fucking smart.

“When you find Rex, keep him here. He is in your land and mated with Peoni. I’ll let Osirus deal with what he wants to do.” I growled. His friends will be disappointed, but there is nothing I can do. Sean and Carson were ordered to head back to the Cerulean Moon Kingdom and help sniff out some sneaky vampire rogues that keep disappearing and reappearing around the smaller packs surrounding the kingdom. Many hid in the shadows while we traveled here and it was best for my most competent trackers to find the hive of rogues.

Running my hands through my hair, Alaneo stomped out of the tent, watching a bound and tied Daphne and Peoni. Alaneo looked longingly at Peoni as she was led to the camp imprisonment. “What’s wrong with Alaneo?” I asked.

“Peoni and Alaneo had been a fling the past couple of years. Alaneo was in love with her, but recently she was only using him to keep her mate safe. That’s why she betrayed us all.” I hummed. That was a fucking awful predicament.

Glancing at Marcus, he somehow got a leg of meat he was gnawing on ravenously. “Did you hear that?” I snapped at him. Wiping his mouth with the back of his forearm, he muttered, “What?”

“About Alaneo and Peoni?”

“Yeah, real shame.” He chomped again on the meat, not caring. I rolled my eyes, watching him stare at some poor fairy woman’s ass. He was a damn idiot.

Chapter Eleven

Kane

Tracingmyfingeracrossmy mate’s body, her skin rippled with the tingles I could feel with my fingertips. Her sleeping face was in the crook of my neck and the soft pants of her breath had me gripping her tightly. We should have both been back at the pack house with our daughter, not on a battlefield fighting a war with the fae.

The blue moon on the outside of the tent was setting, now waiting for the light sources to appear. Clara was usually up at his time, ready to start the day even before our daughter was born. Was our daughter all right? My mother was excited to take care of her. She enjoyed having Raine as a child. I gave her way too much trouble as a kid. If we had a son she would have been more reluctant.

Gently putting my mate back on the pillow, she stirred as I placed my pillow next to her. Sniffing deeply into my pillow, I chuckled at her while I put on my shorts. How did I get so damn lucky?

“Kane?” She rubbed her eyes cutely, her dark hair covering part of her face. “Is it time to get up?” Her head dropped back into the pillow, groaning. “I feel like we just went to bed.” We sort of did, but I wouldn’t tell her that. I was making sure the night shift dragged fae from their sleeping quarters in the night that had to be dealt with promptly. My mate wanted to be present as they woke up from their fog as we poured tainted water over their heads, so she refused to sleep. The witches working with Osirus had some use, I suppose using their magic to help them wake.

I didn’t mind chomping on their ankles to wake them to save time because that seemed to wake them up from their stupor too but, of course, my mate said that was too mean. So the slow route we used, using the enchanted water and dumping it on their heads.

“Baby, stay and sleep. The panthers are outside guarding the royal tents.” Clara ignored me, shaking her head. “No, no, I’m up.” Standing up in nothing but a t-shirt, she sauntered to me and had me lean down to give her a kiss.

“What’s the plan, Alpha?” She grinned, rubbing her cheek to my chest. I chuckled. My little luna was the one that gave orders. Now she was willing for me to take over? I rubbed my stubbled chin, trying to think of something thought-provoking to say to her, but fell short. I was a man of action, not of planning.

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