Page 38 of Royal Protector

“Because all of this is ridiculous,” Martina snaps. “Werewolves and vampires cannot be friends. They were each other’s greatest enemies. That’s the way it should always be. This intermixing of the two is unnatural.”

“You want to start a war again.” The thought roils my stomach, and I have to breathe deeply to keep from retching.

“The old ways are best.” She moves slightly closer and cocks the gun, aiming it at each of our hearts, one by one. “Now, which one first? Himari’s lover should be last. It would add some star-crossed tragedy to this event. But between my failed princess and the idiot cowboy, I can’t decide who should go first.”

“Please, Martina, don’t do this,” I plead. Her eyes flare, and she trains the gun back on me.

“Thanks for making my decision for me,” she says, pointing it directly at my heart. I close my eyes and pray that my death doesn’t destroy Antoine as well.

ANTOINE

Music from the gala upstairs filters down through the vents in the walls, mocking me. Isabella is up there while I’m stuck in this ridiculous cell. I shake the bars again, but they hold tight.

I’ve kept the bond muted all day, not wanting her to suffer the agony I’m feeling. I’m not an idiot. Whoever framed me did it very well, and the odds are, I’ll be dead within a few days. I said my goodbyes to Isabella, but I can’t help worrying about her all the same, and I’ll do so until I’m dead in the ground.

Suddenly, fear prickles along the Mate bond, sending a shock of terror down my spine. Something has happened to Isabella. The fear intensifies, turning into a sharp mix of disgust and horror before I’m hit with the strongest feeling of terror I’ve ever felt in my life.

I need to get to my Mate. I pick up the old wooden bench and use it to ram into the door, focusing on where the lock is joined.

After minutes of this tiring, bone-shaking movement, the lock begins to wiggle, and one last shove breaks it open completely. Frickin’ vampires and their shoddy construction work. If I survive this, I’m going to teach Leo how to up his security methods. But for now, I need to find Isabella.

I run upstairs, feeling the pulse of agony grow stronger with every footstep. I follow it down a long corridor until I find a small reception room.

My stomach clenches when I peek through the door and find Martina aiming a gun between Buck, Isabella, and Bastien. Himari lays on the floor, and I can’t tell if she is alive or not. Bracing myself, I push open the doors with a roar.

Startled, Martina turns, eyes widening when she sees me coming at her. She aims for me, but just before she pulls the trigger, Buck tackles her, knocking off her aim.

The bullet goes left and lodges into my bicep. Immediately, the silver begins to sting, but I ignore it. After all, I’m the goddamned Hellhound.

Martina tries to get up, but Buck has her pinned down. Isabella picks up a length of rope and tosses it to Buck, who begins to tie Martina up. Bastien is already on the ground, Himari’s head laying in his lap as he coos soft words urging her to wake up.

Isabella runs to me but stops as her eyes narrow on the bullet in my arm. “This isn’t my first rodeo,” I say, my voice laced with pain as I extend my claws and dig into my flesh to retrieve the silver bullet.

“Not my first rodeo either,” whoops Buck as he tussles with Martina, eventually subduing her and tying her up like an unruly steer.

The bullet is lodged deep in my muscle, but with a growl of pain, I manage to pull it out and toss it to one side. Isabella runs into my open arms, weeping against my shirt.

“It was Martina,” she says between sobs. “She killed that vampire in your cabin. She hired the vampires for the banquet. She’s crazy. She wants there to be a war.”

“Shh, baby, it will be alright,” I croon, enveloping her in my arms. I glance over at Martina, who, despite being bound tight, is glaring at us with malice in her eyes.

No wonder she was so obsessed with Isabella following the rules. She must be some sort of fundamentalist lunatic, focused on the strict demarcation between werewolves and vampires. My gorge rises both at the realization that we came close to another war, and from the remnants of silver dissolving in my bloodstream.

“I need a vacation,” I groan, dropping into a nearby chair just as footsteps sound in the hall outside. Jack and Leo appear, flanked by several other packs and family members.

“We heard a gunshot,” pants Leo. “Is everyone alright?”

“Clearly not,” I say with mock cheer, waving my bloody arm at him. “But your murderer is there, under Buck.” It’s not an exaggeration. He’s actually sitting on her, looking like the cat who caught the canary.

Leo snaps his fingers, and several vampires come forward, picking up Martina from the floor.

“I’m not sure where you’re going to put her,” I call after them as they take her away. “I broke your jail.” I’m starting to feel a little woozy from the effects of the silver, although my arm is already healing. “We’ve got to talk about that, Leo. Your security here is shit.”

“I’m realizing that,” says Leo, holding back a laugh. “Isabella, I think we need to get your Mate some medical attention.”

“Nonsense,” I say, my eyes fluttering. “I’m the Hellhound. The goddamned Hellhound.” It’s the last thing I say before everything fades to black.

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