Page 68 of The Monster's Desire

“I won’t. That was solely for your protection.” I pull her to my chest, but my gaze moves to Wraith. “How long do you think we need? A day in her time?”

“Preferably less than that. Maybe twelve hours,” Wraith says. “I’d rather not be away for too long, and if you need us sooner, then don’t hesitate to make the call.”

“Okay, come back to me in twelve hours,” she whispers, staring up into my eyes. “By the way, I fucked Ridge. I’m not going to apologize for that. It was good sex, but being that the two of you are Sam, and we’ve always discussed my partners...” She shrugs. “I’m just being transparent.”

My hand tightens on her ass. That’s another thing Wraith and I went over after the incident at the elven king’s cottage. For the moment, she’s as bound to the vampire as she is to us. The wolf is a completely different story. He’s likely stuck with us for life, since I could detect no lie when he referred to her as his mate.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Blood witches are hunted in the human realm. Having a solid group of men surrounding her at all times can only make it easier to keep her safe.

I get very close to her ear and murmur, “Oh, yeah? Did he fuck you in wolf form, because I’m not even going to lie, that’s the shit my dirty little heart lives for.” I nip at her ear, licking my way down her neck.

“No, human form, but he was half feral.” She groans, clutching at my chest as she dances on her toes.

“You’d best head back to where you were when Wraith froze time, but don’t think this gets you out of telling me all about it.” I slap her ass as she spins, walking back to stand behind the alpha wolf.

Wraith restarts time and the useless scumbag shifter’s corpse falls to the ground. It’s only a husk of what he was before.

“Holy shit,” Ridge growls, staring at his hand like he’s making sure none of that decay transferred to him during the contact.

“Nadia, behind you,” Echo yells. “Could you release me now, so I can save your ass?”

My head swivels in her direction, but it’s too late. A massive alpha, who looks strangely similar to Ridge, holds her in the air by the throat.

Ridge snarls, “Put her down, right fucking now!” His words echo with his alpha command. “Trace, I’m not fucking around.” Several more wolves approach. They’ve got thick frames. They’re likely enforcers.

“I’ve heard all about how she was looking for Drake. He’s dead, and she smells like blood and death,” Trace growls, digging his extended claws deeper into her neck.

Wraith snorts. I’ll bet he’s getting a nice little kick out of knowing she smells like him. She’s in no real danger. Not with the two of us around.

Ridge’s chest heaves as his face morphs to his wolf and back again. His eyes glow and his claws elongate. “Let me make something very fucking clear. Nadia is my mate. Even if she did kill Drake, I choose to take her punishment, as is my right by our laws.”

Trace stumbles a step. Nadia claws at his wrist and forearm. Oh yeah, she needs to breathe.

My eyes cut to Wraith. I can see him all the time, so it’s impossible to be sure if he’s visible to the others or if he’s currently hidden, like I am. He looks like he’s on the verge of sucking the soul right out of the wolf holding Nadia.

“Don’t fucking try me, little brother,” Ridge growls, his eyes flashing. “I want no part of leading this pack, but continue to disregard our laws, and I’ll knock you down a peg if I have to.”

Oh, that makes sense. Ridge is clearly the more dominant of the two, but if he refused the role, it would have naturally passed to the next youngest alpha.

“You have no claiming bite,” Trace snarls. “That means you have no bond to step in as her mate.”

Nadia continues to kick. I barely hold back the chuckle when she lands a solid slam of her shoe into the alpha’s gut. I’m sure he barely feels it, but now that I notice it, her face is turning a bit red.

“The witch didn’t kill the alpha.” I step over and reveal myself to the rest of the eyes in the clearing. “I did. She’s turning a little rosy, and you’ve got the wrong culprit.”

“I helped.” Wraith has his hood pulled up, and it’s extremely clear when he makes himself known. Everyone, outside of Ridge, stumbles back. “Set her back on her feet, otherwise Drake, the corrupt-as-fuck shifter, won’t be the only meal I gorge on today.”

“You have three days to make your claim,” Trace growls at Ridge as he sets Nadia back on her feet.

I disappear from sight again, getting close to Ridge’s ear and filling him in on Drake’s more horrid sins. He needs to understand what was happening right under the alpha’s nose. If Trace isn’t a capable alpha, then he needs to be removed from the equation. If he knew and didn’t stop it, then additional measures need to be taken.

“Get her the fuck out of here,” Ridge snarls, glancing over his shoulder at Echo.

“I’d be glad to,ifthe little witch would command her shadows to stop restraining me,” the vampire hisses.

Nadia coughs, rubbing at her throat. “I release you from interfering.”

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