Page 12 of Abel

CHAPTER7

Abel awoke to a low growl.Sniffing the air, he groaned.“What do you want, Nyctimus?”

“Well, for one thing, I’m here because the guards are in a tizzy over somebody killing the King’s prize stag.”

“Is that right?”Abel laughed and swung his legs over the side of the bed.“I guess that’s just too bad for the king.Now I’m taking a shower.Are you joining me or saying goodbye.”

“Why did you two have to kill that one particular buck?”

“Why weren’t you doing your duty as your sister’s escort before the wedding?”

“I have my reasons.But what you two did—”

“You worked your words to try to manipulate me into being close to your sister, and deer hunting happens to be the consequence for manipulation.”Abel leveled.“You know Esme, she’s made her mind up and nothing we do or say will change that, Nyc.”

Nyctimus hung his head.“I know.”His voice almost cracking under the sorrow.“We can’t just let her marry that wolf.She doesn’t understand what will happen.”

“She knows he will attempt to kill her on her wedding night.He will take control of your lands, and enslave all the wolves under the protection of your father.What else is there to know?”

“He’s just… it’s…” Shaking his head, Nyc looked over at Abel with pleading eyes.“You have to stop her.Have you seen how he leaves those females he mates with and kills?Have you seen the torture and devastation he inflicts on them?They aren’t even recognizable after he’s done.He’s a mutilator, a butcher, and I can’t let my baby sister face that.”

“Don’t you think I know that?But if I make a move, it will break any sort of peace the two kingdoms have.Your sister doesn’t trust me anymore, and rightfully so.She’s not going to listen to any argument I have about it.Something is keeping her tied to this, she knows she can just say the word to end it, but she’s sticking to this stupid plan for some ungodly reason.”

Nyc’s face paled as he visibly swallowed hard.

Abel narrowed his eyes on his old friend.“What do you know, Nyc?”

“Nothing.”He answered a little too quickly.

Without a word, Abel shifted to his wolf form and growled loud enough to shake the stone walls around him.Nyc shook his head at the beast.“There’s nothing to tell.I don’t know anything.”Abel took a step closer.“I can’t break my oath…”

Abel’s growling grew closer, and he could hear Esme’s maids outside holding her back from entering his room.

Nyc looked back at the door too, then his eyes met Abel’s.“All I can tell you is, she is hiding something.If I could tell you I would, but I am bound by my oath.Fix this, old friend.You can save her, you’re the only one.”

Abel shifted back to his naked human form and stared at Nyctimus.“Magic binds you?”When his friend nodded, Abel rubbed his hand over his face.He wouldn’t be able to coerce his friend into loosening his lips.No matter what Abel did, the magic would not break.“At least tell me where to start.”

Nyc laughed and headed toward the door.“Make her love you again.Make her trust you.There are only a few days left before Carsidious destroys everything.”

A silence passed between them, obviously Nyc knew Abel would die trying.In the end, Nyctimus won this fight and Abel would be on his own to stop this wedding.

Nyc exited the door and loudly shouted, “Oh hey, sis!What’s going on?”

Abel knew the wolf was already halfway down the stairs before Esme shouted back, “What were you two doing in there?”

Nyc didn’t answer.Within the blink of an eye, Esme was in his room, standing at the foot of his bed.“Put some clothes on!”

“Umm, I’m in my room.I can be naked if I want to.”

She narrowed her eyes.“What was going on in here?”He didn’t get a chance to even make something up before she continued, “You shifted, you were in your wolf form and threatened my brother and I want to know why.”

Abel stood, taking notice of where her eyes instinctually traveled.His pace was predator like as he moved closer.“Oh, beautiful.”He smirked as his fingertips brushed down her cheek.“You know why.”

She swallowed and shook her head, but he circled her.“You are always the reason, we fight.Your brother wants to protect you, but I want answers.”

“Answers?”Her voice quivered.

“Yes.”He leaned in, letting his lips graze her ear.“Answers.”

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