Cayn’s eyes widened. He was rigid, his body bowed away from me, but held upright by my grip on his lapels.
I snarled in his face, the power swirling around me and through me and lashing him like a whip. I didn’t hear the other wolves, didn’t see them, didn’t know anything except that my mate was under threat and my authority was being challenged, and suddenly everything in me wanted to fight.
Everything.
My wolf snapped and threw itself against the cage of my ribs.
My power swelled and crashed, driving me to unleash—I held it back by my fingernails.
~ CASIMIR ~Every wolf in the room felt the weight of the order and flinched.‘Cazz?’ Jesse sounded frantic. I sent her a sense of having placed a steadying hand on her back, but didn’t turn my focus from the wolves in the room with me.‘Go, and lead. You have not been outranked—show those below you how to face an unknown. Walk in dignity and strength. And do not waver.’ My voice echoed with the power until I wasn’t sure if I was instructing, or compelling them. I shivered, a bead of sweat sliding down my spine.At my feet, Cayn stirred, pushing up on his hands, trying desperately to get up, but unable to keep his feet under him. I snee
~ CASIMIR ~The scent of fear hung in the air like perfume, wrinkling my nose, because I knew it coated the walls after all those wolves descended into panic together.It was a measure of Rory’s steadiness that he’d returned so quickly—and that he met my eyes steadily, even if there was tension in him.He approached carefully, his steps deliberate, eyes on me, but his senses pricked. If he’d been in his wolf, his ears would be flicking to every corner of the room as he instinctively gauged the level of danger in this room.I sighed. “I will not compel you,” I growled. “That is, not unless you have distasteful things to say about my mate as well?” I arched one brow, half-trying to ease the tension, half-warning him of the bou
~ JESSE ~I sat in my chambers for hours, miserable and waiting, the weight of it all bearing down harder and harder as I thought about all the ins and outs of this—and Rake either affirmed my fears, or added even more to the picture.At one point there was a shocking wave of Cazz’s power that terrified me—was he fighting for his life like Rake had said? Everyone in the palace had to have felt that if I could.I leaped out of my chair, but Rake caught me and made me stay in place.“What are you going to do, Jesse? For real—think it through. If he’s having to fight, you’re only going to distract him, or create more complication. Just sit down and wait. He’ll tell us when he can focus.But even Rake looked nervous and kept glancing towards the door. And there was… nothing. Nothing from Cazz. No new surge of power.My chest felt like iron bands were constricting
~ JESSE ~When I got to the closet I was fighting tears, my eyes welling and blurring as I searched through the drawers for sweats, a bralette, and a tank top, because I felt warm, but I really needed to be comfortable.When I finally got the whole dress off and hung up, then stepped back to look at it, I had to bite my lip to stop myself from crying, because in my mind I heard Cazz growling in my ear about how he was going to mess me properly tonight when the Selection was done.That’s the night I wanted. That was what I’d been aiming for. I’d tried to help Reeca, to show the wolves that I was a Queen who was decisive and different, but compassionate and instead… instead I’d put my husband in danger and created an uproar.It overwhelmed me then. I backed away from the carefully hung dress until my back hit the wall, then I slid down it, trying desperately to cry silently, but so sad, and so frustrated a
~ JESSE ~“Why weren’t you in the Selection tonight? You’ve got power right? I mean, you’re old enough to have taken a mate by now. And it’s obvious the females like you. Is it part of your vow? Do you have to stay single because of… the church?”It wasn’t part of my faith, but I knew some people chose it anyway. Choosing to give their devotion wholly to God so they were free to serve.Rake looked distinctly uncomfortable as we sat down on the couch in front of the cold fireplace.“No, it’s not. I don’
~ CASIMIR ~“Speak to me like an adult, or don’t speak to me at all, Cazz,” she snarled and it was such an unexpected reaction from her I drew up short, gaping at her. She was standing behind the couch in nothing but sweats and a tank top, but then she was in motion, marching around the furniture towards me, her eyes narrowed and hands clenched, and ranting at me.“I misjudged that, and I know it, and I told you I was sorry—and I am. Rake explained how that felt for you and them and… and I would do anything to go back and handle this differently. But don’t you dare come growling in here like you took some kind of interest and I hid it from you. You threw me at Rake, you threw me at Maya, and you didn’t think I was capable of… anything! This was supposed to be me showing you—and them—that I’m more than just a fucking womb. And I guess I did at least achieve that, so
~ CASIMIR ~There was a hush in her voice that made the bond clang so dissonantly that the words I’d had prepared just died on my tongue. Something in my chest shifted, and even though I was still furious, something muzzled me.Warning shrilled in the bond. I felt it shiver between us and I snapped my mouth closed, clenching my hands to fists and trying desperately to leash myself, because I needed to think. But having her standing there, staring at me like I’d betrayed her…It made my heart crack. And made me rail inside.“Jesse… this isn’t about us.”“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Cazz. Of course it is.”For a moment I didn’t move, didn’t say anything, made myself breathe and think and focus.You call this love?The implied accusation stung, because I did love her. And every wolf in the pac
~ JESSE ~I woke up the next morning on the couch with a crick in my neck and a heart hammering in my chest.It took a second to remember what had happened, and why I felt like a pit was opening in my stomach. But when I did…I sat up, pushing my hair back and looking around. The chamber was empty and even though there was no sunlight here, somehow I could tell that I had overslept.Or rather, that I had slept late.I’d sat on that couch for at least an hour after Cazz walked out, just in case he changed his mind and came back. But I refused to ask him to. And even though he didn’t shut off the bond—which kept me sane—he also didn’t use it.