by Lola Taylor
Gage snarled. “What are you doing here?”
Malachite, clad in a black silk shirt and black dress pants, stood there. His eyes swept over Gage in dismissal before resting on Danica with acute interest. “Good morning, my lady. Did you rest well?”
Gage stepped forward. “I said, ‘what the hell are you doing here?’”
Malachite tore his eyes off Danica and gave Gage a malicious smile.
“I’m here to challenge you for your mate.”
Gage stared at him. “Have you lost your damn mind?”
Malachite raised a brow, nonplussed. “Should I repeat myself?”
“I heard what you said,” Gage snapped. “That doesn’t change the fact that what you’re suggesting is impossible.”
“Impossible or just unheard of?”
Gage could feel the tips of his claws digging into his palms, itching to take a piece out of that sadistic son of a bitch. “Look, I don’t know what your interest in Danica is, but I will die before I let you near her.”
Malachite frowned. “I assure you I have no intention of harming her.”
“Well, you’ll excuse me if I don’t believe you, given your previous track record with relationships—or lack thereof.”
Malachite almost look stricken before schooling his features once more. “The pack—”
“Save it. I’ve heard enough of your excuses.” Taking Danica’s hand, he quickly rushed by Malachite.
Malachite caught Danica’s wrist, his eyes pleading. “Please, Danica, hear me out.” His eyes shifted to her shoulder, and he squinted. His eyes widened. “It worked,” he murmured.
Gage narrowed his eyes at him. “What worked?”
Malachite continued staring at her skin, reaching up to lift the collar of her shirt.
With a growl, Gage snatched his hand away and pushed Danica behind him. “Don’t touch her.” He grabbed a fistful of Malachite’s shirt, getting right in his face. “Tell me what you know. What’s happened to us? Are you the one responsible for our missing tattoos?”
Malachite gripped Gage’s hand, his eyes searching and hopeful. “They’re gone? Truly?”
Gage blinked, taken aback. “What have you done, Malachite?” he whispered.
Malachite stared at him, then looked again at Danica. “Can you feel him?”
“What?” she snapped.
“Your mate. Can you feel him?”
Danica hesitated, shifting her weight and looking at Gage in question.
Malachite’s eyes flashed in surprise before he chuckled darkly. “My, my, my. So the old wolf still has a few tricks up his sleeve after all.”
Gage’s eyes narrowed and flared gold. He grabbed two fistfuls of Malachite’s freshly pressed shirt. “What. Have. You. Done?”
That arrogant smirk returned to Malachite’s face, the same look he’d given Gage all those years when Gage had endured living under his rule. “I haven’t done anything,” Malachite said.
Gage’s anger began to simmer. “Then somebody did. What was it?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
It was such a childish thing to say that Gage’s thin hold over his temper snapped. His knuckles itched for another piece of Malachite’s face. Before Gage had time to fully think through the consequences of his actions, his fist flew out.
Malachite was prepared. With predatory grace, he shifted his head to the side and avoided the blow.
“Gage!” Danica shrieked, grabbing hold of his arm before he could pull back and fire off another punch. “What are you doing?”
“I’m sick of him,” Gage seethed. “Just the mere sight of him fills me with rage.”
Regret briefly flashed through Malachite’s eyes before that glacial indifference returned. “Soon it won’t matter how you feel because I’ll be long gone—as soon as I get what I came for.” He looked at Danica and she froze.
Gage bared his fangs, growling. “Don’t look at my mate like that, you piece of shit.”
“But she’s not really your mate anymore, is she?” Malachite asked, cocking his head.
“What are you talking about?”
“The tattoos.” He gestured at the unmarked flesh on both their shoulders. “They’re gone.”
“It doesn’t mean anything,” Gage insisted, feeling his stomach churn.
Malachite smiled cruelly. “What if it does? What if it means you’re not worthy of her?”
“Of course he is,” Danica snapped, her beautiful face flush with anger. “He’s the only one for me.”
Malachite eyed her. “How many men have you been with? One, two at the most?”
She blinked. “I—that’s none of your business!”
“What if the Mark was a mistake? What if your true mate is standing right before you?”
They both stared at him.
“You mean you?” Danica blurted.
“Yes,” Malachite answered unwaveringly.
“This is absurd,” Gage spat, taking Danica’s hand. “We’re not listening to any more of your lies.” He tried shoving past Malachite, but he caught hold of Danica’s wrist. She was trapped between the two werewolves, one clinging to either hand.
Gage growled, stalking forward. “When I say don’t touch her, that’s exactly what I mean—don’t fucking touch her.”
“What if she doesn’t want to leave with you?” Malachite said, his eyes darkening in challenge.
“Actually, I do,” Danica said, trying to jerk free. “So let up, pal.”
Malachite’s grip remained firm. “Danica—”
“You know,” Gage said, “I’m getting really tired of your shit. I was tired of it a long time ago, but I wasn’t in a position to do anything about it. But now, things have changed. I’m the Alpha now, and you’re just some prick who thinks he’s above it all. Well, you know what? I kicked your ass once, and by God, I can do it again.” He cracked his knuckles. “This time, I’m going to enjoy it.”
He led with another punch. As predicted, Malachite started to dart to the side to avoid it, but Gage followed up with a second punch. He drove his fist squarely into Malachite’s chest. The air rushed from the wolf’s lungs as his eyes went wide in shock.
Gage grinned. “Who’s the bitch now?”
Malachite recovered quickly as his eyes blazed bright gold. “You insolent whelp. I should have killed you when I had the chance.”
He charged, and the two men began exchanging blows in a flurry of movements.
Danica watched from the sideline, screaming at them to stop. “You’re going to kill each other! Knock it off right now!”
Gage barely heard her. Well, her scared voice registered in his head, but all he could think was, Protect, protect, protect. He’d felt helpless to protect his father when the scorned werewolf came and destroyed their lives, marking them with the Curse of the Moon. He wouldn’t fail to protect one of the few cherished people he had left.
With the numbness of adrenaline coursing through his veins, Gage barely felt Malachite’s blows. He vaguely felt his flesh being ripped apart by claws and felt his bones rattle with every blow Malachite managed to land, but still he fought.
I can’t lose her. I have to win.
“Gage! GAGE!”
From behind him, a man shouted his name. A moment later, strong arms were hooked around his, hauling him off a bloodied and bruised Malachite.
Malachite started forward, eyes narrowed in rage, but the man holding Gage shouted, “Stand down!”
Still Malachite charged—until Danica stepped in front of him. She held her arms out, blocking his path.
“Stop!” she screamed. “Enough. No more fighting. I’m not going to have you fighting over me.”
Malachite stopped and stared down at her with mixed emotions on his face.
Her shoulders heaved. Though she hadn’t fought, she was breathing just as heavily as they were. “I’ve made my choice and it’s Gage. Malachite, you can’t make someone love you.”
Malachite’s face
fell. The sadness in his eyes betrayed his emotions. “Then I shall have to prove to you I’m someone worthy of your love.”
Turning on his heel, he strode away and disappeared around a corner.
Gage fought his captor, who was still holding him hostage. “He’s getting away!”
Suddenly, he was spun around just in time for a hand to fly across his face. The force of the slap stunned him, scrambling his thoughts for a moment. Reeling from the flare of white-hot pain on his cheek, his vision focused on the man who’d pulled him off Malachite.
“Nik?”
His brother stood there with his arms crossed, surrounded by a group of bystanders who watched Gage with wide, malicious smiles. He hadn’t realized he’d had an audience; he’d been so lost in his bloodlust.
Nik looked like he could choke someone. Namely Gage, whom he leveled his glare at. “Inside. Now.”
Just like when they were kids, Nik took hold of him and marched through the crowd. They chuckled as the brothers and Danica passed.
“Bastards,” she muttered under her breath. “They wouldn’t even help stop the fight.”
“That’s because they were probably hoping they’d tear each other apart,” Nik said wearily. “Word’s spread about you running for king. You’ve spooked them because they’re afraid the Council will favor you.” He glared at Gage. “But not if you keep up this bullshit.”
“I wasn’t—”
“Save it. Not here.”
Gage’s jaw ticked as he pressed his mouth shut. He jerked his arm free, walking ahead of Nik with Danica trailing behind.
He couldn’t look at his mate. He was still too worked up. Why the hell did Malachite affect him like this? Why couldn’t he control his anger, bitterness, and hatred every time he saw him?
Some people leave a mark on the soul.
Malachite’s reign had left a lot of emotional and physical scars.
Wounds Gage obviously hadn’t healed from.
Nik waited until they were back in Gage and Danica’s room before turning on him. “Have you lost your mind! Do you want to sink your chances of winning before you’ve even had a chance to fight for the crown?”
“I didn’t ask for this!” Gage shouted. Danica hovered near the wall, staying out of it. She watched the brothers nervously.
“No, you didn’t,” Nik said, running a hand over his short-cropped hair. “But you did make the choice to run for king, so you damn well better take this seriously.”
His brother’s scorn hurt. “I am taking it seriously.”
“No, you’re not. If you were, you wouldn’t fly off the handle every time Malachite looks at you the wrong way.”
“It wasn’t me he was looking at,” Gage said bitterly, casting his mate a glance.
Nik turned, doing a double-take as he caught sight of Danica’s shoulders. He looked at Gage, pulling his shirt back and searching his skin. “Where are your tattoos?”
Gage sighed and launched into a condensed version of what happened. “Next thing we knew, Malachite cornered us and started rambling about claiming Danica as his own.”
“He can’t do that, can he?” Danica asked with a tremor in her voice. She looked fearfully between them.
“Sssh,” Gage said, pulling her to him and kissing the top of her head. “If Malachite thinks he can take you from me, he’s delusional.” It drove him nuts that he couldn’t sense her emotions. Sometimes her fear was comforting because it reminded him he wasn’t alone.
“Malachite, delusional?” Nik said with mock surprise. “And here I thought he was such a sensible son of a bitch.”
Gage couldn’t help but crack a smile at his brother’s attempt at lightening the mood. “There can’t be any truth to his threat. He’s just trying to shake me up. From the sound of it, he was working with someone else.”
“Probably a competitor for the crown,” Nik murmured, stroking the stubble along his chin. If anyone could make “scruffy” stylish, it was Nik. “All the same, it’s strange your tattoos vanished. I’ll find Alara and have her bring in a witch to do some magical analysis since the marks are summoned by magic.” He started to turn. “Oh, and try not to kick anyone else’s ass for the next fifteen minutes, hmmm?”
Gage smirked and nodded.
Nik left and Danica shuddered.
Gage stroked her hair, still holding her. “What are you thinking of?”
She started to sob.
“Hey,” he said gently, brows furrowing as he crooked his index finger under her chin and lifted her head. “What’s wrong?”
“The fact you have to ask tears me apart,” she blubbered. “You used to be able to know how I was feeling without asking. I feel empty and lost inside. I miss you, Gage. I miss you so much.”
He tucked her head against his chest as she cried. “I’m not going anywhere. Don’t let what he said scare you.”
“But what if he’s not bluffing? What if he really does have a way to take me away from you?”
“That’s not going to happen,” Gage growled. “No matter what, I swear I’ll die before I let you go. You understand?”
She hiccupped and nodded, her hysteria dimming.
He clutched her, an ominous warning stirring in the back of his head.
Like the battle was only just beginning.
Danica felt ready to scream.
True to her word, Alara had sent her best witch to them ASAP. She spent about thirty minutes scrying and puzzling and chanting before scratching her head and saying, “I’ll need to consult my peers on this,” and then she left.
Danica knew it was just another way of saying, “I don’t have a damn clue what the hell is wrong with you.”
“What the hell does that even mean?” Danica asked after the witch left. “That ‘the magic feels normal?’ There is nothing ‘normal’ about being a werewolf!”
“Calm down, love,” Gage said, resting his hands on her shoulders.
“How can I calm down?” she shrieked. “I just had the most exhilarating night of my life, and just when I think things are finally settling into place, something like this slaps me in the face! I’m sick of it!” Her shoulders shook with contained sobs, and she rested her forehead against his chest, trying to keep it together. Dammit, why did she have to cry every time she got mad? “I feel like such a mess and I’m so… tired of it all. Tired of the drama and the lies and the secrets. I just want to be with you. Why is that so hard for the universe to understand?”
“Then be with me,” Gage said, cupping her cheek. “Who cares what a stupid tattoo means? I love you. Do you love me?”
“Yes,” she answered without hesitation.
He kissed her head. “Then that’s all that matters. Let the rest of the world figure out what it means. I made you a promise, Danica, that no one—and I mean, no one—would ever take you from me, and I plan on keeping it.”
She hugged him, the strength of his conviction chasing away some of her fears. Gage was always so strong and self-assured, while she felt like her emotions were all over the place. Danica had wanted to tell the witch that “normal” felt “awful” and not right at all. Ever since the bond had snapped, she’d felt as if a piece of herself had gone missing, and her body—her very soul—ached to get it back.
She’d just about sell a limb to feel that connected to Gage again. She just felt so… empty.
Someone gently cleared their throat behind them, and the couple turned.
Alara stood there patiently, looking lovely in a crisp, clean business suit, though it was barely sunrise. “I hate to interrupt, but Gage, you have your panel before the Council this morning. You’ve been chosen as one of the candidates.”
He blinked in surprise. “I thought they weren’t announcing the candidates until two?”
“Apparently they only thought five of you were worthy and wanted to get on with things. Thus, they’re having messengers privately tell each chosen candidate this morning. They are also pushing all the panels up on the schedule t
o get things going.”
He frowned. “You said I have a panel this morning?”
“Yes.”
He glanced at Danica and then the bed. “I thought you said if I was chosen, the panel would be this afternoon?”
“Like I said, they made a change in the schedules and decided to have you go first.”
He arched a brow, annoyed. “And who is this ‘they’ you keep speaking of?”
“The Council, of course.”
“Well, what the hell is their problem? Why are they so impatient?”
Her tone cooled a few degrees. “I don’t know. But I suspect it has something to do with the witch mafia threat hanging over our heads.” She leveled her gaze at him. Alara was not a woman to be cowed by anyone. “You forget that though I am regent here, my power on that Council is irrelevant. They are above us all in rank and power. And I don’t have enough political sway to begin to ask them why they do what they do.”
“Sorry,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean to jump down your throat. It’s just been a long morning.”
She looked at him sympathetically. “I can understand. And had I any way to postpone this, I would.”
“Right.” He looked at Danica and squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine. I’m sure that witch will do everything she can to get us right again.”
Danica tried smiling at him as he kissed her on the cheek and left with Nik, but it felt like her mouth wouldn’t work.
Alara lingered. “You know, there’s a last-minute gala they decided to host tomorrow night to celebrate the candidates. The Council will even be there. Do you have a dress?”
Danica recognized a ploy to distract her when she saw one. She couldn’t deny that it was welcome and hadn’t come soon enough.
She laughed. “Honestly, getting all dressed up is the least of my worries right now.”
“Understandably so.” Alara’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she pressed her lips together, thinking. She took Danica’s hand and started for the door.
“What the—? Hey, where are we going?” Danica yelped.
“To my room. I might have something you could wear.” She looked Danica up and down. “We’re about the same size.”
