“Yes. I was ordered to bring your female to Ekon. The relationship needed to be serious. I had to be sure.”
“You watched us, you bastard!” Leukos shouted, his shirt ripped across his chest and biceps. His pants tore along his thighs and his belt broke open as well.
“I had to know if—”
“I don’t care about your reasons.” He spoke with more calm, even though it was clear he was anything but. “I don’t care that we grew up together, or that we were once best friends. You overstepped the mark on this, Magnar. This is unforgivable. I hereby sentence you to death.”
“No!” Claire shouted. “Leukos, no!” She grabbed his arm, standing on her tiptoes in the hope that he would listen to her. “Please,” she added.
His eyes stayed firmly on Magnar. “It’s already done.” He looked down at her. “This has gone on for too long. Ekon and his Fallen have been allowed to run rampant. No more! Tomorrow morning at ten.” He locked eyes with Magnar. “I will cut your head from your shoulders with a silver scythe. An example will be made.”
“What? No, you can’t!” Claire shouted.
She turned to Magnar. “Say something.”
“There is nothing to say.” He shrugged. “I am a wanted male. Nowhere is safe. If Ekon finds me, he will do the same. I’m dead either way.”
“Don’t do this.” She took Leukos’ hand and squeezed.
“I am doing this for you. For my people. For us.” He squeezed back. “I don’t want to.” There was a sadness in his eyes for a moment and then they hardened back up as she saw resolve set in.
“Then don’t!” she begged.
“I don’t have a choice.”
“There is always a choice,” she countered, starting to feel desperate.
“Leave it!” Magnar said. “We spoke about this. Stay out of it.”
“No!” She turned back to him. “I won’t!” Then she looked Leukos in the eyes. “I had sex with Magnar.”
“Don’t!” Magnar growled, he hit his hand against the bars as she made the admission.
Leukos’ eyes clouded. They were still glowing. His chest heaved. “What?” He shook his head, looking like he didn’t quite fathom what she had said.
“We had sex just before your men found us. That’s why I wasn’t wearing pants. It had just happened.” She rubbed her face. “What am I saying? It didn’t just happen. I have feelings for him. Even now, after finding out what he did, I still have feelings.” Fresh tears ran down her cheeks. “That’s why I was crying…am crying. You can’t kill him. I beg you!”
Leukos took his head in both his hands. His fingers twisting through his hair. He looked up and roared, his face twisted in rage.
Chapter 26
Without looking back at Claire or Magnar, Leukos shifted and shot off the ledge like a missile, his scream of indignation morphing into a pained screech that rent the air.
How could she have done this to him? His mind reeled, rage and agony clenching in his chest. Both emotions dueling for victory. Neither won.
Out of all of the males she could have chosen, why pick the one who had caused him such harm, who had been instrumental in ripping his kingdom in two. A murderous rage churned within him, making him want to kill…maim…claim!
By tar and feather it was Magnar who had watched them! Such an intimate moment ruined by that prick! Forget the silver scythe, he would rip the male’s head off with his bare hands and watch as the light left his eyes. Let him try to regenerate then. Let him try. He’d keep beheading the male until he grew weary of killing him – a year or two, maybe more. Then, and only then, he’d use the scythe to end him for good. It was an excellent plan.
Barely aware of the wind tearing at his huge body as he hurtled towards his headquarters, he dropped onto the ledge, landing with such force his talons gauged channels into the rock.
Worth’s eyes widened, he rushed over, stopping short when he saw the expression on his king’s face.
“Sire, what—” he began.
“Fetch my female!” Leukos roared. “Fetch Claire and…return her to my nest.” His voice was still pitched as he struggled to restrain his beast. Worth nodded once and turned, shifting in one stride and taking off for the prison without another word.
Leukos stood on the ledge for a moment, his great chest heaving until he became aware of a presence at his side. Reece stood silent at his shoulder, waiting for him to collect himself. The male raised an eyebrow, letting Leukos find the words. It was clear that he was waiting for an explanation.
“Magnar!” Leukos bit out. “He…mounted Claire!” His voice was choked, his chest still heaved. A murderous rage churned within him. Reece nodded, still silent. “He…” Leukos tried to continue but couldn’t.
“Did he mate her?” the other male asked.
“No, but…” Leukos stopped.
“So, she has not chosen him?” Reece continued.
“She asked me not to execute him. She has feelings…” Leukos faltered again, pursing his lips to stop the snarl that was forming in his throat.
“As is her right, Sire,” Reece intoned. His face was impassive. Leukos stared at him, feeling the swirl of emotions gradually begin to ease. The blood haze that had almost blinded him slowly dissipating.
“She is not yet mated,” Reece continued, “she is free to mount whomever she wishes. You know that this is our way, sire.” He shrugged.
Leukos rubbed his eyes, his shoulders hunched for a moment and then he straightened.
“Of course I know of our ways!” he snapped. “But she’s a human,” he finally muttered.
“What difference does that make?”
“I wasn’t prepared…I…this wasn’t supposed to happen. Not at all!” he growled. “Certainly not with that bastard.”
“Well it has and now you must move forward. If you act like a jealous prick you will most certainly lose her to the male. You realize that, don’t you?” Reece raised both his brows.
“Lose her?” He snorted. “Not hardly, he will be put to death tomorrow at ten. I had planned to do the deed myself.” He swallowed thickly but the lump remained lodged in his throat. “I’m not sure if I will be able to stomach it.”
Reece got a glint in his eyes. “I’ve seen you behead males on the battlefield. Of course you have the stomach for it, sire.”
“This is Magnar we are talking about.” He sat down hard in the nearest chair, putting his head in his hands. “I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe I have had to sentence him to death. It doesn’t feel…it…”
“It doesn’t feel right?” Reece helped
“It doesn’t matter how it feels, he must die! I gave the order.”
“You can ungive it. You’re the blasted king. Do you really believe that will be the way to win your female, sire?” the male asked. “To have a male Claire has feelings for, put to death?”
Leukos dropped his head, feeling dejected. “I suppose not.”
“If you kill him without ever giving her a chance to make the choice herself, do you think your queen would find you to be a worthy king? Do you think she will fall into your arms?”
Leukos made a strangled sound, rubbed the bridge of his nose, his eyes squeezed shut. “Blast!” he muttered. “I have to let him live.”
“Yes, sire. And more…” Reece responded. “You have to let her choose.”
It was the hardest decision Leukos had ever made in his life, but he knew his general was right. He gave a curt nod. “Release him.” He clenched his jaw, feeling everything in him bristle at the thought.
* * *
Leukos had yet to say anything. He was still bigger than normal. Even though he looked completely human, he must still be partially in his animal form. He was naked after returning half a minute ago but hadn’t reverted to his regular size yet. Probably because he was as pissed as all hell.
Claire could see it. The tension, the rage, the adrenaline. His jaw was set. His lips pursed in distaste. His normally
neat hair was mussed. His hands were fisted. His muscles hard. His eyes still glowed softly, looking golden and bright. They were beautiful.
“Say something,” she whispered. She’d been waiting for ten minutes for him to arrive. The longest ten minutes of her life. “Talk to me.” Claire felt like the biggest bitch. Leukos had every right to be angry. They hardly knew one another but there was something between them. She had betrayed him.
Leukos paced to the other side of the room, looking out the window. His massive body bristled. She could feel the restless energy rolling off him in waves.
“Maybe it would be better if I left. I would completely understand if you didn’t want to see me again. You would be well within your rights. I messed up. We had something real…although, it was probably too early to say for sure. I wrecked everything. I—”
“Why him?” Leukos finally asked, his eyes still on the view outside. “Of all the males you could pick…you chose him.”
“I didn’t pick him. That’s not how this happened.”
“Tell me how it happened then.”
“What’s the point?” she responded, her voice slightly shrill. “It’s over between you and me. We can’t—”
“It’s not over.” Leukos turned, his eyes narrowing on hers. So intense he had her holding her breath. “It’s far from over. We’re just beginning.”
What?
Claire couldn’t believe what she had just heard. “You still want me…us?”
His lip twitched. “You didn’t hear a thing I said earlier. You can fuck whomever you want. The Feral don’t do the boyfriend-girlfriend thing. We don’t date. All of that is human. We fuck and we mate.” He made his way over to her, standing close. “I only wish you had rutted someone else. Anyone else. Magnar is my enemy.”
“He was once your best friend.”
Leukos laughed. “Is that supposed to make me feel better? That we used to be best friends makes it infinitely worse.”
More tears leaked from her eyes. Claire wiped them with the back of her hand. She blinked in quick succession, trying to stop them. “I guess it is worse. It wasn’t planned. I wouldn’t normally behave like—”
“Magnar has a way with females. I don’t blame you.”
She frowned. “That’s not fair. It takes two people to have sex. You can’t blame him and I’m not some mindless idiot who ended up falling for his charms.”
“It would seem like you are, since you did,” Leukos threw back.
Claire gasped. “That’s not fair. It’s also completely inaccurate. It wasn’t like that at all.”
His face softened. “You’re right! I’m sorry. That was anger talking.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. He sat down on the edge of the bed. “Can you tell me what happened?”
Claire nodded. “I must have nodded off after you left…” She told him everything from when she was abducted to their time in the forest. Everything that had happened with Ekon until their escape. “It was in the moment. Our adrenaline was high. He’d just defied Ekon to save me. Was putting himself in danger.” She pushed out a breath. “I’m making a whole lot of excuses.”
“You’re attracted to him?” His eyes closed.
She nodded. “I planned on telling you. Magnar wanted to see me so that he could talk me out of it. He thought it would be best if you didn’t know. I disagreed.”
“I’m glad you told me.” His jaw was tight. He clasped his hands together over his lap.
“I am too. I don’t see how we can still make this work.”
“You said you have feelings for Magnar.” Leukos stood up. He closed the distance between them. “Do you still feel something for me? Did you ever really feel something for me? We had very little time together and I know that humans often need much longer.”
“I did feel something, and I still do.” She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before looking his way. “I’m very attracted to you but there’s more there. I’m so confused! How can I have feelings for two men? Seeing you both in the same room today confirmed that for me.”
Leukos put his arm around her waist. He stood a little away from her. “Look at me Claire,” he urged.
She did as he asked, locking her gaze with his intense stare. “You haven’t decided who you want yet. That’s all.” He tucked some hair behind her ear, his features softened. “You’ll figure it out soon enough.”
“Are you serious?” Claire widened her eyes. “I’m expected to choose? I thought you sentenced Magnar to death. Not that I want you to kill him…I don’t.” She shook her head. “It’s the last thing I want. It’s confusing and weird and I don’t know if I can wrap my head around what I think you might be saying.”
“Magnar may have abducted you but he also saved your life.” He clenched his jaw for a moment, his chest heaving as he seemed to be working on controlling himself. “You have feelings for him.” He shrugged. “It wouldn’t be very sporting of me if I had him executed…as much as I want to. The bastard watched us,” Leukos growled, his voice a deep rasp. “He abducted you. He deserves death for that, but then he did the right thing and took care of you. That’s to be commended. He lost everything in the process. You’re unmated and therefore he had every right to take you for himself.”
“There’s a part of me that wants you to kill him for spying on us like that.”
“Say the word and I’ll—”
“No!” she added quickly. “I don’t actually want you to go through with it. I’m angry, though. I don’t know if I can forgive him for doing what he did. He kept it from me too. I had to uncover his deceit. I’m not sure what hurts more.”
“You will forgive him.” Leukos nodded. “I think you already have. I hate the bastard, but I believe him when he says he never intended to watch us. That he couldn’t look away…not from you. I get that for sure.” He took her hand and ran his thumb down her palm before letting her go.
“You’re defending him?” She couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing.
“I almost can’t believe it myself, but I guess I am, this once.” He stepped towards her, stopping just short of touching her. “I don’t want you to ever have doubts or regrets. You’ll never forgive me if I kill him. Or if I send him away. I’m going to have Magnar released. I’ll assign him a nest on my territory. You need to spend time with us both and decide who you want from there. When you choose me, I will know that you are all in,” he cupped her jaw, “and until then, I will do everything in my power to prove myself worthy of you.” He leaned in, his eyes on her lips.
“Wait!” She pulled back before he could kiss her. “That’s nuts. You can’t mean it. You want me to spend time with both of you and then choose? You want me to spend time with Magnar?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean. It is our way and your right. Magnar is no longer with Ekon. He is a fugitive and therefore – technically – no longer our enemy. It will take me some time to wrap my head around this fact.” He exhaled. “You will need to choose between us. All I ask is that you don’t leave me hanging for too long. I couldn’t take that.”
“I don’t think I can—”
“You can. You must. You’re a highly sensual female.” Leukos’ gaze drifted to her lips. “You will manage just fine.” He covered her mouth with his.
She initially tensed up, her mind racing at what they had just talked about.
Magnar.
Leukos.
Claire was going to have to choose. Then the moment pulled her in as his arms closed around her. She whimpered. Leukos gave a low growl. It sounded urgent and desperate. She could feel him hard against her. It reminded her of earlier that day. Not all that long ago. It reminded her of Magnar. Her nipples tightened and she felt a zing of need emanate from between her legs.
Leukos picked her up, lifting her completely off the floor. “I want to mount you,” he growled.
Panic caused the air to cease in her lungs. It was too soon after Magnar. Too soon. She couldn’t do this. Could she?
No!
Yes!
His breath was coming hard and fast. He kept walking, her feet dangled off the ground. His eyes were trained on something over her shoulder. Leukos put her down and leaned past her and swept something off the table. There was the sound of clattering followed by a loud bang.
In one quick move, he turned her around, coming to stand flush behind her, putting her onto the dining room table. His erection dug into her back. Crap! This was happening. If she didn’t put a stop to it soon, he was going to…they were going to…
Thing was, she didn’t want him to stop. She was still attracted to him. She still wanted him. Not only that, she felt that Leukos needed this. He had this desperation about him. If that made her a bad person, then so be it. Her heart raced. She was panting lightly. He crouched a little so that his mouth was next to her ear. “When I’m done with you, the only male you’ll be able to think of is me. The only male you’ll want will be me.”
She bit down on her lower lip.
“Once I’m inside of you there’ll be no stopping.” His husky voice caused shivers to race up and down her spine. It was such a cliché, but she found herself squeezing her thighs together to stop the ache that was building there. “Magnar mounting you has awakened instincts inside of me. Instincts telling me to take. To claim. To own you. My beast wants to mate you right now.”
“No. I’m not—”
“I know you’re not ready for that, but I am going to fuck you hard instead. It might even hurt a little, but you can’t fight me. Do you understand that?”
“Yes.” A breathless moan. It was all she could manage. His words shouldn’t turn her on, but they did.
He leaned around her and pulled the snaps on her jean open with one hard yank. There was a loud tearing noise as he ripped the garment down her legs, literally shredding the fabric as he did.
There’s something so sexy about a man ripping the clothes off a willing woman. By now, her breathing came in ragged gasps. There was a hard tug and another rip and her panties, or what was left of them landed around one of her ankles.
Hate Awakened: Book 3: The Feral Page 20
