This was Moon’s first time…doing any of this. Obviously, he wanted to make an impression.
When I caught Emperor’s eye — trapped as he was between Amadeus, Moon, and me — he looked stripped of his masks, Alpha dickishness, and constant need to protect everyone else. This morning, we were looking after…loving…him.
He trembled under our attentions. He was spellbound by the new sensations, gritting his teeth with the effort to not entirely let himself go and boy, how many decades had he needed to just let go?
I stroked my red up his spread thighs, towards the pink furl beneath his balls. Moon pulled off Emperor’s dick, stroking it now in time with Ramiel’s wanking of Mischief. Their desire in the bond around me, was as thrilling as the thrumming shadows and Amadeus’ power fed by the pleasure.
When I tapped over the tight hole with my red, Emperor gasped. He came in a pearly arc across his stomach, at the same time as Mischief. Both wolf and angel wailed.
Hey, I’d never made a guy scream in bed before. That was what came of having a wolf tag team.
Then Emperor banged his head against the door, closing his eyes. “You’re aware that you just killed me?” He groaned.
Amadeus let go of Emperor’s hair, before smoothing it back into place. Then he kissed Emperor in gentle pecks across the corners of his mouth. “A chance at a shag with a fine behind like mine is worth dying for, see.”
I pulled my red back inside, before giving the bite mark a final lick and sitting up. Moon cuddled against Emperor’s side, resting his head on his shoulder.
Emperor blinked, sleepily. “That…just then…wasn’t simply mind blowing; it was…mind sucked out…brain dead now. What a charming epitaph I shall have: Here lies the Prince of the Alphas who was screwed to death.”
Moon patted him on the stomach consolingly. “So, I wasn’t bad for a virgin wolf?”
Woah, and there was a witch’s cauldron worth of insecurity.
Emperor gave a gentle smile, although he waved his hand airily. “Let’s not forget that you did have a gorgeous cock to work with.”
Mischief snorted. “Talking of cocks…or more precisely dicks…” Mischief slunk to his feet, sauntering to the fountain to wash off his own sticky stomach. Moon nudged Emperor, but he shook his head, drowsily. Hey, if he wanted to become tacky and itchy, that was his affair. “Now that we’ve appeased the voyeurs, I’ve had time to think, and maybe we should address the blindingly bright white elephant in the room: the gang of Alpha dicks who brought us to this kingdom. Shall we put it down to coincidence that they turned up on the night of the centennial at your aunt’s house? Oh yes, and that they weren’t caged, which within itself broke the treaty. Now, what was it that I’ve always believed…? One coincidence is simply chance but more than that is infernal betrayal.”
Shocked, I withered myself at the ferocity of Mischief’s glare, as his wings spread behind him, sizzling with popcorn smelling magic.
I expected Amadeus to nuzzle further into Moon’s arms for protection or deny the accusation with a sexy pout. At least, I hoped that was what he’d do.
Instead, he launched up, glowing with his own power, freshly fed on pleasure. His skin was translucent under the pale light of the lamps, and his eyes sparkled. Then he stalked towards Mischief like a challenge.
My pack were about to fight, and it’d be real, rather than roughhousing or sexy play. My breath caught in my throat because I was desperate for neither of my guys to be hurt.
Yet no matter what happened in the fight, I’d already been hurt because Amadeus had betrayed me.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
I stood, hugging myself in the Lunar Shrine, whilst my guts churned in a way that was becoming weirdly familiar: Secrets and Betrayal Tummy Ache, I was calling it. Before I’d returned to England to discover my part in the wolf and witch wars, I’d been cocooned safely with my uncle in a world that turned on the petty gossip of secrets: who was cheating on their millionaire partner, who’d paid the most for their new mansion, and the best place to buy coffee (The Golden Pear)…son of a bitch, I needed an espresso.
Licking my lips at the ghost memory of coffee, at least sort of took away the sour taste that’d been there ever since I’d realized that Amadeus’ betrayal and hidden secrets hadn’t been the sort that I’d known in America.
Instead, they’d been the kind that plotters held — the ones who brought down kingdoms and won wars through stealth. But then, I should’ve known that, ever since Amadeus seduced and defeated Rhona. He could’ve…okay, probably would’ve…killed her on the night that he’d rescued Emperor and me from the well.
I’d always known that Amadeus was deadly, it was just that it was hard to remember that when you were also under his spell.
I studied Amadeus in the light of the crescent moon lights; his skin looked eerily otherworldly. Moon and Emperor had flanked him; their eyes glowed, whilst their nails gleamed.
Had that been the plan from the moment the Queen of the Gods had chosen and trained Amadeus to become my Charm? Mesmerize the Charmer with a half incubus who could spy on and control her, rather than be the one to be controlled?
Honestly, it was smart.
No wonder the queen had never looked at me throughout my Claiming. If I’d had to give up my adopted son to my enemy, I’d have wanted more of a backup plan than a cross my fingers and hope she wouldn’t burn him with silver and stick him in a cage…like my mom had the Ambassador.
My breath hitched, and I gulped in air, as my lungs ached. Alarmed, Okami wound himself around my neck like he could stop my sudden shivers.
Jesus, how hadn’t I thought of it before? The Ambassador was this kingdom’s prince. The queen had already sacrificed her true son to my mom; she’d been through this ordeal before, and that time her son had suffered.
Now, he’d died.
It didn’t matter what Amadeus had done on behalf of his kingdom because my Wolf Charmer ass deserved it.
How were any of the shifters to know that the worst Amadeus would suffer at my witchy hands was to be stuffed in a wardrobe (and that’d been by Emperor)?
Mischief spun his magic out into a lasso. “We are both aware that you’re not only the sweet and pretty wolf who you’ve been trained to be. Submission and sex are such useful weapons, are they not?”
Amadeus’ eyes narrowed. “They’re ones that have been used against me all my life. None of you know how it feels to be an incubus or trapped inside, knowing that you’re nothing but the moon’s sacrifice chosen for the Wolf Charmer.”
Emperor blanched. He took a careful step forward. “I apologize if we’ve assumed—”
“I lied,” Amadeus sighed. “I was under Moon Oath to hide…but you can see the scars? Look you, I just wanted you to think that I was a pampered prince because then I could forget that I’m only an adopted one.”
“Goddess Moon! What has adopted to do with it?” Moon growled.
Amadeus gave a smile that was so sad it twisted my insides. “Everything.”
“Enough of this mawkishness.” Mischief swung his magic above his head.
I hissed out a panicked breath. In the terror that my pack would fight for real I knew that despite Amadeus’ betrayal, I’d never want him to be hurt. In fact, my red stung me in fury at even the thought that I wouldn’t protect my Charm. Nothing that Amadeus had been forced to do — and I wasn’t so much of a dick that the scars on his back didn’t scream forced — could stop me protecting him.
Maybe Wolf Care was actually simpler than I’d thought.
My crimson burst out, wrapping around Mischief’s silver in calming caresses, until he shuddered. He glanced at me questioningly, and I shook my head. Slowly, he slipped his magic back inside.
I strolled to Amadeus, tipping up his chin, as I caressed over his fluttering pulse with my thumb. “You’re my Charm and my pack, but I only have the right to know what you want to share. I won’t rush you. The problem we have is that you’ve been holding out on us a
bout the plans of your asshole kingdom.” When Amadeus tried to look away, I kissed him lightly, and his confused gaze shot to mine like he’d expected a slap, rather than tenderness. “I love you and I don’t give a damn about anything you’ve done. We’ll figure it out, but I just need to know.”
“You mean that,” Amadeus said like he was testing it out.
“I swear it on a mage’s dick,” I replied solemnly.
“I object to that,” Mischief grumbled.
“Then why don’t you bring that mage dick over here?” Why did everything sound so much dirtier in Ramiel’s soft voice?
Ramiel beckoned Mischief, who swooped over the fountain, kicking the water in a sparkling spray over Amadeus’ head and snickering when he spluttered. Then he landed with his best innocent expression next to Ramiel, who by the way that he crisply pulled Mischief to him by his wingtips, wasn’t buying it, go figure.
Amadeus shook his damp hair, before pressing his gloved hand to my cheek, which always felt more intimate than when we were panting in pleasure. “Princess Vala’s gang of Alphas — the Crescents — were to secretly remain uncaged and untransformed.”
I rolled my eyes at the memory of the iPhone wielding Alpha assholes who’d invited us as honored guests to the Kingdom of the Gods. So, these were Amadeus’ adopted sister’s gang…? Honestly, I hadn’t been crazy about meeting her before and now I had a feeling that she’d simply drive me crazy.
“Seriously, I get that, but how did they—”
“My true prince.” Amadeus’ face suddenly lit up, as he twirled to Moon like the whole betrayal thing had just been neatly washed away. “If the Crescents came for our sexy behinds, then please tell me that they saved the Ambassador as well?”
His hope was painful, as he rocked on his heels.
My hands clenched; my tongue was heavy in my mouth. Okami licked my throat, cuddling closer around me.
I remembered how the Ambassador had tried to shelter Amadeus from the sweet-smelling gas, as well as curling around him when he was unconscious. The Ambassador had barely been more than a teenager, yet he’d shown compassion to the one who’d replaced him as prince. And he’d died to protect a mage, even though he was the son of those who’d helped torment him.
Why couldn’t the witches see that wolves were more than beasts? That they could be heroes, as well as killers…?
Moon and Emperor exchanged a glance, before Moon whispered something to Emperor who paled.
Then Emperor marched to Amadeus and me, enfolding us both against his chest. “The young Prince of the Gods died protecting the Charmer’s fiancé.” Emperor paused; his brow furrowed. “He was as brave as any Alpha.”
When Amadeus’ knees buckled, Emperor held him up. Amadeus was ashen, but it disturbed me that he didn’t make a sound like he’d been coached to hold pain deep inside like just another dance move. Only when I rested my forehead against his, did his eyelids flutter, and a single tear spilled from the corner of his eye.
“He was good,” Amadeus whispered like each word ripped another part of him to pieces. “Kind. Loyal. Everything I’m not.”
“On fear of silver, that’s enough of that daft talk,” Moon snarled. Moon’s own eyes gleamed with tears, and Okami darted away from my neck to wind around Moon’s. Moon stroked him with a shaky hand. “You’re our friend and our pack. We love you, even if some rotten bastards have been pulling your strings. Let me guess, you’ve been spying on us for your bitch of a sister, and she’s the one you told about last night…”
All of a sudden, the waterfall thundered, transforming to milk-white like it was feeding a god. The fountains shutoff dead.
Amadeus quivered in Emperor’s arms, as if he knew what was coming next and (hey, what a surprise), it wasn’t the part where us honored guests were offered a breakfast of waffles and chocolate sauce.
Come on, Crimson, if you just wish hard enough for those waffles maybe…
“That bitch of a sister prefers to be called princess.” A woman’s husky voice wound out of the walls and floor like dark coiling smoke. Amadeus winced. So, there were speakers hidden around the room, as well as cameras… My witchy tech fingers itched to tear up the padding and work out the mechanisms. But I didn’t think that desecrating a shrine would make the best first impression for my mother-in-law. “But you’re right, Omega.” This time it was Moon’s turn to wince. “Wow, not all Wilds are as dumb are they are pretty or is it just their princes who are cunning? What am I saying? No one’s as pretty and cunning as my Beta prince, of course.”
There was a growl — woah, that was me.
Emperor quirked his brow. “Inside, we’re all growling in agreement.”
I’d hoped that Amadeus’ family would offer us a true home here. Hadn’t the Crescents said that Mischief and I would be worshiped? But worship wasn’t the same as love, and I wouldn’t allow anyone to speak about my Charms like that anymore, even their own families. Toads and frogs, especially their families.
The moon doors creaked open at the same time as My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade” burst out of hidden speakers in an Emo anthem of marching drums, guitar riffs, and screaming epicness.
Well, that wasn’t ominous at all.
Princess Vala sauntered through the doors like the music was her personal anthem. She wore a dress that was slit so high that when she swung her hips on each step it revealed her creamy thighs; she could’ve been Amadeus’ incubus sister, rather than his adopted one. Yet there was an edge of darkness in her eyes that wasn’t in Amadeus’, as if she hadn’t made up her mind whether she wanted to tear out your throat, kiss it, or do both at the same time.
Her hair was twisted on either side of her head in coils like twin moons, but apart from the gleam of her collar, she wasn’t adorned with any jewelery. Maybe she didn’t want to distract from her thick eyeliner and eyeshadow that made her look like an Emo who’d fallen into glitter.
When she clicked her fingers, the music shut off.
“Aw, that’s a shame,” I smirked, “we were just getting to the part where you decided to join the Black Parade.”
Vala’s claws grew, before she forced herself to smooth down her dress. “Beta told me that you enjoy music playing in your house. A good host helps you feel at home.”
Yep, Amadeus was getting my death glare.
Amadeus wriggled down against Emperor’s chest like if he couldn’t see me or his sister, and Emperor just kept holding him, then the contest he’d set up between us would just poof like I’d cast a Vanishing Spell. In fact, I wished that I knew a Vanishing Spell, then Vala wouldn’t look so smug.
Wouldn’t it be nice if life was that simple?
“Honestly, I wouldn’t call a crazy spook playing music to torment my ass, enjoying music.” I snorted. “And I have a feeling that you don’t care about me feeling at home. We’re like sisters-in-law now, so it’s a pleasure to meet you, but Amadeus is mine now, right?”
A blazing jealousy passed behind Vala’s eyes that made me tremble.
Okay, I knew that as a witch and a Wolf Charmer I was Vala’s enemy. Her brother had been sacrificed to my mom, and her adopted brother had also been given to me. I understood why I wouldn’t be on her cuddle list. But at the same time, Amadeus must’ve reported to her that I hadn’t hurt him, as well as the fact that I wasn’t the same as the other Wolf Charmers.
Hadn’t he?
But what if I had hurt him somehow, and he hadn’t been allowed to tell me? My breath became ragged, as my red reached out, desperate to stroke through Amadeus’ hair, but he snuggled down further into Emperor’s arms.
Vala’s smile was sweet but edged with cruelty. “Amadeus: is that what Beta told you to call him? Naughty, naughty. That name is banned within these walls. Someone’s earned himself a spanking.” Amadeus whined, and I growled — again. Maybe there seriously was something in this Wolf Witch. She strolled closer. “How about I tell you his true nickname?”
“Nay, how about
you don’t.” Moon blocked her, tilting his chin up in the gesture that made my stomach squirm with its adorable rebelliousness. “He gets to choose his name; that’s his right.”
“He’s a mongrel,” Vala hissed, “he has no rights.”
“Say that again,” Mischief said silkily, although his eyes sparked, “I truly dare you.”
Vala laughed, but I’d been to enough tense dinner parties in the Hamptons to know fake laughter when I heard it. “You don’t look like innocents. How sweet. Why do you think a kingdom would adopt and train an incubus as their prince?”
When Amadeus flinched, I surged with the same rage as made Mischief break free of Ramiel’s hold and soar towards Vala, whilst his magic wound around him in sizzling sprays.
Every godly inch of Mischief was terrifying, awe-inspiring…and hot.
Vala stumbled, as Mischief landed. Her eyes widened in shock.
“Do tell me why you think it advisable not to cease your senseless prattle?” Mischief stalked towards her, and Vala backed into the corner. “Oh, that’s right, because you’re a brutal, prejudiced bully. I’ve heard rather a lot about your sort within Wolf Kingdom, and I’ve fought against more oppressors than you can imagine. You talk about Amadeus’ cunning, but you’re the one who imagines yourself clever. Let me assure you that I shall find out what you’re scheming if your intention is to hurt my pack.”
Vala tossed her head with pretend indifference, even as her heels touched the waterfall. “The pretty god thinks that he can—"
“Whoops, did I just say Amadeus?” Mischief leaned in closer to Vala, who stiffened. “Pray, will you spank me now? I double dare you.”
Then Mischief’s magic shoved Vala in the chest, sending her onto her ass beneath the milky waterfall. She shrieked, splashing and churning the foaming waters, before gasping and pulling herself out, whilst her dress stuck to her.
Only Pretty Betas: A Shifter Paranormal Romance Series (Rebel Werewolves Book 2) Page 20
