Luna's Heir

3

Palatians and Outsiders alike, stood side by side, weapons slack in their hands as they searched for the source of the violation just committed. Remembering to keep my sword poised at the masked male’s jugular, I allowed my gaze to seek him out, a maelstrom of molten ire eddying in my veins as I did.

Even though we were far removed from any human towns or settlements, firing with guns tended to risk our discovery. More than once in the past, the consequences to both sides had been so dire the use of firearms and explosives was prohibited.

A treaty had even been signed. We could fight and kill each other all we wanted, but without making too much noise, because when humans got involved, our species’ existence—no matter on what side of the wall—was at risk.

The masked Outsider took advantage of me being distracted and sprinted off into the forest behind him the moment I found him. The violator. Standing there, chin high and chest puffed up, as if he expected us to worship at his feet after what he’d done.

With smoke still emitting from the end of the rifle he held, his striking green eyes—crowned with russet-colored hair—were locked onto me, smiling like Luna might have smiled right before Aurora Cursed her. It was a snake’s smile, laced with arrogance and cocky provocation.

I quickly checked myself for any bullet wounds, but I didn’t find any on me, nor on any of the other stunned werewolves around me, who were all also now staring at the Outsiders’ Alpha, I realized. There was no mistaking it. The powerful build and bearing of unadulterated confidence were a dead giveaway—which only made the violation of our safety more of an atrocity.

His smile only widened as I felt primal rage taking over every rational thought I might have had. Come and get me if you can then, pup, he seemed to say.

You’re as good as carrion, I glared back at him.

“Yes, I think ‘Murderous Calm’ is what I’ll call it,” Archer’s voice penetrated our quiet communion from beside me. I didn’t have to look to see the anticipatory smirk he bore.

The rogue Alpha had the wisdom to let fear flicker across his features, but it was gone before he turned and sprinted for the safety of the dense forest beyond—leaving his pack behind.

“Blade,” Dexter said, her melodious voice edged with warning, coming up on my other side. “I don’t think you should—”

I took off after the coward and violator, ignoring her calls as the forest swept past me in a blur.

I was like a bloodhound on a scent. The hunt for it overrode all my senses and training.

The hunt consumed me—I became the hunt.

Chapter 2 Blade

I

reined in the burst of rage riding my temper so hard I nearly choked on it. I couldn’t believe it—I was being interrogated by my own people!

“Like I said,” I ground out, my voice intoned with an impatient growl. “I was ambushed. Drugged. Taken to an abandoned shack about ten klicks east of here. They then roughed me up.” I pointed to my almost healed swollen eye and split lip, in case they hadn’t noticed, “And left me tied to a chair. The tranquilizer they gave me wore off. I broke my bounds and escaped.”

“Just like that?” Ace said as if it was the most absurd thing he’d ever heard, pacing like a self-satisfied jungle cat beside Ysunra, who’d been quietly watching me in that contemplative way of his since I’d arrived back at Paladin Headquarters. “Do you really expect us to believe that they didn’t even try to get any information from you? For all we know,” he continued, coming around the oak desk to stand toe-to-toe with me, “you spilled your guts the first chance you got, and they then let you go with a few cuts and bruises to make it look like you put up a fight at least.”

My hands clenched into fists at my sides, itching to grab Ace by the throat and squeeze the look of delighted disdain from his pockmarked face. I had my strength back now. All I needed to do was reach out and—

“Thank you, Commander Soal,” Ysunra said calmly, still watching me closely. “I will take it from here.”

Ace ignored the Captain of the City Guard, leaning in closer, his breath hot on my face. “We won’t let this stand.” We, meaning him and the other Paladins. “You might be our best warrior, but the weakness of betrayal is in your blood—”

“Commander Soal,” Ysunra reprimanded quietly, but with a near-lethal edge to his voice, even the sudden roar in my veins stumbled. He must have seen how my look of forced boredom had been about to snap into something far more deadly—and since Ace wasn’t Blessed with resilience, it would have been over quickly. And the captain knew it. “You are excused.”

Ace lingered for only a second longer, his icy gaze filled with accusation and hatred as he gave me one final look before he stalked from Ysunra’s study. Even he wasn’t stupid enough to ignore the captain’s order for a second time.

This whole mess of getting myself caught by the Outsiders—not to mention my quick return under questionable circumstances—was exactly the sort of thing he’d been honing his canines for. A single inconsistency, anything suspicious, was all he needed to sink his teeth into. He wouldn’t rest until he had me stripped of my title and saw the Breyten name tarnished even further.

As if all the other Paladins’ perpetual wary glances and whispers behind my back hadn’t been enough to endure for the past decade, Ace had made it his life mission to cast a spotlight of cynicism on everything I did—or didn’t do.