Chapter 5 – REGINA #2
"But that's impossible," I say, sitting up straighter. "Dragons are extinct. No one has seen one in hundreds of years."
"Yeah," Rowan agrees. "My history prof thinks they're a myth and never existed at all."
Villeneuve's eyes darken. "Your history prof is a blowhard," he says under his breath. That's a surprise. He's usually so… buttoned up.
Rowan's eyes narrow. "You're saying you can get dragon's blood."
It's not a question, and Villeneuve doesn't treat it as one. "I can help," he says instead. "I can make the necessary adjustments to your ritual to ensure it's performed safely, and I can provide the final ingredient."
"How?" I ask, not bothering to hide my skepticism.
"I have my sources," he replies, his tone making it clear that's all the explanation we're getting. "But I do have one condition."
Of course he does. Nothing comes without strings attached. "What condition?"
"I need to be present for the ritual," Villeneuve says, setting my grimoire aside. "To ensure it's performed correctly."
Rowan stiffens beside me. "No. No way."
"Then I'm afraid I can't help you." Villeneuve's voice is mild, but there's steel beneath it. "The ritual you're attempting is complex and dangerous. Without proper guidance, the consequences could be severe."
I don't miss his emphasis on the last word, or the calculating look in his eyes. He knows exactly how desperate we are, how close the new moon is. That this is the only option we have if we want to break my bond with Kyle and create a new one with the pack.
"We'll find another way," Rowan says, already rising to his feet.
"Will you?" Villeneuve asks, his gaze fixed on me rather than Rowan. "In the next twelve hours? Before the new moon passes and you're forced to wait another month?" He pauses, then adds, "A month during which your former coven will undoubtedly redouble their efforts to reclaim you?"
He's right, and we all know it. We're out of time and options.
"Fine," I say, ignoring Rowan's groan of protest. "You can attend the ritual."
"Regina—" Rowan begins.
"It's tonight," I continue, cutting him off. "At the Lupe Tau pack house."
Villeneuve's smile widens slightly. "I look forward to it." He fans his hands out over the books I brought. "If you don't mind, I'll keep these while I make the necessary amendments to the ritual."
I feel a twinge of reservation at the thought of being separated from my grimoire, even for a few hours, but I know it's necessary.
"Of course," I say, standing. "Thank you for your help."
Villeneuve keeps smiling while Rowan bristles. "My pleasure."
Rowan is dead silent on our way out of Villeneuve's mansion, but I know the moment we make it past the wards, the others are going to ambush us. I can already feel them watching.
And I can see Sean. He's up in a fucking tree for some reason, like he thinks he's Tarzan. And the tree is leaning precariously. How did he even get up there?
"Just say it," I tell Rowan, sighing.
"Killian is going to lose his mind," Rowan says flatly without wasting a moment. "Villeneuve in our territory? At a ritual that will determine the future of our pack? It's a security nightmare."
"I know."
"We don't even know what he is."
"I know that too."
"And yet you invited him anyway," Rowan says, his voice tight with frustration. "You even left your grimoire with him."
I'm surprised he's picked up on what a big deal that is. Most shifters don't bother learning more than absolutely necessary about magic, and honestly, it goes both ways.
"What choice did I have?" I stop walking, forcing him to face me. "We need that ritual to work, Rowan. Not just for me, but for all of you. Unless you want to get expelled from Stormvale for failing to secure a Bonded?"
He drags a hand through his hair, a gesture I'm starting to recognize as his version of Sean's more dramatic displays of frustration. "But that's not even close to my first priority right now. I'm not saying your decision was wrong," he admits. "Just that it's going to create complications."
"Killian will have to deal with it," I say firmly. "If he wants this bond to happen, he'll have to accept that Villeneuve is part of the package."
Rowan studies me, his dark eyes unreadable. "You're good for him, you know," he says finally. "For all of us."
The words catch me off guard. "What do you mean?"
"Killian's used to getting his way. We all are, to some extent.
Alpha shifters aren't exactly known for compromise.
" A small smile tugs at his lips. "Having someone who stands their ground, who makes decisions based on what's right rather than what's easy…
that's something our pack has always needed. "
I don't know what to say to that. It's one of the nicest things I've ever heard, and it's coming from the wolf I'd least expect to be sentimental.
"Let's just hope that standing my ground doesn't get us all turned into toads," I mutter, resuming our walk.
Rowan falls into step beside me. "At least we'd be toads together."
Despite everything, I find myself laughing a little.
My foot hasn't even hit the other side of the ward before a man-shaped missile barrels into my side and strong arms wrap around me, lifting me off the ground.
"Bout fucking time!" Sean howls, squeezing me so tight I can't breathe, even though I'm pretty sure he's trying to be gentle.
"We thought Villeneuve fed you to his goblin pit. "
"Villeneuve has a goblin pit?" I choke out, fighting to breathe while instinctively melting a little bit into his warm embrace. "I didn't even think goblins were real."
"They're not," Rowan says flatly. "Try telling that to Sean."
"I saw one, man," he protests, finally setting me down without letting me go. "It looked me in the eye and stole my fucking socks."
"Witches need to breathe, Sean," Killian says firmly, appearing through the trees with Micah not far behind.
"Oh, right." Sean grins sheepishly and loosens his grip. "Sorry."
"I'm fine," I say with a laugh, looking over at the others. "But I have some bad news."
"What did he do?" Killian snarls, pushing Sean aside to grab me, his huge hands engulfing my shoulders as he looks me over for any sign of injury. "Did that freak put his hands on you?"
"No," I say immediately. "Villeneuve was nothing but a gentleman, as always."
Killian grimaces doubtfully, but he seems to accept it. Then he looks down at my empty hands. "Where are your books?"
"I left them with Villeneuve," I admit, grimacing when his jaw drops. "There were some issues with the ritual, and he agreed to fix them."
"Dude!" Sean throws his hands in the air. "I thought witches melted without their grimoires!"
"No, that's demons," Micah chimes in with the kind of confidence only a brutally incorrect male alpha is capable of.
"It's not demons," I say flatly. "Actually, I don't think that applies to any species. I'll be fine without my grimoire for a few hours until Villeneuve brings it over with the rest of the ritual supplies."
When they all do a double take, I realize I'm not going to be able to just slip that one under their noses.
Worth a shot, though.
Killian pinches the bridge of his nose and clenches his jaw. "Wait, what do you mean when Villeneuve brings them over?"
I take a deep breath. Here goes. "I kind of… invited him to the ritual?"
Micah's eyes widen. Sean and Rowan stare at Killian expectantly, like they're waiting for him to spontaneously combust.
Honestly, so am I.
Which is what makes his low, easy chuckle so unsettling in comparison.
"I'm sorry, I think the stress is getting to me," he says. "I could have sworn you said you invited Villeneuve over to the pack house for the ritual."
"I did," I answer.
He stares at me.
I stare back.
This is the point where Kyle would explode, call me a moron, and spend the next few days starving me of coven energy to make his point really fucking clear.
Instead, Killian buries his hands in his hair and drags them down the side of his face with a pained groan.
"Reginaaaaaa."
"Oh, no. The vein's out," Sean says, immediately grabbing Killian's shoulders and kneading. "It's never fucking good when the vein in his forehead stands out like he's benching five hundred."
"Seven," Killian corrects without missing a beat, shrugging Sean off him.
He fixes me with a pleading look instead.
"Look, having you on his turf was bad enough, but the pack house?
I don't think you understand how much effort it's going to take not to separate his head from his body like a fucking G.I. Joe."
I raise an eyebrow. "Is that how boys play with dolls?"
"They're action figures," Micah mumbles.
"Well, I have faith in you," I say, folding my arms.
"You probably shouldn't," Rowan says dryly.
Sean wrinkles his nose in disgust. "Villain-whatever is gonna get weirdo germs all over the cuddle pit."
"I thought we agreed you were never going to call it that again," Micah says, giving him the side eye.
"What? We have a Bonded now, it can be a cuddle pit without it being weird," Sean protests.
Micah rolls his eyes.
"Look, I know a wolf's den is sacred," I begin, "and I know this isn't going to be fun for you guys, but Villeneuve is the only one who knows enough about this to trust him with the ritual. If we go through with it without him, it could backfire."
"We could always wait another month," Micah suggests. "Give you and Sadie more time to hammer shit out."
"Another month for Kyle and the coven to regroup and try to claim me."
All four alphas snarl and bristle at the words. It's an instinctive reaction that would normally have me running for the nearest sign of civilization, but coming from them, I actually kind of like it.
"Like hell we'd ever let that happen," Killian growls, his voice more monster than human. "That over-gelled asshole steps one foot on this campus and his remaining arm is gonna be the only thing that's left."
I sigh, reaching up to touch his cheek. Instantly, all the coiled tension and rage bleeds out of him and I feel his chaotic energy settle. This giant alpha stares down at me like I'm the center of the known universe.
"I know you four would protect me from Kyle and the coven," I say softly. "But I also know the chaos that could come from that. The kind that could not only get the pack disbanded, but make it impossible for us to form a Bond."
Killian clenches his jaw, and I can feel him warring with himself. "I don't trust him. Not with anything, but especially not you."
"I know," I murmur, stroking my thumb along his jaw. "And I'm not asking you to. I'm asking you to trust me."
The fire in his eyes dies down to discontented embers and he breathes a long-suffering sigh.
"I do," he says in a voice that's still gravelly.
"And if this is what you need to feel safe bonding with us…
fine. Villeneuve can babysit the ritual.
But if he does anything suspicious, it's G.I. Fucking Joe."
My mouth twists into a smile despite my best attempts not to encourage his murderous rivalry with the professor. "That's all I'm asking."
Hopefully, neither of us will regret it.