Chapter 4
Chapter
Four
CAELAN
The air was cool and crisp, the scent of pine and the wild fresh in my nose. Evie’s presence was a beacon to my senses, drawing me down the sidewalk and into her shop. Things were good, really good between us, and I was doing my absolute best not to fuck it up again.
Between Rowan’s admonishment and Evie’s disappearance into the accursed fae tree, my faith in myself and the world around me had been shaken to the core.
Seeing her emerge, furious and naked, her magic, a thundering cloak around her body, made me see things in a different light and grasp at the second chance we’d been given.
But after rounding the corner and catching a glimpse of the sign hanging above her shop, something else caught my eye. A small group of men had gathered outside Little Shop of Florals, speaking in low undertones. Unfortunately for them, my hearing was keen, and I caught every word.
“I didn’t expect her to be so hot,” one of them whispered, a tall, lean, young…something. Not human, not shifter. He held a small bouquet of flowers in his hand. Sweat beaded at the top of his forehead, his jaw clenched with nerves.
“Yeah,” said another. “She’s smoking.”
“I dunno, man,” said a shorter, blond man. “I can feel her power signature all the way out here. I have no desire to be someone’s bitch.”
A frown creased my brow, but I kept walking. Maybe the witches were having one of their weird Beltane parties. Wait. No. That was in the summer. Winter solstice, then. They had copious amounts of sex at all times of the year, so maybe this one was…Yule.
Yep. Cernunnos would have a field day with this one if he happened to pop into the woods and stumbled upon a holly-themed orgy.
“Where’d you hear about her?” Another man asked. “A notice went out on social media from one of the Lord’s pages.”
My steps hitched. I slowed my pace and strained to listen.
“I don’t know why someone that hot is having trouble finding a husband,” the first one said.
My phone vibrated against my hip. I let it go to voicemail.
“I heard she has issues. Did you hear about the crazy shit with the tree?”
The blond snorted. “Gotta be hyperbole. No way a fae tree grew in the middle of a Lord’s territory. Caelan would have killed her and scattered her bones.”
My phone rang again.
They were talking about Evie.
“I saw some fliers posted in the local coffee shop. The dowry is enormous.”
My fists clenched at my sides. I bit down my snarl of rage and stalked over.
My power reached them before I did. Every man gathered around turned.
All of them stilled, their eyes widening.
“Good afternoon, Lord,” one of them said. “I’m surprised to see you away from the Keep.”
“Are you speaking of Evie Quinn?” My voice came out rough, the wolf vibrating in my tone.
The dark haired one swallowed. “Yes. She put out a notice looking for a husband.” He gestured to all of them. “We’re all unmated and unmarried.”
I could destroy every single man standing here and they knew it. One took a larger step back. “I’m out.”
He spun on his heel and hurried down the sidewalk. Smart man.
“Evie Quinn is unavailable. She has never been on a search for a husband and is romantically entangled with someone else.”
The blond, less intelligent than the others, snorted. “She’s still unmarried. There’s still a chance.”
The dark-haired man’s eyes flickered. “Mind if I ask who she’s involved with?”
My smile was a thing full of teeth and violence. “Me.”
A short nod from him. He held up his hands and gave me a sheepish smile. “I had no idea. No offense meant, Lord.”
“Leave,” I snarled.
Even the blond hauled ass away.
Goddammit. When I found out who was responsible for this, I’d tear them limb from limb.