Chapter 10 #2
A name had never caused me such fury, and when I turned to face her, I kept Caedmon behind me.
This was the woman who’d traumatized my mate to the point that he believed he couldn’t be loved.
To the point that he believed he wasn’t deserving of anything but the constant, tortuous cycle of replaying his nightmares again and again.
His father played a part, but this was the woman who had preyed on a young boy—a child.
A feral growl broke from my throat as Caedmon tightened his grip on my waist, the action the only movement he seemed capable of.
“Effie, what’s going on?” Julian demanded.
“This is the woman who hurt Caedmon,” I growled, not positive they would understand what I was saying since they didn’t know his full story. “Victoria.”
The woman approached slowly, her heels hitting the ground in a soft click. “And you must be the mate. Is that right? Lycans don’t normally have mates, so imagine my surprise when I found out some little girl was trying to take him from me. Trying to claim him.”
The ownership in her voice sickened me. “Caedmon is not yours. You shouldn’t even be here.”
“And why is that?” she asked, her eyes running over my other two mates. “He came home, didn’t he? Are you sure that wasn’t on purpose? Are you sure he doesn’t want to stay? It seems like you don’t have enough time for him anyway with…what is it, five mates?”
“We are here for one thing,” Dakota bit out, “and it sure as shit isn’t you. You can fuck off, lady.”
“Totemic. Disgusting,” the woman spit. “I understand why your standards are lower if this is the scum you’ve been hanging out with,” she said to Caedmon.
“This is bullshit,” Julian snarled.
Caedmon’s energy was volatile, building up to something lethal and dangerous.
I could feel his anger—I could feel his fury.
He wasn’t scared of this woman, at least not in the same way he’d been when he was when he was younger, but he wanted to kill her.
To destroy that part of his past. But Caedmon had dealt with enough darkness, and she didn’t even deserve that level of attention from him. She didn’t deserve anything from him.
“You need to leave. Now,” I said, stepping through the wall Dakota and Julian had formed between us. I took a fortifying breath before adding, “Before I make you.”
I wasn’t making an empty threat, either. Pink magic surrounded me, pulsating from my fingertips, but this time streaks of bright red shot through it. In a snap, Victoria appeared in front of me, standing over me and looking down with malice.
“You can’t do anything,” she snarled. “You are nothing, let alone a woman who could take Caedmon from me.”
Before I could stop her, she was past me and standing in front of Caedmon. I watched as her hand reached for him, and I saw the exact moment the thread holding Caedmon’s sanity snapped.
He was going to kill her. If she touched him, he was going to kill her.
Never in my life had I moved so fast. I grabbed Victoria by the back of her neck and pushed my magic through her—
Her form crumbled onto the steps, completely unconscious.
Shit. That was close.
Caedmon was shaking, the energy under his skin about to burst outward. Turning to the other two, I spoke quietly. “Get rid of her. Take her upstairs or something—anywhere that isn’t here—and then come find us. I’ll be here with Caedmon.”
“Are you sure?” Julian asked, probably worried about leaving me essentially by myself.
“He would never hurt me, Julian,” I promised before adding, “Coffin knows that also.”
He let out a low rumble, grabbing Victoria’s arm with a look of disgust and dragging her to the stairs.
Dakota hesitated, speaking to Caedmon before he followed to help. “I know you’re in there right now, Caedmon, and I know you’re fucking furious, but we’re about to leave you alone with our mate. I’m trusting you to not put her in danger.”
Caedmon’s gaze found Dakota’s, and I saw something flicker there, but he didn’t respond. I noticed that Dakota hadn’t said anything about being worried that Caedmon would hurt me, per se…just to not put me in danger.
Then Dakota joined Julian, grabbing Victoria’s other arm and helping him drag her up the stairs. I hated that they even had to touch her.
When they were out of sight, I turned towards Caedmon and slowly approached him. His gaze tracked my movement, and I saw him open his mouth to say something, but only a feral noise left his throat.
“I know you won’t hurt me, Caedmon,” I said softly. “I just need to know what I can do to help. She’s gone—I promise you, she’s gone. You will never see her again.”
The words left me without thought…and I didn’t feel bad. I wanted her gone. I wanted the threat to Caedmon to perish.
“Mon ange—” His voice was steeped in pain.
“I’m here,” I promised, letting my magic roll over his skin. I slowly raised my hand, Caedmon’s breathing going even rougher. I knew I was taking a risk, touching him when he was like this. I had no idea how it would end, but I didn’t want him to ever think he was alone.
“I’m here,” I repeated as my fingers grazed his chest. “And I love you.”
The words were barely out of my mouth before I was pinned against the wall, Caedmon’s teeth against my throat.