Chapter 2
Five hours later, Natasha lay unconscious in a bed of “moonstone and steel”. Her fiery blue wings still enveloped her form while the sun rose on the horizon. Its intensifying light oozed through the balcony, warm orange and pink hues sweeping over her form and contrasting with the dancing flames.
It was the strangest, most mesmerizing thing I’d ever witnessed.
Her wings weren’t solid by any means, but they were perfectly defined as tiny flames spread over them, shaping what would otherwise be feathers. They slightly swayed over her form, allowing us to see her serene, restful expression underneath them.
Our mate seemed at ease, completely peaceful, a stark contrast to the screams of torment and terror that echoed through the estate, bursting from the traitors who had somehow infiltrated the Viscountess’s guard.
Fully healed, Isis stood a few steps behind us, her back against the wall while her gaze dutifully held Natasha’s sleeping form. Her arms crossed over her chest as both deep concern and relief for her daughter’s wellbeing burdened her eyes.
Yes, the Viscountess had carried and given birth to our mate, but Isis had been there for every other second of Natasha’s life—protecting her, witnessing the good days and the bad, risking her own life to make sure Natasha was one day reunited with her true family.
As far as I was concerned, Natasha was her daughter too, and I would strike down anyone who dared say different.
After hovering over Natasha for the past five minutes, Bj?rn’s hands finally lowered—finished scanning her life force to make sure it wasn’t compromised. Without a word, he turned towards Isis and winked, his reassuring smile letting us all know everything was as it should be.
She would be fine.
A sweet breath of relief filled all of our lungs in unison, but Isis’s hand flew to her mouth, quieting her soft cries. Bj?rn’s arms wrapped around her the next second, cradling her against his broad chest. He kissed the top of her head.
Though Dante could access incredible healing magic, only Bj?rn could actually perceive the energies that conformed the universe, including the very threads weaving our life force. He could manipulate them, drain them away, or even replenish them with his own.
It was his gift as an Ethereal Fae, and right now, I was incredibly thankful for him.
“I’m so terribly sorry to interrupt…” The shame-filled words came through the slowly opening door.
We turned to find Friedrich, the residence’s butler peeking into the room, his eyes filled with both grief and urgency when they uneasily bypassed Natasha, as though he wasn’t worthy of looking at her in that form. He glanced at Isis before his gaze finally settled on me.
“The ReinheitWolfe Queen and the Iron King are on a video call,” he added, the statement needing no other explanation.
After I discovered the new RavenWolf packs hidden across the U.S.
, my parents took over trying to hunt down their locations so I could come here to protect Natasha.
Now that we knew they were working side by side with evil Vampires—the atrocious deal surely benefiting Vampires more than the RavenWolves realized—we’d shared the new intel with the ReinheitWolfe Knight Force in Chicago, who joined the quest as of last night.
Swiftly wiping the tears off her cheeks, Isis stood. “I’ll take the call, Friedrich.”
“Thank you, Isis…” I sent to her through my family’s pack bond, one she’d been inducted into after Dresden found her and presented her to my parents, vouching for her.
If only any of us knew then how important she would become to our family… Perhaps the Viscountess had already seen it.
“Of course, take care of her for me.”
“With my life.”
Offering me a small smile, she left the room, Bj?rn following on her heels. With Dresden going after the bastards who kidnapped his wife/Natasha's mom, Isis was next in command as it pertained to the ReinheitWolfe pack in the U.S.
When I turned to the door, I found Friedrich still standing by it, his eyes begging me for an update on the Viscountess’s daughter while keeping his gaze away from her.
My gut constricted for him. Everyone who had been truthful in their vow to the Viscountess and her family was hurting right now.
Walking to his side, I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“Natasha is doing well. She’s sleeping, and hopefully, we’ll hear from the Alpha regarding the Viscountess’s location soon.
My parents also have knights looking for the shifters who took her.
Anastasia and Dresden will come back,” I assured him, risking the use of their first names with him just to emphasize my point.
“Thank you, Iron Prince.” With a nod, he retired, carefully closing the door so as not to wake Natasha from her sleep.
Sighing, I returned to my spot by the other wall.
“How is she doing?” Countess Dariah asked, flying through the balcony at that moment.
She marched toward us, stopping next to Dante while her attention focused on Natasha. Her large, previously burgundy wings were now covered in deceivingly beautiful black feathers. A gift born from her own transformation in the Vampire cocoon twenty years ago, and the ultimate sign of danger.
When the Countess wore her feathers, someone was sure to die in the most excruciating way they could possibly experience.
“She’s stable, but still in the cocoon,” D answered from his perch next to our mate, his palm resting over her wing—where her hand would lay. He couldn’t bring himself not to touch her. Fortunately for him, his venom shield had him covered.
My chest fucking stung with the sight, and I plunged my hands into the front pockets of my jeans, forcing my back against the wall to keep myself from going to her side.
“Thank you,” Countess Dariah graciously replied, accepting Dante’s handkerchief, and proceeding to pat clean the droplets of blood that tainted her otherwise alabaster skin. “It shouldn’t be much longer before she awakes.”
A heavy sigh followed her statement, canceling the reassurance she’d wanted to give us.
“Torture, really? D challenged, looking at her wipe the remainder of the blood splatters from the cuffs of her leather suit. “You have a Vampir who can literally pull anything you want from their minds.”
He was referring to Georgette, the same Vampire who searched the minds of Friedrich, Lucia, and Archie, as well as every other loyal servant who willingly offered their memories to prove their love and resolute commitment to the Rosu family.
Not to mention, the Dracul Dynasty.
Unfaced by his reproach, she gave him a one-shoulder shrug, planting her hand on her hip when she returned the soiled handkerchief to Dante.
“I considered it wise to remind them of why I am to be feared. Besides, Georgette is not a tool to be used whenever I please. She’s my friend, and I respect her, yah? ”
Sarcasm made her lips twitch, confirming the mercy of memory reading had never even been an option for the filthy traitors who got caught.
“In any case, interrogations are over. Antoine and Constantin left, following a lead we retrieved. They’ll contact us as soon as they have something tangible.”
“Junior is still here?” D asked, only for her to shake her head.
“Your brother left to meet his father. They have an important mission to complete. I will go shower now. Do let me know as soon as she awakes, yah?” Sending one last, concerned glance to our mate, she exhaled.
“She might not be the same Natasha you remember, and I’d like to be here to help her adjust.”
Her gaze carefully swept over us, assessing whether or not we were ready for what was to come. Finding nothing but unwavering devotion in our eyes, she nodded once and walked out the door.
The weight in her statement grounded us all, and we exchanged a troubled look before Dante moved closer to Natasha.
Whispering the spell that he’d used before, his hand and forearm were instantly protected by a white shimmering glow, and he sat on the bed, placing his hand over the place where her stomach would be.
Her fire no longer burned him.
Glancing at my hand, I let my arm transform into the Beast’s, white fur covering every inch up to my rolled-up sleeve. Obsidian claws extended from my fingertips, but I kept them at bay so as not to hurt our mate.
I hated the way my chest clamped down on me, trapping the breath in my lungs when I walked toward the head of the bed. I ignored it all, even the way blood rushed through me, and my heart began to thunder.
Fear. Fucking fear.
What the fuck was I afraid of? Natasha was mine, and it was just a touch.
Just a touch…
Dante and D immediately tensed, holding their breaths, frozen in place without uttering a single word. They watched me, their muscles coiled and ready for action in case I ignited again.
Focusing on her beautiful face through the swaying blue waves of power, I slowly reached for her.
Surprisingly, the flames welcomed my touch.
No, not welcomed, tolerated, allowing me to go through them and caress the top of her hair.
The softness of her silver strands caressed my fingers too, gifting me a moment of peace.
Both D and Dante visibly relaxed, their bodies sagging where they sat.
Feeling more like myself, I braved transforming my hand into my wolf’s instead, long fingers retreating as my thick paw formed. Once again, the guys tensed next to me. The sting of dangerous heat reached me immediately and my arm instinctively jerked, but I didn’t pull away—it was manageable.
The flames didn’t catch my fur, didn’t spread over my skin, they just swayed over my paw, letting their presence there be a stern warning.
My eyes connected with D’s, and he immediately scowled. “Don’t you fucking do it, Hannes. I mean it.”
I pursed my lips, unable but to ignore him.
“I swear to Goddess Hecate,” Dante threatened, standing from his perch next to our mate to stop me, but my mind was already made.