Meg
“You’re lying.” I panted, sitting on my knees after wrestling my human skin back from my wolf, really, really angry at her for ripping up the only clothes of mine I had to wear as I tied the torn shirt around my chest.
I had to try. She panted too.
No more attacking the gods!
“Why is denial always a mortal’s first reaction? As if the whole universe conspired to deceive you. What makes you think you’re so special?” Ares seemed amused as he leaned back in his chair. At least he hadn’t killed us on the spot for my wolf’s little… outburst.
It’s because he’s entertained. She retreated, feeling her pride sink a bit at that realization, but it gave me hope.
I forced myself to meet the eyes of a god.
He smiled. “Such fragile, inflated, mortal egos. I do quite enjoy watching them be crushed.”
My arms gave out and I fell straight ONto my face, yanked by some invisible thread.
So that’s how it’s going to be. I readied myself to be a plaything of the gods. It wasn’t the first time I’d been knocked down just to get back up.
I had some ferocious sisters.
I got my arms underneath me and rocked back to my heels, fighting the pull of gravity.
Ares’s glossy black shoe tapped against the floor. “What should we do while we wait for him to arrive? How about we talk of your family? What defenses have the wolves built outside these walls?”
He does realize we’d rather die than betray them?
I sat silently, thinking of all the times I’d seen Roman do the same thing.
“You’re no fun.” Ares lifted his hand.
From the corner of my eye, I saw a thin strand of drool run down Justus’s chin, and I couldn’t imagine a fate worse for me or my wolf.
It was one thing to get hurt, another to be immobilized and powerless.
“Wait,” I said. “Why would I tell you our secrets? Where is the fun in that?”
“Fun?” Ares rested his hand on his knee. “What fun?”
“Isn’t half the thrill of war that you don’t know what the enemy is hiding?” I was grasping at straws.
Ares frowned. “The thrill of war is winning.”
Okay, new tactic. “Aren’t you bored of war?”
Ares blinked.
“Guess not. But come on. The drama of it all must be exhausting.” I glanced over my shoulder at the door I left open, sending a silent prayer to whoever was listening—if anyone cared to listen—that Katrina or Stephen wouldn’t come check on us.
A flash of lightning lit up the room, and Ares’s smile seemed more feral than before.
“If you think I’m dramatic, just wait until you meet my father. Always with the theatrics.” He motioned to the window. “But I do look forward to knocking the dust off my robes with another battle. Tell me, does your aunt still fight?”
I bared my teeth as I glared at him. “If you want a fight, fight me.”
“Now why would I do that when I have something more delicious planned?” Ares leaned back in his chair, watching me with a predator’s intensity.
“Can you imagine the battlefield drama with lovers on opposing sides? He’ll hate you for being weak.
For forcing the mating bond on him and causing the death of his father.
I know a good soldier when I see one. A whisper from me in his ear, and I’ll have him commanding the entire human army against the wolves. ”
Thunder shook the windows and lightning flashed again.
“Whose side will you choose then, little alpha? Will you fight with your family against your mate?” Ares’s smile was cruel.
The slightest movement caught my eye. Helen’s hand twitched as she curled it into a fist. Her face was still a frozen mask, but I could sense her fighting behind the compulsion.
Something flashed beyond her. A light on the road that cut out quick. I felt the tug in our bond, calling to me. Roman was out there.
He was coming this way.
“You don’t know him,” I blurted out, trying to keep the god’s attention on me. “My mate isn’t some soldier you can move around like a piece on your board.”
“Are you sure about that?” Ares leaned forward. “I can remember you thinking the same thing.”
The color drained from my face.
“That’s not… I didn’t…”
“Who’s lying now?” Ares smirked.
“You won’t win,” I growled at him. “I’ll find a way to stop you.”
Gods, where was a good god or goddess when you needed one?
“Really?” He arched a brow. “You and what army?”
“I thought I told you to stay in bed.” The sound of Morrigan’s voice should’ve been a relief, but I groaned internally. She really had a knack for popping in at the strangest times.
“And you.” Morrigan stood beside me, glaring down at my kneeled position. “Why don’t mortals ever listen? I told you to go home.”
She snapped her fingers and I had clothes again. Okay, maybe I could forgive her.
“Morrigan…” Ares drawled her name. “I’d wondered when you’d show up.”
“She’s right, you know,” the Celtic goddess said. “I told you this would never work. You won’t win.”
“Sounds like you’re afraid you’ll meet me on the battlefield again.” Ares’s eyes danced with humor as he studied the goddess. “How long has it been, my dear foe?”
“Is that what this is about?” Morrigan’s hair blew around her, moved by an invisible wind, as she continued to approach him. “Are you so eager to have your history erased again?”
She trailed a black-painted fingernail across the arm of his chair.
Ares ground his teeth. “Your people were still in caves when my followers took over the world. Don’t speak to me about history, you druid bitch.”
Morrigan lowered until her lips were beside the god’s chiseled jaw, and I watched, half-frozen in fear and mortified about the outcome when she kissed his cheek.
What is she doing?
“Buying you time.”
I almost screamed at hearing her voice inside my head, like she was pack… But not.
“There’s a reason I was awake before you,” she spoke into Ares’s ear.
“Listen to me now, wolf, if it’s the last thing you do. Get Roman far away from here.”
“And why is that?” Ares gripped the arms of the chair, powerful and refusing to flinch as she brushed her lips down the side of his neck.
Morrigan gave me a wink. “Because women still pray for me to come.”
She chomped down on his throat. Ares roared, splintering the chair under his fists.
The invisible force pressing down on my legs released and I cried out, crawling to my feet.
Lightning cracked across the sky again.
Glass broke as Morrigan was slammed back into the decorative fireplace, but she reacted with inhuman speed, spinning around in a blur of crows’ feathers to meet Ares’s oncoming attack.
“We have to go!” Helen screamed, not bothering to wait for the rest of the council as she pulled a dazed Justus towards the door.
I was right behind her, wasting no time on seeing how the fight between the gods would play out.
I’d already learned my lesson the hard way.
Justus stumbled and tripped, and I shoved him forward, helping him keep up with his mother.
We slid across the marble floors in the foyer, and I crashed right into Roman’s arms.
The relief I felt was quickly replaced by the angry command of Morrigan’s warning.
I planned to listen this time.
“We need to hurry.” I grabbed his hand.
“Wait.” He pulled me back, searching for injuries. “Are you hurt? What happened? I felt… I thought…”
His fist landed on his heart.
“I know.” I reached up to touch the side of his face, letting him see I was okay, and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “But we have no time to talk right now.”
I resisted the urge to throw him over my shoulder, half-dragging him toward the kitchens instead.
“Katrina! Stephen!” Helen was screaming. “We need to get out of here!”
The four of us pushed into the kitchen, sending rotten food falling to the floor as the trash got knocked over, and causing Stephen to scramble backwards.
Helen barked orders. Roman tugged me to his chest.
“What happened?” he asked again. “Where is the threat?”
“Another god,” I told him as something heavy crashed in the other room, followed by a loud war cry. “Ares.”
“Why is it only the Greek gods showing up now?” Roman frowned.
I shrugged. “Can we discuss this later?”
“You’re right. We should—”
Roman’s words were cut off as Helen tried to pull him away.
“Thank science you’re here, Roman.” Helen’s voice cracked. “We need a medical team for the council, and an escort somewhere safe.” Her gaze cut to our conjoined hands, and the councilwoman frowned at me. “The wedding is off. Go back to your kind. We don’t need you here anymore.”
Roman stepped in front of me, but Helen was already spinning around. “And where is Katrina? We have to get out of here. Stephen! Stop standing there and get us the car.”
Katrina came rushing from the back room with a bag in her hand, and Charles pressed against her side. “I’m here, Mrs. Troy.”
“Who the hell is that?” Helen screamed.
Katrina put a protective hand on the child’s head. “This is my son. I have a go-bag packed for you with everything you’ll need. Let’s—”
“Absolutely not.” By the sound of her voice, the councilwoman was losing it. But that didn’t stop everyone in her vicinity from flinching backwards. “You’re unwed. Not a registered mother. I will not have another scandal on my hands.”
“Mom, let it go.” Justus glanced over his shoulder. “We don’t have time for this.”
Helen snatched the bag from Katrina. “You’re dismissed.”
“Councilwoman, please…” Katrina’s eyes filled with tears as her son whined, tugging on her skirts.
Helen didn’t look back. “Roman. Justus. Stephen. Let’s go.”
A loud crash rocked the house, sending drywall dust floating down from the ceiling. Charles screamed and clamped his hands over his ears.
Roman’s hand was still firmly on mine and he pulled me forward.
For a panicked moment, I thought he meant to follow Helen, but he scooped the little boy onto his hip instead.
“Everyone, out of the house now,” he said, guiding Katrina toward the back door.
“Excuse me, Lieutenant.” Helen stood firmly in the doorway. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”
“Taking command,” Roman barked at her as another crash shattered a window somewhere in the house. “Now get moving.”
Helen’s jaw dropped, but Justus yanked her forward this time, sliding and slipping across the wet manicured lawn in their dressy shoes.
The night sky was unnatural. A swirling mess of dark gray clouds and refracted light like broken stars swirling into cosmic chaos.
Roman kept everyone moving forward and herded close, never letting go of my hand, as we crossed the street to where two military vehicles were waiting.
“What took so long, LT?” Marcus yelled from the driver's side window.
I’d never been so happy to see a smiling face.
“Is Gonzalez awake?” Roman yelled back.
Another man in uniform stood at attention and saluted Roman outside the second vehicle.
“I don’t know what came over us, Lieutenant,” Gonzalez said. “We were on patrol and then everything just went dark.”
“It was the gods,” Roman told the men that gathered at his approach and they all stared at him in confusion. Frustrated, he tried again. “There’s been a breach in the city and we’re under attack.”
“Lieutenant Miller,” Helen hissed under her breath. “That’s classified information on a need-to-know basis only.”
“As the senior ranking official, I’ve decided they need to know.” He addressed Ganzolez as he handed Katrina back her son. “Get the councilwoman and Rabbit to the safehouse on base. Send a convoy for the rest of the council… Whatever is left of them after this.”
A loud explosion had us all turning to the councilwoman’s house, watching it rock on its foundation.
“I suggest you hurry,” Roman said.
I love him bossy like this.
“This is insubordination,” Helen cried as the other military crew forced her into the vehicle. “Don’t think your connection to me will save you from the wrath that will come down on you for this!”
“Shut up, Mom.” Justus groaned as he helped her climb inside, earning an outraged look that I only saw for a second before the doors shut in her face.
“LT, what are our orders?” The younger of the men still huddled close to us looked to him for direction.
Roman waved Katrina forward. “This is a friend of mine and her undocumented son. They’ll be riding with us. If anyone isn’t okay with it, go with Gonzalez now.”
“Roman, you don’t have to do this.” Katrina rocked her son to soothe him.
“Yes, he does,” I said, nodding at my mate.
“I’ll go with them.” Stephen gave us a tight smile. “I’m not sure the councilwoman knows how to fend for herself.”
Tears slipped down Katrina’s cheeks as she gave Stephen a one-armed hug goodbye, but none of the other military men went with Gonzalez’s vehicle.
“Ready to roll out?” Marcus tapped the horn.
The men hustled to get Katrina and her son inside, making them comfortable, and I turned to stop Roman before we climbed into the vehicle.
“Thank you for coming back,” I said.
“Did you think I wouldn’t?” He pulled me close, stealing a moment as the rain and chaos rained down around us.
I wanted to kiss him, to rejoice in the fact that he was here and alive, but I remembered what Ares had said.
“Your father…” I whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” Roman shook his head. “We both did all we could to prevent this, but it was always going to end up this way.” He lowered his face until our lips were a breath apart. “And my consolation is that I know my father would’ve loved you too.”
Did he say he loved us? My wolf yipped.
I smiled against Roman’s lips. “When we get a minute alone, I’m going to show you just how much I love you too.”
“Why wait?” His lips captured mine in a tender kiss, stealing a moment.
“Mommy, look!” Charles’s little voice said. “The sky is breaking.”
I broke away from our kiss, staring past Roman’s shoulder as I tried to make sense of what I saw.
A giant hand shot straight down from the clouds.
I screamed as the fingers wrapped around Roman’s chest and he was torn straight out of my arms.