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With that, we shuffled back into the Stronghold. I was at the back of the group, and just before I stepped inside, a shadow loomed over me.
Goosebumps went up my arms at the heat rippling off the figure behind me, and I halted.
Priel leaned in until his body was only a breath away from mine. His low growl in my ear was soft enough that no one else could’ve heard a damn word. “I’m going to be fighting these bastards for a while. My full name is Lopriel. When you’re ready, use it.”
A shiver rolled down my spine as he stepped away, and I realized the other men were already growling, snarling, and snapping.
My monologue had apparently not done much good. But it had to be better than a competition, I hoped.
As Priel strode toward the other guys, his fists caught fire.
I always tried not to watch him fight, but I’d seen it a few times. And that was exactly how he always started; with the flaming fists.
Fear clenched my stomach.
There were so many other fae. If enough of them got together, they would take him down. He was strong, and he didn’t think they would kill him because of the portal he could create, but I didn’t trust them.
Not for a second.
I took two steps toward the group, and their attention lifted back to me. I raised my voice louder than I had earlier.
“No more blood. If any more of you bleed today, all four of us will go to the unseelie and mate with the first bastards we find.”
My gaze met Priel’s, and his eyes were so furious. I could see the fire of his anger burning within them, and knew he was going to be pissed with me.
Hewantedto fight. And I wasn’t on board with it.
He didn’t have to love me, or want me, or even like me.
But I wasn’t going to let him get himself killed because of me.
Spinning around, I stalked back into the Stronghold. The door slammed behind me, and my fingers shook a little as I did up the top two locks. After a short moment of hesitation, I did the next two too, just to be safe.
“Damn, that was badass,” Sunny exclaimed, high-fiving Dots and then Mare. When she held her palm out toward me, it took me a minute, but I finally high-fived her too.
“January is going to be so pissed she didn’t see any of that,” Mare said, fighting a smile. “Especially that last part. Whew.” She fanned herself, and I bit back a grin.
My face ended up forming a terrible grimace, but it was what it was.
“Are you and Priel actually a thing? There was some seriously-steamy eye-banging going on between you two,” Sunny said. “If I were you, I’d totally hit that.”
I flushed a little. “No. He’s never been into me like that. When his eyes shift, he gets sort of possessive, but otherwise he’s not interested.”
All three girls gave me incredulous expressions.
I bit my lip, taking a step back toward my room.
“Wait a second.” Sunny held up a finger. “You seriously think that man—that gorgeous, inked up blond sex god—isn’t interested in you romantically?”
“He never acted like it. Things were a little different, back at his house, but only when his mind was shifted. Then he got all caveman, but… no, I don’t think he’s into me. He just gets possessive because of the bond when someone pushes him.” I was rambling, and I knew it. But the alternative was actually letting myself consider the impossible, so… rambling it was.
“North, every man in this world wants a mate. Priel turned Sunny down ages ago, and looked absolutely thrilled when he ended up paired with you after we drew names.” Dots gestured to the couches, where he’d been sitting all those months ago.
Shit, I did not need the reminder of that day.
My mind jerked back to the moment he’d stopped me just outside the door, as I was walking in.
I blurted out a question about it without letting myself think it through. “He told me his name when I walked in here. His whole name. What does that mean?”
