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If that makes me selfish, then so be it.
I will my features to return to their normal state, concealing the darkness that lies beneath. It’s time to face the storm that has arrived at our doorstep. Opening the door, I tuck Lyra against my side. The scent of musk wafts towards me, a potent reminder of their primal nature. My gaze sweeps over her four brothers, their towering figures casting long shadows on the veranda. They are undeniably big and muscled; their long hair and beards are unkempt, a reflection of their untamed existence.
Dressed in ripped jeans and wife beaters, they exude a strength that some might find intimidating, but I am not easily impressed. Their appearance, a façade of power, holds no sway over me. I have witnessed true power through the centuries, and their mere physicality fails to intimidate.
Lyra’s brothers exchange glances, their eyes flickering with a mixture of anger and disdain. The largest of the four steps forward. “Well, well, well... Look who’s been sneaking round with them blood-sucking leeches, huh? Ain’t enough for you to be part of our pack? Now you’re getting all cozy with our fucking enemies?”
Lyra bristles beneath my arms, and I can almost hear her inner wolf growling. I feel her heart thumping as she glares at her brother. “You want to talk to me about enemies, Lucian? You sent hunters and a shadow schemer after me; Xavier protected me while you were trying to have me killed. Does dad know what you did?”
“Don’t you dare open that big mouth about our old man when talking to me,” Lucian spits out through gritted teeth. “His goddamn loyalty to you is downright mind-boggling. He’s a weakling, plain and simple. Stepping out on our mama to fool around with some trash. I see right through you, bitch. You ain’t nothing but a mixed-up mutt. You’ll always be on the fringes, peeking in from the sidelines. That’s where you belong. Our old man should’ve tossed you in the river like the runt you are.”
Rage takes hold of me, and my mind becomes a thunderstorm of fury. My vision narrows, tunneling into a focused intensity. The world around me fades, reduced to a mere backdrop, as my attention locks onto the object of my anger. It’s a red haze that clouds my thoughts, distorting reality, and deepening my emotions. My body tenses, coiling like a tightly wound spring, ready to unleash its destructive force. Muscles strain with a surge of power, every sinew primed for action. Adrenaline courses through my veins, screaming kill, kill, kill as I stand on the precipice of unleashing my destructive power.
“Don’t ever talk to Lyra like that again,” I growl. “I will not hesitate to use my power against you if you do.”
“I’m not talking to you, bloodsucker. This here’s between me and her,” Lucian retorts, thrusting a finger in Lyra’s direction.
“It’s okay, Xavier. I’m used to this,” Lyra murmurs, her voice barely audible, as she wraps her arms around my waist, anchoring me to the earth. Her touch is both comforting and electrifying, but her words offer no solace. She shouldn’t be accustomed to this kind of behavior. It pains me to see her endure it.
Her gaze shifts to the mutt standing before us, claiming to be her brother. “If that’s how you truly feel, why are you even here? You got what you wanted—I’m no longer part of the pack, yet here you stand.”
“I’d be damned if it wouldn’t suit me just fine if you stayed put right here. You don’t rightly belong with the rest of the pack,” Anger radiates from his every pore; he is clearly dissatisfied with the task forced upon him. “But that old man insists on having you back. He done told us to haul your sorry ass back home, like it or not.”
Suppressing a chuckle, I respond with a restrained smile. “Well, isn’t that just splendid? Here you are, growling and throwing your weight around, merely following Daddy’s orders like obedient pups.”
“He’s our alpha and we dang well can’t deny him.”
“You can tell your alpha that I am not coming back. I’m staying with Xavier.” Lyra’s grip on my waist tightens; her hold is unbreakable.
Hearing Lyra express her desire to stay with me sends a surge of emotions coursing through my veins. It’s what I wished for, a testament to the profound bond we share, one that transcends familial ties. I bask in the warmth of her words, finding comfort in her presence.
She is mine.
“You heard her; she chooses to stay, so run along and relay the message to your alpha,” I smirk.
“You reckon you can just snatch her away from all she’s ever known? She belongs with her pack, not with some outsider like you.” Another brother snarls. “It’s her fucking home, and she’s got herself a duty to stay true to the pack. My old man took her in when nobody else gave a rat’s ass, and this is how she pays him back? By getting down and dirty with a vamp!”
Lyra stiffens in my arms, her loyalty and love for me tested by the loyalty she feels toward her pack. However, her resolve remains unyielding. Her voice, though laced with sadness, holds a firmness that can’t be shaken. “Xavier is my home now. He understands me in ways you never could.”
“He’s a goddamn vampire, you hear? We’re kin, and blood’s thicker than a jug of moonshine.”
“Family is not only defined by blood, Asher, but by the strength of love and acceptance,” she counters. “Xavier accepts me and wants me for who I am, and that’s what makes him my family. I won’t let you or anyone else tear us apart.”
“Dad ain’t gonna swallow that, you hear? You know fucking well how he feels about them bloodsucking vampires,” Lucian interjects.
“It doesn’t matter how he feels; Xavier and I are fated mates. Destiny has brought us together, and nothing can change that.”
“Are you plumb loco in the head? A vampire and a wolf ain’t no damn fated mates!”
“But you forget Lucian; I’m nothing but a half breed, as you are so fond of reminding me.”
“Cut the crap. You’re coming home with us tonight, and I ain’t takin’ no for an answer.”
In an impulsive attempt to seize her, Lucian lunges forward, only to collide with the invisible barrier. His body recoils, hitting the veranda with a resounding thud. Stunned, he scrambles to his feet, his anger now mingled with a potent dose of humiliation as he realizes he can’t breach the mystical barrier.
“What the fuck?” he exclaims, swiping at the barrier. “What kind of magic is this?” His accusatory gaze lands on his sister, who stands calmly on the other side.
I can’t help but glance down at Lyra, a grin spreading across my face. Her lips curl into a smug smirk before she shifts her gaze back to her brother. “Humiliation is a good look for you, Lucian. How does it feel? You can’t enter the house, and I’ve made my decision, so leave.”
