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Growls ripped down the hallway as Dason and Jolon skidded into the room, fur sprouting along their arms, Dason’s golden with his puma and Jolon’s gray with his wolf.
Rook just grinned, holding up his hands, the rock pinched between his thumb and pointer finger.
“Rook?” Dason’s chest heaved as he struggled to rein back his impending shift. “Fuck, I almost killed you.”
“Ah, but you didn’t, much to my father’s disappointment, I’m sure.”
“How did you get past the wards?” Jolon growled, his voice still animalistic, the alpha in him having a hard time backing down.
“Oh, that’s easy. She rubbed my rock.”
“Excuse me?” Jolon stalked forward, and Dase shot an arm out to stop him. The two alphas clashed for a minute, each one’s hackles suddenly raised as they glared at each other.
“You just had to make that sound dirty, didn’t you?” Kota scrubbed at the back of his neck, sliding his gaze between Rook and the two alphas while Axel snickered.
“He means that Lorn activated a fae communication stone. Easy, Alpha.” Dason didn’t exactly ease Jolon’s concern with the tone of his voice, but luckily his words seemed to have that effect.
“One linked directly to me.” Rook’s smile tugged up one side of his mouth as he rolled the stone between his fingers, letting the light glint off the surface, then he turned to me. “Bored with these four already, darling? I could whisk you away to Los Angeles and show you a good time if you need a night off. If there’s one thing the fae know how to do well, it’s entertain.”
“Six, actually.” Jolon’s eyes unfocused as he called for Sy and Chayton, who were probably lying in wait somewhere close by to take down the intruder. “And I’m far from bored. Trust me, they keep me quite entertained,” I snarked, but there was no malice behind it. Rook enjoyed getting a rise out of people for his own amusement, but behind the jests and playful taunts was a good man. Dason and Rook wouldn’t be such great friends if he wasn’t. Briefly, I wondered what the prince’s story was, but now wasn’t the time to ask questions.
Rook straightened in his seat, dropping his fancy boots to the floor. “That’s good to hear, love.” Turning to Dason, he said, “And it’s good to see you, friend. I keep tabs on your world, and I know how rough things have gotten for you and your mate.”
“Thank you, but we’re doing alright.”
“That I can see. Seems you’ve had time to upgrade your housing between trying to stay alive and beating off the shades. I wondered when you’d tire of that tiny cabin in the woods. How you lived there, I have no earthly idea.”
“It was home.” Dason shrugged, and more under control, he stepped into the room. “We can’t all live in penthouses.”
“Nor should you want to.” Rook nodded, and his intricately styled long blond hair swished with the movement. “You have a home with a beautiful mate and friends. Perhaps it is I who envies you.” Truth sparkled behind the admission.
Dason moved to the desk and picked up the beautiful stone before arching a brow at me.
I winced at the same time the front door opened and slammed shut. “Sorry. I didn’t realize how it worked.”
Syler’s hulking frame filled the doorway before he was through it, scooting around Jolon and beelining it for me. His arms came around me, and he lifted me straight off my feet as he crushed me against his chest. Behind him, Chayton entered the room, and I gave him a little finger wave and a smile to ease the tension he was holding in his neck and shoulders.
“I’m okay, Teddy Bear,” I murmured into Syler’s ear, but the sentiment was for all my mates. “I accidentally summoned Rook with some fae artifact. I’m not in danger.”
Syler refused to let me down, and Rook relinquished his seat, which Syler immediately stole for himself, planting me in his lap with his arms around my body.
I curled into him, enjoying his brute protectiveness.
“It’s a good thing she called me. I believe I can help with your little problem.” Rook surveyed the map illuminating the wall, his hands propped on his narrow hips. His clothing nearly glowed—either some kind of fae occurrence or perhaps a glamour. “I heard you mention ley lines.”
“How long were you listening?” I scoffed.
“From the moment your fingers so lovingly stroked three circles across the top of the stone and called me, darling. I cannot fault you for not knowing how it works. Communication stones are rare. Only the most powerful fae have access to them, and even then, they’re tremendously expensive and difficult to get your hands on.”
“What do you think you can help us with exactly?” Jolon challenged, though the fur along his arms had receded and his normally cool levelheadedness was returning.
“The map.” Rook strode in front of it, the light from the projected map making the strands of beads that decorated his hair glimmer. “You’ve done a remarkable job laying it out. I admit, I’ve been tracking the shade attacks myself as a bit of a side hobby.”
“To what? Partying?”
“I’ll pretend your mouth hasn’t run away with you,Dakota.” Rook cast a look down his nose at my grinning mate, who seemed to enjoy getting a rise out of the prince. “Otherwise, I’ll have to teach you a lesson about respecting your elders.”
Kota scoffed. “You’re not that much older than I am.”
