Page 64 of Full Moon
"If we take into account how secretive your species are and the knowledge of what happened to the extra mates in the past..." Istop and lock eyes with Torben, then shift my gaze to Khal before looking between Easton and Diaval. "Not much is known about what winter wolves were really able to do."
Easton steps into my path, his eyes burning with intensity. "I believe you're onto something." He slips off his suit jacket. "Your species isn't classified as mythic. You're a creature of legend." He turns his piercing gaze on Diaval. "Do you think her wolf is protecting the bond with you three because of what we know about the past?"
"It's possible," Diaval replies thoughtfully. "Winter wolves can slow their heartbeats down to the point they appear dead. So it wouldn't shock me if her wolf is protecting the bonds by masking them." He looks at me, his dragon eyes narrowing. "I feel our bond, but it's not surface-level to sense it. Sneaky little wolf. It's a brilliant idea."
I furrow my brows. "So my wolf making it look like you're not my mate is a good thing?"
"Look at the big picture, Precious," Khal says softly. "They won't try to kill what they don't sense. And since your wolf is making Easton seem to be a wolf as well, they aren't threatened."
"Well, there is the matter of I am the last phoenix, and no one besides a select few knows I'm alive." Easton drops his bombshell, and I choke on air as I turn to face him.
The room spins. I grasp the back of a chair for support. "The last one?" Torben helps me into the chair, and I stare up at Easton. He nods sadly and looks away.
"Even if we have kids, they may not be a phoenix. Their kids will definitely not be phoenixes." He shrugs, a gesture so small yet filled with a universe of sorrow. I can feel the pain radiating fromEaston. Standing, I close the distance between us and hug him tightly. We're both the last of our kind.
After our time in this world is done, legends will be written about what we were. I feel his warmth wrap around me, as if his wings are holding me close. Sighing softly, I kiss the underside of his jaw and close my eyes, trying to quell the emotional storm in my chest.
"On the bright side, the babies will be beautiful because of Feray," Khal chimes in, managing to get Easton to chuckle.
"Prettier than your emo ass," Easton retorts, pressing a kiss to my temple.
"So since Feray is masking our bonds and only showing Easton's, what do we do?" Torben asks.
"David has exposed his hand, revealing that only Easton is recognized as my mate. He called the rest of us advisors, so we act the part." Diaval shrugs. "You two act like bodyguards. I'll handle the advisor role. They might be concerned about you having the child of fire with you, but other than that, it shouldn't draw too much attention."
"What if they ask if I had other mates?"
"I'll say I killed them on his order," Khal says, pointing at Diaval.
"As much as it disgusts me, he's onto something," Easton says, pulling us to sit on the couch with me in his lap.
"Tomorrow is a new day." I thread my fingers through Easton's hair. "Let's have dinner, then I propose we figure out what room we're all sleeping in tonight."
I look around slowly, and that's when I feel it. A prickle at the back of my neck. A wrongness in the air. My wolf rises to the surface, and a deep growl escapes my lips as I scan the room. "I have a feeling someone is going to die tonight."
The words leave my mouth before I can stop them, cold and certain.
"What do you mean, little wolf?" Torben takes a knee in front of me, his eyes searching mine.
"It was too easy to get here. Something isn't right." My gaze finds Khal, and I raise a brow. "David's scent changed when he mentioned tomorrow night. Not just fear—anticipation. He's expecting something to happen before we meet the Alpha."
"I don't like that look, Precious." Khal's eyes dart from person to person.
"You need to pretend to be me tonight. I'll dress you in my clothes and cover you in my scent." Silence.
Diaval's eyes narrow. Easton's arms tighten around me.
"You're going to use Khal as bait," Torben says slowly.
"Yes." I look at each of them, feeling the weight of what I'm about to do. "And when the assassin comes for what they think is me sleeping in that bed, I'm going to be waiting in the shadows." My claws extend without conscious thought. "I'm going to kill my assassin." The words hang in the air like a death sentence—but not mine.
A determined silence settles over the room. Easton's fingers trace soothing patterns on my back, but I feel the tension coiled in his muscles, ready to snap. Somewhere out there, someone is planning to murder me in my sleep.
They think I'm weak. They think I'm vulnerable. They think one night is all they need.
They're wrong.
Tonight, the hunter becomes the hunted.
And tomorrow, the Alpha will learn that his assassin failed.
Right before I rip out his throat.
