Page 21 of Rising Reign

I didn’t watch Puck. I’d seen him shift countless times. Instead, I watched the humans’ reactions. I needed to know if any were showing signs of bolting. Of running for the hills or trying to expose us.

Franco’s arms slowly lowered from their crossed position as he gaped at the golden wolf in his presence. Clyde stood with wide, unblinking eyes as his breaths started to come quicker. And Juan, the goddamned idiot, started whistling at Puck. “No way! Come here, boy. Do you like treats? Can I pet you?”

“Uh, Juan? I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Brix warned.

Juan didn’t listen; he just kept right on calling Puck in that idiotic way. Puck’s wolf half wasn’t exactly pleased. He lunged, leaping into the air and snapping at Juan’s face.

Juan stumbled and fell back onto one of the fight mats. Puck jumped on top of him, his paws on his chest, and snapped again, then growled a low warning.

“Uhhhhh…nice doggy?” Juan asked, seeming about to piss himself.

Wren moved then, swatting Puck’s hind end. “Stop it. You’re scaring him.”

Puck let out a chuff and then a growly, whiny bark as if explaining himself.

“I know he was disrespectful, but he’s a loveable idiot, so cut him some slack,” she shot back.

Puck pushed off Juan and moved to Wren. He licked her cheek and then settled his head on her shoulder. Wren’s hand sifted into his fur, giving him a rubdown for leaving Juan alone.

“I’ll be damned,” Clyde muttered.

Juan slowly sat up, looking annoyed. “See, he does like dog things. He’s getting scratches.”

Ender rolled his eyes. “From his mate. It’s a little different.”

“Mate?” Franco asked.

“Our kind has destined mates,” I explained. “Females are rare in our species, so they have multiple mates orchestrated by the gods.”

“Whoa,” Juan exclaimed, climbing to his feet. “That’s a whole new meaning to ball and chain.”

“Someone hit him,” Ender muttered.

“Gladly,” Franco said, slapping Juan upside the head.

Juan scowled. “That hurt.”

“I meant for it to.”

I turned to Clyde, trying to read the expression on my friend’s face. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. There are laws and⁠—”

Clyde waved me off. “I get it. It’s a hell of a secret.” He looked around at each of us. “So, you all turn into wolves?” His gaze held on Wren. “Even you?”

“Even me,” she echoed.

Clyde’s eyes narrowed. “But there’s something else with you. That man. He would’ve done anything to get you.”

Puck let out a low, rumbling growl at the reminder, and Wren held him tighter to her—whether for her or him, I wasn’t sure. She swallowed hard. “He’s my father.”

“What the fuck?” Franco rasped.

“He’s not a good man. There’s evil in him,” Wren said. “He can’t stand that I escaped him, and he’ll do anything to bring me down—bring all of us down.”

Clyde’s gaze cut to me. “What the hell are you doing about that, boy?”

The instant loyalty to Wren eased something in me. It was clear as day that Clyde would do anything to protect her, which meant he wouldn’t expose us. “We have to kill him.”

“Is he a wolf, too?” Franco asked.