The trees started to thin out, and I knew I was coming up to a clearing, to where the voices were. The sounds became louder, more distinguishable, and that had me lowering my brows in confusion, because it didn’t make any sense—the conversation I was hearing.
I strained to hear, the voices very male and deep, kind of distorted.
“Da, with all respect, this is my life. He’s my mate. I’m not a child, and you can’t dictate my life, not where this is concerned. You can’t tell me who I can be with, especially my fated mate.”
I turned my focus to the only female voice I’d heard so far, but because it was so dark with only slips of moonlight shining through the treetops, I couldn’t make her out very well. I could see the blonde hair that fell in heavy waves along her shoulders and over her back. I could also see the biggest man I’d ever seen in my life standing in front of her in a very protective stance.
There was more talking, more shouting and growling, and the entire time I felt this strange pricking cover my entire body. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it was very much unusual and disconcerting. The feeling consuming me was almost… pleasurable. As if my body knew something monumental was about to happen and anticipated it.
Mates? Lycans? Vampires having to be called in?
I took another step closer but stumbled again, throwing a hand out to brace it on the closest tree. I hissed when my cut palm landed on the rough bark. But the pain faded as I stood frozen in place at the scene before me.
Then it was as if time slowed before speeding up, with growls echoing off the trees, ones that were very much not human. There was going to be a fight… a big one.
I shook my head, confusion and fear so thick in me I felt the hot tears sliding down my cheeks before I realized I was crying.
More growling and snapping of teeth, shouting, and the level of aggression being thrown off told me this wasn’t just a fight but a war.
And these men were not normal.
The men were too big. Too muscular. And their… eyes were glowing. They’re glowing just like I’ve been dreaming about my entire life.
And right in front of me, I saw the men becoming bigger, their muscles getting stacked upon each other. They looked… inhuman.
God. They are not human.
None of this is right.
Because what I was staring at couldn’t be real, not when the men in front of me looked like they’d been ripped right out of a horror movie.
9
Caelan
I felt the wild rage of my wolf pacing within me. I was partially shifted, more animal than man right now, my body bigger, my eyes flashing, my nails razor-sharp claws.
I was ready for a war as I, along with my father and a handful of members of the Guard, made a wall of aggression and flesh in front of Luca.
I snarled as I watched the other male take a protective stance in front of my sister.
After I’d realized Ainslee had left the property and gotten my brothers and Da involved, a loose plan had been made. Tavish and Lennox had gone to the Lycan private airstrip because apparently Mam had called in her crazy, bloodthirsty brother. And the presence of Uncle Adryan would only cause more chaos, because that male wasn’t only the best fucking tracker I knew; he was also the leader of the American Vampire Clan. And he’d gotten that position because of his brutality and lack of emotion. I was pretty sure the bastard was a sociopath.
Luca snarled, and I bared my teeth, my bruises and cracked ribs, the pain of my battered body fading as I felt a surge of adrenaline and power course through me. “Let my sister go, and we can handle this like males of worth.” Although being a male of worth was the last fucking thing on my mind. I wanted to draw blood from Luca, and a lot of it, especially as I could smell his arousal for my sister coating the air.
“Caelan, please stop,” Ainslee’s soft voice came through, but it couldn’t penetrate the rage I felt or clear the red film of anger covering my vision. “You don’t understand. This is a huge misunderstanding.”
I snarled and braced my weight on my thighs, lowering slightly, getting into an attack position to charge Luca.
“Stand down, boy,” Luca seethed, but I just grinned.
Ainslee stepped beside Luca, and I heard a chorus of growls permeating the air around me as the other Lycans readied for a battle. Ainslee held up her hands in surrender, and I loathed that she felt that she had to do this with us. We’d never hurt her.
“Caelan…” She paused and looked at each Lycan, all of us standing a mere twenty or so feet from her and Luca. “I’m asking you to let me do this on my own and in my own time, to let me figure this out.”