Reign of Blood

Chapter Twenty-Six

Evette aside, Annaliese had the number one enemy of the witches in her dungeons. Evette aside, she'd have killed him already.

Evette aside, she seriously wished she hadn't come down here now.

"You," His brother seethed, slowly starting up from his metal bunk.

Chronos was pushed from her mind, even as he growled and reached for her, his body pressed as close to the bars as it would go.

He was making a big deal out of nothing. His brother couldn't reach her to hurt her. Besides, Annaliese could protect herself. Hadn't he figured that out already?

But that didn't help with his instincts. Instinct told Chronos something would go wrong. Instinct told him that he needed to get to her. He needed to have her close if he wanted to protect her.

Instinct told him that she wouldn't be able to protect herself.

"Did you have a nice nap Lorcan?"

"Don't goad him," Chronos snapped.

She waved him aside.

"If you lay a finger on my mate," Lorcan growled at her.

"Drop this, werewolf. You make me yawn. Evette is safer now than she has been in a long time. She's safe with me and her people. I, for one, didn't kidnap her from her home and threaten to kill her repeatedly. She'll be safe so long as she stays out of your savage reach. If you really cared about her, you'd be thanking me. I've removed the biggest threat from the picture."

His lips pulled back to reveal long, sharp teeth.

"You take me to her or I end you. Those are your options. I'll only warn you once."

"You might think you have a claim to her, but you don't. I'll get rid of your brainwash, and then she'll be happy where she belongs. She's always been on the soft side. I'll bet you and you filthy mutts took full advantage of that."

Chronos growled louder.

For once, would it kill her to listen to him?

Through the bars, he tried and failed to reach her again.

"I have a question for you."

Chronos glanced through the cells as she spoke, trying to gage his brother's control. It was depleting. With every passing second, his body heaved with another shot of anger.

Somehow, he needed to get at her and keep her safe from him. From his own brother.

Why couldn't she fucking listen?

"In my throne room, you said something about a child. Don't tell me you've gotten her pregnant."

No answer.

This was bad.

My brother's having a baby?

Then they really needed to keep Lorcan from Evette now. Until Lorcan was back to being calm, his beast—with all the danger and power of a King—would be volatile.

"You haven't, have you werewolf?"

This was very bad.

"Annaliese," He said, slowly and cautiously. "Step away from him, love."

"Not until he answers me."

"You're not talking to Lorcan anymore. That's not Lorcan. That man right there can't give you your answers. Just step away love."

She looked away, meeting his eyes instead.

"What do you mean?"

"You've taken him from his mate- and by the sounds of it, his future child. Lorcan- the man- won't do what's necessary to put you aside. He knows I care about you and so does Evette. Lorcan- the man- doesn't have it in him to hurt you."