Soulless Mate

Twelve: Sister by Law

It was a few moments after Reina finished breakfast with her mother by law that she'd heard an enormous shout go off. It sounded like Bertha. At first, she thought Bertha was injured, but when Sayora threw the doors open, Reina saw Bertha fussing with warriors who had black paint on their faces, giving them a harsh reaper-like appearance. The castlekeeper seemed heated, like she was demanding them to let her get through the corridor they blocked off.

"I'm the castlekeeper, so once you enter here, you enter my domain. Know what that means? It means you listen to me. That boy's unresponsive and I need to know if he needs a shaman or not," said Bertha, jaw ticking.

"Keeper," came one of the warriors' voices. He eyed her with disgust. "Our orders come from the Alpha, not you. So why don't you rot off."

Bertha looked mainly annoyed, not terrified or threatened. "And what would your Alpha have to say when he finds out you didn't let me through to tend to his brother's health? He'll have your souls first before he has mine."

That seemed to raise hairs. "The Alpha said not to—"

"No offense, but just shut it. What you're saying is nonsense." She used her muscular arms to push past two warriors with brute force. "Now get out of my way. I have a job to do, and y'all probably don't 'cause all you're doing is standing around with no purpose."

"What the fuck did you say, you damned brute?" growled the warrior.

"You heard me," Birdie hollered back. Then the door behind the warriors slammed.

Holy shit, thought Reina. Beside her, Sayora stood somewhat pleased with her castlekeeper, like she knew Birdie had it in her to withstand her son's warriors.

"My warriors," Sayora began in her distant, inquisitive voice. "What happened to Raymond?"

So it was Raymond who was unresponsive in there. Even more interesting. How the hell did that even happen?

"The Death Luna knocked him up for attempting to challenge her—" was all the guard could get out before both Sayora and Reina shouted "The Death Luna?!" in unison.

"Oh yes, that would be me," came a very familiar voice from the staircase. The guards seemed to freeze up as their eyes drifted to the female's form ascending the last of the stairs. Then Reina saw her brother's mate, with unruly silver hair and a grin on her face. "You called?"

"Iyla!" Reina exclaimed happily.

"Reina dear!" Iyla laughed in her low, husky tone. "I haven't seen you in ages. Come here, sweetheart."

Reina raced toward her and was immediately engulfed in a tight embrace by her sister by law. Iyla smelled like blood and death, just like the Death Pack, and Reina felt a pang of nostalgia hit her hard. Then she pulled away and actually looked at Iyla. "Why the hell are you dressed like that?"

"You know our Luna, she's got a way with the rogues," came Jasper's voice.

Reina was shocked as her gaze fell behind Iyla. "You're here too?"

"What? You don't want to see me or something?" he said. "Well, actually, you probably don't, considering how I'd fucked-up and let you get away."

"Let her get away? Now that's some fresh bullshit coming out of your mouth," came none other than her own mate's sneer. Zeron was surrounded by guards, his face painted like a black skull, and as Reina could now see, he looked like he wanted to kill Jasper. It didn't help that he looked like a reaper either. What the hell brought on his temper so early in the morning? Or was he always just temperamental? Probably the latter, but he was extra pissed. "Don't play yourself. When I want something, I take it. Even your fucking goddess knows that, considering how much of her souls I've killed. Probably wants me dead. Unfortunate, isn't it, that I got no soul."