“Maybe he knew it would protect everyone else,” Fane spoke up, almost as if he’d read Vasile’s mind.

“That’s what I was thinking,” the Romanian Alpha told them.

“But what about the man we found?” Decebel asked. “Why would he have killed that man if his wolf wasn’t already feral?”

Vasile shrugged. “Maybe there is more to that story than we know.”

“What are we going to do now?” Fane asked.

“I don’t think we should go barreling in after him. We know what kind of torture awaits in that place. I, for one, am not in a hurry to experience it again. Costin has made his choice. We have to trust him now—trust in the good man that we know him to be. We will camp out here for a few days. If Costin doesn’t emerge we will head home and set a watch on the bridge to ensure that he doesn’t leave,” Vasile explained as he found a comfortable spot to sit.

He laid his head back against the tree behind him and closed his eyes. “Mina,” he called to his mate.

“Vasile,” she answered in that calm, impersonal way. She was upset he knew. She was upset because she thought they were going to have to kill Costin. His mate, mother to all, couldn’t stand the idea of one of theirs— especially Sally’s mate—being put to death.

“Temper your anger, love. He isn’t dead and we aren’t going to execute him.” He felt her relief as if it was his own.

“Where is he?”

“He went into the In Between.”

“What?” Alina gasped.

“Costin is clever. He knows that he can hurt no one in there. This suggests to me that he is not completely feral. He killed a man. That much we know. Perhaps, that snapped him back to his human side for a bit,” Vasile explained. “We’re going to stay here for a few days and make sure he doesn’t leave. Then I’m going to have Peri bring us back a few times a week to check with the troll to see if he’s left. Hopefully, we’ll hear good news about Sally sooner than later.”

“Be safe, Alpha. I love you.”

He smiled to himself. “I always am, Mina. I miss you. Kiss my grandson for me.” Vasile let himself drift into a shallow sleep after speaking with his mate. Their hunt had taken an unexpected turn, but he was thankful for it. Now if they could just get Sally to remember something—anything that would allow Costin to return to her.

Cyn watched as the man she loved paced restlessly in a cottage on the outermost part of the kingdom. They were waiting on a few of his supporters—those who would remain loyal to him—to meet them there. His father hadn’t wasted any time in taking back the castle and he had the nerve to bring vampires with him. The elves defending the castle hadn’t stood a chance against Ludcarab. Thalion and Cyn had fought tooth and nail but were soon overwhelmed and driven into the wilderness.

“He’s delusional if he thinks I will hand my people over to him and those parasites,” Thalion growled.

Cyn had only seen him that upset a few times before, and always when she had been in danger. She’d tried to soothe his rage, but he was too upset—and rightfully so.

“Do you have the loyalty of the blacksmiths?” she asked him. Cyn was already thinking tactically. She knew that they wouldn’t be able to take back the kingdom without help. That help, whether it be fae, wolves, warlocks, pixies, or humans, would need weapons, and the elven blacksmiths made the very best. By the same token, should those resources fall into the hands of the vampires…Cyn shuddered to think about it.

“I don’t see why I wouldn’t. I can’t imagine there are many, if any, of my people who will bow to a king that stands beside vampires.”

“Thalion,” she said his name softly, which always caught his attention and this time was no exception. He stopped in front of her and his countenance softened. “Yes?”

“Why did you never take the title of king? If your father had died, why did people continue to call you prince?”

“Because, though I took over his rule at his supposed death, there is a certain age an elf must reach before he can take the title of king. I am not there yet.”

Cyn nodded as though she understood. She didn’t, but then, every species, including her own, had its own strange customs and laws. This made her think of another question. “Will I be queen when we mate?”

His lips turned up and he stepped closer to where she sat on the edge of the dining room table. He pushed her legs apart and stepped in between them. Thalion’s hand cupped her face as he looked down at her. His eyes held complete adoration in them. “You will be my queen. But my people will only recognize you as my consort. You are not an elf and, therefore, cannot hold the title of queen.” His voice held sadness in it.

“That doesn’t bother me,” she told him. “I am not offended by it…if you’re worried about that.”

His lips turned up in a wisp of a smile. “And that is one of the many reasons why I love you. You, my love, are incredibly selfless.”

She grinned at him. “That’s not how you felt when I was serving my own people and not mating with you.”

He chuckled. “Can you blame me? I wanted you for my own. I’ve wanted you for decades and you have spurned my advances. There has never been another, Cyn. I never touched another woman after I met you. I couldn’t. Every other woman pales in comparison to you. The few kisses you let me steal over the decades were the only physical contact I have had with the opposite sex.”

“There were some that were more than kisses, Prince,” she teased. “You act as if I left you wanting every time we saw each other.”

His hand slipped around her neck as he grasped her hair and pulled her head back, tilting it and holding her still. “You still leave me wanting. I can never get enough of you. You’ve accepted my claim, but you do not wear my ring on your hand, nor do you sleep in our bed. I will be wanting until I hold you every night, until I kiss you every morning, until I see your body rounded with my child growing inside of you. I will be in wanting of you until I have the right to touch you whenever I choose, until you’ve claimed every inch of me as your own, until you ache for me as much as I do for you.” He didn’t give her time to respond. His lips were against hers as she sucked in a breath at his passionate words. He pressed closer to her and tightened his hold on her hair.