The Wolf Who Fought for His Soul Mate (15 page)

surprise when, upon stepping outside the woods, he was faced with

the sight of a palace that seemed to glitter in the sunlight. This must

have been the source of the glow he’d spotted from the harbor. Paris

froze in awe at the beauty.

Derek, Reed, and Anson seemed just as impressed, while Rhys

and Noah observed it with thoughtful expressions, perhaps comparing

it to what they knew of their own societies. For a few moments, all of

them stopped to admire the view. It seemed, for lack of a better word,

otherworldly. Other than Jace, this must be the loveliest thing Paris

had ever seen in his life.

Jace chuckled.
“I’m sure the Sidhe would disagree with your

assessment. In fact, I’m pretty sure you’re far lovelier than me.”

Paris considered his mate’s words, and decided Jace was too

handsome to be seen as lovely. He might have lost himself in the

contemplation of his lover’s attributes had one of their guides not

cleared his throat. “Is everything all right?” he asked in a neutral tone.

“Quite fine,” Jace replied smoothly. “We were just amazed by

how beautiful the palace is.”

Immediately, the man smiled. “It is. King Sterling will probably

offer to give you a tour once this issue is clarified.”

The guard’s words sobered Paris, reminding him he hadn’t come

here to sightsee. “Thank you for your patience,” he told the Sidhe.

92

Scarlet Hyacinth

“We should probably be on our way now. His Majesty must be

waiting.”

The Sidhe soldier just nodded and led them into the palace

gardens. Unsurprisingly, they were as beautiful as the rest of the

island, starring intricate mazes, blooming flowers, and fountains that

sent crystalline water flying into the air. But Paris’s mind quickly

went from admiration to urgency and concern. He truly needed to

know what would be done to stop Tyrell’s plan. Just the memory of

his vision made him nauseous as he considered the implications of the

warlock’s ploy.

Paris and his companions entered the palace through a side door

which seemed to have been meant for the use of servants. This area

wasn’t as richly decorated as the gardens, but the walls still boasted

discreet engravings that reminded Paris of the style of the boats.

They veered off into a different corridor, this one clearly intended

for the personal use of nobles or perhaps even royalty. Anticipation

pulsed through Paris. He clutched Jace’s hand tighter, distantly

wondering how in the world he’d manage to face a king.

“He might be a king, but he’s still just a man,”
Jace told him.

“Think of it this way. King Sterling is the leader of a nation, but so is

my grandfather. You don’t find him intimidating, do you?”

Paris blinked, several thoughts whirling through his mind. Jace

was completely right. As an elder, Kevin Wade occupied the same

role King Sterling did, only for a different species. But this

meant…This meant Jace was royalty, too. It had never occurred to

him.
Oh, God.
This was not the time to have a realization like that,

because it brought back the uncertainties and self-doubt Paris had

been experiencing ever since he’d mated Jace.

“Believe me, Paris,”
Jace told him,
“leaders can make mistakes

just like other people. I know. You have your own inner value and

strength. Their positions don’t make them better than you.”

Paris remembered that Jace’s family still held some resentment

over Elder Wade’s involvement in the attack on Jace’s uncle, Isaac.

The Wolf Who Fought for His Soul Mate

93

Most likely, Kevin Wade had never meant something bad to happen.

Like Jace said, he’d made a mistake, a serious error, and something

that had nearly cost many people their lives.

Even so, that didn’t change who he was and his connection to

Jace, and it didn’t eliminate the gap between Paris and his mate. Paris

hated being so insecure, but in moments such as these, he simply

couldn’t help it.

Jace narrowed his eyes at him, and Paris half expected his lover to

scold him again. Instead, the other wolf grinned and stole a kiss from

his lips.
“I love you so much, sweetheart. I look forward to proving it

to you, over and over and over again.”

Heat invaded Paris at Jace’s words, his face flaming as arousal

flooded his body. How could he cling to his feelings of inadequacy

when Jace said stuff like that? Of course, his body’s response to

Jace’s clear need for him wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but in a few

moments, Paris would be in the presence of King Sterling. Now was

not the time for his cock to demand attention.

Much to his dismay, Derek elbowed Jace and gave both him and

Paris a knowing look. Thankfully, the Sidhe guards were discreet, and

if they noticed a change in Paris’s attitude, they didn’t show it. Paris

would have died of embarrassment had they seen it, too.

Forcing himself to focus on the importance of this visit, Paris shut

down his libido, all the while swearing that once he had a free

moment alone with Jace, he’d spend half an hour just sucking his

mate’s cock. When Jace groaned, Paris couldn’t help a small smirk. It

wouldn’t hurt for Jace to get a taste of his own medicine.

All too soon, the little group reached two ornate doors engraved

with a symbol Paris didn’t recognize. Predictably, there were several

soldiers guarding the entrance, and they spoke a few words with the

Sidhe accompanying Paris and his friends. The exchange took place

in a language Paris didn’t understand, and he wondered what they

were saying.

94

Scarlet Hyacinth

After a few moments, one of the men knocked at the door, and a

cool, male voice replied, once more in that same foreign tongue. The

soldier slipped inside, trailing off the names of Paris, Jace, and all the

other guests. This was it. They were being announced, and the king

would mostly likely agree to see them soon.

Indeed, no sooner had he thought this than they were being

ushered inside. Paris noticed several of his companions kept their

gazes on the floor and decided to follow their example. Therefore,

even as he entered what he guessed was the throne room, he struggled

to remain calm and reined in his curiosity. From what he could tell, he

needed to wait until the king addressed them.

“That’s true,”
Jace whispered in his mind.
“If we were Sidhe,

we’d also have to kneel, but since we aren’t, we’re merely providing

proof of our respect.”

Paris wasn’t well versed in how to behave when faced with

royalty. He supposed this process was normal, but still wished it could

be a little faster. He wondered what King Sterling saw when he

looked at them. Allies? Friends? Useless underlings?

Finally, the Sidhe King spoke out, snapping Paris out of his

thoughts. “Greetings, gentlemen,” he said. “I welcome you to our

palace and to our lands and thank you for your assistance in this

delicate time.”

Taking his cue, Paris looked up. He found himself facing the

throne positioned on an elaborately carved dais, where a handsome

blond man sat, his ice-blue eyes watching Paris and his friends, not

giving a single thing away. King Sterling’s voice had been

exceedingly polite, but at the same time, aloof. Paris had no idea how

to react, and was very relieved when Anson and Jace took command

of the situation.

“You honor us, Your Majesty,” Anson said. “It is our hope that

we will be able to cooperate to defeat our common foe.”

“I trust your nephew is well?” Jace inquired. “We have all missed

him dearly.”

The Wolf Who Fought for His Soul Mate

95

“Winter will be happy to hear that.” King Sterling’s perfect lips

twisted in a barely perceptible smile. “He is well. I’m afraid he is

resting now, but you will be able to see him in a little while.” His

expression sobered once again. “In the meantime, there is a very

serious issue we need to discuss. Tyrell Hall.”

Noah and Rhys tensed, while Paris just waited to see what

Sterling would say. The Sidhe king must have been shocked and

angry upon finding out what the warlock had planned, but Paris didn’t

think Sterling would take it out on Noah.

Paris’s suspicion was confirmed mere seconds later. “First of all, I

appreciate the efforts you have all made to find Tyrell,” the Sidhe

king said. “He is a danger to us all, a danger that needs to be

eliminated.” He got up, leaving the throne, and went down the dais,

heading toward them. When he’d been sitting down, Paris hadn’t

realized just how tall the man was. He’d have been even more

intimidated, but the topic at hand cast those feelings aside.

“If I may, Your Majesty,” he started politely. When Sterling

gestured for him to continue, Paris decided to take the opportunity to

describe his vision. “Tyrell turned my mother into his familiar. He

said he wanted to use Aria as his anchor for when he…When he was

an infant.”

“Winter’s child.” The only sign betraying Sterling’s anger was a

clenching of his jaw. “I’m aware of the situation. Tyrell is working on

the wards around the island as we speak. Aria is with him since, for

the purpose of this plan, she will have to be present for the supposed

soul transfer.”

Paris was so focused on Sterling that he almost jumped when

Noah suddenly spoke. “What must we do?” the young warlock asked.

“We must watch and wait,” Sterling replied. “I will protect Winter

at all costs, but there are other aspects to take into consideration,

things I am not at liberty to share. I must tell you one thing. I do not

want Tyrell to be physically harmed, not seriously, at least.”

96

Scarlet Hyacinth

Paris gaped, unable to control his reaction. “But…But he plans to

essentially kill your nephew’s child! Why are you even concerned

about his welfare?”

Sterling arched a brow at him, as if surprised that Paris had

expressed his outrage. “I have my reasons. They will be revealed in

time.”

Jace squeezed Paris’s shoulder.
“Let it go, sweetheart,”
he

whispered in Paris’s mind.
“I’m sure King Sterling has a plan. He

only wants what’s best for Winter.”

Paris sighed to himself. Instinctively, he knew that. He could tell

that the king held a genuine affection for his nephew. He shouldn’t

have exploded like that, especially not in front of his royal host. “Of

course,” he told Sterling sheepishly. “I apologize. I am just

concerned.”

“It’s all right. I will not take offense in your doubt since you only

wish to help my family.” The king returned to his throne and sat down

once again. “I will ask you to limit your outbursts, though. I don’t like

having my authority questioned.”

A part of Paris wanted the ground to open and swallow him

whole. The other acknowledged that, even if he’d fucked up, the king

hadn’t thrown him out. Sterling understood Paris’s point. “I

understand, Your Majesty,” Paris said quickly, looking down. “It

won’t happen again.”

“There is no reason to dwell on this further,” Sterling said gently.

“You have gone through a lot lately, and losing your temper is

understandable sometimes. But back to what I was saying…I expect

Tyrell to attempt an attack in the following days, tomorrow, or the

day after. I will need you to help Winter go through this difficult time.

Stay with him and with his mate. They will have guards, of course,

but friends are always better.”

“We will do our best, Majesty,” Derek offered.

“I must ask, Your Majesty, how is Prince Winter’s pregnancy

coming along?” Rhys inquired. “It must be very hard for him to cope

The Wolf Who Fought for His Soul Mate

97

with the tribulations of a potential assault while he is in such a

delicate condition.”

“Indeed.” The king hummed thoughtfully. “Mr. Whitaker, now

that you have asked, it occurs to me that incubi have a great deal of

experience with male pregnancy.”

Rhys nodded. “Yes. It’s quite common among our people.”

“I’d like you to work with our healers to monitor Winter’s