Blood of the Wolf: The Crown (Mackenzie Grey Book 11), Karina Espinosa [top 10 ebook reader txt] 📗

I spun on my heel and pushed past them in the direction of the castle.

Fenrir grabbed my arm, stopping me. “It’s too late, little wolf. We’ve been out here over an hour. Whatever Abaddon wanted, he’s got it.”

I ripped my arm away. “My fath—” I swallowed before starting again. “Alexander is in there. I don’t care how long we’ve been out here; I have to get to him!”

“How fast can you get to the castle?” Raven asked Bash, Bobby, and Fenrir.

“If we run, probably twenty minutes,” Bash said.

Raven nodded. “Start running.” She turned to me. “You and me, we take to the skies.”

Flying to the castle would be the fastest way there. We’d get there in five minutes flat, but that meant we’d have to split up. I looked over at Bash, knowing full well he wouldn’t want to part ways.

“I don’t like this,” he murmured.

“Me either, but I can’t leave Alexander alone and unprotected,” I said urgently. I reached for my husband and mate, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him down to me. Placing a gentle kiss on his lips, I breathed, “I promise to be careful.”

“You better,” he whispered.

I nodded and hurried over to Raven. She picked me up and cradled me in her arms, her golden wings bursting from her back at the same time. She flapped them a few times, kicking up dust, before we vaulted into the sky. The initial leap always made me wince.

“I’ll never get used to this,” I murmured as we flew across the night sky toward the castle.

Raven chuckled. “Luckily, you don’t fly.”

I refused to look down, so I closed my eyes against the harsh winds. “Why are you helping me?”

“Hm?”

I cleared my throat. “Why are you helping me? I know you know the truth.”

“The truth is relative. What do I actually know?” she mused.

“You lied about Ophelia not wanting to travel much. Why did you do that?” I asked.

She snorted. “Because both you and Bobby suck at lying. Fenrir’s not some three-year-old you can fake out. He can sniff out a lie from a mile away. If I hadn’t validated what you were saying, he wouldn’t have believed you.”

“Which brings me back to my initial question: why are you helping me?”

Raven shrugged. “I like you.”

I poked one eye open and stared at her. “That’s it? It’s that simple? You tried to kill me, but let bygones be bygones, because I like you? You’re fuckin’ weird.”

Raven laughed and her chest rumbled. “It’s how I show affection.” She winked.

I scoffed. “You need therapy.”

“So I’ve been told,” she murmured. “Anyway, I’ve saved your life since I tried to take it. Doesn’t that count for something?”

I closed my eye again. “Yeah, I guess.”

“We’re about to land,” Raven said.

As we descended, I gripped her tighter. She slowly and gently touched land and set me down on my feet. I opened my eyes to see we were standing at the edge of the village, near the entrance of the castle. We were about to step onto the drawbridge when Abaddon emerged from the castle, trailed by Alexander.

“Ah!” Abaddon smiled as he spread his arms wide. “You found me!”

I looked between him and Alexander, immediately noticing something was off about Alexander. He appeared completely spaced out, like he was staring ahead but not seeing anything.

“What are you doing?” I said mainly to Alexander, but it was Abaddon who answered.

“I need to borrow your father for a moment. I hope you don’t mind.” He waved me off as if it was nothing. As if he was an object and not a person.

“You touch him over my dead body!” I seethed, then pointed at Abaddon. “Instead of playing mind games, why don’t you fight me? Or are you afraid?”

The smile was wiped clean off the demon’s face. “Me? Afraid of a mortal? You must have me mistaken for someone else. I’m never afraid. I instill fear in others … like you.” The smile slowly spread across his face again. “I know I scare you. I can smell the intoxicating aroma from here. You’re afraid for your father and what I could do to him.”

I fisted my hands at my sides. I didn’t like being analyzed. I was afraid. I was terrified. Alexander had no control over himself in this moment, which meant Abaddon could make him do anything and I’d be powerless to stop him.

“What do you want?” I relented. He wanted something and was using Alexander for it.

Abaddon grinned. “Now we’re talking. I love it when there’s a weakness.”

I gritted my teeth. “Well? Spit it out, you dickwad!”

“Meet me in the forest tomorrow at noon. I’ll find you. And this time, make sure you come alone.” His gaze travelled to Raven and then back to me. “I’ll be taking him as insurance.” He pointed at Alexander.

“No!” I shouted and took a step toward them. “He stays here! Don’t lay a finger on him!” My hands started to tremble, fear and anxiety rippling from me in waves. I couldn’t make eye contact with Alexander. His eyes were dead.

Abaddon tsked. “That’s not how this works. I need insurance. See you tomorrow, Mackenzie. Noon, sharp. Don’t be late.” He winked and placed a hand on Alexander’s shoulder.

I ran toward them, but before I could reach them, they disappeared in a swirl of mist. I dropped to my knees where they once stood, my fists pounding on the ground. I bit my lip to keep from screaming.

If I’d just been a second faster, I could have grabbed Alexander. Why wasn’t I faster?

Wait … Where were the guards?

I raised my head as I asked myself that question, wondering where the hell Ranulf was. I heard Raven’s footsteps on the wooden drawbridge the instant before she placed a hand on my shoulder.

“He’ll be okay,” she said.

“Where is everyone?” I growled. “How could they let this happen?” I screamed.

Scrambling to my feet, I sprinted into the castle. What I found was astonishing. Everyone – from guards to castle staff members – was