When Gideon woke up, he found himself holding Riannon in his hands.

Andalthough it was the best feeling in the world, having his mate so close, so tight...There were parts of him that were in pain.

Literally.He wanted her.

Badly.

And there was no denying that.

His hardness was pokingat her back and all he wanted was to roll her and relieve her of her flimsynightgown that left little to the imagination anyway.But he knew that this was not the way.

Not in their situation.His wolf, Hawk, was going crazy inside of him, begging to claim their mate.“She is ours,” he chanted, “What are you waiting for?”“She doesn’t know it yet,” Gideon had to brush him off, “We can’t just take her.

Itdoesn’t work like that with humans.

If her wolf was around, it would be easier.”“Her wolf is there,” Hawk snarled, “She doesn’t respond to me.

But I can feelher.”“Well, that’s it then.

Until she doesn’t respond, there is nothing we can do,” theking wanted to close the subject but he could feel his beast trying to push himaway to gain control.He knew very well how lycans were.

His primal instincts would take over and hewould do something stupid.

Something that he would never be able to take back.No, Gideon couldn’t afford that.

He was ready to do anything to protect Riannon.So, he placed one little soft kiss on her shoulder, savouring the moment and thentore himself off her and left the bedroom as soon as he could, locking the doorbetween the adjacent rooms.He calmed down a bit after a very cold shower, still listening to his wolf’sbickering.

But when she came to see him in the morning, he had a hard time concentratingon anything.

He knew that if he allowed himself to look at her more, he wouldsimply throw her on his desk and do all the things he wanted to do since themoment he saw her in that lake.

Hawk was howling inside, begging him to submitto their desires.

The wolf couldn’t understand thatRia was simply not ready for all that.

That without her wolf it will be looked at asaggression and not love.

He tried to reason with him.

But one couldn’t reallyreason with a beast.He knew they had to talk and he knew that he couldn’t hide the fact that she washismate from her much longer.

But thanks to his proactive sister today wasn’t theday.

Too many people were around thanks to the White party.

And as their king,he had obligations to talk to most of them.So, the best course of action was to avoid Riannon at all times until they could doHowever, that proved harder than he thought.

Because since he saw her walkingout of the mansion in that dress...

his whole mind exploded.The beauty of his mate was captivating and everyone around them saw that.Men turned their heads in her direction and so did women.

The dress that shehad on hugged every curve of her perfectly but when she turned her back tohim...

This was when he went absolutely nuts, because the two pieces of fabricthat were flowing elegantly down to the ground, left too much of her skin open.He wanted to touch her.

Badly.

But he knew that if he did, he wouldn’t be able tostop and that party would be over.She moved gracefully as if she was born to be a queen.

Which she probablywas.

And he traced her with his eyes wherever she went.The conversations he had with people did not seem to be working.

He couldn’tconcentrate on them and had to just stay silent most of the time and play it cool.

Luckily, no one dared to call him out on that.

No one wanted to anger their king.But it was when she started hanging out with his best warriors that he couldn’ttolerate it anymore.

They were his most loyal men and clearly knew who she wasalready thanks to Savvy always being the object of their common affection.Yet now they were around Riannon, and that playboy Jayden was flashing hisbiceps at her.

This was too much.He growled so loudly and menacingly that people around them hurried to get asfar away as possible, pretending not to see how he grasped the Luna that wasn’teven his yet and dragged her all the way to the oak tree.He slammed his lips into hers because he couldn’t do this anymore, he couldn’tpretend that he did not want her.

And he did not want her to misunderstand him.She was his everything.

He wanted her, needed her, he desired her and cravedher.

She was all he thought about even though he had a war on his doorstep.And she tasted so good...He tore off her to take a breath, wishing nothing more than to go back to whatthey were doing.

And then more...But she pressed both her hands into his chest to stop him while she furrowed herbrows.

“Just what is going on?” she demanded, “Why are you hot one minuteand cold another?” He wanted to explain her.

He couldn’t stay silent anymoreand he did not care about anything now that her warm little body was in his armspressed to that huge tree.They both snapped their heads in the direction of the sounds and saw peoplerunning.

Mostly women and children.“What the fu.ck!” Gideon growled when he saw a few brown wolves jumping outof the thick bushes surrounding his garden.

Rogues.

Those were clearly werewolf rogues.

But what were they doing here?“Riannon, get back into the mansion, please,” he squeezed her hand into his ashe glanced at her.

He should have already been there, protecting his pack andkingdom from intruders.

But right now her safety was his priority.“But...” She wanted to say something but he had to cut her off.“Riannon, please,” he tried to sound calm, “We have enough warriors here todeal with this.

I don’t want any of my guests to take any risks.

Let alone you.

I...don’t want anything to happen to you.

So, please, get back there and find Sawy.She may need some help in there.”Ria never ran away from a fight.

Ever.

But now she remembered that shecouldn’t shift into Onyx and had to swallow her pride.How pathetic.

She did not want Gideon to see her as one of those females whoalways needed help and protection.

That wasn’t in her nature.

She was an Alpha.However, he was still here, looking at her with pleading eyes.

And he needed tobe there, leading his warriors.

She couldn’t stall him anymore.

So, she simplynodded and gathered up her dress.He let go of her hand and watched her walking fast in the direction of the house.While everyone else was running.

She saw a woman struggling to get herchildren inside.

Ria rushed to her and picked up one of the two toddlers.

Nowthat she had aim, she started to move faster and Gideon was able to turn awayand shift in the air, letting a loud growl to leave his beast’s lungs.Whoever ruined his day with Riannon and dared to enter his palace in such away, was going to pay for it.

His warriors were already tackling the situation whenhe sprung into action.Those werewolf rogues were daring to attempt this attack.

“Leave one of them alone,” he commanded via the mind link as he snappedsomeone’s neck.

It would take way more of them to appease his anger.But that wasn’t a problem.

Dozens and dozens of rogues were appearing out ofthe woods.Rogues wanted to get something and be gone.

They were usually fighting fortheir life and survival.

But not these.

These had an aim.

But at the moment it washard to figure out what that was.

He needed to clear the place of them as soonas possible.

And get back to her.“Reid,” he said all of a sudden, “Get back and...”“Protect the Luna?” he Beta chuckled, “And I thought you’d never ask.

I’d behonoured.

Although trust me, she knew how to defend herself and others evenwhen she was a teen.”He ran away in the direction of the house.

Even though Reid never left a fightearly before.Gideon tore off someone’s throat, thinking of how Ria didn’t have her wolf at herdisposal now.

And he did not like that thought at all.Meanwhile, Riannon reached the main hall with the woman she was helping andhekids.

The toddler in her arms seemed unsettled and she started rocking himgently before his mother found a seat and gestured for her to give the child back.She had twins and a girlaround 5 with her.“Thank you, Luna Thorn,” she smiled at Ria, “You are very kind.

I am sorry for theinconvenience.”“It wasn’t an inconvenience,” Riannon smiled at them and patted the kid on hishead, “Itwas a pleasure and the best company I could ask for.”

“There you are!” she heard Savannah’s voice and turned to see the lycanprincess.

All the playfulness was gone from her face.

The carefree girl lookedmore like a general in a pretty dress now.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”“Sorry,” Ria shrugged her shoulders, “I was with Gideon when that happened andthen I was helping someone.”A faint smile of approval appeared on Savvy’s lips but she suppressed it.“Listen,” she said, guiding her in the middle of the room, “I may need your helphere.

Believe it or not, but not every lycan is a great warrior.

And we need to...”She did not get to finish as a huge grey wolf jumped into the hall through thewindow, shattering the glass into hundreds of pieces that flew around.“Take care of the people!” Savannah said and shifted into a beautiful white wolfwith black ears.

She growled menacingly and charged at the intruder, grabbinghis throat by her sharp canines and throwing him back where he came from.

Andthen she jumped right after“Onyx!” Riannon called for her wolf in her mind, “Now would be the great time tocome back!”Silence.And right then another window broke and a huge chocolate brown wolf snarled ateveryone inside.

This one was too close to the woman that Riannon was helpingearlier.

She clenched her little kids closer to her chest and pushed her girl behindher back protectively as the beast growled, baring his yellow teeth.“Onyx!” Ria called for her wolf again.

If she could shift, she would be able to dealwith this easily.

But it wasn’t the case.

Something was stirring inside her but shedidn’t have a response.However, she couldn’t waste any time either and, pushing some fear-stricken girloff her chair, she grabbed it and charged at the rogue, hitting it over his head.magic

The chair splintered into several parts as the enemy whimpered from pain.

Hisyellow eyes darted at her and there was no doubt that she was his new goal.Not backing away, Riannon slowly lowered herself to the floor and wrapped herfingers around one of the legs of the destroyed chair.

It wouldn’t help her, ofcourse.

It was nothing against the beast.Then again, she still had her strength and speed.

So, when the wolf charged ather, she did the same, startling him as she thrust the sharp piece of wood rightinto his eye.The rogue growled in agony but managed to get the thing out quickly.

He lookedat Riannon and jumped her, making her fall all the way to the ground and pinningher to the floor.

His sharp claws dug into her belly and arm, making her cry outfrom the pain.She hated this weak position.

And she hated how the wolf was looking at her.

Asif he had already won.His canines were too close to her and she grabbed his face with her free hand,trying to push him away.This was the moment when something snapped in her.

She could feel powercircling through her bloodstream as she slowly managed to move the head awayfrom her.It was a miracle and couldn’t be called anything else.

Now the rogue on top ofher did not look so sure anymore.

And she wanted to break his skull forattempting to kill her and the kids before that glowing.

Just the way she felt itwhen she had Onyx with her all the time.

She could sense that her wolf was verynear...