Protector of the Pride (Lions of Pride Island Book 3) (10 page)

But would Axel even know where to look to find her?

She could only hope.

B
ack in his room
, Axel thought of Lucy’s words, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

His body was still tense, still felt like it was in the heat of what had been happening.

One moment she’d been writhing in his arms, aroused, happy. The next, running with tears in her eyes.

He’d never wanted so badly to go against what she asked of him as he had when she told him not to follow her.

But since he’d already somehow upset her, he didn’t know how he could justify ignoring her request.

He paced the length of his bedroom, tightening the towel around his waist. He’d been in the tub when she’d come up, and he’d been thinking about her. About whether he was a dummy for letting her slow things down between them when he wanted her badly.

In the steam and hot water, with his head clearing as he thought about the last few days, he was more certain than ever that she was his mate.

But he still felt they should go slow until
she
was okay with that.

Making love to her, that had felt even more right. He’d been ready to charge in and tell the oracle he’d picked his mate and there was nothing he could do about it. Who would she really have lead in his stead? Would she really hand the kingdom over to some evil idiot just because he wouldn’t marry who she said?

And who knew? Maybe it was Lucy.

But either way, he didn’t care at this point. He wanted to be with her, and he never wanted to see the tears in her eyes again. Now he just needed to ask her if her reticence to mate him was because she thought she couldn’t be his fated mate or if it ran much deeper.

But all of that had gone out of his head when she kissed him, and he’d decided to just go along with what she wanted and deal with the rest after.

But now there was no after. She’d run off and told him not to follow. What was she doing? Where was she going?
She’d better just be down in her room,
he thought with a shudder. But then again, she’d never leave. She was smarter than that. She’d wait, and they could hopefully work things out in the morning.

He went to his dresser, pulled out sweatpants and a tee shirt, and threw a robe on top of it. Then he sat on the edge of his bed.

Minutes ticked by, and he felt the coldness of the room, the loneliness.

He’d always done as he was told. Taken over the country. Taken care of his mom until she died. Done whatever the oracle asked of him. Chased his brothers around.

Fake dated Lucy when she’d said it would be a good idea. Slowed it down when she said it would be a good idea.

He was tired of following orders. All too soon, he would be the one giving the orders, and he needed to learn to trust his judgment.

He stood and opened the door. Whether Lucy liked it or not, they needed to talk. He wouldn’t let her just cry in her room alone, not when she could tell him what was bothering her. Not when it clearly had to do with him, since they’d been making love just before.

He could still taste her on his lips.

He took the steps quickly down and strode to her room. An odd feeling went through him as he knocked on the door and then opened it.

No answer. No one there.

A chill ran over his neck as he ran toward the front door, seeing the alarm was on. He turned it off and yanked the door open, running out onto the long drive that led to the gate. With his perfect vision, he could easily see the shape of a suitcase on the ground. Abandoned.

He took off running toward it and dropped to his knees to inspect it.

Definitely Lucy’s. Rage welled up in him as he scented the air. He only knew one creature who smelled like that. That dragon thing working for the oracle.

But what had she done with his mate? Or was she even in control of the creature after all?

Still, the animal had left in flight. Axel’s best chance was to get to the oracle as soon as possible and find out what she knew. Hopefully, she was behind this. Hopefully, she’d have Lucy, having taken her for some odd reason.

Anger burned through him as he stood, yanked open the gate, and ran for the nearest car. It was fingerprint activated and started immediately, and he took off onto the road that went up the mountain.

He could kill two birds with one stone. Save his mate and tell the oracle where she could stick her choices for him.

As long as nothing happened to Lucy in the time it took him to reach her. He’d never forgive himself if it did.

As he raced along the winding mountain roads, he was surer than ever. Lucy was his mate. Lucy was his. And no matter what anyone said, he was going to fight for her.

* * *

W
hen Axel reached
the oracle’s castle, he didn’t stop at the gate. Instead, he rammed his giant SUV right through it and drove all the way to the steps leading into the giant old mansion.

He jumped out and ran up them, and when he reached the old wooden door, he kicked it in, making the two large slabs of wood fall in a thundering heap to either side so he could storm into the front hall.

He could scent Lucy. They’d definitely brought her here. And nothing, not wood, not steel, not marble, was going to keep him from her.

“Well, well,” the oracle’s voice said, sounding amused and pissed at the same time as she called out to him from the top of a set of steps at the other side of the hall. “He’s here.”

“Damn straight,” he said. “What are you thinking, kidnapping an uninvolved civilian?”

Her hair was a dark, rusty-orange color today. Her gray eyes widened. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“I can scent her,” he growled. “Where is she?”

“Oh, you mean Lucy,” she said sweetly. “Well, I wouldn’t call her uninvolved, since she has caused nothing but trouble since she came into the picture.”

“Axel!” a voice called out, drawing his attention. He looked to the side of the oracle and saw a tall cage there, and inside, in yoga pants and a sweatshirt, was Lucy, holding the bars and looking pissed as all get out.

“Lucy,” he breathed out. His gaze flashed to the oracle. “What the hell are you doing?”

She shrugged. “Ensuring everything goes smoothly,” she said. “You’re my only option as king, Axel. You know that. But I still need you to pick who I need you to pick.”

“I won’t do it,” he said.

“Don’t you want to hear who I’ve picked?” she asked.

“I don’t care. I pick Lucy.”

“It’s not your place to choose,” the oracle said calmly, though her gray eyes were lit with fire. “You can go with what I’ve asked, or there will be trouble.”

He glanced at Lucy, trying to silently reassure her that no matter what happened, he’d protect her.

“Aw, that’s sweet,” a sardonic voice said as Isaac appeared at the top of the stairs, near the cage. “He’s trying to tell you he’ll protect you. I read his thoughts.”

Lucy locked eyes with him, and he could see the caring there. The concern for him.
Be careful
, she seemed to say.

He would be.

“Fine, tell me who you think it is,” he said, looking at the oracle.

“I’ll take care of your girl while you two talk,” Isaac said, sneering.

Axel let out a furious breath. “You touch her and you’re dead.”

“Ooh, I’m scared.”

“Come with me,” the oracle said, curling a finger. She led him to an office a few doors down and pulled him inside, shoving him into a chair.

He sat forward, waiting for her to whisper in his ear. He’d been waiting for this all his life. Thinking about the anticipation he would feel, the excitement of the moment. Instead, all he felt was a dull, throbbing resentment. The need to get back to his mate.

The oracle came close to his ear and whispered a name.

Emma Hachette.

Then she pulled back. Her eyes were soft as she looked down at him. “I’m sorry it’s not who you want. I don’t know what’s gotten into you. But you need to snap out of it. You’ve worked for this your whole life. We both have.”

He shook his head. “I know. And we’ve been friends, I think, though you’ve always been the one giving orders.”

“I’ve been giving orders for hundreds of years,” she said wearily, sitting in a chair next to him. “You aren’t the first royal to give me trouble, and you won’t be the last.”

He looked over at her. “I don’t want to give you trouble. But I know what my heart says. Lucy is my mate. I’m sorry.”

She just stared at him, a shrewd look in her gray eyes.

He stood, and she followed. “I’m taking her home. I’m mating her. And you can decide the consequences. But we both know I’m the man for the job.”

“You aren’t taking her,” she said. “You aren’t just walking out of here, defying me.”

“Yes, I am,” he said, striding back out into the main hall. “And frankly, I’m disappointed in what you’ve done tonight.” He glared at her. “I thought you cared about your people.” He pointed at Lucy in the cage. “That’s not caring. That’s not the kind of judgment I’m going to trust with my life decisions.”

She just watched him as he walked to the cage. “You aren’t leaving.”

“Who’s going to stop me?” he asked.

“Me,” Isaac said, stepping in front of him, hulking and powerful.

“Very well,” Axel said, stepping away from the cage. He walked down the stairs, and Isaac followed. “Down here, then.”

Isaac sprouted wings and leapt down the stairs, landing softly in front of the doorway. He turned to face Axel, menace in his face. “I’m going to enjoy this.”

Axel just gritted his teeth and tightened his hands into fists. Time to teach this brute a lesson.

Time to protect his mate.

I
saac paced
in front of the gaping remains of the doorway Axel had knocked down only minutes ago, surveying him with smug disdain.

“I’m going to destroy you,” Axel said, staring down the tall man in front of him.

“Big words coming from a house cat,” he taunted, cracking his knuckles.

At that, Axel charged at his hulking, leather-clad opponent. But instead of dodging or moving out of the way, Isaac came forward, meeting him headfirst as Axel swung at him. 

His fist made impact with Isaac’s chest, but he seemed unmoved. Instantly, Axel followed up with a one-two cross to the face, the first punch connecting with his cheek, but the second narrowly missed.

“You’re going to have to try harder than that,
King
,” Isaac said, emphasizing his sarcasm on the title that Axel would willingly throw away for his mate.

To the side, he saw Lucy watching nervously through the bars of her cage. What had gotten into the oracle to make her do this?

But Axel didn’t have time to waste. All that mattered was Lucy. 

Utilizing his catlike reflexes, he leapt off the ground and directly at Isaac. When Isaac swung his arm with a sweeping hook, Axel ducked under it, whirling around and bringing his claws down over his opponent's arm in a swift slash.

Isaac growled and threw an angry kick at Axel, who leapt back before his powerful leg could connect.

For a moment, he paused, looking at the wound in his arm disbelievingly. Then he grinned, as if amused by it, and turned to face Axel.

“You call
those
claws?” Isaac jeered, unaffected by the slash marks in his arm, which were quickly healing, the open flesh closing up right before his very eyes. Then Axel saw black talons grow from Isaac’s fingertips, deadly long and razor sharp.

Like a dragon’s.

“These are claws.” 

Damn dragons.

Without hesitation, Isaac lunged at Axel, his talons slicing at him. Axel dodged to the left and the right, barely avoiding the blade-like digits as they made a high-pitched whir in the air around him.

Hoping to slow the onslaught, Axel grabbed a table to his right and threw it at the unrelenting dragon. Isaac’s talons tore through it like a sword through paper, sending splinters and fragments in every direction. 

Axel went on the attack, pushing Isaac to the ground and wrestling with him for advantage, trying to stay out of reach of his claws. For a moment, Axel was able to avoid his attacks, looking for an opening where he could strike a deciding blow. But then he felt white pain sear through him as Isaac’s claws slashed across his chest, tearing through his skin, but thankfully not going deep enough to cause serious harm.

Axel backed off and reconsidered his options. If he was going to win this, he’d have to do it with his lion’s help. 

Quickly, Axel shifted, his lion huge and powerful, making even the grandiose entryway to the oracle’s home seem small in comparison. Immediately, he felt the slashes on his chest begin to heal, and strength surged through him as he zeroed in on his prey.

“Here, kitty kitty,” Isaac said, practically overjoyed at the turn of events.

Axel pounced, throwing Isaac to the ground and then pinning him to the floor, holding one arm down with his paw and grabbing the other with his fangs. Isaac struggled beneath him, trying to push Axel off and get free. 

He’d rip this dragon’s arm off if he had to.

But as he bit down harder, he felt Isaac’s arm get tougher and tougher, until it reached the point that it felt like he he was chewing on a steel beam. 

Axel looked down and saw Isaac’s arm covered with thick, dark dragon scales running up the length, shielding him from harm. And as sharp as Axel’s fangs were, nothing compared to the durability and protection offered from dragon scale.

Suddenly, Axel felt Isaac’s hand wrapped in his thick lion’s mane. With a shockingly hard yank, his feet lost purchase, and he felt himself pulled to the ground. Without warning, long, leathery wings appeared from Isaac’s shoulders and began to flap with incredible power. 

Axel tried to snap at his now-winged adversary, but before he could even figure out what was going on, he felt himself lifted off the ground with shocking strength and then hurled into a wall across the room, connecting with an oversized bookcase and sending volumes upon volumes of tomes scattering across the floor.

“Axel!” he heard Lucy shout from across the room.

Axel got to his feet amongst the rubble of the oracle’s furnishings, Isaac sneering in amusement above him in the air. He was pretty sure nothing was broken, but that didn’t take the edge off the pain of being thrown like that.

Even shifter healing could only do so much.

“You’re in over your head,” Isaac said unapologetically. 

Axel didn’t have time for witty comebacks. Instead, he leapt off the ground, hoping to pluck the cocky bastard out of the sky. Isaac dodged with surpassing speed, then dove at Axel as he landed, ripping into his side with his claws as he did.

For several prolonged moments, they struggled, Axel’s lion much larger but Isaac’s strength hard to match. But anywhere Axel tried to claw or bite, he felt his attacks connect with unyielding dragon scale. Whereas he could sense every centimeter of Isaac’s talons as they crossed over his flesh like knives.

Unable to take any more, Axel pushed still-unmarred Isaac off of him, needing space before he took one too many cuts. Already, he could feel his body start to give out, his muscles weakening, his wounds exceeding his physical limitations.

This time, Isaac didn’t say anything. But instead, he just looked down with an expression of amusement mixed with confusion, seemingly wondering why anyone would go to such great lengths for a woman.

But Lucy wasn’t just any other woman. 

She was his
mate
.

And seeing Isaac floating above him like that, self-assured and confident that victory was in his grasp, Axel got an idea.

If this didn’t work, though…

Refocusing himself, Axel leapt at his opponent once more. Isaac flitted to the side, his huge wings granting him surprising agility in the air. But as he did so, Axel turned and went after a wing instead of the man himself, snapping his jaws down on one of the corners, pulling the overconfident dragon to the ground with a loud thud. 

Not waiting, he turned in a circle and flung Isaac with all of his strength, ramming him into a large stone column.

A great crack resounded through the room as Isaac connected with hard rock, and he didn’t move for a second, stunned.

But Axel knew better than to underestimate a dragon. Mustering all his remaining strength, he charged into the cracked column, ramming his shoulder into the side. The entire house shook, and the column moved an inch but still didn’t give. With a loud roar, he pushed harder, hitting it with his fisted paws and giving every last ounce of energy he had left. 

Finally, the stone column shifted, coming loose of its support in the ceiling. By now, the dazed Isaac had come to and gotten up off the ground, turning around just in time to see the towering, crumbling stone pillar coming down on top of him.

Isaac shouted in surprise a split second before it all came crashing on top of him in a cacophonous smash, sending rubble and pieces of rock in every direction, along with a thick cloud of dust that filled the room.

Axel waited with bated breath for the dust to clear, still ready to jump forward at any moment if there was the slightest movement.

He heard a cough, then another, and then saw Isaac rise, hair covered with dust, looking like a ghost in all the powder, limping forward and brushing it off as he glared at Axel.

“You didn’t have to bring the whole house down,” he muttered, ignoring Axel’s confused glare. Isaac turned his attention to the oracle, who was still waiting. He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “I’m not cleaning that up.”

“Yes you are,” she said. “This is all your fault.” She took steps down the stairs, arms folded, toward Isaac.

“My fault?” he asked, incredulous. “This was all your idea.”

“I told you to make it hard for him, not to go all dragony and throw him through the air. That’s on
you
.”

Isaac grumbled something and wiped more dust from his face as a trickle of blood made its way down his forehead.

“Excuse me,” Axel said in a terse voice, still in his lion form. “Am I missing something?”

Isaac disappeared from view, muttering under his breath, and Axel turned to the oracle. She moved toward him, gathering the clothing he’d left behind when he’d shifted and handing it to him, along with a key.

He glared at her.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t want to do it this way. You’ve always been such a good man, Axel. But I had to know you could be a good man on your own.”

“What?” he asked, looking around him, still stunned. He shifted back and put on his mangled clothing, not caring about modesty. He didn’t care about anything until his mate was safe. He walked toward her, limping slightly from his scratches. When he reached her, he found the cage was easy to unlock. He swung it open, and she ran into his arms, hugging him tightly and then looking him over in concern.

“Are you all right?” she asked. “That was awful.” She buried her face in his shoulder, and she stroked his hair. When she looked back up at him, her eyes were glowing. “You were amazing.”

“It was pretty impressive,” the oracle said, walking back to them.

“You still have explaining to do,” he said. “There’s still something I’m not getting.”

The oracle sighed. “I need a king who can make his own decisions, follow his own instincts. Unlike your brothers, you’ve always been willing to do the right thing. You’ve never fought your responsibility. Always hanging on my every word and command. But with things going the way they are, with the world hanging in the balance, I need a king who doesn’t need to come to me for everything. I need a king who can tell right from wrong, even in difficult, complex situations.”

“I still don’t get it.”

“I needed to know you would defy even me if you knew it was the right thing to do.”

He frowned as he held Lucy tight. He walked her to a nearby padded bench and sat down with her, pulling her into his lap as he leaned back against the cool marble wall behind him. “So this was a test?”

“I guess you could say that,” she said. “I would say more of an experiment.”

“Same thing,” he muttered. “So did you just give me a fake mate name, then?”

“No, that was the name of your fated mate,” she said.

“Then how is everything okay? I already told you I want Lucy. I’m not willing to take anyone else. I know that’s not right.”

The oracle grinned. “Right. Well. Maybe the two of you should go home and talk. Tell each other your secrets.” She looked meaningfully at Lucy. “And you can come meet with me in the morning.”

“So I’m not fired? Or whatever it is you do to a bad king?” he asked.

“No.” She laughed. “You’ll be a good king, Axel.”

“But—”

“You’ll figure it out.”

“Let’s go home,” Lucy said. “I know this is complex, but right now, I just want to be home with you. Any time in that cage was too long. More than that, it was terrifying to watch you in danger.”

“For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t have let Zack hurt you,” the oracle said, tossing her orange hair.

He gaped at her, holding up scratched arms. “Seriously? He threw me into a wall and nearly shredded me to ribbons.”

She smiled mildly. “Well, I wouldn’t have let him kill you.”

Lucy sighed. “All right. Take me home. Wait.” She looked at him. “I’m your mate? What?”

“We’ll go home and talk,” he said. “But yes. I told the oracle there was only one woman I want. So if you are willing to have me, I’m yours.”

She blinked at him. “But you don’t know anything about me.”

“I know what I need to.”

The oracle shuffled them toward the door. “As I say, you two have a lot to talk about. And if I were you, I’d get out before Isaac gets back.”

That got them moving. Axel helped her over the wreckage at the doorway, and they walked together toward the SUV he’d driven. It was still in good enough shape to drive away, and as soon as he pulled onto the main road, he let out a sigh of relief.

As long as she was beside him, everything was going to be okay. They could figure out everything else as it came.