Warrior Fae Trapped (Warrior Fae 1)

It was a big day for that sub-alpha. He’d earned a promotion. It would make him the youngest alpha in history to rise so quickly, beating out Roger by ten months. He’d made that leap in part because of Charity.

Steve gazed at Roger thoughtfully. “You’re sure, then, huh? That stuff she did, that is normal warrior fae behavior?”

Roger nodded slowly. “Except for that ball of…light? Energy? I couldn’t get a good reading on that. No one has heard anything about it. The beta is checking it out.”

Steve leaned back and crossed his ankle over his knee. “Whatever she is, she’s useful. Hacked through a bunch of vamps. Pretty sleek, too. She knows how to handle that blade.”

Roger clasped his fingers together. “That was the first time she’s used it. Her control over her magic is largely instinctual, at present. She’s had no training, and I would bet she hasn’t yet realized her full power.”

Steve’s eyes widened.

Roger nodded. “Exactly. This is just the beginning. Untrained, brand new, she is worth two experienced shifters in battle. Maybe three. If paired with Devon, constantly bucking his natural tendency to dominate, she’ll be even better still.”

“Think she killed that elder?”

“Vlad probably isn’t dead. Burnt to a crisp, surely, but his minions will get him blood fast enough to save him. He’s too old to be taken down that easily.” Roger braced his elbows against the desk.

“Well…” Steve drawled, making a show of twiddling his thumbs. Roger kept his irritation from showing. Barely. “As soon as the warrior fae learn you’ve got one of theirs, they’ll come looking. Luckily, they’ll knock. If the elves find out…well, they don’t knock.”

“Thank you, Steven, for this fascinating glimpse at things I already know.”

Steve grinned. “You’ll have to take her to the warrior fae, eventually. Or else, if you don’t care about forming an allegiance with the fae, you could always let the elves take her. They’d give a handsome reward, I imagine, especially if she’s really an Arcana.”

“If you plan to turn traitor, Steve, I’ll kill you before you can make it to the portal.”

Steve threw up his hands, still sporting that irritating grin. “That’s not what I’m saying, boss. All I’m saying is that the trek from the castle to the Flush can be dangerous. Elves don’t police it as closely as they should. Could be you need someone that is excellent in defense turned offense.”

Roger snorted. “And I assume you mean you?”

“You don’t have anybody better.”

“Why would I entrust her safety to a guy that would drop everything for a nap in the sun?”

“I’ve always wanted to travel the Realm, and I’ve always wanted to bed a fae. This is my chance to do both.”

“Travel the Realm on my dime?”

“All good things to those who wait.”

Roger stared at him for a moment. Steve was right: he was the best in defense turned offense. Male lions, by nature, didn’t put themselves in jeopardy if they could help it, but once they decided to engage, they were a force to be reckoned with. Steve would require a powerful alpha to keep him in line, however. Devon had promise, but he wasn’t there yet.

“Worst-case scenario,” Steve said, “The girl pushes me around, right? She can throw me through a…tree.”

Roger shook his head. “It’s all up in the air right now. First, she and Devon need to heal. After that, I’ll see.”

Steve got up slowly, half stretching as he did so. He scratched his stomach with a grin as he said, “All I’m saying is, if you need bodyguard detail, I’m your man.”

Roger huffed out a laugh as soon as Steve was out of the room. He was a handful, plain and simple, but he was a good guy. More importantly, he was a pack guy who could navigate the wilds. Tempting.

Roger stared down at his papers, thinking.

There was no way he was going to present Charity to the Flush unless they were a hundred percent sure of her heritage. Right now there weren’t many other options, but still. He’d hate to make a fool of himself. That meant taking a trip to Charity’s family house and trying to locate her mom.

He had no doubt of what they’d find—he’d seen her fight out there—which led him to his next problem. How would he get her back if they sent her to the Flush to train? She’d suddenly have family, money, and a real sense of community. How many girls turned down a chance to be a princess?

Roger scratched his chin in irritation.

She had the bond with Devon. The best-case scenario would be if that bond turned into love. Given what Roger had heard of the warrior fae and their inclusive community, possibly the only thing that could tear a princess away from her throne was the man who held her heart.