Ascended (War of the Covens 3)

Caia, as well as everyone else, stared at her, dumbstruck.

“You … want to help?” Ella queried, quietly disbelieving.

Alexa narrowed her eyes. “What, like I’m useless? I can fight, you know … I have a sharper set of claws than any of the bitches in the pack.”

Well, that I believe. An offer of help, however unexpected, wasn’t something Caia was about to turn down. “OK. If you’re sure … Alexa, you can come with us to the portal. You can help us fight at the Center.”

A shadow cast across the room as Alexa grinned excitedly at the thought. Standing in the doorway was Morgan with Malek, Morgan’s dark eyes burning into Caia.

“If Alexa is going, I’m going,” Malek puffed, crossing his arms over his large chest defiantly, smirking at his older sister.

Morgan whipped on him with a fierce growl. “You’re not going anywhere.” His next lip-curling comment was directed at Caia. “And neither is my daughter. You are not Alpha here, and you do not get to decide whether my underage children hit a battle zone for you!”

After years of perfecting a blank expression, Caia managed not to flinch under his outrage, but inside she felt dumb and guilty. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Before Alexa could mount what was clearly an oncoming—and loud—protest, Reuben slid forward to face Morgan. Standing a few inches taller, and just as broad, the vampyre made his displeasure known in every nuance of his body language. “You don’t speak to her with anything but respect, do you hear me?”

The older lykan was not intimidated one bit.

“Guys …” Caia tried to intervene, glancing helplessly to Magnus and the Elders who watched in fascination. Fricking lykans! They just loved the show of dominance crap.

Morgan sneered, his eyes wandering over the vampyre in disgust. “And who the fuck are you to tell me how to talk to her?”

Ella gasped at the profanity and made to stand up, but Dimitri held her back. Caia glared at him but he shrugged as if to say, “Sorry, but I wanna see what happens.”

Reuben took another step closer and Malek glanced nervously between his father and the outsider, wondering if he should step out of the way.

“I’m just a being that could tear you a new one in two seconds flat. But I can see I would actually have to do that to earn any respect from you. So why don’t I remind you that Caia is your Alpha’s mate and should be afforded the respect you’re refusing me.”

At that, Morgan lowered his eyes, and Caia knew Reuben had gotten to him. “You’re right.” He looked up and gave her a slight nod, his eyes dimmed but not defeated. “I’m sorry. But I can’t have my children in this war, Caia.”

“I understand,” she replied softly. “I’m sorry I didn’t speak to you about it first.”

“Uh, hello!” Alexa called, taking a step closer to Reuben with a flirtatious shake of her hips. “I think, Daddy, you’re forgetting one thing.”

Morgan raised an unimpressed eyebrow at her.

“I’m an adult. I don’t need your permission.” She smiled up at Reuben. “I’m still in.”

“You still live under my roof, so you will do as I say.”

“No—”

Sensing a huge disagreement brewing, Caia stepped forward. “Alexa, your father is right. I don’t think you’ve thought this through. You will be fighting to the death—and fighting magiks. The closest you’ve gotten to fighting is tussling with the pack.”

She whirled on Caia so fast she almost gave Reuben whiplash with her long, thick hair. “I can’t believe you of all people are trying to stop me.”

Jaeden growled. “And what does that mean?”

“Can’t she talk for herself?” Alexa cried, gesturing toward Caia. “Jeez, you’ve got so many champions, it’s a wonder you need to fight at all. Speaking of which … you had no fighting experience when you went in after Ethan. And you let Jae take those guards on outside.”

“Jaeden hunted with me for months before that and has become a proficient fighter,” Reuben reminded them quietly. Jaeden began to smile at him in thanks and then seemed to remember at the last minute that she hated him.

“Arggh!” Alexa spun and glowered at her father. “Daddy, let me do this! I am fed up with being a useless pretty ornament … uh, one, by the way, who didn’t even land the pack Alpha or Rogue Hunter!”

Wow, you had to admire her honesty. She didn’t give a rat’s ass who knew how shallow and ambitious she was.

“Oh dear goddess,” a soft female voice entered from the hallway—Alexa’s mother, Natalia. Alexa was the spitting image of her mother, and they could easily pass for sisters. The only difference being that Natalia wore her thick, dark hair cut short, and whereas Alexa’s eyes were constantly spitting fire, there was a gentleness to Natalia’s. At the moment, that gentleness was replaced with weary indignation. “Please don’t tell me you want to go off on this suicide mission because you think it’s the way to gain a mate?”