A Love Untamed (Feral Warriors #7)(84)

Fox tensed. This was real.

All of a sudden, warm energy began to flow through his body, similar to radiance, but different. Softer. Love. He felt so much love. Deep inside, his animal responded, leaping with joy and gratitude, growing larger, stronger.

“Help him, Fox,” Melisande urged. “Concentrate. Between the three of us, we’ll destroy that darkness in your spirit right now. I can do this.”

Fox did as she asked, focusing on the smoke’s demise as Melisande’s heat rushed into him, as the red fox grew larger, and larger, until he towered over the smoke fox. And then he attacked, ripping away chunks of darkness that no longer re-formed, again and again until the darkness was no more.

The red fox turned to him, grinning, love and gratitude in his eyes. Then turned to Melisande with a look of utter adoration.

Inside, he felt whole, his animal’s tension draining away. Fox blinked. “It’s done.”

Melisande laughed. “It’s done.”

With a sound kiss, he pulled out of her. When they’d straightened their clothing, he swung his new bride, in her diaphanous ruby mating gown, off the altar.

A moment later, Ariana was throwing her arms around Melisande, hugging her tight, both women laughing, crying. Then one by one, the others stepped forward, Ferals with their mates, and the Ilinas, in a flurry of hugs and congratulations. Melisande’s musical laughter rang through the ritual room, her beauty incandescent, her golden hair falling to the small of her back, the ruby gown clinging lovingly to her curves.

He swallowed as he watched her, marveling that this wonderful, exciting, darling woman was his. Goddess, he loved her.

Olivia enfolded Melisande in a big hug. “Welcome to the family.”

Jag placed a kiss on Melisande’s cheek, then shook his head with a grin. “No offense, sister, but you are the last female I ever expected to do that to.”

Olivia rolled her eyes.

Melisande reached up and kissed Jag’s cheek in return. “No offense taken, Jag. I’m glad we’re friends.”

“Me, too . . .” His voice trailed off as he cocked his head. “I’m short on female angel names. But never fear, Blondie, I’ll come up with something to call you.”

Melisande laughed. “You could call me by my name.”

“And break tradition?” He grinned. “Hell no, I’ll come up with something.”

Kara gave them both a hug from the safety of Lyon’s arms. The chief of the Ferals had barely let go of her since they’d arrived back at Feral House, and Fox couldn’t blame him one bit. His heart utterly stolen by another, he didn’t know how the male had survived the abduction of his mate.

Kara was still weak and, according to the Shaman, would get no stronger until she was able to undo the damage the evil Ferals had done to her. The only thing he believed would help was bringing a good Feral into his or her animal. And while three new Ferals currently resided in the prison beneath the house, no one was willing to stake her life on any of the three being the best of his line, not even Castin. Because if they guessed wrong, if Kara brought one more evil Feral into his animal, she would die. The Shaman was quite certain of that.

Fox hated that Castin now languished in the prison along with Rikkert and a third newly marked Feral who’d arrived while they were stuck in the labyrinth. Though his gut had been silent on the issue, his instincts told him that Castin was an honorable male. But his certainty was far from one hundred percent. And while he detested that Castin’s life might be on the line, there was far too much at stake to set him free. The fate of the world might well depend on the decisions they made about the new Ferals. All they could do was hope they found a way to tell the good Ferals from the bad. And soon.

Kougar and Ariana joined them, and Kougar bent to give Melisande a kiss on the cheek. Her eyes widened with surprise. As he pulled back, she watched him, bemused.

“Does this mean you’ve forgiven me?” she asked quietly.

Fox suspected she was asking about what she’d done to his and Ariana’s mating bond a thousand years ago. The poison had forced Ariana to sever the mating bond for fear of killing Kougar. And while, thanks to Melisande’s machinations, the incomplete bond was severable, Kougar had thought Ariana dead, and had mourned her for a thousand years.

Kougar’s eyes turned thoughtful. “If you were then as you are now, would you have tried to sabotage our mating bond?”

Melisande didn’t answer immediately, but when she did, it was with a sigh. “I was so filled with bitterness, Kougar. My hatred for the shifters knew no bounds, and I genuinely believed Ariana would rue the day she wed you. I honestly believed I was saving her that pain by keeping the mating bond from fully forming. That way she’d be able to walk away from you, unharmed.” She shook her head. “I will always do what I think must be done to protect her and the rest of my sisters.” Her eyes cut to Fox, softening, filling with love as she met his gaze. “And to protect my mate, his brothers, and their wives.”

Slowly, she turned back to Kougar. “But I no longer see the world through bitterness and hatred alone. My compassion has returned, and my wisdom, I would like to think. So, no, I would not do it all over again. I have seen, for a while now, the truth I was too blind to see then—that you’re perfect together. You’re stronger, we’re all stronger, for the love you two share.”