"Lorn!" She appeared horrified.

"It's okay. I've always known how shrewd he is." He hugged her tighter. "He's not the only one who can make plans and be sneaky. I learned from the best. I was willing to pretend ignorance as long as it kept you safe. Hell, I always hoped once he decided to use me, that I could flip it on him somehow. Use his greed against him to get what I wanted."

"What is that?"

"You."

She reached up and caressed his arm. "Really?"

"I planned to confront him head on. I thought I'd use you against him for once. Not in a bad way. That sounds terrible but it isn't."

"How?"

"I'd agree to willingly put him in power if I could mate whoever I wanted. He'd have the clan and I'd finally be able to see if I could get you to forgive me. I thought you must hate me after I walked away from you when we were teens. I knew I hurt you. I never meant to."

"I understand that now."

"Then Lavos said he met his true mate." He couldn't let all that anger go over Lavos's lie but managed to mute the growl. "It screwed up everything. Dad informed me he'd sent for the woman I would mate. That's what I'd planned to talk to you about when I realized you felt something for me. My father might have been able to force me to accept her into my home, but I wouldn't have claimed her. I wanted you to know the truth but there were too many people around that night to make sure no one overheard our conversation. I didn't want to lose you for good. I was going to ask you to consider waiting for me, until I could make our mating possible. I had no intention of ever taking her to my bed. I knew it was a long shot after all the years I stayed away, but-"

Kira surprised him by leaning forward and kissing him. Her lips were soft and he closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her. She pulled back before he could deepen it. She smiled but then it faded. Tears filled her eyes.

"I can never give you children if I remain this way, and you'll always have to feed me. Your father won't agree to let us be together. You're his firstborn, and he's going to demand offspring from any union you make."

"I don't care what he wants!"

His violent outburst made her jump. He took a calming breath and forced his rage back. "I don't. I'd love to have kids but I would trade the possibility of them to keep you. And I don't mind you biting me. Notice how hard I get when you do? I'm aroused just thinking about it."

"Yes."

"I'm not letting you go, now that I know you care about me the way I do you. That's why your father and I were snarling at each other. I'll be damned if I allow him to hand you over to someone else. You're mine, Kira." He drew in a deep breath and released it. "My blood might activate your Lycan traits but it doesn't make a difference either way. You're mine," he repeated.

"I love you, Lorn."

"I've always loved you, too, Kira."

She nestled against his chest. "This blood thing has to work."

He silently prayed for that as well. It would make things much easier if Kira could withstand the sun and breed children. He'd mate her either way. He couldn't deny it any longer. It was just going to have to wait until he could do it safely, without the consequence of getting her killed. He needed to take care of a lot of things before that could be possible. He hugged her tight.

"I'm going to figure out a way for us to be together." It was a promise.

She lifted her head and he knew that determined expression. "We are going to figure this out."

He grinned. That was his Kira. "Us against the world." It was their childhood motto.

She blinked back tears. "I've missed you so much."

"I've always been here. I just couldn't talk to you."

"Now you can."

"It tore me apart when I'd see you and you'd drop your gaze away, as if you couldn't stand the sight of me. I never blamed you, Kira. I knew you thought I'd abandoned you as a friend."

"It just hurt too much. I thought you stopped wanting to be burdened by me."

"You've never been a burden."

"Everyone gave you grief over me."

"They're assholes."

She laughed. "True."

She was in his arms. He wished they never had to leave his den but it wasn't possible to stay hidden there forever. Time wouldn't freeze, despite how much he wished it would.

Kira loved being on Lorn's lap with his arms firmly wrapped around her. She took in everything he'd told her. "Decker is gone, so that leaves Nabby. He's going to make a play for leadership soon. My dad and I have talked about it."

"Nabby will only step up if Decker's place in the clan is threatened. Right now, no one is certain how this mess with the other clans will play out. That's probably why my father hasn't chosen now as the perfect time to use me. Someone has to make the first move for the game to begin."

She was confused. "Why would Nabby do anything for Decker? Doesn't he want to take his place?"

"Nabby is still under his control. He'll only fight to hold the clan for Decker when any challenger for leadership comes forward. I'm sure Decker is hoping he finds a fast way to resolve his issues with Lord Aveoth, since that's what's blocking him from coming back."

She'd never seen the GarLycan leader but everything she'd heard about him gave her the willies. Her father ordered her to hide in their apartment when he thought anyone from that clan was in the vicinity, not sure how they'd feel about a mostly human amongst them. Lord Aveoth was rumored to be a handsome, intimidating man, but there was a supposed coldness about him that implied he probably didn't have a heart. "I heard Lord Aveoth is really mad at Decker. He doesn't sound like the forgiving type."

"He isn't. Lord Aveoth will kill Decker if he returns to this area. I'm sure our old leader is desperate to find a way to make peace."

"Is that possible?"

"I don't think so. Decker already played out his only advantage when he tried to trade his granddaughter."

"The GarLycan leader is scary but I can't believe he couldn't attract a woman on his own. Why did Decker think giving him his granddaughter would make Lord Aveoth do his bidding?"

"She wasn't just any woman. She was a blood relative to his intended lover, who died before he could claim her. It's rumored that Lord Aveoth became addicted to her blood and would kill to have one her descendants."

"That's possible? I've never heard of that before."

"He's a GarLycan.

"So it's a Gargoyle thing?"

"I guess. So little is known about them."

"It couldn't be too big of a weakness. Dad said he allowed Decker's granddaughters to mate VampLycans."

Lorn nodded. "Decker underestimated the GarLycan leader, thankfully. I still shudder to think what would have happened if Lord Aveoth had agreed to go to war with the three other clans. I would have broken ranks and fought alongside them."

"I would have, too, even if they hadn't wanted my help."

"Well, it doesn't matter now. It didn't happen. Lord Aveoth wants to kill him. It will end so many problems if he succeeds."

"I know I wish Decker were dead."

Lorn grew quiet and Kira studied him. He seemed deep in thought. She wished she could read his mind. "What are you thinking about?"

He hesitated and then met her gaze. "Velder contacted me, and I had a meeting with the other clans."

"Do they want a war?"

"No. They asked me to step up and take leadership of our clan so we keep the peace. I was undecided what to do until now."

Kira heard determination in his tone. "What's that?"

"I'm going to take charge of our clan."

"Your father wants to lead."

"I know, but he'd be just as bad as Decker. I'm done." Lorn hugged her tight. "I'm not losing you. Fuck that. I'll take the clan and make my own laws. I'm going to make it possible to claim you as my mate regardless of anything else, Kira. We've lived under to Decker's tyranny for long enough. Our clan won't voluntarily change its ways-so I'm going to force it to happen."

"Lorn..." She wasn't sure what to say at first. She did know how she felt. Frightened. "You'd have to challenge Nabby and anyone who backs Decker still. That will be a lot of the first-generation elders. Hell, most of the clan, for that matter." Another person popped into her thoughts. "And your father."

"I'll probably have to kill him. He won't leave me with any other choice." Lorn grimly regarded her. "I've let them keep us apart for long enough. No more."

Tears filled her eyes. "Lorn, the odds are impossible. You're one man."

His entire body grew rigid. "You don't have faith in me?"

"I do." She grabbed his face, staring deeply into his eyes. "I love you. Let's just run away together and go far from here. That's better than taking on the clan."

His expression softened. "We'd always be looking over our shoulder. What if we were to have children? Do you want that kind of life for them? Worried that enforcers will show up with orders to kill us? Dodging Vampire nests and Lycan packs trying to take us out because we're considered outcasts and enemies? You deserve all the things you've been denied, Kira. That's a clan that accepts you. Living in a place where we're surrounded by people willing to help us maintain a safe environment. I want to give you that.

"Some may be like Decker, but there are a lot in our clan who are fed up. We all deserve a chance to be happy. Your father and Lavos will have my back. Davis will fight for you and my brother will fight for me. Garson and Kar are with Lavos, so they'll help. I'm not going to do this alone."

"You've always been so stubborn and honorable." It was part of the reason she had fallen in love with him. He cared about others and protected the people who needed it most. It's what had brought him into her life. He'd rescued her and won her heart.

"We're going to get you stronger-and then I'm going to start a war I plan to win."

"I'm going to fight at your side."

That made him growl, and he shook head.

Kira went nose to nose with him, gripping his face tighter. "I'm not letting you do this alone."

"Damn it," he rasped. "I won't risk you. I want you to stay here, locked inside the den until it's over."

"Do you really think that's going to happen?"

He closed his eyes and tilted his head, pressing his cheek against hers. "I can't lose you."

"I can't lose you either. You want to take the clan? Fine. I get it. I see the big picture. Your war is my war. We're in this together. I'm not letting you go, either."

"Fine."

He'd agreed too fast. It reminded her of when they were kids and had argued. He'd say that same word in that exact tone. Then he'd do the opposite.

Lorn could be sneaky...but she could be too.

Chapter Nine.

Lorn knew he needed to get out of bed. But he loved having Kira in his arms. She felt right and perfect, snuggled against his body. Life wouldn't allow him to ignore his responsibilities, though. He eased off the mattress. She didn't stir so he figured the sun hadn't gone down yet, but it had to be late in the day.

He took a fast shower then used his emergency phone to text Lavos. He noted the time. He'd slept for longer than he'd thought.

What's going on?

Call.

That one word had Lorn moving fast, unlocking the door and heading topside to get a better signal. He called his brother as soon as he got more bars. "What's wrong?"

"Nabby is worried some of the families will flee our clan to join the others. Our father suggested he separate the mated couples."

"Son of a bitch," Lorn snarled.

"Yeah. The idiot and his elder friends came up with the plan to assemble all the women and children inside the lodge, while the men are to remain at their homes. It's caused friction since this morning. No one wants to leave their families unprotected after the Vampire attack. Who the hell could blame them? I tried to talk to Dad but he said it's only going to affect the families that he doesn't trust. As if that makes a difference. The bastard wouldn't even listen to reason."

"He never does."

"Fights will break out when Nabby and his moron crew try to force the issue at sunset. Garson, Kar, and I are attempting to keep the peace but it's just the three of us. I really need you, Lorn. You're the only one who might be able to change our father's mind. He's the one giving Nabby orders, and he's convinced the elder members to compel their children to comply."

"Ladius has gone way too far."

"No shit. It's fucked up. Disrespect your parents, or go against your instincts to protect your mate and kids. Dad doesn't see a problem with it since he's never cared about family harmony. Selfish prick."

Lorn agreed. "Do you think he's getting his orders directly from Decker?"

"Does it matter? They both probably fear losing numbers. There's no clan to rule if most of our people flee."

"Where's Davis?"

"Nabby sent him on a supply and mail run before he informed the mated males what he expected of them. He'll be back in an hour or so."

"How much do you trust Kar?"