Chapter 725

My wolf instantly pounces on the small part of me that wonders if that makes me a monster, snarling her fury at the thought. And she is right-

The Atalaxians, they started this war twenty years ago, they began their attack just when my father took his throne because they knew we were already weak. And it's unlikely that they expected us to stand for more than twenty years, but they continue their pursuit because they want us.

They want Moon Valley's rich resources and our beautiful land, of course, but they also want our people. They want to bend us to their will and their ways, to enslave our women to their ridiculous concepts of femininity, to use everything that makes us a rich and vibrant nation to feed their empowered class, their royal family.

They have already taken so much from us. They've hurt my friend.

And now they're trying to take me.

Because I'm not a fool - I know who these helicopters are after. Gibson - he knew, somehow, what I could do. And these helicopters are attacking this part of the line because they know, again, somehow, precisely where I'm standing.

So let them come.

And I'll show them the consequences of trying to hurt me and the ones I love.

I will take them all down one by one if I have to burn myself out to do it.

"Give 'em hell," Jackson snarls, squeezing my hand, and my fires flare just as four more helicopters appear in the distance.

"Do you even need me to pretend to give you orders?" Rafe murmurs, glancing at me.

I glance back and don't say anything. I mean, I don't want him to feel useless but...we both know the answer to that.

"Dad," Rafe says, raising a hand to the headpiece on his ear. "I would suggest that you...watch this."

The helicopters fall as easily as the first six, my fires laying in darkness, waiting to spring up and take them down.

Four planes come after that and they're craftier, dodging the flames at first, perhaps having learned to use heat-seaking technology in order to see my magic.

But it doesn't matter - Luca's winds move faster than the planes can fly.

They, too, fall to the join the others in the charred and steaming graveyard that used to be an empty landscape before us.

We wait for more, but half an hour passes and Rafe orders me to pull the whirlwinds back.

I hesitate, glancing at him, not sure -

"You're burning Jackson's energy," Rafe murmurs, giving me a little glare that clearly lets me know that I'm pushing it that he's already let me step outside of the command a lot tonight. noveldrama

"I'm good," Jackson murmurs.

"I said to pull back," Rafe snaps, glaring at him too. "You can start them again if we need them. Right

now, we're reserving our res

and not giving the Atalaxians

chance to figure out what the hell we've got going on."

Realizing that that's a good point, I sigh and drop Luca's wind, letting the flames fall to the ground. Then I cut Jackson's power and feel Jesse's shadows pulling away.

I let my head drop, closing my eyes and taking in a deep breath as I drop my mates' hands.

To my surprise, my cousin wraps

me in a hug from behind, pulling me back against his chest and pressing a discreet kiss to my cap. "That was amazing, trouble," he murmurs. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm all right," I sigh, smiling a little and leaning my weight against him. "Your shadows were cool. Were they...were they sharks today?" He laughs a little. "Yeah, I was trying something new," he murmurs.

"You were thinking about Tony," I whisper, tears again pressing at my lashes. "With the water."

"Yeah," he sighs, tucking his mouth close to my ear so only I can hear him. "I was. Don't tell anyone though, okay? I don't want people figuring out that I have a heart."

“Oh, Jess," I sigh, standing up and turning my head to give him as big a smile I can - which isn't much. "Stop kidding yourself - we all already know."