Not hard enough.
“Gods be damned, Rager!” Liam yelled at me, but I was watching Dravon twist and roll on the floor, coming back to himself. The commander shouted at the guards to take me down, but I didn’t care. No, I wanted to strike him again for his disrespect of both my friend and my mate.
“Stay down, you arrogant little ass. How dare you speak to Evon that way?” I bellowed the last. “And never speak of my mate again or I will pound you into dust.”
I took a step toward him, but small, soft hands wrapped around my elbow, pulling me back.
“Rager! Stop!” Bella’s voice was like a chime in my mind, waking me up. I glanced around to see four guards with ion blasters pointed at my chest.
Chapter Eight
Evon
Rager was enraged, out of control. I knew him to be Viken, but I had to wonder if he were part Atlan beast. When he became angry, it was as if he were possessed by some inner animal. That he protected me…
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Liam move toward him, but Bella, our fearless mate, wrapped her hands around Rager’s arm.
I remained motionless, ready to move quickly should he fail to regain control. But Bella’s touch, or perhaps her voice, snapped him back to himself. He still towered over Dravon, who remained sprawled on the floor. Blood seeped from my brother’s nose to his upper lip and he raised his arm to wipe the liquid away on his sleeve.
“Arrest this man,” Dravon shouted.
Two of the four guards surrounding us lowered their weapons and took a step forward. I raised my hand and stepped in front of Rager and our mate. “No. You deserved worse, brother.”
My brother scowled at me from his position on the floor as Thalia stepped out from where she’d been sitting and helped him back up. The moment his feet were solidly beneath him, he shrugged her off as if her touch burned. She stood to the side, glancing between our brother and Rager, her heart in her eyes.
I’d known for long months she wanted Rager for her own. Our decision to follow the new way, the kings’ way, and share a bride had killed her fragile hope. But she was hard, a true soldier, unlike our spoiled little brother. She didn’t act on her desires, kept them to herself, but I knew her well and her looks betrayed her. At least to me.
When the commander, our father, raised his hand, silence descended and I could hear nothing but my own racing heartbeat and Dravon’s ragged breathing.
“Lower your weapons.”
The guards did as he bid and stepped back. Bella crossed her arms over her chest, tapping her foot, and raised a brow at our father. The vision of our defiant little mate staring down one of the most powerful commanders of Viken would be burned into my memory for all time. Our beautiful Bella. Her courage made my cock hard and all I could think about for long seconds was grabbing her by the hair, shoving her up against the wall and burying myself balls deep until my seed power conquered her body, made her melt in my arms. Surrender. Although she was passionate enough I knew the seed power wasn’t really needed. She desired us enough without it. I wanted all that fiery intelligence, the steel in her spine, and I wanted her to bend in submission to me. To give it to me like the most precious gift.
Hard as iron, my cock throbbed and I had to swallow hard, take a deep breath and close my eyes to force the image from my mind as my father continued.
“Evon, your brother is correct. You know of the Chyron family’s link to the VSS. How can you believe in Liam Chyron’s innocence with such clear and damning evidence?” He inclined his chin to Bella, but he wasn’t finished. “I know your mate claims to be able to prove otherwise, and she’s certainly made an attempt to sway us.” Sway? She’d exposed some of his most personal secrets to a judicial panel. I tried not to roll my eyes at my father’s ability to be ever the diplomat. “The panel has agreed to allow you to try, Bella of Earth.”
He put an emphasis on the word “try” as if he knew Liam to be guilty and there would be no evidence otherwise.
Bella nodded, her chin lifted, her gaze direct. Most would cower and placate my father. Not Bella. “Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” the commander agreed, then looked to me. “Tomorrow you will have to make a choice, son. When your mate is unable to prove her claims, Liam will be found guilty. And he will be executed.”
“No.” I refused to believe Liam was responsible. I knew him not to be. I had no proof, but I didn’t need it. I knew Liam.
“He’s a traitor.” Dravon wiped the blood from his face once more, smearing the red liquid over his cheek as he continued to bleed, and suddenly I wished Rager had struck him harder. Knocked him out. The stubborn little fool. “If you take his side, Evon, if you side with a traitor, you will no longer be my brother.”