voice carrying to the people gathered several feet behind us.
“Killian O’Connor, Hiro Takama, Ryder Onasis, Theodore King, Damien LaCroix, and Joshua Williams. You have all come together today to take Annika Coxx as your true mate, to bind your souls for eternity. Is that still your desire?”
“It is,” they declared in unison, their voices melding in a beautiful harmony, their gazes fixed on me.
“Then, as her soon-to-be brother, I pass her to you for the binding vows. May your mating be a happy one.” He stepped away, moving off to their side to act as their groomsman.
“You’re beautiful.” Damien didn’t bother whispering the words, they rang loud and clear across the meadow.
Tears of joy gathered in my eyes as I glanced between them, my Phoenix cooing and crooning, pushing against me in an attempt to reach them all. One by one, their hands touched my arm, connecting our skin together, their smiles as bright as the snow around us. The vows would be said individually, with each of them offering their pledge, and then me repeating it back. I had wondered if I’d be able to memorize them, but the beautiful lines Joshua had told me were his grandparents’ own vows weren’t something I’d ever be able to forget. They thrummed inside me, dancing on my tongue as if needing to be shouted to the world around us.
“She’s always beautiful,” Killian interjected, his hand moving to clasp mine before he started his vow. The others murmured their agreement, though they didn’t interrupt, knowing he was the first to offer his promise. His green eyes were glowing, his Puca as present as my Phoenix, needing this claiming, this mark on each other. His other hand reached up to cup my face, stroking a finger across my cheekbone as though attempting to memorize me with his touch.
“Nix—”
His words cut off as a scream sounded behind me, making me whirl, my dress flying around my feet like wings. Dozens of shifters were pouring from the trees at our sides, some in their alter forms, others carrying weapons, as they leapt at the guests and my mates.
My mates were already in motion, thrusting me behind them as they acted as a wall between me and the threat. A scream bubbled in my throat as a minotaur slammed into Ryder, tossing him across the open field to land hard on his back, but he was up a moment later, shifting into his Ceraptor and returning the charge. Chaos broke out around us, and Killian disarmed two attackers, sending them sprawling into the snow, unmoving. He tossed one of the weapons to Joshua and they turned their backs to each other, acting as a team to keep a pair of what appeared to be Golems away from me as they advanced. Damien had shifted, his wings shredding the tuxedo he’d worn to nothing but bits of fabric as he took to the air to tear through the Harpies overhead. Hiro’s hands were held aloft, his eyes tight with concentration as he coaxed vines from the ground, weaving them around attackers wielding weapons against our guests. Theo stood sentry in front of me, his hand darting out again and again as he threw daggers of ice at any assailants who got too close to us.
My heartbeat stampeded in my chest like a herd of wild horses, and my dress clung to my legs as I turned to find Molly and Rini. Ice daggers similar to what her brother wielded gleamed in Molly’s hands, and Rini’s Sunbear had pressed forward, turning her hands into dangerous paws tipped with wicked claws.
Valleria and Victoria had joined the fight, while other leaders like Rune led some of the more defenseless guests into the trees, trying to get them to the safety of the lodge.
Other guests had shifted or grabbed weapons, presumably from our attackers, to join the battle.
“Someone has to hear us,” Molly panted as she threw another dagger toward a creature I couldn’t identify. “We’re not that far from the hotel or the cabins!” she growled. The girl had some serious aim, the thing crumbled to the ground, her dagger lodged in its throat. My Phoenix screeched her agreement, her power pressing against me, allowing me to call fireballs to my hands.
In the distance, I saw Tao swiping a knife at a man who quickly transformed into a wolf much smaller than Ceddy’s before lunging at the Qilin. Tao rolled, escaping the attack, and sunk the blade between the beast’s