I long to claim her until I feel her coming apart at my touch.
For her, I will start a war, sell my soul, lose control. She consumes me to the point of madness, and I crave so much fucking more. Blood rushes through my body, my adrenaline unrelenting.
I’m going out of my mind, and now all I can think about is praying we’ve arrived at the witches’ land to get the mission started. To take ownership of the Savage Sector and then keep Narah by our sides. She reminds me of something in me, the part in my heart that fights savagely to win, and I adore her tenacity, her fiery passion.
My cock twitches for her. After I marked her, something changed between us. It bound us in a way I never expected, and I want more. I fucking need more.
“You okay?” Crius asks, glancing my way. “You’re grunting under your breath.”
Anger bubbles to the surface, but any response I’d intended is taken by the shrill whistle from across the woods.
I tense and raise my head to the gated entrance up ahead.
Nikos and Stone are both waving us over. My pulse spikes and I’m ready to fight, ready to stop drowning in all these goddamn emotions.
“This is it,” Crius coos, practically bouncing on his toes. His jaw clenches, and burning energy radiates from him.
“Calm down,” I say, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Save it for when the time arrives. Until then, don’t lose your head.”
He nods, and when he meets my gaze, his eyes are wild with adrenaline, with his eagerness to be blessed by the gods. My grip squeezes. He’s been by my side for so long that I trust him without question. And with the witches, he’s our secret plan should shit go sideways. Though I pray it doesn’t come to that, as I’m not ready to lose my closest friend.
The thought has me balling my hands into fists. This has to work my way.
We cross the silent woods on long strides, the smell of a fire floating in the air. I scan the entrance, where the other two stand. “Where’s Narah?” I ask, noting she’s nowhere in sight. They both look behind them and past the entrance, then back at me.
“She’s just inside. But Ragnar, we hit the jackpot. The witches are here, so many of them. Fuck, we’ve made it to where no one else has.” The runes on Stone’s chest burn a bright blue.
I clear my throat, my pulse on fire to get this over with, and yet all I can think about is keeping Narah safe. “Okay, so we know the plan. We also keep Narah close. Are you ready to make a deal with the devil?”
“Fuck yeah!” Nikos snarls. Stone nods, while Crius is breathing fast and shallow, his gaze darkening.
“Let’s go.” I march past the entrance, swinging my attention left and right. No sign of Narah, setting a chill in my veins.
“She was just there.” Nikos points to my right, and I dart down a passage flanked by lofty walls made of tightly knitted branches. But my mind darkens as I curve around the bend and emerge in front of an open clearing. Trees and huts line the distance, but my gaze lands on a witch with burning red hair dragging Narah by the arm toward the village.
A possessive snarl rolls over my throat. Over my dead body will they take Narah from me.
I glance over to my men behind me, pointing ahead, and in seconds we charge after them with fire on our heels.
Narah
“Stay down!” The witch pushes me to the ground with unbelievable strength, and I’m no fool to think that’s all brawn… she’s using her power. My skin ripples, the hair on my neck shifts, and magic rips over my fingers. Even the land trembles under my touch, the whole area a beacon of powerful enchantment.
I clench my jaw despite panic rearing through me at how easily we’ve walked into a trap. How I knew better but let distractions in the form of four gorgeous Alphas blindside me.
I twist my head back, expecting the red-haired witch to attack me, but instead she’s watching four huge figures rushing toward us from the entrance.
My gut hardens at the oncoming force.
My Vikings!
Devastation floods me that this will end badly for them, that they can’t possibly defeat the witches. The power I sense is astronomical—how can they defend themselves against such a powerful coven? Initially, I didn’t care what happened to them,