I hold my hand out to her, palms up. “Forgive me, Ella. I did not mean to scare you. My name is Devon. I am a bond brother to Cash and Finn.”
Instantly, she calms as if she trusts me already. “Oh. You’re brothers?” I know she probably believes we were born to the same parents, and I do not move to correct her. Not yet, anyway. We can always discuss it later.
“Yes.”
Kai and Nyx shift beside me, each of them appearing to wear pants. I clench my jaw. Why did I not think of that as well before I changed into my human form?
“I am Kai.” He bows low in an elegant gesture and smiles up at her, his bright blue eyes practically sparkling with joy as he studies her lovely face.
“And I am Nyx. We are all bond brothers to each other.”
She gives us each a dazzling smile that rivals the brightness of the sun. “It is so nice to meet you. I didn’t know Cash and Finn even had any other brothers.”
Kai arches a brow at them, and they grin sheepishly.
“Did you come because you were worried about them?” she asks. “They’re fearless. They saved me yesterday from a wolf shifter. They took care of me after my stepmother...” her voice trails off.
“Beat her,” Finn says in a low voice laced with quiet anger.
“Your stepmother beat you?” Nyx kneels beside her as his fists clench by his side. “Why?”
Ella lowers her head. “She thought I was stealing.”
Kai blinks down at her and shakes his head in confusion. “Stealing?”
“I had saved up material that was discarded by the dressmaker when he came to fit my sisters.” She sniffs. “It would have just been thrown away if I hadn’t saved it.”
Kai cups her chin, lifting her face to meet his. Her eyes are bright with tears, and my heart clenches as the first one escapes her lashes and rolls gently down her cheek. He brushes it away with the soft pad of his thumb. “You did nothing wrong.” He speaks in a quiet tone. “You are not a thief.”
“Thank you.”
Chapter 6
Kai
My heart squeezes painfully in my chest at her tears. What cruel twist of fate left her at the hands of such a monster as this stepmother of hers? This woman will pay. My vow.
When I search the eyes of my brothers, it seems we are all in agreement. How dare someone mistreat our female. We are her guards, sworn to defend and protect her, and we will not allow such a transgression to go unpunished.
A cold breeze blows through the broken window of her room, and Ella shivers slightly. This looks more like attic storage than a proper bedroom. Devon picks up old boxes and nearby crates to try and block it as Finn wraps his arms around her. I am not too proud to admit that I am jealous of them or how she snuggles back into the twin. I should not think this way, but I cannot help it. Instinctively, I feel drawn to her, possessive even.
She is such a lovely and delicate creature. Even with her hair slightly disheveled from sleep, she is stunningly beautiful with long lashes and luminous blue eyes that seem to stare straight through me. I am completely captivated. I’ve heard this can happen to a guard, but I never thought it would happen to me.
How am I going to stand it if we are successful in our mission? How will I be able to stand by and watch her become a mate to the prince? It will be torture to be so often in her presence and never allowed to touch her... to never be able to love her as more than...
I close my eyes and shake my head to clear away my errant thoughts. It is our duty to make certain she weds the prince of this kingdom to restore the balance between our people and the humans. And yet, as I watch her, I would give up everything. Forsake all my training and the vows I swore to uphold if she would agree to become my mate.
Her eyes search mine, and I can think only of the sea. The deep blue of their coloring reminding me of its depths. “Do you know why we are here, Ella?”
Her small brow furrows softly. “No.”
“We are your guards, sworn to protect and defend you.”
“Defend me against what?”
I dart a glance at Finn and give him a subtle nod to explain. It is easy to see she has complete trust in him and Cash already, so I’d like her to hear this from him.
Understanding what I want him to do, Finn begins. “You are the one foretold, Ella. The Chosen One who will restore peace between our people and yours.”
She blinks up at him. “How am I supposed to do that?”
“You are destined to become the mate to the prince of this kingdom. Through your marriage to him, you can be the bridge between our two worlds.”
Her eyes search Finn’s. “I don’t understand. Why me?”
I take her hand, drawing her attention back to me. “You are special, Ella. Your family descends from one who was able to speak to our kind through the mind speech. That is why your father’s line has always been able to understand and recognize our kind in our animal form.”
A small smile crests her lips. “It’s nice to know that my father was telling the truth all that time when he told me he could speak with animals. But... why could I not do it then as well?”
I shake my head softly. “The gift does not manifest until your eighteenth birthday.”
She tips her chin up to look back at Finn, who is still holding her. She gives him a dazzling smile, and jealousy spikes through me once again. “That’s why you came to me in the woods, isn’t it?”
He smiles back at
