Masked Fate (Fated Love #3)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Pandora

No one, and I mean no one, is more shocked than me when Salem comes to visit.

In Aravelle.

And he just appeared in front of us, zipping in and somehow ignoring every damn ward that protects us against strangers entering.

I heard a rumor that Salem’s magic allows him to be invisible and go anywhere undetected. His being here right now and not outside the castle gates makes me more confident that what I heard is indeed the truth.

That, or he has exceptionally powerful magic.

I know that August can walk through any ward without a second thought, so it’s been known to happen.

“How did you know I was here, Salem?” I ask, licking my suddenly dry lips. With Rave, Soren, and Sinda off to scope things in my kingdom, I’m a little on edge that he has shown up and is sitting opposite Astrid and me. Tor, the head of the royal guard, is watching over us from the corner of the dining hall. But when Nico and Elios show up, I know he’s called in reinforcements. I don’t think one male is enough to take Salem down. He’s the biggest shifter I’ve ever seen, and that is saying something.

“Princess Ebony told me,” he replies, light green eyes flickering with heat and something else I can’t define.

He’s not working with my sister, is he ? I can’t trust anyone right now. But then his gaze drifts down over my breasts, his eyes turning hazy and half-lidded.

“You went to my kingdom looking for me?”

“I did,” he replies, running his thumb along his sharp jawline. “Your sister is a bitch, by the way. She’s lucky I left her alive.”

Well, if he didn’t, it would have solved one major problem for us.

I share a quick look with Astrid, who is sucking on her lips to stop herself from laughing.

What the fuck is this?

Wait! Is this a booty call?

A booty zip?

“Salem, why are you here?” I ask with a frown.

“I don’t know, I had the urge to see you,” he rasps, flashing a pair of sharp canines as he runs his teeth over his bottom lip.

Is he drunk?

Oh my fates.

He’s come here to fuck me.

“I appreciate the effort,” I say slowly, clearing my throat. “But I’m in the middle of a crisis, and unfortunately, now is not the best time for you to… uh… follow your urges.”

To be fair, he went down on me and made me come, and then I left him hanging, but it’s not like he doesn’t have other options out there to get off.

No, wait. Soren fucked with his mind, so he won’t remember that. So why is he here? Maybe he remembers some of it? Who knows how the whole mind persuasion works?

“You ran away from me at the party before I could spend any time with you,” he replies, smirking.

So he doesn’t remember.

Good.

His mind can’t remember, but apparently, his dick can because it’s come looking to collect,

acting like I owe it money or something.

Fuck, his dick thinks I owe it pussy.

“We aren’t together, Salem,” I blurt out, looking to Astrid for help, but she just watches this shit show with wide eyes. She might as well pull out some popcorn.

I’m glad Soren isn’t here right now because this is the exact reason he told me it was stupid to do anything with Salem.

He was right.

One for Soren.

Zero for Pandora.

“You’re mine until I decide you aren’t,” he replies in a casual tone like we’re discussing the weather.

My mouth opens and then closes. “I don’t think that’s how it works. Plus, Astrid saw your fated mate in one of her visions. Didn’t she tell you about that?”

Yeah, I’m lying and dragging Astrid into it, but I don’t care

Salem’s eyes snap to her. “I heard you were a seer. Who is my mate then?”

It got rid of Bane for Astrid, so maybe this will work for me too.

“Why don’t you ask Laurel since she lives in your kingdom?” she questions, watching him closely. “How is she doing, anyway?”

Oh, right, I was meant to check on Laurel but failed that mission.

“She’s fine, why wouldn’t she be?” he replies, glancing at all the males positioned around the room, watching us. He turns back to me. “You know if I wanted to take you, no one in this room could stop me, right?”

The temperature in the room drops.

Well, I guess dangling the mate card didn’t work.

Shadows drift from Astrid’s fingers. “Is that a threat, Salem? I’ve been playing nice until now. In fact, I was finding the whole thing amusing, but no one comes here and threatens my friends.” I feel her push out a shield to cover and protect me. “Do you know that a person can be killed from the inside out? I could make your blood boil to the point that you explode, all with one insignificant thought.”

Astrid has definitely been spending too much time with Rave.

But Salem just smirks, and the dominant energy that suddenly pours from him is stifling.

Tor, Nico, and Elios surround their queen, weapons drawn, ready to defend.

“If you attack our queen, you will start a war. A war you will lose,” Nico warns, the earth shaking under our feet, his magic ready to erupt. “Do you really want to anger the Shadow King?”

Fire sizzles from Elio’s open palms. “I don’t know, maybe it will be fun. I’ve never fought a shifter.”

I’m about to tell everyone to calm down when Soren steps into the room, taking in the scene. He quickly zips to me, picking me up gently, yet forcefully, to place me behind him, shielded by his big body.

“I’ve been gone thirty minutes,” he barks, turning and looking at me like I’m the problem. He’s wearing a sleeveless gray tunic, showing off his rippled biceps and trousers that fit just right about his strong, muscular thighs. His twin swords are at his back, peeking over his broad shoulders. His blond hair is messy, as if he’s run his fingers through it multiple times, and his fuller upper lip looks more kissable than ever. “Salem, I don’t know why the fuck they let you in here, but leave. Now . Pandora is not yours, nor will she ever be.”

Salem’s furious glare is met with Soren’s signature smug smirk, which must set Salem off because suddenly, he shifts. The giant male morphs into the biggest black wolf I’ve ever seen, his lips peel back to reveal sharp teeth. He releases a guttural growl that sends shivers up my spine.

One of his paws must be as big as my head.

“Now what?” I ask, pulling my magic to the surface, ready to use it to defend us all. “And don’t tell me I told you so.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he rumbles, turning to face me. Our eyes connect and hold, and the intensity in his beautiful gray ones almost makes me forget about the snarling beast behind us.

“What are you doing?” I ask, but then realize he doesn’t want me behind him as he pulls out his swords from their sheath. As soon they are in his hands, he spins back around, offering me his back.

“Come on then, dog,” Soren purrs while Astrid extends her shield over all of us.

Salem is about to attack, bent low and braced for impact, when suddenly he freezes, tilting his head to the side as if listening to something.

Then he growls, low and rough, and disappears into thin air.

I don’t know what happened, but I’m grateful for it.

Soren slides his swords away and turns to his side, showing off his handsome profile.

And then he ruins it by looking at me over his shoulder and growling, “I fucking told you so.”

Motherfucker .