Filed To Story: A Claim of Fortune Book PDF Free by Jaymin Eve
“Talon is one of my mates too,” I said, not caring who else heard. We were pretty far past keeping secrets, as the dragon-size hole in our garage wall could attest. “We believe we can still form a completed quintet. It’s not about numbers, but energy and essence. Together, Slade and Talon are considered one essence.”
No one looked at me like I was crazy, and in fact, both Hunter and Warrick nodded.
“The quintet is only five because the essence of our beasts and bond works best with that number,” Warrick said slowly, as if he was thinking it over as he spoke. “If their essence is one, then you’ll be a quintet. A very powerful one.”
His voice broke, and we fell silent at the reminder that his pack would never again be a complete quintet. I felt helpless against the sorrow that they’d forever carry. “Jewels will pay for what she did,” I said forcibly, anger tainting my sorrow. “I don’t care what it takes, or how many holes we have to dig to find her. This is the last death we’ll ever suffer at her hands.”
Warrick’s wolf rose until it was clear in his gaze. “On that, we are in complete agreement.” He wrapped his arm around Cora, drawing her tighter to his side. “Now, we need to get back to our pack and update the council. Call if you hear anything about the witch… we will be ready to take her down.”
I took a step towards Cora, who stood there looking broken. Her expression was filled with anguish, and I had to suck in a deep breath to be able to say, “I’m so sorry about Marcus. I wish I could offer you both relief from this pain, but just know that I’m here for you. Whenever you need.
Whatever you need.”
Cora reached out and I clasped her hand, relieved that she didn’t appear to hate me for the role I played in this. At least not yet. Maybe once her shock eased up, she’d feel differently.
“I have no idea how we navigate forward without him,” she rasped. “But I do know we need to be together. I’ll call you soon, Emme. Please stay vigilant. The witch could be back at any time.”
Warrick’s chest rumbled. “Call me later,” he said to Hunter, and then they headed down the street toward their car.
When their car vanished from sight, there was a shout, and enforcers poured into the street, racing for us. The shout hadn’t been to alert us to their presence, but to the magic filling the air, turning the skies darker.
“Get to cover,” Hunter shouted to any friends and family still here, and most of them took off, though I noticed Kenzo was nearby, along with Kassidy.
Alarms were sounding around Golden Claw as their warning system for witches came into effect. But it wasn’t a single witch this time.
The sky filled with them, and Jewels hovered dead center, her hands wrapped around Fletcher’s shoulders. The evening sky was dark enough at this point to showcase the huge, red-tinged moon. An eerie backdrop to their arrival.
Jewels smirked our way and carried Fletcher across the street, the alpha staring greedily at our super dragon. Without thought, I raced for Slalon, fearing that their lack of control in this new form would make them an easy target. Even with their size and magical resistance, there were enough witches to truly make this the fight of their lives.
EMME
Amagical blanket pressed down over the street, almost sending me to my knees, and I had to fight the oppressive energy as I sprinted. Kellan kept pace on my right, Hunter on my left, and I didn’t even have to look back to know Finley guarded the rear.
Up ahead, Slalon swiveled both heads, blasting fire in two different directions, which took out any witches floating too close. A few stronger ones erected barriers, leaving the rest to turn into blackened corpses falling to the ground with sickening thuds.
The enforcers around us started to shift into their more magically resistant forms. Those with wings took to the air to fight the witches above, and I spotted more than a few of Slade’s squad. They were highly trained fighters who worked well together, and the witches were unprepared for such a direct attack, which gave us time to get to the dragon.
Leaping over shifting wolves, cats, and bears, I reached the tip of the dragon’s tail, which was nearly as round as my whole body. Slalon’s heads were still working as weapons in the sky, and I shouted out to let them know I was there. “I’m climbing on your back now.”
They didn’t flinch as I ran up their spiked tail, surprised by how easily I traversed its length up to the broad back. Their wings lifted higher and wrapped closer to me, as if to offer protection and support. At the junction of their body where the two necks split, I slowed and leaned down. “Okay, alphas,” I said, keeping one hand on each neck, the scales near scalding under my touch. “I think we need to get you separated. I know you’re strong in this form, but you’re also stuck here on the ground while the witches are up there.”
They continued to spew fire in hot arcs, the heat scorching my cheeks. Jewels and Fletcher were the only ones still in our vicinity, her shielding strong enough to keep them safe. She didn’t flinch as members of her coven were destroyed around her, her focus only on us.
“Dragon,” Fletcher called, the sound of his voice sending shivers down my spine as I was thrown back to the night I met him in the old house. “You’re being called to return to your Alpha. You, your brother, and your mate.”
“You never even gave him a fucking name,” I snarled, finding my voice. “I won’t let you take Talon. I don’t care if it costs my life. He’s mine now, and I will fight until my last breath for him!”
Mine. They were all mine, and I was done with this motherfucker trying to split us apart.
Hunter, on the ground, moved in on the left side of Slalon. Finley and Kellan were on the right.
I stood in the center of them all, the heart of our quintet.
Technically, an omega was the weakest of any pack, but I was strong in ways that not even Fletcher understood. Even after all the years of experimenting on us, he’d missed the fundamental truth: we stood outside of his dominance and were not his to control.
“You need to separate your essence,” I said again to Slalon, “so we can take him on as a team.
“
This time it was clear they heard, as a shimmer of energy traced over my skin. Needing to jump ship, I leaned forward and called, “Head’s up, Hunter,” and without waiting for his response, threw myself off the dragon.
Hunter’s reflexes were quick enough to catch me before I hit the ground, tucking me in close to his chest. “For fuck’s sake, little mate,” he groaned, his nose tracing along my neck. “Could you stop trying to give me a heart attack…”
I patted his chest. “No one is dying on my watch, Hurricane. Not today.”
Behind us, the dragon’s essence grew stronger, but they hadn’t shifted back yet, so I wiggled out of Hunter’s hold. “We need to help them,” I said, and Hunter joined me as we pressed our hands to the massive chest, their mate and entitled alpha working together.
Through our bond, Talon’s dragon nuzzled against my wolf, and Slade’s beast was there too, his touch colder as he ran it gently along my flank. My wolf dug deeper into their combined essence, right to the place where they were joined, a connection that should have been honed from birth. These two had been cruelly torn apart, left to live without half their essence, always at odds with their beasts. But that was over forever.
I called to my wolf for help, and she knew the exact spot to nudge between them, which was all they needed. With another burst of that blinding light, the dragon heads both roared, and I was tugged away as they split. Instead of the two dragons I expected, I was left staring at two naked males. Two huge, ripped, gorgeous, and furious naked males.
Oh holy goddess.