Unplanned Series Book 3: Unplanned Love
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Lee C Conrad
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The Fae’s Dilemma
Book 3: Unplanned Love
JASPER
“I’m deeply sorry for your loss, Nida,” Kane said, his voice filled with genuine sorrow.
I stood a little off to the side, having already paid my respects to the mourning parents. Nida and her mate were both pure Fae, and this was their second time losing a child. Their first child had died during childbirth a few years back.
They had tried again, and their second child only lived for five months. Both of their children were girls.
In our world, we didn’t value one gender over the other. But lately, only male children were surviving past their first year. So, when a couple decided to have a child, especially those who were pure Fae for several generations, there was a sigh of relief if they were expecting a boy.
The chances of survival were higher. But everyone would be ecstatic if a girl child could survive her first few years. It was just a terrifying reality knowing the odds.
My brother was the king, and I was the prince. I didn’t envy his position. While some families might harbor jealousy, sibling rivalry, or even covet the throne, I didn’t.
I was always ready to step in if my brother needed a break or if something happened to him, but I didn’t desire the throne. The sleepless nights he endured, the weight of our people’s survival on his shoulders—it was a lot.
I often wondered how he managed it all. I mean, I had my fair share of responsibilities, but his were far greater.
After the wars and the establishment of territories, our people were severely affected by a virus or, more accurately, a curse from our enemies. As Fae, magic flowed in our veins, and our enemies, usually of demonic nature, tried to weaken us with a biological weapon laced with dark magic.
The effects lingered years later. While adults were no longer affected, it was impacting birth rates, and something at a genetic level was still awry.
Kane had decided to seek an unconventional treatment for our people. Humans relied on genetics, and our allies in the lycan territory had treatments that were successful for hybrid children.
He was willing to participate in genetic profiling to see if there was a treatment or an explanation for our predicament. This was particularly important if a Fae felt the spark—our term for sensing a mate bond—with someone not of Fae heritage.
Once we bonded, our magic began to alter our partners to extend their life or even change them into Fae. Currently, that was also very risky. There were more mortalities occurring with this as well.
My thoughts drifted back to the grieving couple we were visiting.
“Thank you, Kane,” Nida managed to say through her sobs.
Kane didn’t insist on formalities from our people. Kane was making it a point to visit all the couples who had suffered this loss. I was accompanying him, and it was crucial to do this, to acknowledge their pain.
Our people knew their king and prince were trying and cared about their plight. It meant a lot to them, knowing they weren’t forgotten, and their grief and fear weren’t being ignored.
“I’ve arranged assistance for you, anything you need,” Kane assured them.
I remained silent, bowing my head respectfully as we excused ourselves and left. My violet eyes narrowed slightly as we approached our vehicle.
We had a few guards around; we were aware of the high risk of assassination attempts. But we weren’t defenseless.
We got into the car in silence, with me in the driver’s seat. The windows were heavily tinted for privacy. I knew our guards would follow.
I glanced at Kane as he suddenly punched the dashboard, not hard enough to break it, but enough to leave a dent.
“Damn it,” he muttered, rubbing his forehead.
I exhaled deeply, understanding his frustration. He stared out the window as I pulled onto the road to drive home.
We were both silent for a moment, and I noticed him bouncing his leg—an annoying habit he had when he was frustrated. I knew it well because I did it too.
“They know we’re trying. That you’re trying. We have some hope of fixing this, I think,” I said, trying to reassure him.
Kane let out a sigh and looked at me. “Getting to the human population over the mountains is a real challenge, especially with Red Coven smack in the middle of us and the other human territory on this side. It’s a total cluster,” Kane admitted.
Red Coven… I let that thought drift away. Kaven had really thrown a wrench in our operations. The Red territory stretched along a significant part of ours, making crossing it a no-go.
We were forced to either head way south or traverse the mountains and then descend to trade or communicate with other territories on the other side that had the medical research we needed.
“I hope Axel skewers that jerk,” I said, earning a grin from Kane.
“Kaven’s got some nerve, trying to off Beta Harper like that. Who in their right mind would push Axel’s buttons that way?” Kane mused.
I responded with a dark chuckle. “Someone who’s a few cards short of a full deck. Our defenses are holding up, and the entire border is now manned. Axel has dispatched trained soldiers, and a few other territories allied with Axel have sent reinforcements. It’s clear to everyone that Red’s actions are a precursor to war or attacks,” I explained.
“I bet Axel’s planning to invade and take over Red Coven at some point. We’ll lend a hand, and I want half the territory as payment for our assistance. Our magic can provide more support. We need to expand our land and resources. Axel’s a man of his word, but he’ll box us in if we just let him take Red Coven without our help,” Kane said.
I agreed. Politically, we had to assist, and expansion was necessary. We’d already discussed extending our border into Red Coven territory.
We planned to slowly take over the wild areas that Kaven wouldn’t be monitoring before he even realized what was happening. This strategy had been in the works since Adis first took charge.
My thoughts drifted back to our people’s high infant mortality rate and mating issues. As Fae, we were sexual beings. Our magic was internal, and sexual energy was the best fuel for it.
That’s why this virus hit us so hard. It was downright unfair.
“So, is Miss Grace going to help out with the human doctors?” I asked, trying to sound casual.
But Kane’s raised eyebrow and slow smirk told me he wasn’t fooled. My brother knew me too well. This wasn’t the first time I’d asked about her.
“She is. But I was warned that if anything happens to her in Fae territory, Axel will personally behead me if Beta Harper doesn’t get to me first,” Kane said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“Is that so?” I mused, thinking about Grace.
I first saw her when she and Harper were attacked just outside our territory. She burst out of the forest onto the road in her lycan form.
She was smaller than most lycans, but she fought like a hellcat. She quickly killed a vampire and helped us fend off others, despite her injuries. It was clear this wasn’t her first vampire kill.
“It is so,” Kane replied. “You know, Jasper, I’ve noticed how you look at her when she’s around. And the women you’ve been choosing… Did you feel the spark with her? You’ve been awfully quiet lately.”
Trust my brother to be so straightforward. I was the same, though.
“Maybe,” I replied, giving him a sidelong glance.
He shot me a stern look.
“All right, yes. I did,” I admitted, my tone curt.
Behind her sweet face was a warrior. When Grace shifted back to human form, her wounds were evident. I admired her fighting spirit, her determination to protect her family until her last breath.
When our eyes met, I felt it. The spark, as we called it, was like an electric jolt through my body. I was drawn to her, but unsure of how to approach her.
I found myself visiting her often in the hospital during her recovery, but she never indicated if she felt the same way. Her kind had true mates, recognized at first sight. So I worried that her silence meant she didn’t see me as her true mate, even though I felt the spark.
There hadn’t been a Fae-lycan pairing in ages, so I was unsure. It kept me up at night, honestly. Plus, I was having trouble with sexual responses to others, which was how we maintained our magic.
It was Grace who filled my thoughts. I’d never relied on my hand so much until recently. Fae folks were pretty open about casual sex. It wasn’t a big deal, as long as you treated your partner with respect.
We were naturally more sexual beings, so it was considered pretty low to talk trash about your partner or act like they owed you something. If you did that, good luck finding someone willing to sleep with you.
We all had our quirks in the bedroom, sure, but the golden rule was simple: don’t be a jerk to your lover. This got me thinking about Grace and her kind. I wasn’t sure how lycans viewed it all.
My recent sexual partners had all resembled her in some way. Most of the time, I avoided eye contact, because it was starting to mess with my head. Feeling the spark meant you’d found your match, the one who would complement your magic like no other.
Once you were bound, you wouldn’t feel any sexual attraction to anyone else. It was them or no one. If one partner died, the other would start to lose their magic and slowly waste away.
Kane shrugged and gave me a small smile. “She seems like your type. Smart, strong, stubborn. She cares deeply for her loved ones and has a drive to help others. Yeah, I can see it. She might be getting the raw end of the deal, though,” Kane teased.
I chuckled, glancing at him. “Whatever, Kane,” I retorted, pulling into the driveway of our mansion. It was nestled close to the mountainside, with tunnels leading up to the mountains for a quick escape or travel during bad weather.
“I’m not the one who preys on the quiet ones. Innocent little bookworms who have no idea how overbearing you can be.” I shot him a look, and Kane just shrugged.
“So, I like them soft and sweet. We all have a type,” Kane replied as we got out of the car. We were both dressed casually, we were the same height, and we looked almost like twins. Kane’s eyes were a shade more lavender than violet, and his hair wasn’t as dark as mine.
“But seriously, she’s arriving tomorrow with a few others. The human medical researchers I spoke with won’t be here for a few more weeks. There will be four of them, and I want to ensure that housing and security are tight. You’ll be Grace’s personal guard. Can you handle it, or are you going to follow her around like a lost puppy?” Kane asked.
I raised an eyebrow. “I can handle it,” I assured him. Besides, he’d have a hard time keeping me away from her anyway, so he might as well put me on her detail.
Plus, Grace was part of Axel’s inner circle, so her protection was a top priority, whether she realized it or not. “Good, let’s wrap up the work we have. Some rest would be nice,” Kane said.
I couldn’t agree more. I just hoped that the future wouldn’t turn into a total shitshow when things finally started to unravel and the real fighting began.
