Unplanned Love

POV: Jasper

“I am truly sorry for your loss Nida,” Kane said as I stood to the side, having already given my offering and condolences to the grieving mother and father.

Nida was full fae as was her mate, and this was their second loss of a child. The first had been in childbirth several years ago. They had tried again, and their child only survived five months. Both children had been female.

While we did not place more value on male or female, right now the only children that were surviving past the first year were male children. So when a couple decided to try, especially those who were fully fae by a few generations, there was a relief if they were told the child was male because the odds of their child surviving were higher. However, everyone would be more than overjoyed if a female child survived her first few years. It was just a terrifying thing knowing the odds.

I was the prince, and my brother was the king. I did not envy his position in this, and while some families may have jealousy, sibling rivalry, and the thought that they should have the throne, not their sibling, I did not. I was always willing to step in if my brother needed a break or if something ever happened, but it was not a role I wanted.

The amount of sleepless nights he was having, the burdens of our people, were on the edge of possibly dying out, were a lot. I had no idea how he handled it some days. I mean I still got a shit load to do but he had more.

After the wars and territories were created, our people had been hit very hard by an enemy virus or curse was really the appropriate term. Since magic flowed in our blood as fae, our enemies, who were typically of demonic nature, had tried to weaken us by introducing a biological weapon, but also with dark magic. We were still feeling the effects years later, and while adults were no longer suffering from this, it was affecting birth rates and something on a genetic level was still messed up.

Kane had decided that he was going to reach out and find an unorthodox 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 more than willing to participate in the genetic profiling and to see if there was a treatment or even an answer as to why this kept happening to them.

Especially if a fae felt the spark, which was our term for sensing the mate bond, with one who was not of fae heritage. Once we bonded, our magic tended to begin changes in our partners to extend their life or even change them to fae. Right now, that was very dangerous too. There were more mortalities happening with this as well. My thoughts moved back to the couple we were seeing here.

“Thank you Kane,” Nida said through a sob. Kane did not require our people to use his title much.

Kane was visiting all the couples who had suffered this loss of life. I was joining him, and it was important to do this, to acknowledge their loss. Our people knew their king and prince were trying and cared about what was going on. That mattered a great deal to them, knowing they were not forgotten, and the grief or fear was not being swept under the rug.

“I have arranged assistance for you, anything either of you needs,” Kane said. I just remained silent, bowing my head as we excused ourselves and went out the door.

My violet eyes narrowed a bit as we went to our vehicle. There were a few guards out here, we knew that the chance of an assassination attempt on us was high. However, we were not some young, untrained youth.

We silently got in the car, and I was in the driver’s seat. The windows were deeply tinted so no one could see in. I knew our guards would follow. I glanced over as Kane suddenly punched the dashboard. He didn’t do it super hard, but enough to leave a bit of a dent.

“Damn it,” he said and then rubbed his forehead. I let out a breath and knew how frustrated he felt. He glanced out the window as I pulled onto the road to drive home. We were both silent for a moment, and I could see he was bouncing his leg up and down. A frustrating habit he had. One I knew it well, because sometimes I did it.

“They know we are trying. That you are trying, we have some hope at fixing this I think,” I said. Kane let out a rush of air and looked at me.

“I had to reach out over the mountains to the human population there. With Red Coven between us and the other human territory on this side, it’s a freaking mess,” Kane said. Yeah, Red Coven… I let that thought trail.

Kaven had really screwed some of our dealings because the Red territory ran along a good portion of ours, crossing it was impossible. We had to go severely south or over the mountains and then back down to trade or speak with other territories on the other side that had the medical research we were looking for.

“Well, hopefully, that prick gets his head impaled by Axel,” I said. Kane gave a smile to that.

“That was some ballsy shit for him to do with Beta Harper. To try and kill him like that? Kaven is insane. What psycho pushes Axel’s buttons like that?” Kane said, and I gave a dark chuckle.

“Someone who isn’t playing with a full deck of cards. Our barriers are holding strong, and the entire border is now stationed. Axel sent trained soldiers along with a few other territories in treaties with Axel, they have sent some too. It seems like we are all aware that what Red did was a signal that war or attacks are coming,” I said.

“Yeah, and I think Axel will plan an invasion and take over of Red Coven at some point. We will help, and I want half the territory for our help with it. We can give more support with our magic. We need to take more land and resources. I know Axel is a man of his word, but he will completely surround us if we just let him take Red Coven and do not aid,” Kane said. I agreed, politically we had to help and we did need to expand.

We had already talked about pushing the border out into Red Coven territory. The wild areas that Kaven would not be watching, and take over portions slowly before he even knew what was happening. We started it way back when Adis was freshly in charge.

I was thinking a little, and my thoughts went back to the issue of our people and the high infant mortality rate, along with issues of mating. Fae were sexual creatures. Our magic was internal, and sexual energy was something our kind fed our magic best. It was why this virus hit us so hard, unfair if you ask me.

“So uh, is Miss Grace going to come and assist with the doctors from the human side?” I asked. I tried to be nonchalant about the question, but I saw Kane raise an eyebrow, and a slow smirk came on his face. My brother knew me too well. Second, I had asked about her before. I knew Kane thought something was up.

“She is. I did get a very stern warning that if anything happens to her here in fae territory, if Beta Harper didn’t reach me first, Axel would personally see to the removal of my head,” Kane said with a bit of humor.

“That so?” I asked, thinking about Grace. The first time I saw her was when she and Harper had been attacked out in the no man’s land area right before entry into our territory. She’d exploded out of the forest onto the road as a lycan.

Her form was smaller than most lycans, but god damn did she fight like a demon. She’d killed a vampire fast and helped us as others came, even with how hurt she was. That was not her first vampire kill, I could tell. She hid a warrior behind that pretty sweet face.

When she’d shifted back to human, and I saw all the wounds on her, I admired her ability to fight. That she was going to fight until her last breath for her family. I took one look at her, meeting her gaze, and I felt it.

The spark, as we called it, it was like an electrical zip through my entire body. I now had a strong infatuation with her, but wasn’t sure how strong I should come on to her.

In the hospital, when she’d been recovering, I did find myself there a lot, but she never said anything if she felt something.

I knew that her kind had true mates, they just had to look at them to know. So part of me was concerned that with her saying nothing, she did not see me as a true mate, but I felt the spark as my kind. I’d looked through a lot of things, and there had not been a fae and lycan pairing in a very long time.

So I wasn’t sure, it was keeping me up at night, to be honest. Also, I was starting to struggle with sexual responses to others, as that was the main way we kept our magic high. It was Grace who filled my mind. I never got such a workout with my hand until recently.

Casual sex between fae was very common and not seen as a bad thing as long as you were respectful of your partner. Since we were more sexual creatures, it was in very bad taste to badmouth your partner or treat them as if they owed it to you.

Good luck getting a partner if you did that. Now of course we all had our kinks, that was different, just don’t be an asshole to your lover was all anyone asked. Which brought me back to thoughts of Grace and her kind.

I didn’t know how lycans saw it. My last few sexual partners had been those who looked similar to her. Most of the time, I just didn’t make eye contact as it was starting to really bother me.

Feeling the spark meant you found your match, the one that would fit your magic and no other would do like they could. Once bound, there was no sexual reaction to others. It was them or no one, and if one partner died, the other started to lose their magic and waste away in a sense.

“It is so. You know Jasper, don’t think I haven’t noticed how you looked at her when she was here last. Nor the women you have been picking, did you feel the spark with her? I see a trend, and you’ve been quiet lately,” Kane said. Just like my brother, to be blunt and to the point. I was too though.

“Maybe,” I said giving him a sideways glance. He gave me a stern look.

“Yeah, fine. I did,” I said in a short tone, and he shrugged giving a slight smile.

“She seems your type, smart, strong, stubborn. With a soft spot for loved ones and a drive to save others. Yeah, I can see it. She might be getting the short end of the stick though,” Kane teased, and I chuckled, looking at him.

“Whatever Kane,” I said, pulling into the drive of our mansion. It was closer to the mountainside with tunnels that went up to the mountains for escape if we ever needed it. Or travel in bad weather.

“I’m not the one that takes advantage of the quiet ones. Sweet little bookworms that have no idea how overbearing you are,” I said and Kane shrugged.

“So I like soft and sweet. We all have a type,” Kane said as I parked in the garage and we got out. Both of us were dressed casual, we were the same height and nearly looked like twins. Kane’s eyes were a bit more lavender than violet. His hair was not as dark as mine.

“In all seriousness, she does arrive tomorrow with a few others. The human medical researchers that I spoke with don’t arrive for a few more weeks. There will be four of them, and I want to make sure that housing and security is tight. You will 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 said. Besides he was going to have a time trying to keep me away from her anyway, so might as well put me on her detail. Plus Grace was in Axel’s inner circle so protecting her was high priority even if she didn’t think so.

“Good, let’s finish the work we have then. Getting some rest would be nice,” Kane said. I couldn’t agree more. I just hoped that the future wasn’t a complete shit show when things finally started to crack and the real fighting started.