Chapter 161


    Nichs


    I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Terry, my uncle and advisor to the King, and his hands on Piper as


    if


    he intended to touch her intimately. And Piper was practically passed out beside him, unable to give


    consent, unable to do anything more than cry.


    Red hot fury burned through my veins. My hands clenched into fists,


    I desperately wanted to beat my uncle into a bloody pulp for daring toy a hand on Piper. Hands that


    were still on her.


    “Get the fuck off of her. Each word came out a growl as I strode forward into the room. I made my


    strides long and determined, intimidating.


    Terry finally pulled his hands away, but still had the shame to look put out about it. “You continue to


    have the worst timing, little nephew.”


    With Terry out of the way, I rushed forward and pulled Piper up into the safety of my arms. When I had


    her in a bridal carry, clutched to my chest, I could finally make out some of what she was saying.


    “Don’t let him. Please… Save me… Nichs…”


    My heart seized in my chest as anger burned anew. I didn’t want to just beat Terry into a pulp, I wanted


    to chop up and burn the pieces that were left. I wanted to destroy him.


    How dare he try to touch that which doesn’t belong to him? How dare he try to rape Piper?


    “I want to go.” Piper mumbled against my corbone. “Please, Nick.”


    I couldn’t deny her that, even though I wanted to. Vengeance would have to wait until Piper was safe.


    I


    “Try something like this again,” I told Terry. My voice broke; my wolf pushing through. “And I don’t care


    if you are family. I don’t care if you are an advisor to my father. I will kill you.”


    Terry lifted his chin high in defiance, but I saw the way his bottom lip trembled ever so slightly.


    Satisfied with his fear, I turned then and carried Piper out of the room. We were almost to the next side


    room in this bizarre path when Julian came running.


    When he spotted Piper in my arms, he started to smile. It totally vanished when he came closer,


    enough to see Piper’s pale face with her tear–stained cheeks.


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    What happened?” he asked at once. I recognized the sudden burst of mes in his eyes, as the same


    I


    “Terry drugged her,” I said. My wolf was still in my voice, clipping my words. “He tried to assault her. I


    found them in time.”


    “Thank God,” Julian said. His lip began to curl with disgust. “Get her out of here, Nichs. I’m going to


    have a word with our dear uncle.”


    How much I wanted to join him. Still, even Terry would be formidable alone. “Be careful,” I said.


    “Don’t worry,” Julian said. “Brian is not far behind.” He wasted no more time. He stormed away from us


    and toward Terry, Brian came running soon after, hot on his heels.


    Just before the door closed, I heard Julian shout, “You despicable son of a bitch!”


    “Give him hell,” I grumbled in encouragement, before turning away.


    In my quest to return Piper to her room, I had to go a few longer routes through connecting side rooms.


    Maybe it was my sense of protectiveness, but I didn’t want anyone to see her as she was now,


    trembling and pale.


    That even Julian had seen her so vulnerable made me want to break something.


    Once we finally entered her room, it was empty. She must have given Charlotte the night off.


    I carried Piper to the bed and slowly lowered her down. Somewhere in our journey, she had fallen


    asleep.


    Her eyshes were fanning her cheeks. Her lips were still the same cherry red as they had been when


    I had nearly kissed her out on the balcony. She had been beautiful in her colorful mask, but without it,


    she stole my breath away.