The Daughter of Time (Ace of Queens #6)

Ch. 39 White Tiger

Chapter 39

Everything happened in a blink of an eye. Maya struggled to inhale as her father shifted into his black wolf and pounced on Heyder. She fell to the ground as the jinn pushed her out of the way.

"Dad!" Maya screamed for her father to stop. Her eyes were wide with alarm and worry as her father's claws sunk into Heyder's shoulder and his shirt soaked with blood. Through the mess of black fur and limbs, Maya caught the jinn's eyes. She saw him flicker a quick glance at her as he pushed Exton off.

Exton's large wolf growled up a storm. The glass light fixtures shook on the walls as Gemma and Rye ran out of the family room. Heyder held up his hands and summoned a shield.

"Exton, listen to me," he said as calmly as he could. His dark brown eyes watched the wolf for any sudden movement. "I will never let anything happen to her."

You fuckin' fuck! Exton yelled through their mind-links.

Maya rushed to her feet and moved closer to Heyder. Her father's eyes darkened as the jinn took her hand and pulled her behind him.

What the fuck do you think you are doing? Exton demanded. You think I would hurt my own daughter?

"What is going on?" Rye's eyes bounded from her son to the pair behind the shield.

He kissed her! Exton growled. He fuckin' kissed her knowing very well he's the reason for her life sentence.

Maya felt Heyder flinch slightly from Exton's words. She looked through the translucent shield at her mother, who's blue eyes were beginning to darken.

"Mom," Maya called out to Gemma. "It's complicated. We had n-"

Before Maya could finish, Exton leaped up into the air and clashed against Heyder's shield. The electric charge from it pushed him off and his wolf landed on the ground a few feet away. Maya's head and heart began to pound and her belly turned with worry. Her eyes darted back and forth between her mother and father until Exton shook his head and got off the floor.

"Please, stop," she begged. "Listen to me. It was a complicated situation. Heyder didn't kiss me on p-"

You don't know him, Maya, Exton bared his sharp teeth at the jinn. You won't know how he could have manipulated you with his words until it's too late.

"Like you manipulated Gemma and hid her in your timeline?" Heyder snared. "You are not so high and mighty, your grace."

Maya's blood chilled as she watched her father's hind legs get ready for another pounce. But before the two men could add any more fuel to the fire, she jumped in between them. Exton paused immediately as Heyder tried to pull Maya back.

"Stop it!" Maya held out her hands. "Both of you! Heyder didn't kiss me. I kissed him! And we also got married, so there."

Someone, somewhere, gasped. Maya wasn't sure if it was her mother or Rye. But the air in the hall was suddenly too thick to breath. The rest of the family had gathered by the entrance of the family room. Their eyes wide and filled with shock. Cleo and Piper stood with their wrapped Christmas gift in their hands as Owen and Mavi exchanged concerned glances behind the girls.

What did you say? Exton took a small step toward Maya. His voice was cold and low in her mind as his large green eyes pinned her.

"I.....I kissed Heyder," Maya said. She felt the shield behind her lower as Heyder stepped up behind her.

"You two..." Gemma took a step beside her husband. "You two got married?"

"It's a long story," Maya bit down on her bottom lip. Her eyes moved around the many stunned faces around the hall.