Chapter 40

"That was my younger brother, Sawyer Hansen. He's also Karl's uncle, and the one who's been trying to kill him," Wayne said, his gaze complicated. "His actual uncle? And he's trying to kill his own nephew?" Analise asked, clearly surprised. "Is it because of the lordship position?" "More or less," Wayne replied after a pause. "Sawyer used to be a lot like Karl when he was younger—kind, brave, and a little shy around females. In that way, they were actually pretty similar." Wayne gave a small smile, but it quickly faded into something more serious. "But that all changed when he met his mate. Sawyer's mate was also a pure-human female. They had a peaceful, happy life together—until one day, the Vexoths launched a massive assault on the cities. "The attack hit every alliance. Several pure-human females were captured by them. Sawyer's mate was one of them." Wayne paused and glanced at everyone around the table. Analise made the connection instantly. That must have been the same