Violet’s tone is too assertive, not an ounce of humbleness to even humor such a delicate situation.

Idun’s excitement doubles, and she leans forward.

“You can’t do anything to me. Legally,” Violet suddenly tells her. “Not until you find a way to extort the law in some way, or attack with some rogues. I’m an undetermined species with no rules or regulations, regardless of what you think. You want to challenge that, then be my guest. I’m not scared of you, Idun,” Violet says as she stands, and Idun practically glows with anticipation.

“You really are rather tenacious, and obscenely obnoxious, for such a small kitten with her fresh claws. This is more fun than I could have possibly imagined.” Idun stands, and the two of them stare each other down.

Idun’s smiling too merrily.

Violet has a very unimpressed expression on her face, one reminiscent of a sullen adolescent, who is unaware of how dangerous it is to be a belligerent nuisance to the law.

Anger runs in my veins, as Violet walks by me, deliberately avoiding meeting any of our stares.

“If they were kings of their respective countries, and I the queen of mine, would it make you understand how out of line you are, little monster?” Idun asks, causing Violet to pause, while keeping her back turned.

“It does give me some perspective, actually,” Violet states with too much of a carefree tone. “However, Sanctuary gets a fair playing field, even with kings and queens,” she adds, walking through the doors without a backward glance.

Idun turns her excited eyes toward ours.

“She’s feisty. She’s also reckless, childish, and far too arrogant. I now know exactly what you all see in her. Despite her insolence, her overconfidence, and ridiculousness, she’s quite challenging,” Idun says, her legs crossing over each other with each deliberate, sultry step she takes in our direction.

She gives her full attention to Arion, standing in front of him.

“You’ve never been one to choose the losing side, pet. Remember that when I crush your sweet, foolish monster’s soul right before your eyes,” she tells him, the mask finally slipping.

Arion makes no expression or has any reaction.

She turns to face the camera, holding her hands up.

“You think I’m vicious, and I admit, I certainly can be,” Idun says, talking to the camera and moving toward it. “See how they treat me?”

As if cued, a beta enters from across the room at another set of doors, rushing toward her with what smells to be a freshly printed picture.

Idun takes it, studies it with false emotion appearing in her dead, cold eyes.

She holds the image up, and the cameraman presumably zooms in on it.

“My people, though misguided, only acted on their dominant instinct, which we all know is more prevalent in shifters. A succubus? All this was warranted because of a single succubus?” Idun asks.

She wiggles the picture of the massacre site, showing off the dismembered bodies.

Her eyes turn colder, almost chilling, as the room heats. The flowers in the room rapidly wilt.

“And I’m simply supposed to stand for such a thing, betray my people’s primal rights, and roll over for the sake of their twenty-something girlfriend?” she drones on.

“Don’t spin this, Idun. You attacked a convoy that was heavily guarded. These are the consequences,” I grind out. “If any laws had been broken, by anyone other than you, I’d be left no choice but to take action.”

“When I finish crushing her soul, I’m going to enjoy destroying her body. One piece of soft flesh after another,” Idun says, her grin growing darker.

Chapter 22

EMIT

I hear bits and pieces of the conversation still rolling out of Idun’s lips, but I turn and walk away, my claws extending against my control. I’m too close to attempting to rip her to shreds, which will lead to her destroying me too easily on camera.

Arion falls into stride next to me, exhaling harshly.

“I’ll admit, we should have struck fast and immediately the moment she returned and got too close to Violet. She’s excellent at reasoning and changing the script to suit her own needs. At this rate, she’ll have everyone agreeing that Violet deserves whatever comes next. They’ll fear Idun even more if she has even one ounce of success against her,” he says. “I wanted to skip past another fruitless war that would only render the same results you all faced—”

“I’m not discussing Idun or any of this right now. You guys come up with something. I need to be with my mate,” I tell him, my throat raw and voice damn near feral.

“Fuck’s sake, wolf, if you let her rile you this easily with some bullshit propaganda and a few unsurprising threats. She wants to play, so she’s not jumping into war. This is a win—”

His words end on a wheeze when I sling him against the wall, shoving my arm to his throat.

“It’s a big arm, Arion. Don’t make me use it again, because next time, I won’t hold back,” I tell him very seriously.

He holds his hands up in surrender, and I release him, letting him drop to the floor, as he heaves for air.

Violet is on her phone when I exit, and I overhear Ighan’s voice.

“Display c-c-cases?” he stammers, his voice really shaky.

“Yes, display cases. Four of them. I’ll send you the measurements I want, I’ll and show you the room where I want them mounted. It’s sort of a secret room, and I hope you keep it that way. Also, I need some of my old toys brought out of storage. I think I have some that you guys will really appreciate,” she’s telling them.

“Violet, I hardly find this the time to be talking toys,” Arion hisses.

Putting my hand at the small of her back, my claws tearing at the fabric of her lopsided sundress that she clearly made herself, I start steering her toward my side of town.

“What are you doing?” she asks as she hangs up. “If this is about what just happened, I can explain. I know what I’m doing, even if it does seem—”

“Not right now, Violet. Tonight’s the night my dead wolves march. The moon is only this way once every ten years. You’ll be able to visit Fay, if she hasn’t yet moved on,” I tell her, hearing her make a surprised sound in her throat.

“Their spirits stray after death, the human in them calling them to their first homes,” I carry on, as her body softens and her arm comes around me. “But the moon burns so bright that even my worst, most damaged wolves, are completely safe to be around.”

She pauses, and I glance down, finding her staring up at me in confusion, as the sun slowly lowers.

“Why am I just now hearing about this? And how did I forget the full moon is tonight?” she asks, staring at me like I’ve somehow betrayed my usual full-moon ritual.

“It’s the most peaceful full moon in existence. It’s the one full moon where no wolf fights. Such a feeling of tranquility descends upon us that it’s damn near impossible to rile us. We all look forward to this moon, and it does wonders for wolf attitudes. At least for a year or so. Wolves learn to live with a constant anger stirring inside them. It can drive them mad if they don’t,” I continue.

“I know. The omegas have filled me in on a lot. Including why you work so hard to be the most agreeable alpha. You lead by example, and you want peace the most,” she says, leaning her head over on me. “It makes me appreciate you more and more when they explain you to me. You’re a lot more than a sexy savage, which also makes me…”