No one even suspected.

Not even Emit.

Another breath snakes out of me, as the bile in my throat begins to rise.

Tiara releases a pitiful howl, as Leiza sinks to the ground, visibly shaken but silent now.

It’s all a stage for her.

She’s emotionless.

She’s cruel.

She’s never once loved them the way they loved her.

It’s all one big game that she could play for all eternity, and will. All while pretending they don’t really matter that much to her.

Something snaps, and my gaze darts in the direction the sound came from. My heartbeat hammers in my chest, my hands start shaking, and my eyes widen in my head when I see Emit’s eyes on mine.

How long has he been watching?

How much has he heard?

“Emit,” I say on a rasp, finding no other words within grasp, as I stare at him with horror and dread.

He makes a low whine in his throat, looking from me to Tiara and Leiza, who’ve both dropped to their bellies and lowered their eyes. He steps forward and back, shaking his head as a feral, vicious growl bubbles deep inside his chest.

When he looks back up, his eyes have gone solid black in a way I’ve never seen them do before. The growl grows, steadily thrumming so darkly that the omegas start fearfully whimpering in reaction.

He barely meets my gaze for a brief second, before he turns, darting in the opposite direction so quickly, that I immediately lose sight of him once he finds the darkest patch of woods to disappear against.

My heart sinks to my toes, as I hurriedly reach for my phone.

 

 

Chapter 24

 

DAMIEN

 

Arion’s phone buzzes, as he finishes welding whatever it is he’s welding.

“So you’ve mastered welding, but still haven’t bothered to sit behind the wheel of a vehicle yet?” I ask in a dry tone, itching to go to Violet.

Arion pointedly ignores me, still buried deep in his project, while he thinks.

My eyes lift to spot Talbot moving toward us, and my gaze narrows at his cheeky grin.

“G’day, Alpha. You requested to see me?” he asks as he steps into my garage.

“You ever help Violet step into a trap like that again, with such a bright attitude and zero respect for the line you’ve crossed, I’ll kill you,” I tell him very directly, just so he doesn’t get confused about things.

His smile falters, and he clears his throat when it falls altogether. He bows at the waist.

“Sorry, Alpha. I believe I told you my ultimate goal is to work for Ms. Carmine. She’s the treasure who lured me here, and it’s her—”

“You can’t be her beta until I decide you’re a damn good beta. Do anything like that again, and it won’t matter how fucking good you are. I will kill you,” I assure him very coldly, watching as he stays at a small bow.

“Understood, Alpha.”

Arion’s phone buzzes once more, but he never even pulls it from his pocket to glance at it.

“Talbot, I suggest leaving before the vampire realizes you’re here,” I tell him, giving him a pointed look. “He’s fortunately well-distracted at the moment.”

Giving a quick nod of his head, he turns and strolls out the doors, never slowing down.

I don’t think I like my beta anymore. He has an odd fixation on Violet’s reckless antics, simply because they’re not predictable.

My phone rings, and I smile when I see Violet’s name on the screen. Maybe her name works like Beatle Juice as well, given the fact she’s calling more and more often while I’m thinking about her.

Then again, it could be because I’ve been more and more obsessively fixated on her.

“We’ve yet to have a discussion about what it means to be my Flame, Violet. Part of which includes giving me some sort of warning before you burst into Idun’s lair—”

“Sorry, but I really don’t have time to talk about that. Long story short, Idun’s been back for at least four years, and she took Fay’s identity during that time. I messed up and didn’t know Emit was so close. He overheard that discovery. He took off. I don’t know how to chase trails, and I have no idea where he went.”

Bloody great.

“Hey, Vampyre. Find the wolf and clock him cold if he’s on a rampage,” I tell Arion a little too dispassionately.

He’s overheard every word, and his eyes are bloodshot. His fangs have been visible for a while. In fact, all his instincts seem far too close to the surface.

“We’ll handle it,” I tell Violet, as I quickly hang up, given the fact Arion’s head looks to be on the verge of exploding.

“Four years?” the vampire bites out, clearly incensed. “Right under my astral projected nose while I had the best opportunity to spy on her?”

Releasing a tired breath, I stare absently at nothing, unsure what to say.

“I can’t even deal with this right now. At this point, I’m actually looking forward to your Monster Olympics.” The red in his eyes ebbs just barely with my confession. “Go find the wolf. Remind him he’s lived through this before. Maybe now you lot remember why I gave up any personal connections and retreated into a life of solitude.”

“Not the time for ‘I told you so,’ Morpheous,” Arion says as he turns and blurs out of sight.

This really has been a shit day.

Has anyone told Violet her monster is no match for an alpha? Probably not. Nope. We’ll let it rock on, since no one wants to tell the stubborn girl anything anymore.

And she wonders why we talk in circles and delay inevitable confessions.

Running a hand through my white hair, I take a seat and exhale harshly.

Why can’t loving a woman ever be less complicated?

 

 

Chapter 25

 

ARION

 

“No sign of him anywhere near the Neopry Estate,” Vance tells me.

“Where’s Margie?” I ask Vance.

“Arion, I genuinely don’t have the patience for your random train of thought tonight,” he says too harshly.

“Where’s Margie?” I ask again, letting it be known I’ll continue asking.

“She retired once the wolf was crashing through the house and vampires started rising from their grave,” he says in an irritated tone. “Why is that important at a moment like—”

He stops talking, and if I had to guess, he’s piecing it together.

“Did you fuck Margie?” I can’t help but inquire.

“No,” he grinds out. “Before Violet, I’d been celibate for a while.”

My eyes roam over the dark shadow of a wolf that is staring over the edge of a cliff, his eyes on the bright moon.

“I finally found him. He’s on the far south end of his property,” I say as I hang up, putting my phone away.

Emit glances back at me and then away, not riled the way he should be about my presence on his property during such a sacred moon.

“I heard the news,” I tell him, moving toward him very carefully.

He looks away, a small growl bubbling in his chest.

“Since you’ve sought solitude instead of rash vengeance, I’m assuming that means you’re keeping your head right now,” I note.