Chapter One Hundred–Sixty–Six
RAINIER
After Demonic finished laying out what sounded to me like a very solid complaint, he turned to Taedora and waited. And… walled.
She shrugged at him, “What do you want me to say? Check the camera buddy. And you will see how lazy I was about protecting Draven. You might see some other stuff too.”
“Yes,” Draven says. “After you’ve watched it, then we’ll put your little theory about my locket to the test, huh? Since, as you said, I’m too emotional to think rationally about it. I obviously don’t have a clue. In fact I probably wouldn’t know the truth, if it was on my finger!”
The girls all laugh hysterically and I’m more confused than ever.
“Baby, that’s not what I said, I just don’t want you to get your hopes up is all,” Domonic says defensively. “I just don’t think you-”
Watch it! Until you do, I don’t want to hear another word.”
“No, Domonic! Watch the fucking tape. Watch
“Baby…he trails off, crouching down in front of her, and messing with his phone.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask if the ladies are dismissed, because 131 be in limbo until I get Felix alone, but that’s when I notice the girls acting strangely.
First, the three females on the couch don’t seem at all alarmed about the wolves Domonic mentioned. None of them seems to care. In
fact, all three are brazenly ignoring him as they make a pretty ridiculous show of examining their nails. They look like mimes, copying one another’s movements as Domonic’s knuckles whiten on his phone in anger. I assume, whatever is on the tape is the cause. Does he realize there’s audio? I don’t hear anything, so I assume he has yet to work it out. Could he be drunk?
T
1 turn my attention back to the girls who are still doing ridiculous shit while they wait for my Alpha’s next move. Even Felix is doing it and that fact makes me smile. She’s getting along with them. Good. Maybe she’ll like it here more if she has friends and she’ll stay. She did seem happy to see me so…
Something twinkles in the light as the ladies raise their left hands, catching my eye.
Domonic growls, standing up. “Who the fuck is this guy?” he asks. That’s not a wolf.”
Everybody ignores him, even me, as I step closer to the couch and watch the next time they raise their hands. There it is! Draven is
wearing a ring. Could it be the ring?
“Is that what I think it is?” I ask and each of the girls smile.
“Finally! Someone who isn’t blind!” Draven says happily. She leapt from the couch, heading my way. That’s why you’re a cop and Domonic
is a fool.”
You mean, he hasn’t-”
She shakes her head, putting her finger to her lips. “I want to see how long it takes him.”
I cringe, wanting to laugh because I know the longer it takes him to notice, the more groveling he’ll have to do. “But how did you get it?” i
mouth the words
She mouths back, “Angle.”
Įtense, shaking my head in anger when I realize that she had it all along and I never even asked her about it. “That bitch.”
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Chapter One Hundred–Sixty–Six
Draven alongs. “Talon’t really blame her for taking it,” she says. “She thought you bought it for one of your ‘whores. If Domonic bought
faf take I. Chee hundred percent. But… there’s something else too. Something I didn’t tell you guys.”
My eyes nettem, “Like what?”
ding about? The one that you met? I hear Domanie asking in the background.
“That’s your phantom! I can’t say anymore than that. It’s Draven’s story to tell. Thedora says to Domonic, chuckling as she heads for the front door. “I have to go check on some things at home! Goose just texted me and said that Gayle tried to attack one of the hunters in the middle of the creek.”
“Wait just a second, Simba, Damsonic protests, pocketing his phone.
She turns around with her hand on the door, her eyes withering. “Yes?
“Good job,” he says with a smirk. “Even if he did get the drop on you.”
“Ha! Tardora flips him off. “I be back ladiest Felix, tonight is Mucho Margaritas at the bar!” Then she leaves.
Tight. God, does that mean she’s staying.
I watch Felix as Domonic heads our way. A moment ago, she was a bundle of confidence, and now she looks unsure. Nervous
“Baby,” Domonic says. “Who was the guy on the tape?”
Draver smiles, putting her left hand under her chin playfully, her ring glinting in the light. “You heard what Thedora said. It’s my story to tell and I’m not going to tell it until you stop obsessing and notice me!
T
“I got a text from Benjamin,” I say, gaining everyone’s attention, including Felixs. She’s frowning for some reason and that’s when I notice the bruise on her forehead “What the fuck? I snap, charging for the couch, then jumping over the back of it to sit next to Felix..
“What about Benjamin?” Draven asks.
“What?” I ask distractedly.
Draven smiles. “Benjamin?”
“Oh! Right,” I say, still studying Felix’s wound. “My dad. He escaped.”
“What?” Draven and Domonie say at the s
e same time and I nod.
“I thought we could call Old Ben during the meeting and find out what went down when we’re all together,” I reply.
“Oh, you guys are having a meeting today, huh?” Draven says. “Well, I think it’s about time I start attending. In fact, so should Emily. And so should Felix.”
My heart thumps with hope that I’m not even sure it’s safe to have. Because the sorrowful look on Felix’s face says it’s not looking good.
“Fine,” Domonic agrees. “Now will you tell me who the fuck that was outside last night?”
“Why don’t you play the audio this time,” Draven stage whispers before prancing up the stairs toward their room.
Domonic growls, bypassing the stairs altogether and jumping for the rading to throw himself onto the second floor landing. He ends up right behind her and the two disappear into the bedroom laughing.
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Chapter One Hundred Sixty–Six
Standing up, I reach for her hand, hoping to God she takes it.
Esparks of warmth travel spiny
Stær remains quiet as
and walk hand in hand to the front. That’s when I notice Hector’s car parked at the curb a house
What the fuck
Is that Caddy doing here?!
Telis shrugs, taking her hand back and I immediately miss her touch. drove it here last night after Antman showed up at the bar.
“What?” I snap, my eyes going for her head. “Is that what happened to you? Is that why you’re all bruised up?”
be mods, biting her lip and making me want to kiss the
“After Draven and Talora left, I heard a wolf howl and I went outside hoping
That you might see one, I finish for her and she nods. My heart skips as 1 remember her craning her neck to s
When she called me her guardian.
search for me that night 1
He was in Hector’s car when I noticed him and I didn’t think he saw me, so I tried to sneak back in the bar but her voice cracks-“I didn’t make it. He slamped my head int
I’m full of rage now. Wanting more than anything to find the bastard and show him what a real monster can do,
He was going to take she whimpers, as she starts to cry. “He dragged me to the car and pulled a gun.”
My lists clench, anger rising in me, but then I realize. She drove the car here. So, she must have gotten away from him somehow.
“I didn’t w–want to go,” she continu
My arms acho to hold her right at this moment, but I don’t want to trish having her push me away. So, I simply nod.
“I just wanted y–you,” she whimpers and I melt.
Fuck it. I yank her against me, pushing her head into my chest. Then, when her arms go around my waist, my chest trembles with relief
“Okay,” I say calmly, kissing the top of her head. “So, how did you get away?”
She shakes her head, still crying. We’re both hout in the open, so I lift her into my arms and place her in the front seat of my SUV, then – turn her body to face me.
As she looks up, her electric blue eyes are red rimmed, and her lips swollen and pouty. Her tears have stopped flowing, and I wipe the rest with my fingers. Taking a deep breath to control my temper, I wait for her to speak. Really, I’m dying to smash something. Anything! Or maybe even rip a tree from the ground.
When she said she just wanted me, I was instantly reminded of my mother, I never stopped to think of how my dad must have felt after the fire and nmw… I wonder if he imagined her screaming for him. Knowing he had no way to protect her and knowing he was probably the last thing she thought of when she died.
Fick. Of course he went crazy. Because looking at Felix, I realize I am my father’s son, just the loss of self–control I had when she told me to let her go… tells me he and I are more alike than I thought. Devastating pain grips me when I picture Felix in my mother’s place and I have to shake the insagy away before 1 drop to my knees in agony.
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Standing up, I reach for her hand, hoping to God the takes it.
She does and I suck in a sharp breath as the sparks of warmth travel up my arm.
She remains quiet as we exit the house and walk hand in hand to the front. That’s when I notice Hector’s car parked at the curb a house mer. Why I didn’t notice it before I’ll never know
“What the fuck is that Caddy doing here?” I ask.
Felix shrugs, taking her hand back and I immediately miss her touch. “I drove it here last night after Antman showed up at the bar.”
“What?” I snap, m
my eyes going for her head. Is that what happened to you? Is that
at why you’re al
all bruised up?”
She nods, biting her lip and making me want to kiss them. “After Draven and Taedora left, I heard a wolf howl and I went outside hoping that-
That you might see one, I finish for her and she nods. My heart skips as I remember her craning her neck to search for me that night got Hector. When she called me her guardian.
“He was in Hector’s car when I noticed him and I didn’t think he saw me, so I tried to sneak back in the bar but her voice cracks-“I didn’t make it. He slammed my head into the door.”
I’m full of rage now, Wanting more than anything to find the bastard and show him what a real monster can do.
“He was going to take me,” she whimpers, as she starts to cry. “He dragged me to the car and pulled a gun.”
My fists clench, anger rising in me, but then I realize. She drove the car here. So, she must have gotten away from him somehow.
“I didn’t w–want to go,” she continues.
My arms acho to hold her right at this moment, but I don’t want to trish having her push me away. So, I simply nod.
“T–just w
wanted y–you,” she whimpers and I me
Fuck it. I yank her against me, pushing her head into my chest. Then, when her arms go around my waist, my chest trembles with relief
“Okay.” I say calmly, kissing the top of her head. “So, how did you get away?”
She shakes her head, still crying. We’re both out in the open, s
, so I lift her into my arms and place her in the front seat of my SUV, then turn her body to face me.
As she looks up, her electric blue eyes are red rimmed, and her lips swellen and pouty. Her tears have stepped flowing, and I wipe the rest with my fingers. Taking a deep breath to control my temper, I wait for her to speak. Really, I’m dying to smash something. Anything! Or maybe even rip a tree from the ground.
When she said she just wanted me, I was instantly reminded of my mother. I never stopped to think of how my dad must have felt after the fire and now… I wonder if he imagined her screaming for him. Knowing he had no way to protect her and knowing he was probably the last thing she thought of when she died.
Fuck. Of course he went crazy. Because looking at Felix, I realize I am my father’s son. Just the loss of self–control I had when she told me to let her go… tells me he and I are more alike than I thought. Devastating pain grips me when I picture Felix in rity mother’s place and I have to shake the image away before I drop to my knees in agony.
“Like I said,” Felix goes on. “All I wanted was you”
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Chapter One Hundred Sixty–Six
To
Stroking her legs with my hands as I give her may undivided attention, wry,” I choke out
“Don’t be,” she says softly, laying her hands over pile. Because, right before he forced into the car, you showed up
