“Okay, then just show them the mark.” He states as though that was it. I thought that would be the answer too, but Alpha Dane said it’s not as simple as that. If they find a way to kill him first, I would be free from my bonds. The same as when he killed Kyle.

Alpha Dane tells him exactly that.

“For argument’s sake, let’s say they do find a way to kill you.” He mutters to Aloha Dane “Why are they so hellbent about putting a pup in her? Surely there are other females in the pack.”

“She doesn’t just carry Alpha blood, she is an Alpha!”

Jenson’s dark eyes find me again, hovering on me for longer than before. I shift in my seat, and lower my gaze. Prick!’ Nyx snaps

“I will help.” He mutters eventually. “Like you said, Dane. This is my home too.”

He swans from the office, muttering something about taking up his own room.

“You didn’t tell him.” I whisper

“About Nyx? No, I thought it would be more interesting to see how you respond to him, now that you have another spirit residing in you. “You mean you want Nyx to surprise him?”

He smiles. The first proper smile I had seen in days. “It might remind him to stay in his own lane.”

“Someone will tell him, it’s not a secret.”

“Perhaps, or maybe they will expect him to know. What did she think of him?”

“She called him a prick.”

Alpha Dane laughs. “Finally a female who can see right through him.”

He leans back in the desk chair, folding his arms across his chest. “I know I haven’t been easy to live with for the last few days. But something like this just doesn’t happen to my pack.”

“I know and I’m so

He holds a hand up, stopping me from finishing my sentence. “You have to stop apologising, Neah. I know you are sorry, but you can’t feel guilt for something that was out of your control. I was the one who put you in that situation. I left you with just a few guards and the man who claimed to be your brother. You have to stop blaming yourself.

I don’t think I can. Years of being made to feel guilty can’t just be washed away. Some one could stub their toe and I would probably find a way to convince myself it was my fault.

I look up at the ceiling, trying to blink back the tears. I was expecting Nyx to comment on my weakness. but she too is quiet

She had told me she could see everything. Every little memory I had and she hated that she wasn’t there. to proteétme. She claims that she” would-Have slit their throats while theywere sleeping. And I wasalmost jeatous that I hadn’t had the balls to d@ that. . to

“Hey.” Alpha Dane had moved around his desk and was now standing in front of me. “I won’t stop until he is dead. I won’t stop until all of them are dead.”

He cups my chin, running his thumb along my bottom lip, freeing it from my nibbling teeth. “Let me handle this.” My head moves up and down and his hand moves from my chin to my throat as he smashes his lips against mine. He suddenly pauses, resting his forehead against mine. closing his eyes and a low growl comes out “What’s….what’s wrong?”

“lam being summoned. We will finish this later.” He tells me

He takes my hand, leading me from the office and out the house. We head directly to the forest and not to someone’s house like I was expecting.

“Where are we going?” I ask quietly He glances at me with his crimson eyes but doesn’t speak. Dread begins to fill my body. Nyx was becoming more and more restless too.

“Where are you taking me?!” I snap at him and instantly feel regret. Nyx was going to get me into a lot of trouble if she kept forcing herself forward.

There’s a curigsity in his eyes that I didn’t often sée. “I just want you with me. A Lycanhas been found in my. forest and Klaus called me to check it out. Bent worry, he is dead.” He pauses, looking at me, “I told you, I don’t want you out of my sight. But it ismice to know that you aFe showing yourself.”

We move deeper amongst the thick trees until voices could be heard. Particularly Klaus who was busy snapping at someone.

A half shifted raan was sprawled out on the floordI man I recognised,

that woulscome and beat me = <> regularlyva man who liked to usethe metalof his belt as his form of”

torture. I didn’t know his name, but I hat never forgotten his face:

“He wandered in.” Klaus mutters. “Trying to claim he was a human and had lost his way. As you can see, he was killed mid shift.

I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Someone had torn out his throat. And I could think of nothing else, but to wish that it had been me that had killed him