Ileana’s gaze darts between us, then she inclines her head softly. “It was I who saved your great-grandfather, Dominic. And, unfortunately, created this division between your species.”
The answer itself doesn’t stun me considering everything Luz told me, but Ileana’s obvious regret does. “Do you feel guilty for giving them a second chance?”
“No, but I regret not being able to save them all. That’s why I came to you, hoping in the end, you’d be able to make a difference.”
“I’m just a beta to another pack, Ileana.” My tone lacks conviction, enough so that Finn picks up on it.
“We all know that’s not true.” With a shake of his head, he stands to his feet, making sure to keep a distance from Ileana. “And you don’t think knowing this would decide Lucas, one way or another?”
I shrug. “Be my guest to tell him, it’s not like he listens to his beta nowadays.”
“Fine. I will.” Another pause, then his attention shifts to Ileana. “So you’re... what? A fairy?”
She laughs, and the room seems brighter for it. “I am an immortal. In Romanian lore, I’ve become their favorite heroine, the epitome of the perfect woman. But I only showed up at a few rightly placed moments... And found my Prince Charming.”
Finn stares at me as if asking, Is she serious?
I shrug again, at a loss for words. It’s why I left Luz this morning and spent hours with my godmother, trying to read through her riddles.
“What about Luz?”
“Keep her safe. Ileana wants to show me something today. After, I'll go back to Luz. Watch over her though, I don't want her in danger.”
Finn nods and gets up to leave. “Be careful.”
∞ ♦ ∞
We wait until dusk, then Ileana faces me. “It is time.” Her eyes search mine, her tone soft. “Are you ready for this?”
“I can’t really answer that now, can I? Considering you haven't explained what we’re doing.”
She smiles, inclining her head like a mother indulging a child. “All in due time. For now, follow my scent.”
So I morph into wolf form, and trail her across land, city and forest, until we end up near the cave again. I recognize the putrid scent and turn to her shimmering form. Why bring me here?
I’m not sure if she’ll be able to hear me, but she seems to just fine. “Because the darkest part of your family is in there. And if you succeed here, you can save your hide, and theirs.”
What exactly am I supposed to do?
“Inside that cave, the entire vrykolakas pack awaits. Their leader, Radu, is your first cousin. His father died years ago, and he has only become darker. He is the alpha of these damned souls. The only way you will get them to stop impeding on your territory is to order them off. And the only way to do that...”
Is to become their alpha. Shit. My gaze turns to the cave, assessing it. Going in there without backup is a suicide mission. Yet if I was to bring my pack, and they see me submitted to another alpha, the fight would be lost before it could start.
Ileana... I look around, but she’s gone. Wonderful.
I crouch lower, trying to decide. On some level, her suggestion makes sense. But can I do it?
Before I can decide, I catch another’s scent. I whirl around in time to see a wolf lunge at me and roll out of the way. By the time I’m back on my feet, I’m facing Aiden.
You owe me a life for all those I lost in the last fight.
That was your own fault, man. I had nothing to do with it.
Liar! He snarls, moving closer. My eyes dart over his shoulder, wary we might attract the vrykolakas' attention.
Aiden, cut it out. You don’t get what’s going on here.
He jumps at me, and I avoid him again. You’re colluding with these monsters.
I am not! I’m trying to get them the fuck off our territory.
Aiden shakes his head. You’re trying to distract me.
I’m not! But despite my vehement denial, he doesn’t back down. He attacks me again, and this time I lift a paw and smack him to the side. He hits a tree, falling down with a thud.
Stay down, man. For your own good.
A groan is my only answer, and I walk away. I can’t do what Ileana wants me to, at least not tonight. And not without talking to my alpha first.
There's a yelp behind me, and I whirl around to a horrific sight. One of those creatures is on top of Aiden, its muzzle dug deep into his chest. Aiden’s shrieks die down at the same time there's a gut-wrenching ripping sound.
The creature moves away, turning to face me. He gulps down the heart, licking his bloody muzzle.
I suppose it’s about time we were introduced. I’m Radu—your cousin.
∞ 14 – Exil ∞
“An exile’s life is no life.”
-Leonidas of Tarentum-
LUCREZIA
Finn enters the shop, and I curse the fact I’m busy explaining an invoice to a customer. An agonizing thirty minutes later, the client leaves satisfied and I barge into the garage. All the guys, including Lucas, are there in what appears to be a meeting.
Lucas’ eyes narrow on me and he doesn’t seem pleased, but that’s not much different from the last days. “You shouldn’t be here, you don’t have the proper safety equipment on.”
I scowl, pointing to his jeans and sneakers. “Seriously?”
He shrugs, and I dismiss him by focusing on Finn. “What happened? Where’s Dom?”
Finn glances between me and Lucas, then says, "Dom's all right and should be back by tonight. In the meantime, Tristan's to keep an eye on you."
“Great. But where is he? Is his disappearance related to the creatures?”
“Not....quite.” His eyes dart to Lucas again, and he clenches his jaw. I’m guessing Lucas is ordering him to shut up. “He’s fine.”
My gaze shifts between them while I tap my foot. “One of you better tell me what’s going on, otherwise I’ll go find out on my own.”
“And how do you plan to do that, beleza?” Tristan crosses his arms over his chest, smirking. “By playing bait?”
“Precisely.” I might have spoken in anger, but I enjoy his startled expression all the same.
“Basta! Enough, all of you.” Lucas moves off the hood of the car he was leaning against, stepping closer. “Your precious Dom is with an immortal. She’s taking good care of him.”
Something about his tone irks me, then I realize he means the words to rile me up. So I don’t give him the satisfaction, instead choosing to walk away.
“I’ll figure it out myself,” I throw over my shoulder.
Dominic
It’s night time when I slink back into the shop and morph human, pulling on a pair of jeans and whatever shirt I get my hands on. The light is still on in Lucas’ office, but no one else is around.
Lucas is sitting in his chair, nursing a glass of whiskey. The half-emptied bottle is next to him, and I don’t take it as a good sign. For someone who loathes losing control, this is not normal.
“Lucas.”
He glances up when I enter, then downs down the rest of the amber liquid. “The prodigal beta returns.”
I frown at his tone. “Listen, this is a really bad time for you to be getting drunk. I need your help.”
“Really?” He stares at his glass, unseeing. “Funny. See, that’s something I would expect to hear from a friend. But then again, that ship sailed a long time ago with us, huh?”
“What are you going on about?” I stalk to the desk, leaning over it. “Lucas, Aiden attacked me without provocation. The Reapers aren’t following protocol any longer! And he’s dead.”
That seems to jostle him some, and he meets my gaze. “You killed him?”
I stagger back, recalling Radu’s bloody jaws. “No. My...” I gulp, feeling sick to my stomach. “My cousin did.”
Lucas snorts and grabs the bottle of whiskey, drinking straight from it. When he places it back down, I try again. “Please, Lucas, I need your hel
p.”
He toys with the glass in his hand, then in an access of rage throws it at the wall. It shatters in pieces, and I’m too stunned to react when Lucas moves.
Then he’s in my face, hand on my throat, pushing me back against the wall. His grip is strong, and I could probably break it. But there’s a pain in his glare that gets me, and my will to fight drops.
“You lied to me, amico! Your lineage. Your bloodline. You’re as much an alpha as I am, Dom. So is that what friendship means to you? Lies? Secrets? Betrayal?”
The words escape me in a hoarse whisper. “I never betrayed you.”
He’s searching my gaze, then he drops his hand and I fall to my knees. I get back up, palms outstretched in a peaceful gesture, not wanting to trigger him again. “Lucas, they’ll come after me. The Reapers. They’ll think it was I who killed Aiden, and the rest of their pack that was caught in the crossfire.”
“So maybe you did.”
“What?”
He turns to face me, his features hard. “Non piu. I am done with you, Dominic. I will not offer you protection any further.”
I stagger back at his words, formal and cold. “You’re not doing this...”
A dull ache spreads through me, like something is being ripped away. Lucas meets my gaze full on, and with each word out of his mouth the agony increases. “Dominic Konstantin, as alpha of your pack, I dismiss your allegiance, and your service. You have until dawn to leave this town, my territory, on pain of death.”
When he’s done, there’s a hollow feeling inside me. The connection I once had to him, to Finn, Tristan—it’s gone. It used to be part of my subconscious, as reassuring as a blanket or a comfortable sweater.
Now, there’s nothing there, like there had been nothing a year ago. “You can’t...”
Lucas bares his teeth, turning his back on me. “I have nothing left to say to you.”
The words get stuck in my throat—anger at his dismissal, fury at the way he’s acting. But I bite them down, my pride concealing them. “Fine. But I hope Finn told you everything, so you understand what you’re dealing with. The vrykolakas won’t back off, especially with me out of the picture.”
When I walk out of his office, there's no victorious feel. Only defeat – and the sensation I’m leaving a piece of me behind.
∞ ♦ ∞
I squint at Luz’s window for long moments, debating if this is smart, before giving in and climbing the fire escape. The minute I knock on the door, she’s there to open it, and tugs me inside.
“Dom!” She’s burying her head in my chest, hugging me as hard as she can. “I was so worried.” She pulls back, looking at me. “Why didn’t you say where you were going?”
As she searches my expression, some of my agony must show because she drops her arms, frowning. “What’s going on? Has there been another attack on animals?”
I shake my head, dropping my forehead to hers. Closing my eyes, I inhale her scent like it’s the last time I’ll ever breathe it—and it very well might be.
“Dom, you’re scaring me.”
My mouth drops to hers, tasting her lips, taking my time even though it’s counted. I feel her tears on my cheeks and pull back.
“I need to leave.”
Her eyes widen but she remains unmoving, stunned by my flat declaration. After a long beat, she says, “What... why?”
“Lucas kicked me out of the pack.”
“He did what!?”
I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, and cup her cheek. “Listen to me. He had his reasons, not that I agree with them. But this whole thing with the vrykolakas, I have to fix it.”
“Why does it have to be you?” Her fingers cling to my shirt as if to keep me here. “If Lucas kicked you out, why can’t we just leave?”
I’m shaking my head before she’s even done talking. “This morning, when I disappeared, I was with my godmother, Ileana. I... If I ever get another chance, I’ll tell you about her. But she confirmed as much as Finn did that these vrykolakas are my relatives. And tonight, I met my cousin, who’s leading them. I can’t let them hurt anyone else, Luz. If I do, it’ll be on my shoulders, and a regret I’ll have to live with forever.”
Fresh tears spring to her eyes, and she grabs my hand as if to keep me here. “Dom, please don’t do this alone. It’s suicide! Lucas will get over his anger, and once he does you can fight these monsters together! He’s just pissed that there’s another alpha in town.”
If it was only that. “He’s hurt, Luz. I kept too much from him, and now he’s lashing out. Whatever you do, don’t piss him off.” She opens her mouth at that, but I place my index on her lips. “I need you to promise me you’ll stay with them, with the pack. You need their protection.”
“But I want to be with you.”
My heart clenches, my wolf rebelling against what I’m doing. “I know, because I do as well. But they can offer you protection like a lone wolf can’t. Please, Luz. Please.”
Her green eyes meet mine and she nods, though I can tell it’s tearing her up. “Fine. I promise.”
I kiss her one last time, then I wrench myself from her grip and leave before I do something that will make me stay forever.
Lucrezia
The next day, I don’t see Dom. Or the next. There’s a tension around the shop, but no one is saying anything. By the third day, I barge into Lucas’ office.
“You’re a real ass, you know that?”
His eyes don't move from his papers. “Not the first time you said that.”
“Where’s Dom?”
“Beats me.”
His coolness is infuriating, considering I’m standing there panting and my hair is flying all over. I move closer and push all the papers off his desk—my job be damned. If he wants to fire me, let him.
Lucas looks at me then, awareness creeping in his eyes. “I guess I never really saw it, but I do now, cara. You love me.”
I snort at the statement. “Because I barge in here making demands? Boy, you really are full of yourself, aren’t you?”
He leans back into his chair, assurance oozing from his pores. “It’s been known to happen.”
My teeth hurt from gritting them. “I don’t love you, I never did. Your damn pheromones messed with my mind. What I felt was lust, nothing more. I do, however, love Dominic.”
I’ve half a mind to hit Lucas, but he gets up, eyes glinting and jaw clenched with purpose. Slowly, he moves around the desk, but I refuse to back away. He stares at me for the longest moment, and I don’t see it coming.
Before I know it, he’s kissing me. One hand wraps around my nape, holding me still, the other reaching for my hip. And if I wasn’t already convinced of my feelings for Dom, the kiss would have done the job.
It’s nothing like having Dom’s lips on mine, nor does it spark anything in me in the two-point-five seconds it takes my brain to register my surprise and act. I shove Lucas away, throwing in a resounding slap for good measure.
Lucas stares at me, his eyes glittering with unreadable emotion. “I guess I missed my chance there.”
“Go to hell, Lucas.” I stalk away, but stop before exiting, turning to see him staring at the carpet. “Dom knew nothing about his lineage until me and Finn dug it up. He didn’t even realize the vrykolakas were linked to him. You need to stomp over that pride of yours before it ruins you and everyone around you.”
I take off before I say something that'll get me into more trouble, and barge instead into the garage where Finn and Tristan are working. “Did you two know Lucas exiled Dom?”
They glance at me, then each other. Tristan drops his wrench to the ground where it clatters. “That idiota!” He moves as if to go after Lucas, but Finn steps in his way.
“Dom pushed too many limits, it was bound to happen.”
Tristan releases a string of curses in Portuguese, and I swear his glare could melt an iceberg. “And you knew he did this?”
Finn lets him go, stepping away with a peculiar ex
pression on his face. “I felt something a few nights ago. When we didn’t hear from Dom, I just assumed.” He glances at me. “Where is he?”
“Gone.” I hate that my voice shakes and tears spring to my eyes. But I miss Dom. His smile, his presence, his touch – it’s all I can think about.
“He wouldn’t leave you.” I look up at Tristan, feeling his certainty. “I don’t care what Lucas threatened him with, I know Dominic and he would not leave you behind.”
“He said you’d all protect me.”
“It’s not about protection, love.” Finn places a hand on my shoulder, squeezing once before letting go. “His wolf won’t allow him to be far from you. He's still around, trust us, but he must be in hiding.”
Hope blooms in my chest at his words, and it doesn’t take me long to decide my next course of action. “Then I’ll find him.”
“I’ll help.” Tristan turns his glare to the door. “But first I need to have a chat with our fearless leader.”
He’s off before Finn can intervene this time, and he shakes his head. “I better go after him, before he does something he’ll regret. Wait for us here, and we’ll all go find Dominic.”
“Sure.” Once he’s gone around the corner, I grab his car keys off the tool table, as well as a jacket and baseball cap.
I’ll be damned if I waste time waiting while you three have your pissing contest.
∞ ♦ ∞
In retrospect, taking off on my own while my boyfriend is MIA, and the pack is busy not falling apart, was not my best decision. But love will have you doing crazy things, right?
Or so I tell myself when night catches me way too far off from Claws Auto Shop, and with a car that runs out of gas. Because of course Finn didn’t foresee I would take it for a joyride around town and waste all the gas for hours on end.
Shit.
So I’m staring around and realizing I have little choice except to get out and walk somewhere to get help. My phone is dead too. At first I turned the sound off, but by the time I was willing to return the guys’ missed calls, the battery had died because of the cold.
I pull the jacket tighter around me, lower the baseball cap on my head and try to knot my hair under the collar. Maybe if people think I’m a man, they’ll pay less attention to me. Just in case, I grab a screwdriver from the side door and pocket it. It may not be much in terms of weapon, but at least it’s something.
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