“Excuse me?” I say. “I thought you were talking about some kind of natural force, and it was random when it exploded. Are you telling me it’s controlled by people?”
“Not the snake itself,” he says. “But it can be harnessed. Whenever someone tries, they fuck it up, and that’s what causes the explosion.”
All my anxiety drains away, replaced by cold fear.
“Father would try for it,” I choke out. “Of course he would, if he knew. Jesus Christ, this is fucking terrifying.”
“Yeah,” Shawn says. “I’m really glad we cleared the air between us.”
I stare at him for a moment in complete disbelief, then I burst out laughing.
“What is it?” he asks, looking worried.
“You’ve told me a whole bunch of crazy stuff, and it definitely fills in your background—but you haven’t explained yourself even slightly.”
“What do you mean? This is who I am.”
I get up from my seat and walk across to Shawn. He leans back in his chair, looking up at me as I approach, and I point at him, pressing my finger right against his heart.
“I want to know who you are, in here. As shocking as all this other shit is, it’s actually meaningless. I came here tonight for the truth about you, not your military secrets. Why are you here? Why did you marry me? Are you aligned with Father? What drives you, Shawn?”
Do you want me?
The unspoken question hovers over my lips, and I know if I speak it out loud, it will feel like a desperate plea, and I don’t want to put myself in that position. Still, I feel like he hears it.
“Sara,” he says, taking my hands. “I came here for duty. Our pack was devastated to have killed those wolves—even though it looked like they were attacking our children, we still prefer not to kill if we can help it. Once we discovered the circumstances, all of us were determined to make up for it, and the town so desperately needs help.”
He stands up and strokes my cheek gently, brushing back my hair.
“The first moment I saw you, my whole world changed. Something inside me just knew. It’s like part of me had been waiting for you my whole life.”
“No way,” I mutter.
He nods, bright green eyes shimmering. “Every moment with you has only strengthened that feeling. You’re smart, kind, compassionate, and brave. You’ve been trampled on and abused, but never lost your heart. You’re special, and all I want is to know you, care for you, and protect you.”
“Are you with Father?” I ask, blurting the words out in a breath of fear. “Tell me the truth. Are you a tyrant like him?”
“I’m the opposite,” he says. “I’m trying to get close to your father so I can prove he got Talon killed. I also need proof that he’s got a connection to the human world, and he’s rewarding those loyal to him to rule the rest.”
“It’s all been a plot?” I ask. “You’re planning against him?”
“Yes,” he says. “I couldn’t tell you, just in case you compromised the mission.”
“That’s why you said those things,” I reply. “And sucked up to him like he was your best friend. I have to say, the act fooled me.”
“It didn’t fool him,” Shawn says grimly. “He knows I don’t trust him, and I think he wants to get rid of me, too.”
I take Shawn’s hand gently, weaving my fingers into his. “I knew he was bad,” I say. “But I didn’t think he was this evil.”
“Look,” Shawn says, “I’m pretty certain he got Talon killed—I don’t know how he talked him into going, but he definitely set him up. I also think your father wanted to use Talon’s death to his advantage, like using it to lock down the town again.”
“Yes,” I whisper, seeing it all so clearly. “That is exactly what he would do. Fuck, it must have pissed him off to see all of you show up here.”
Shawn chuckles. “Yeah, I figured that. He must have been pretty short-sighted to think your warriors would attack, and the rival pack wouldn’t follow it up to assess the threat.”
I shrug, chuckling softly. “Father is blessed with tunnel vision—he can’t imagine anyone being that different from himself. Because he wouldn’t travel far to investigate an enemy, he assumes no one else would.”
“I hope we can use that to our advantage,” Shawn says.
