“I’m worried about Sam,” Mera said after telling her what we’d learned in Clarity. “While it’s clear that she's in no immediate danger, there's definitely some shady shit happening in her pack. As soon as Sam’s ready to share with us, we need to help her wade through it."
Simone nodded, serious brown eyes locked on Mera's face. "Yeah, I've been worried about her for the same reasons. There’s an undercurrent of darkness in her pack, similar to how Torma used to feel."
Corrupt alphas, the seed of evil that could send a pack into complete turmoil.
"I’m putting that alpha on my kill list,” Mera muttered. “Those power-hungry bastards are the death of a true pack bond.”
Shadow’s chest rumbled. "You're sexy when you're plotting murder, mate."
Mera just shook her head at him. "You're no help, dude. You should be the one plotting murder. You're the goddamn Shadow Beast."
The rumble in his chest increased. "Firstly, don't call me dude. Secondly, if you want me to murder someone, you only have to ask once and it will be done." His voice lowered. "And thirdly, if you need me to destroy the entire fucking planet, it's done."
Mera's smile was so bright that it was blinding as she beamed and blinked back tears. "That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."
Only those two could turn murder into romance.
Shadow took a few steps to crouch down behind her chair and kiss her roughly. Even though it was only a kiss, Simone and I shifted uncomfortably because with these two, the chemistry burned so hot that right now I felt like I’d walked in on them right in the middle of sex.
Sucking in a rough breath, I turned and left the shop, needing a moment to compose myself. Through no fault of her own, Mera had me craving a life that was probably never going to be mine, a fact I needed to come to terms with and fast.
9
Once outside, it took me a few minutes to calm my racing heart.
It was so frustrating to be knocked by such strong emotions again, when I'd spent centuries learning how to control and manage every aspect of my physical being. I was out of control, and if I didn't get a handle on it soon, I was likely going to self-destruct in a very unpleasant manner.
I couldn’t let that happen around Reece. I would not give him the satisfaction.
"Angel!" Simone called my name as she appeared in the street. "Are you okay?"
Releasing a slow breath, I prepared to lie, but somehow the damn truth came out instead. "I'm struggling."
Her dark eyebrows shot up and nearly collided with her equally dark hairline. "Oh, fuck. I have to say that’s about the last thing I expected you to say, and I'm somewhat freaking out that you’re being so open with me."
Simone and I had never spent much time together, our greatest bond being our love for Mera. But I appreciated her forthright response and decided to continue in the same manner. "Since my rebirth, my emotions have been awakened in a way that I never anticipated. I mean, I'm old—older than you probably think—and it took me a very long time to learn how to control every aspect of my being. Yet here I am, like a youngling again, unable to deal."
Simone took a step closer to leave only a few inches between us. There were no shifters on the street nearby, but she still lowered her voice. "How old are we talking here?"
Some of my angst died, and I couldn't help my smile. "Ancient. Trust me on that."
She rocked back on her heels. "Damn, girl. Older than Shadow?"
This time my smirk turned into a smile.
"Much older." Shadow's deep voice came from the front door of the shop as he stepped out with Mera. "She was the monster in the shadows before me."
I glared at him, hoping he'd shut up. "That was a former life. Now I'm just... Well, I have no idea who I am, but I'm hoping that I have a chance to find out."
Mera wasted no time hugging me, knowing in her own way that I was struggling, even though I hadn’t told her in so many words. "It's going to be okay," she whispered as she pulled away. "I see a bright future for you, Angel. There's a reason you were reborn—a reason greater than the fact that I don't think I could have survived without you. We just need to be patient, and the truth will reveal itself."
Simone reached out and grabbed her hand, joining the three of us together. "Pregnancy has made you all philosophical. I like it."
Mera tightened her grip on her best friend. "It has, and with that in mind, I'm wondering if you're ready to tell me what happened between you and a certain vampire. I really hate when mybestestbest friend is hiding shit from me and won’t let me help."
Whatever joy and mirth had been in Simone's face vanished so fast it was as if someone had taken a cloth and erased it with a swipe. "I can't," she choked out, her voice rasping like she'd hurt her throat. "The compulsion makes it difficult, and until I figure out how to break it, the rest would be confusing."
Mera’s lips thinned. “I need to kill Lucien, just stake the bastard right through the heart.”
