I braced for the next hit, but it never came.
When I dared to open my eyes, Conrad was crouched in front of me, those deep forest green eyes studying me like he could see through the wreckage of my face to something deeper.
“Why do you ask?” he asked coolly.
Zeth’s boots scuffed the pavement behind me, his pacing sharp, restless. Muscles trembled under his jacket like he could barely keep from lunging.
“Looking to sell us out some more, huh? Hand the Syndicate over for a cushy desk and a pat on the head from your human cop boss?” His voice cracked with fury that was sharp enough to cut. “Well, we won’t let?—”
“I didn’t.” Both of them narrowed their eyes on me. “In fact, my boss was pissed that I didn’t give him what he wanted, so…”
“I quit,” I rasped, spitting blood onto the ground. I winced when my ribs groaned, the broken bones snapping back into place. “Today, actually.”
The sound of footsteps stopped me cold. I looked up through one good eye to find Zeth frozen mid-step and Conrad leaning back on his heels, one brow raised.
Neither spoke. They just waited.
I shrugged, though the movement caused more pain. “Didn’t belong there anymore.”
Zeth huffed out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, no shit. You’re a fuckingwerewolf.” He jabbed two fingers against his temple. “Apparently, your skull’s too damn thick to accept that.”
Pressing my palms into the brick wall, I forced myself upright to stand. “That’s not what I meant.” My voice came out steadily despite the dull throbbing throughout my body as it healed. “It’s just… I see clearer now. That badge, that job… it isn’t me anymore.”
The two shared a look, a silent language of raised brows and subtle shifts I didn’t need to translate. I cut in before they could say anything.
“I just wanted to know how the search was going. I know she’s got you three now, hertrue mates.” The words scraped out of me, each one heavier than the next. “Not trying to step on anyone’s toes.”
Lie. The taste of it seared my tongue. I didn’t want her to be happy without me. I wanted her to ache, to miss me like I missed her. Even if I couldn’t be her mate, I needed a way to stay close—as a guard dog, a grunt, anything. If letting them beat me bloody bought that chance, so be it.
“Are you stupid?!” Zeth threw his hands in the air like he was done with me.
Conrad tilted his head, his expression curious instead of furious. “You really don’t know how mates work, do you?”
I looked at him, my breathing shallow. “You’re mated to her, so, what, you’re married now, right? She’s married to all of you?”
Zeth dragged his hands down his face with a groan. “We don’t have time for this shit. We need to get back before the search starts.”
Search?My pulse jumped.They’re hunting that doctor? The one torturing turned supes?
Conrad’s sigh cut through the tension. “It’s not like marriage,” he said, eyes fixed on mine. “A mate bond is… fate. Your soul’s other half. Not all supes get a mate, and those who do usually only get one, but if you're lucky, fate might bless you with more.”
A feeling of hope that I thought was lost bloomed deep in my gut.
“Each species does it differently,” Conrad went on, tapping his chest. “Vamps bite. Share blood. A mark shows up on their mate’s body. It's to warn other vamps to back off. Demons—” he jerked his chin toward Zeth—“grow horns. The only two times they show are under extreme anger or when they find their mate.”
Zeth’s lip curled as he crinkled his nose at Conrad, but he didn’t argue.
Then Conrad pointed to me. “Werewolves, on the other hand, are a little different. Your wolf, in essence, picks your mate, and it's for life. In fact, I think that's how most shifter-based beings are, but we would have to ask Deslen since he’s both fae and a shifter. It’s not like he has wings that can change colors like fairies do.”
His eyes locked on mine, steady, unflinching. “Anyone can reject a mate bond by just ignoring it and dealing with the longing that eventually turns into physical pain, but there have only been one or two known cases of that. Mates are normally treated like a gift from fate, so no one wants to turn that away.” His eyes drilled into mine, saying, ‘Except foryou.’ At least he had the class not to say it out loud.
The thing that my mind snagged on was the longing and pain, but I wasn't thinking about me.
The words lodged in my throat. “Does that mean…” My breath hitched. “She’s in pain because of me?”
Zeth groaned, his shaking hands balling into fists. “I’m done. He ruined the fun of… all of this. I’ll be waiting in the damn car.” He started off, then paused halfway to the street, glaring over his shoulder. “Fuck you, man. I hated you at first. Thought you’d steal her from me. Then somewhere along the way, I… hated you a little less.” His jaw flexed. “You’re still a major dick.” With that, he stomped off.
Conrad’s lips twitched, barely holding back a smirk as he watched Zeth yank the door open and slam it shut. The demon sat there with his arms folded, waiting.
