I pulled out my phone and called Rudolph.
Since Logan was the Alpha’s son, Lucien had to know him. My brilliant plan was to act casual and fish for intel. Maybe score his number.
My pride disliked that idea, but it would be harder for him to get my number. Plus, something in me whispered that Logan already resented me, given the fury radiating off him when he had stormed away…as well as the diameter and depth of the crater he’d punched in the wall.
My brilliant plan had to be postponed. Rudolph gave no sign of life.
Where’s Santa’s reindeer when I need him?
Third time had to be the charm, right?
Wrong. He finally picked up, so I called his name. All I heard were raspy breaths, static, thenclick. Call dropped. So I gave up on my plan…for the time being.
Instead, I called someone else.
Someone I could always trust. Someone who’d known me all my life, who cared enough to listen but wasn’t blinded by family loyalty like Lachlan, Dad, Tiziano, or the rest of the Comet pack, for that matter.
He wasn’t my brother by blood, but the universe had assigned him that role anyway.
Archie. The future Alpha of Black Devil, the pack everyone feared. The one with monsters among monsters. Their wolvesweren’t just wolves; they were something…other. Primordial. Lethal. The kind of creature evolution should’ve retired, but hadn’t dared to. They could walk on two feet in full shift—half-man, half-beast.
But much like Rudolph, the future Alpha of the most lethal pack on the planet wastoo busyto pick up at first.
Unlike him, however, Archie actually called me back.
“Do you remember Logan Draven?” I blurted out the second I answered.
“Chi è morto?” His voice was deep and sleep-laden, muffled by poor reception and long distance. On the screen, he lifted his head. “Yvaine? Is that you?”
“No one died. I mean, I’m sure someone did, they always do, but no one we know. Or, at least, I hope.”
Amusement swirled in his violet eyes. I had never seen a pair of eyes like that. It was as if someone had inserted two amethysts into his sockets.
Over the years, people had accused him of wearing faux contact lenses for how unnatural his eyes looked. Still, Archie was incredible. One of the kindest people I knew—and it made sense, given his awesome family and the wonderful childhood we’d shared together.
“We haven’t talked for so long!” I said. The time difference certainly didn’t help.
“Sorry I didn’t pick up earlier. My dad’s training is a nuisance to the—” He stopped and looked back, then frowned. “You know what I mean.”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “He can hear everything.”
“So, how are you doing? How are things in the new world?” he asked as a blond head and gray eyes invaded my mind.
“I found my mate, Chie.”
The bomb was dropped.
I had hoped to talk more about his life first, but I’d just had to say it. I needed to share it withsomeone.
“Congratulations, Vy!” Archie smirked. “Has Lachlan beaten him up yet?”
I panicked and gasped. Lachlan would probably attempt murder in wereball anyway, and if he learned we were mates, that would only give him an extra excuse and further justification for his actions.
This was a catastrophe!
The smile on Archie’s face faded, and he lifted an ink-black brow.
“Did he do something wrong, Vy? Because you know, flight tickets are affordable.”
