“You were reassuring me that most cameras don’t have night vision. But the one in my bedroom does?” I can’t even tell if I’m angry. I feel like I should be angry, but I’m not feeling that fire heat of rage.
“It does. But if it makes you feel any better about this, when I got access to the system, I went in and disabled the feed so no one else could watch you... but me. They’d need to be a better hacker than me to crack the encryption on that camera.” He offers a polite smile with a shrug. “So I made it safer?”
I can’t believe this. I was being watched. This whole time.
I walk over to the couch and flop down, lying flat and looking up at the high ceiling. It’s two stories high with massive windows that let in the glow of the setting sun. Beautiful place to have a meltdown if I do say so myself.
I’ve had a stalker. Sure, he was friendly, but a stalker nonetheless. I didn’t even know. I mean, I thought someone was watching me, but I didn’t KNOW.
“Gorgeous, talk to me. Be mad at me. Just say anything.” Royal sits down on the chair closest to my head, looking down at me.
“I don’t know how to feel. I know I should be mad though.” I turn my head to look up at him.
“Well, you not being mad is kinda good for me, so I’m not pushing you into being mad.” He takes the decorative pillow out of the chair before pulling it into his lap and lounging backward.
“Okay, so you’re werewolves. How long —”
“Wolf shifter.” He’s quick to correct me. “Werewolves, as far as I know, are a fictional beast.”
I snort because here I was thinking that humans who turn into wolves, whatever their preferred term may be, were fictional.
Royal gives me a sheepish smile, likely picking up on what I’m not saying. But he continues. “I shift when I want and am not controlled by the moon, and silver is just another pretty alloy. Bullets, as you’ve found out, can wound just as much as anything else. It’s different, and some wolf shifters get really touchy if you call them a werewolf.”
“Got it, wolf shifter. How long have you all been wolf shifters?”
I don’t know why I’m changing the subject. I only know that I can’t really process him spying on me, on us, and it’s almost laughable that a conversation about wolf shifters being real is easier.
But is it any different from what Dad has sent me here to do?Oh shit, did Royal hear that conversation?
“Forever, it’s genetic, or you can be turned, but everyone in my family has always been a wolf shifter. Well, now excluding Antonella, who was just turned.”
“That’s kinda cool. I mean, not the whole turning her part. I’m glad her life was saved, but it shouldn’t have been in danger to begin with.” I look away from him and back up to the ceiling, taking a deep breath. “She is okay, right?”
“Yeah, she’s okay. We can check on her and Valor later. I promise,” Royal says, preceding the sound of fabric rustling as he adjusts in his seat.
“My dad wants me to spy on you and report back what’s going on.” I wince, afraid of the backlash, even though deep down, I know Royal isn’t the kind to get angry.
“I know,” Royal says softly. “Which is why when they told me I had to tell you this, I questioned it. But I also know you’re a good person.”
“And that you’ve hacked into my phone and can probably stop me from texting them information you don’t want them to know?” I wager.
“I’m hoping I don’t have to, but ultimately, yes.” His voice is lower and somber. “I don’t want to be wrong about you. I hope telling me about what your dad asked you to do means that you’re telling me you’re trustworthy.”
I sit up and look at him. “What happens if I’m not?”
His jaw twitches, and he draws a slow breath before letting it out. “It’s my job to make sure you keep our secret. If that means turning you so that you share the secret and have the equal motivation to keep us all safe, then so be it.”
“Oh.” I was not expecting that. Taking me prisoner and locking me up or outright killing me were the possibilities my mind conjured up.
“For the record, I don’t want to have to turn you. I like you human. Even if you’re so much more vulnerable to the world.” He cocks his head. “Though, I guess all that does is make me want to keep you safe that much more.”
My heart flutters, and I fight a smile and look away before my cheeks can flame. I pretend to be examining the house. “So now what?”
“Well, lunch as promised. I have to feed Captain, and then I thought maybe you’d like to just hang out? That is, if you still want to be friends.” Royal’s voice is pinched, and I turn back to look at him.
The wince he wears, tightened eyes and lips pulled flat, makes me laugh. “Yes, we’re still friends.”
28
