I squirmed in the seat under his violet gaze, remembering how it scorched each part of my exposed skin over the weekend. I tried focusing on our conversation, blinking and trying to clear the fog from my mind. “About what?”
“Wewillfigure out where your guardian is. And like Lachlan offered, I’m more than happy to go to the village for you. Maybe in my bat form.”
I fumbled with my necklace. The softness of the petrified mushroom contrasted against the hardness of the ruby ring. “I don’t really know how to explain it, but the thought of my mates going into that village makes me nauseous. It’s nothing against you guys. I know Lachlan got offended because he thought I meant they were stronger than him. I know that you guys are capable of wiping them out if you wanted, but that’s not something I want to do either. I know it sounds terrible, but I almost want to protect where I grew up.”
Rhett let out a sound that was a mix of a sigh and a growl. “Yes, that makes complete sense. Actually, the term is called Stockholm Syndrome. It’s often found in toxic relationships where there’s a power differential, but it can be used to explain your feelings of the Arctic Wolf Village. You don’t want to vilify where you came from, even if it’s evil. I understand that, but Wren, they’re not good beings. That pack enabled Grayson and his actions. The alpha of it held animosity against you for no reason even as a mere child. The entire pack went along with it.”
“The pack follows the alpha even if they know he’s wrong.”
He shook his head. “Maybe it’s because I’m a demon, but I don’t understand that mindset.”
“It was explained to me by Alice. It’s a bond between the alpha and pack. It’s not stronger than a matebond but almost. The wolves under the alpha are meant to serve. They’re meant to please him and follow commands. Their instincts and magical energy won’t let them disobey orders unless they’re able to break that bond first. Alice never wanted to break it, and I understood that. The Arctic Wolf Village is her home. That’s her pack.” My voice cracked. I had come here to be wrapped up in Rhett’s arms, but that wasn’t what was happening.
“I’m so happy you’re not a wolf,” he muttered.
“Do you think Grayson told the truth about the witch, or do you think Alice is gone?” My throat clogged with emotion, and my nostrils burned. A sob retched open my throat by me asking the question.
Rhett jumped out of his chair and dropped on his knees in front of me, cupping my face. “Baby, I don’t see how ‘what-ifs’ will help heal your pain. The way to heal is to find out if Alice is okay. We need to have solid proof, whatever the case may be.”
“But what do you think?” Tears leaked down my face over his hands.
“My thoughts on the matter won’t make you feel any better, and I don’t say that to hurt you. Shit. I would never—”
I leaned forward and brushed my lips against his, tasting the saltiness of my tears.
He pulled back slightly. “Wren…”
“I know you don’t want to hurt me. I want to know what happened to Alice, but I don’t know how to figure that out. As much as I want to know right this second, there are more pressing events happening around us.”
The tingle of his pheromones started to scatter over my skin, and I clenched my thighs together in an attempt to ease the ache.
“I’m sorry. I haven’t leaked pheromones since we…” He cleared his throat. “But, clearly, it’s happening again.” He got to his feet and leaned against his desk.
“Doesn’t that just mean we need to be together again?”
Rhett’s eyes flashed with desire, but he clenched his jaw as if he were fighting himself on it. “I want nothing more than that. But…” He flattened the heels of his palms into his eyes and sighed. “I haven’t had the chance to talk with Rowan about this yet, but you’re my mate, and I need you to know something before we decide to do this again.”
Uncertainty gripped my heart. What could he be talking about that would make him not want to be with me in that way? “Is it because the bond didn’t snap in place?”
He growled, pulling me out of the seat into his arms. “No, baby, it’s not about that. I love being with you, and if you still want to after I tell you this, then we will.”
“You’re freaking me out,” I mumbled against his chest, feeling his rapid heartbeat sync with mine. “Please, just tell me what it is.”
“The one who sent the letters has been sending them for a while. I got another this morning that detailed our entire time at the Demon Capital.” He drew a shaky breath, and I could feel him trembling against me. “I don’t know who it is, but they’ve been watching me since I lived in the capital. They have developed a strong obsession with not only me, but you. I can’t bear for anything to happen to you, Wren. That would break me.”
I wrapped my arms around him and held him tight. “What do the letters say?”
“The person seems like they want youandme, but other times, it seems as if they want tobeyou. They’ve also mentioned some of your other mates, but what concerns me the most is that they went into explicit detail about when I waswithyou this weekend.” His eyes glistened as he stared down at me.
I held him tighter. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I don’t want to choose for you, Wren. I would never want to take a choice away from you. But can I suggest something?”
“Of course you can, but whatever you need to say won’t change my mind.”
“Eevie died for associating with me. If you were to get hurt or taken away from me, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. I couldn’t go on in this fucking world without you, bond or no bond.”
I gasped, looking up at him as tears trickled down his cheeks. “My choice is already made. You’re mine, and we will face this person together. It’s not just us, either. Not one of my mates would let you go through this alone.”
