My attention darts around the room, searching for any sign of Desiree, but she’s nowhere to be found. A sinking feeling settles in the pit of my stomach. What if Alden went after her? He claims to want friendship with the vampires, but his actions speak louder than his words. How he used Desiree to provoke Vane tells a different story. Alden’s true motives remain in mystery, and I can’t shake the nagging suspicion that his pursuit of Desiree is just another move in his twisted game.
“Fuck. If Alden does something to upset the vampires and ruin our progress with them, I’ll neuter him.”
“Where are we going?” Bennett asks.
“To find?—”
“Does this belong to you?” Vane barrels into the room. He has a snarling Alden by the scruff.
“Let me go! I was only trying to find the bathroom,” Alden shouts.
“Where did you find him?” I ask Vane.
Vane releases Alden, causing the wolf to stumble into Bennett. It’s the most off-kilter I’ve seen him since his arrival. Despite his unsteady footing, his eyes remain sharp and focused, revealing that he isn’t drunk. Vane’s actions have clearly rattled him.
Vane’s lip curls. “In one of the tunnels leading to the Nest. I smelled his canine stench and dragged him back here.”
My gaze narrows. Why was Alden in the tunnels?
“Like I said,” Alden spits, “I was looking for the bathroom. Ours was occupied.”
Vane snarls, his teeth bared, but I step between the towering royals, my hands raised in a placating gesture. I’m not interested in having either cause irreparable damage to my realm by going to blows.
“Look, I’m sorry about the misunderstanding. Thank you for your hospitality,” I say to Vane before glaring at Alden. “Let’s go. We’ve overstayed our welcome.”
“See that this one goes straight home,” Vane commands when Desi peeks at Alden from behind Vane.
“I will,” I mutter, wishing I could send Alden packing.
Alden claims to seek an alliance, but the wolf is more trouble than he’s worth. While there’s a slim chance he’s telling the truth about getting lost on his way to the bathroom, it seems like a hastily crafted excuse.
My gaze shifts to Ravi, and a thought takes shape in my mind. I could turn the tables on him and use his own tactics against him to extract information about Alden. I can uncover the truth beneath the surface by pretending to be his friend.
Exhaustedfrom the day’s events, I crave the escape of sleep, wishing I could slumber into the next century. As I slip between the cool sheets, the smooth fabric against my skin strangely reminds me of Alden’s slippery, eel-like nature—nothing romantic about it. I believe I’ve demonstrated that my Council and I remain strong, despite the blackout and Stellan’s articles, but have I convinced him? Tomorrow, I hope to discuss plans for securing peace while determining a date for his departure.
Alden could have made a mess for me tonight with the vampires. He claims the wolves want peace, and while his actions seem to support this, something still makes me doubt his sincerity.
With a pained groan, I grab my phone to text Wilder.
Leigh
Miss you. Talk tomorrow?
My phone vibrates a second later with a response. I sit up to read his reply.
Wilder
How did things go with Janus at the luncheon?
I tighten my grip on my phone at Janus’s mention. Her ambiguous connection to Beatrix Marks is deeply unsettling, and every scenario I imagine paints a grim picture. Janus, my supposed confidante, has eroded my trust with her recent actions.
If Janus is working with Stellan, perhaps Beatrix is involved, too. Stellan wants to turn the Nebula against me, and he could use Beatrix to sway public opinion and undermine my authority. I must act quickly to unravel the truth before it’s too late.
Leigh
Janus and I are still working things out.
I hit send, then reread my text. It’s not an outright lie, but it isn’t the truth.
