Evan hesitates, but then tentatively reaches for a piece of bacon. Forest, Rowen, and Ivy all dig in while Jasmine and Grant sit still as stones in their seats, their attention fixed on me. When Neal and Taren return, they stand in the doorway with Aster in Taren’s arms. The little boy is holding a stuffed bear.
“I am sorry for my pack’s behavior,” Forest says. “It’s been a difficult time for us. As I told you, we lost a pack member a few months ago, and the pain is still quite fresh.” He glances at Taren, his voice catching. “It was Taren’s sister, Sasha.”
Shit.No wonder Taren looks like she wants to rip my throat out. I can’t even blame her.
“I’m really sorry for your loss,” I say, leaning forward. “But let me make this perfectly clear. I had nothing to do with her death, and believe me when I say this: the man whoisresponsible? I want him dead just as much as you. His entire coven for that matter. They can all burn in hell.”
Taren shifts on her feet. “You know Foxx?”
I nod. “Alexander Foxx is my sire.”
Everyone gasps, and Neal snarls, standing in front of his mate. “What?”
Forest opens his mouth, but I cut him off. “I donotserve him, nor do I have even a shred of respect for him. He assaulted me, nearly killed me, then turned me against my will. I promise you, if there’sanythingI want from that asshole, it’s to see him go up in flames.”
Silence fills the room as they look around.
“How long has it been since you were turned?” Jasmine asks. “If you don’t mind me asking.”
I don’t even need to think about it. “Forty-three weeks and five days.”
She seems surprised by my exact count. Or maybe that I’m still so young. Her attention darts to her children, no doubt wondering if I am in control of my bloodlust.
Grant raps a knuckle on the table. “Forty-three weeks… is that January?”
I nod. Every day since then has felt like an eternity.
“You were turned after he took over the club, then.”
I relinquish a nod. “It’s… how he found me.”
“I’m not surprised. It’s how he’s scouting most of his victims these days,” Forest says.
Evan and I exchange a look. Victims? As in, more than one?
But if that’s true, then why have they still been chasing me all these months?
“You seem surprised. You weren’t aware?” Jasmine asks.
I clear my throat. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. I mean, I suspected I wasn’t the only one to fall for his… methods. There are others?”
Grant nods. “Do you have any idea how many people he’s hurt or killed, Jericho?”
I shake my head.
“To our knowledge, he’s turned twenty-seven people, and of those, only seven have survived, including you. He’s killed the others.”
“Twenty sev—” Evan mutters, pushing his chair back and walking away. His heart picks up speed, a rapidthump-thumpin the otherwise silent room. “I’m going to be sick.”
Rowen quickly shoves an empty bowl toward him, but Evan doesn’t throw up. He just sucks in sharp breaths, hands fisted against his thighs.
Jasmine clears her throat. “Sasha was one of them.”
“Wait. He’s converting shifters?”
Forest and Grant both nod. “Trying to. We don’t know how many he’s successfully changed, but we know he’s killed at least six. The transition for shifters is extremely difficult.”
Jasmine balls her hands into fists. “Sasha survived, but he killed her afterwards.”
