My hands start shaking. If I hadn’t overheard his call, I wouldn’t suspect a thing.
But now I know. He’s dangerous. Whatever he’s planning for Violet, it can’t be good. And I’ve been so stupid, so desperate to have him back, that I didn’t see it.
I love Violet too much to risk her safety. I need to tell someone…I need to tell Darius. Need to warn—
No. No, I can’t.
If I tell Darius, he’ll kill Kain. I know he will. He never hesitates when it comes to Violet’s safety. He doesn’t show mercy to threats against his mate.
And Kain is a threat. A traitor. But he’s also mine.
My wolf whines as though echoing my pain. He’s my mate! The man I mourned for ten years! I just got him back; how can I have him ripped from me again so brutally?
A sob tears out of my throat, raw and ugly.
How can I choose? How can I possibly choose between my fated mate and my best friend?
My hands are still trembling as I start the engine. I pull out of the parking lot with no destination in mind, just needing to move, to do something besides sit here and fall apart.
Maybe there’s another way. Maybe I can talk to Kain first, confront him, make him explain. Maybe I misunderstood. Maybe…
But I didn’t misunderstand. His words were clear.
“Anne? She doesn’t matter to me…she’s just useful…”
I drive without seeing, my vision fuzzy from tears. Traffic lights pass in a haze of color. Streets blur together. I don’t even know where I’m going until I’m already there.
The Alpha’s house.
I am stopped across the street from Darius and Violet’s home. The engine is still running, my foot on the brake but ready to hit the gas.
My heart pounds in my chest. What am I doing here?
I should leave. I should drive away, figure this out on my own, find a solution that doesn’t put Kain in jeopardy.
But what other solution is there? He’s after Violet. He said it. And I can’t protect her. I can’t fight off Kain or whoever sent him all by myself.
And doesn’t the fact that I’m sitting here mean that I know what I’m supposed to do? Subconsciously, I’ve made my choice.
My breathing gets faster. Too fast. I’m hyperventilating again, my chest tight, spots dancing at the edges of my vision as blood rushes in my ears.
I can’t do this. I can’t condemn Kain to his death. I can’t—
A knock on my window makes me jump so high, I nearly hit my head on the roof. Darius is standing there, bent over and looking at me, a brow raised in question.
What? When did he…How long have I been sitting here?
He gives me a confused, slightly irritated frown, and I whip my face away from him to stare at the wheel in panic.
No. No, he can’t be here. Not now. I’m not ready. I haven’t decided—
He knocks again, and out of the corner of my eye, I see him gesturing for me to roll down the window. My hand moves without permission and presses the button. The window slides down.
“Ms. Donaldson.” Darius sounds like he’s trying to be patient. “Is there a reason you’ve been sitting outside my gates for the past thirty minutes? Shouldn’t you be at work?”
The words explode out of me without permission. “Kain is trying to hurt Violet!”
Darius’s expression immediately hardens, his glare pinning me in place. “What?”
