You were never like me. That is why I’ve always tried to protect you.
I rip my hands out of my hair and slam my fists on the table.
“Protect me? You didn’t protect me. You lied to me! You hid the truth about who you were. Now, I’m an unfeeling, walking, talking cardboard cutout. I’m a robot!”
Keep your emotions under control. These new emotions are making you crazy, making you lose control. Your fear and rage bring me to the surface. Your fear will make me take over.
Crazy?! My head falls back as I howl with laughter. Hell, I might be a lunatic, talking out loud to a voice inside my head.
I hurl my glass against the wall. “This is all your fault! If I’m going crazy, it's because of you!” I flip the table over as I stand.
It’s not because of me. It’s because of all the things you can suddenly feel! he claims, rough and commanding.Calm down!
I begin to pace, pushing my hands through my hair. This swirling of magic is driving me mad. I grab the bottle of whiskey and take a long drink.
Drinking won’t help.
“Shut up! Just shut the fuck up and leave me alone!”
I take another swig, paying particular attention to the burning liquid flowing down my throat. My phone buzzes on the counter, but I ignore it. I don’t want to deal with any more crap for the night. I need to dull my senses before I completely lose my fucking mind.
I bring the bottle to my lips as my phone continues to vibrate. Fuck, maybe I should check it. Then, an irrational thought crosses my mind. What if it’s about Jessica? What if she ran away?
Fear burns in my gut, and another prickling sensation ghosts over my skin.
I reach for my phone. Relief washes over me when I see a text from Liam. He wants to meet. A second text says it’s important. A final text includes his location.
I gulp the cool burning liquid, mulling over whether I should meet him. My mood is dangerously unstable. With a disgusted sigh, I walk to my closet and find one of my pressed shirts. Going out beats sitting here, punishing myself over shit I have no control over.
But I can control this.
Liam had planned to return to the European territories to live with his mother's pack. It took me a while, but I somehow convinced his grandfather to allow him to transfer to Ryukyu Academy. Once there, I ordered him to keep an eye on Sodie and discover his role in Jessica’s disappearance.
I might have to kill him.
Too bad. I really did like Sodie.
Returning to the small kitchen, I finish the bottle and disappear into the shadows to meet Liam.
He chose a small clearing in a wooded area surrounded by Ryukyu pine trees on a magically hidden island called Himitsu no Shima. A tingling sensation at the back of my neck alerts me. I’m not alone. Liam steps out from behind a tree.
“You wanted to meet?” I ask him.
“You could have replied and told me you were coming. I almost left.” I don’t respond; I’m not in the mood to expend extra effort to act normal.
He crosses his arms over his chest in a way that reminds me of the Blackguards.
“I’m here, so talk,” I command. I want information. It’s been months since we overheard Sodie’s phone conversation outside of the Alpha King’s mansion the night of the guard ball. I needto know what Sodie did to Jessica. Who is he working with, and where did she go when she disappeared for five days? Rage builds beneath my skin at the thought of someone hurting her.
Then, Sodie and Darwin emerge from behind another tree. Darwin doesn’t exude any fear, which I find odd because he doesn’t wield active magic. I always thought of him as one of the weaker guards, but I covet his computer skills and, surprisingly, his knowledge of the supernatural, which is why I brought him here.
Sodie, on the other hand, radiates fear, drawing that part of myself I hate closer to the surface. The alcohol I consumed wasn’t enough to lockhimaway. I feel myself starting to lose control.
“Do we have to stand outside in the dark like a bunch of criminals?” Darwin asks.
I stare at Sodie, waiting for him to respond.
Chapter 15
