I nodded, grateful for Grayson's intervention as I refocused on our conversation with Zandia.
"She congratulated me on my promotion to head of the division and told me it was quite an accomplishment for someone like me." The words left a sour taste in my mouth as they echoed through my mind.
"What else?" Trux demanded, his eyes blazing with anger as he struggled to control his emotions.
"She mentioned that Ro has connections far beyond our realm," I replied hesitantly, knowing how much this would upset Trux. "And that his influence reaches deeper than any of us can imagine. I think she wants to use me to get rid of him."
Trux's fists clenched at his sides as he fought back the urge to lash out. This news only fueled his rage further. Now that Zandia mentioned it, I could see the Hesolga taking hold over him even more every day. It explained why he was growing more hostile every day.
"This is ridiculous!" Trux growled under his breath as he paced back and forth like a caged animal.
"That's not all." My voice wavered slightly as an unsettling memory resurfaced in my mind. It felt like there was something important about this memory, something crucial, but try as I might... It slipped through my fingers every time.
A familiar sense of frustration washed over me, followed by an intense wave of sadness. Zandia's words bounced around in my mind. "Or is he just a pawn in a much larger game?" It felt like there were pieces missing from this puzzle—important pieces—but no matter how hard or long I searched, I couldn't find them.
Grayson wrapping his arm around my waist pulled me back to the present.
"This isn't the last we've seen of her."
CHAPTER 7
I DON'T THINK I COULD DO THIS WITHOUT YOU ALL.
The heavy door to my private quarters creaked open, a welcome sight after a chaotic day. I stepped inside, the dim lighting casting shadows on the walls as I kicked off my shoes and dropped face down onto the bed. It felt exactly how I imagined a military bed would feel. Somehow soft and yet oh so hard. A groan of exhaustion escaped my lips, muffled by the blankets beneath me.
Damn promotion. With this newfound responsibility came the frustrating realization that I, along with the entire team, would be confined to the headquarters for the supernatural division. Being half human and half demon was already an overwhelming burden, but now I'd have no escape from the chaos that seemed to follow me everywhere. I missed my mates' compound I'd first gone to right after they'd taken me from the insanity that was my mother's house.
My skin crawled at the thought of being trapped, even if it meant working with my team. They had been my rock in this strange new world I found myself in, but even their presence couldn't quell the frustration building within me. My mind raced, searching for some semblance of control over the situation, but coming up empty. They insisted that I could handle this.
But could I? I had absolutely no control over my demonic powers, and they always seemed to flare up at the worst possible times. The thought of unleashing them within the confines of the headquarters made my heart race, and not in a good way. I'd burned down one of their buildings… I didn't want to do it again.
"You can do this. You have to." But even as I repeated the mantra, my frustration only seemed to grow. This wasn't the life I had wanted or expected, but it was the one I found myself in. And as much as I longed for a simpler existence, I knew deep down that there was no turning back now.
Earlier, after Zandia had left, and I'd talked to the group, a clean-up crew had arrived. They were instructed to deal with the mess left behind at the bar and handle the dirty agents. All except for poor Mr. Smith, who Trux had decided to drag along with us. As much as I hated the thought of involving him, I wasn't in the mood to argue with a Hesolga enraged Alpha.
Once all that was settled, we'd traveled through the night before finally arriving somewhere in the Cascade Mountain range. The scenery was breathtaking, but I could hardly appreciate it when I felt like my entire world had turned upside down. As soon as we arrived, I'd retreated to my room, desperate for even a moment's respite from everything that had happened.
A soft knock on the door seemed to echo in my quiet room, like a mocking reminder of the chaos outside. I sighed, burying my face further into the blanket on the hard bed. Sleeping here would suck.
"Busy," I called out, my voice muffled. "Come back tomorrow."
"Hey, Parker, it's Grayson. Can we talk?" His gentle voice filtered through the door, apologetic but insistent.
"Fine, come in," I muttered, refusing to move from my spot. The door creaked open, and I expected to see Grayson's grey eyes. Instead, someone crouched next to my bed, and amber eyes peered at me from beneath furrowed brows. Kearan.
His unexpected presence caught me off guard, and for a moment, all I could do was stare at him. I tried to read his expression, but he remained as enigmatic as always. A thousand questions swirled in my mind, but I held them back, not wanting to overwhelm him.
"Hi," I said softly, giving Kearan a soft smile as I tucked my hand under my chin to look at him better.
Kearan nodded in response, his gaze never leaving mine. He seemed hesitant, as if unsure of what to say or do. I wondered why he had come instead of Grayson, but I didn't want to push him away by prying.
"Grayson said you wouldn't mind if I checked on you," Kearan admitted, his amber eyes filled with concern.
Silence filled the space between us, and I noticed Grayson lingering near the door, watching us intently.
"I thought he was coming in, but I'm happy to see you here with me too," I ventured, hoping to break the silence between us. It felt heavy, charged with unspoken words and emotions.
"Ah... yeah," Kearan replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just... wanted to check on you. You've been through a lot lately."
