“I know you can never forgive him for what he did,” I said softly. Rys’s gaze snapped to mine, fire burning in his eyes. I hurried on. “And I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve to be punished, because he does. He put a lot of lives in danger by helping Tombs. But they threatened his family, Rys. They sent him photos of his sleeping nephews with a knife at their throats.” I paused, swallowed, and hoped I wasn’t about to get a taste of what a pissed off alpha was like. “Are you telling me you wouldn’t have done the same if your pack was in danger?”
His lips curled back and another low growl filled the room. “I understand the need to protect your family, your pack. I’d give my life to protect mine.” His hard gaze met mine, and it took all my resolve not to look away. “I get that Zane was scared, but he had other fucking options. He could’ve gone to the police, his coven, evenme.” He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, and I held mine. I’d pushed too far. I knew it as soon as I’d opened my mouth.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I just…” I held out my hands, not sure what to say that wouldn’t piss him off more.
To my surprise, Rys sighed and rolled his shoulders, his expression softer when he looked at me again. “No. Don’t apologise.” He glanced at the door, and I caught movement in the corner of my eye. Not surprised to see Mase there. Of course he’d have sensed Rys’s anger. “I know you and Zane were close. You want to rationalise why he did what he did. And maybe you’re right. Maybe he honestly believed that he had no other course of action.” He slid his arm around Mase when he came to stand beside him, breathing in deep. “But by choosing to help Tombs, he put members of my pack in danger. He put mysoulmatein danger. And at the moment, I can’t forgive him for that. I’m not sure I ever will.”
I didn’t blame him. I’m not sure I’d feel any differently if I was in his position.
He rested his head against Mase, looking a lot more relaxed, thank fuck. “But to answer your question.” He swallowed hard. “If or when Zane is released, then depending on the time you’ve been in charge, you’ll either go back to your assistant manager position, if you want it, or own a percentage of the business. But your increase in pay will remain the same.”
Oh.
I hadn’t expected that.
“And if I want to leave Midnight?” Because the thought of being tied to somewhere didn’t sit right.
Rys shrugged a shoulder. “Then you’re free to do so. With a nice severance pay, again depending on how long you’ve been in charge.”
Well, that didn’t sound too bad.
If I wanted it.
Midnight had been closed for the last couple of weeks while Zane had been detained by the police. It wasn’t just me who depended on the place for work, and I imagined the rest of the non-human population around here were itching to have us back open again.
Us.
I guessed deep down I had my answer.
Rys smirked. “Do you want to sign the papers here and I’ll witness it?”
I might as well. Nodding, I pulled the papers towards me and patted my pockets for a pen. Mase reached behind him and then passed me one.
“You sure about this?” he asked, looking concerned, and I got where he was coming from. I didn’t owe Zane anything in his eyes. But it wasn’t only about Zane. I loved working at Midnight. It gave me purpose when so much in my life was stuck on hold. Not that I could explain that. Well, I could. I just didn’t want to.
Mase was my best friend—falling back into that relationship had been easier than I ever imagined—but I wasn’t ready to share that with him.
With anyone other than my coven.
Because you’re ashamed.
I shook off that feeling as quickly as it arrived, because now wasn’t the time with Rys as close as he was. Taking the pen from Mase, I scrawled my signature in the designated areas and dated it.
Rys did the same.
“Don’t you have to run this by your coven?” Mase asked as I shuffled the papers together and picked them up.
“I’m twenty-eight, Mase. I don’t need their permission.” Not for that, anyway. “Have you forgotten how covens work?”
His eyes narrowed. “No, but you asked them for help with the spell we used when we went after Tombs, so I wondered if yours was more tight-knit than usual, that’s all.”
Of course he’d picked up on that. Maybe it was me who’d forgotten how observant he was, even in the middle of a crisis. “That was different. I wasn’t sure of the spell, and considering how important it was that we got it right, I thought it’d be better getting someone more experienced to perform it. That’s all.”
I hated lying to him.
And maybe it wasn’t a complete lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either, and judging by Rys’s expression, he knew it too. And he wasn’t going to let me get away with it.
Before he could ask me anything, his gaze snapped to the window. “Axel’s here.”
