“An interesting game I would like to watch,” he’d said.
The rules were clear.
No shifter killing vamp. No vamp killing shifter—as if they could.
No interference from either Asher or I in Rena’s life before she willingly came to Forest grove.
No turning her before she chose a mate.
She had to make her choice by Halloween night.
No immortality for her. Upon her choice, her mate could turn her, yet Rena would still die every time she was fifty to be reborn.
On the devil’s side, he wouldn’t screw her as long as we followed the rules or else he would lose his claim on her.
Breaking any of these rules broke the deal, and the devil would claim her soul, forever making her his.
A disgusting deal made for the entertainment of the devil and the suffering of our species. But it gave me Rena back.
I had no regrets.
My eyes swiped through the accusing faces around me. Then I nodded. “Fine. Blame me all you want, but before you do, remember we all got something out of that deal, Bear. No more Full Moon shifting. The control over when and where you change… Yeah, it looks like it’s you that need the reminder, not me.” I took off my shirt and twisted, ready for a run. “I’ll figure out what to do with Belle on my own. Thank you for the help,Brothers.”
“Alec…” Kayden’s voice died in the sounds of my morphing bones.
I shifted into the beast I’d always been, digging my claws in the dirt. Then I raced the cool wind deep into the woods.
“Alec, wait!” The shouts died behind me. I didn’t listen. I had one thought on my mind.
Go to Belle and make her mine. Whatever it took.
CHAPTER 19
ALEC
I wore the beast out with the run. Then fed it a whole deer before I morphed back into my human form. The morning sun sparkled gently on the trees, warming the air as I reached Belle’s block.
In the thick forest, I could see she was already up from the bay windows of her apartment. She walked around in a thin gown that wasn’t doing much to cover her underwear or nipples in that light. Instantly, my cock hardened. The memory of me inside her played on repeat in my head.
She didn’t seem to notice me or know I was even there. Like every day I lurked here, watching out for her, making sure that prick wouldn’t harm her.
Today would be different.
I would make her see me. In every way.
She was alone, holding a cup in her hand, smoke trailing out of it. Coffee. The fresh aroma had spilled here. Asher wasn’t there like he’d been for four days and nights in the past week.
Perfect.
Pushing the heavy branches, I emerged from behind the trees. My eyes glanced up at her as she mused at the sunrise. The street was so quiet I could tune away everything else and listen to her heartbeat. I wished she could hear mine, too.
Her lips touched the rim of the cup and froze in place as her gaze collided with mine. Her big eyes widened, and I smiled, lifting a waving hand.
Her mouth hung open, the cup fell off her hands, and her eyes grew even wider.
She looked terrified. Did I creep her out again? I thought I had a nice smile. It was certainly prettier than the parasite’s. What the fuck did she see in that—
I was knocked off my feet and landed on my ass with a figure blacked out by the sun on top of me. It took me a second to identify its smell. Belle’s.
