11
Where, exactly, did he expect me to hide? In a coffin, like some vampire waiting for centuries to go by? Or a… I couldn't even imagine what better hideout he had in mind. But his words made one thing clear, he wanted me dead, perhaps. That would have solved everything, wouldn't it? I'd be out of his and Danica's lives, as he'd instructed.
Writhing in anger, I turned my head to face the last person I ever wanted to see again. His face, handsome yet lethal, tucked away all emotions, making his state of mind unreadable.
His presence was a paradox. It should have suffocated me, should have clenched around my throat like a noose, just like the words in that letter nearly did. But instead, his aura felt like a balm. A quiet, deceptive comfort whispering to me to break down, collapse into his arms, and let him soothe away the pain of these past six years.
Where had his fury gone? The seething rage that bled into every word he wrote? That hate had once burned hot enough to scorch me… so why now did he seem so empty?
His calm didn't smother the fire still burning in my chest. It didn't stop me from spitting out, "I didn't realize you wanted me to hide six feet under. You should've made that clearer in the letter."
His fingers brushed my face, feather-light. The contact lit something deep in me, I didn't want to feel, not for him. Not anymore. Shame twisted with desire, and I slapped his hand away, striking his wrist with the little strength I had left. Still, his hand lingered a moment longer near my cheek before dropping limply to his knee.
Everything about him was muted now, the words spilling from his lips, the elegant way he moved, the way he looked at me like I was a stranger. It was all… dull.
"You're in no position to be jealous," he murmured, his voice low, slow, and maddeningly indifferent, leaving me reeling all over again.
I wanted to scream at him, to beg him to leave me alone and let me die in peace. I wanted to curse myself, loudly and bitterly, for daring to look at him in what, I believed, would be my final moments on earth. But the courage to do so evaded me, especially when it was clear, he might have lost his memory. That would explain the strange warmth in his aura… why he looked at me with something that almost resembled concern, and why he believed I had run away out of jealousy.
If he had truly suffered a memory-wiping accident, the last thing I wanted was to be the spark that brought it all rushing back.
I needed his help, needed it before those memories returned. By the time he started piecing together the part where he once threatened to feed my body to Danica's dog, I'd be long gone… with Treasure.
"Okay," I said, meeting his stormy gray eyes for a fleeting second before dropping my gaze to the dirt-streaked fabric of my ruined flare gown. Even now, his presence still sickened me. "I'll keep that in mind. But I need to find someone. He—"
"He." Alpha Rhys echoed and stood, my gaze rising along with him. "Who is he?"
"My brother," I lied smoothly. There was no way I could tell him the truth, that I was looking for his son. No better lie came to mind, and I silently thanked the goddess for Treasure's distinct features from Alpha Rhys.
"Sure he can take of himself." He extended his hand towards me. "Come home with me. I'll fix the mess you made."
Judging by the careless arrogance dripping from his words, he really did lose his memory. The Alpha Rhys I knew, the one who'd once vowed to kill me, was gone. But even that cold-hearted version would have helped me find Treasure and take us back to the village since the law demanded it. No one was permitted to leave the village like I did.
Fury surged through me. I slapped his hand away, eyes blazing. "Just go. I'm not leaving this train without finding my brother."
"Alpha Rhys?" Jason's voice rang out, laced with disbelief as he approached. "What are you doing in here?"
"Take her to the control room," Alpha Rhys replied without turning. A flicker of hope sparked in my chest. He walked away, headed toward the shifters at the other end of the train, his stride slow and composed, still possessing that maddening elegance I remembered so well. "She's looking for someone."
I exhaled softly, trying not to let hope take root in my chest. But his simple, heartfelt words sparked a joy so overwhelming, I wanted to scream my gratitude to the heavens. I just prayed that Treasure truly was in the city, just like his letter had promised.
"Is she someone you know?" Jason asked, flicking a glance in my direction.
"Someone you mistook for a villager," Alpha Rhys replied, his voice low.
The shifters standing before Alpha Rhys quickly parted, creating a path for him as he strode between the seats. Even the tallest among them seemed to shrink beside him. No one rivaled Alpha Rhys's presence, not when he stepped into a room and certainly not here, in the confined space of the train.
When he left the train, the others didn't hesitate. His orders were followed without any questions, and we disembarked behind him. The train itself was made specifically for trips to the village, painted a deep red with black stripes, a medium size compared to the big, magnificent trains I'd seen in the city. The railroad, made specially for the train, ended here, at the train station. The only way forward was back, to the village.
I limped behind them, arms wrapped tightly around myself for warmth, or perhaps comfort. I looked to my right, the direction that led to the village. In the distance were constructed a massive man-made tunnel. Guard, modern watchtowers flanked either side, manned by trained shifters who watched the area like hawks. But those towers weren't the only deterrents. Silver miles were buried a mile out from the village, lethal, invisible lines no shifter dared cross. The villagers who tried… never returned. I was sure of it. The ones who vanished had likely died trying.
Lost in thought, my foot struck the second railway track, one built for shifters who lived within the pack's borders and beyond. I stumbled forward, knees slamming into gray gravel, palms scraping sharply on the stones lining the edge. Pain bloomed beneath my skin, sharp and hot, and I bit my lower lip, swallowing the groan that rose like a tide in my throat.
Two shifters grabbed me roughly, jerking me upright. They forced me to move at their pace as if my injuries didn't matter. I wanted to keep up. I really did, but my bones were too frail, my body too worn. Sweat coated my skin as I hobbled forward, every step a fight. And then, as if something within me snapped to life, like sweat had triggered some hidden current, they recoiled. Both shifters staggered back as though shocked by lightning, dropping me as their hands flinched from my skin.
I collapsed to all fours, breathless and stunned, their reaction mirrored in my surprise.
Jason reached me first. Without hesitation, he bent and scooped me into his arms, carrying me in a bridal hold as we moved past the station's entrance. His steps never faltered.
My head turned frantically, eyes scanning the lobby. Shifters milled around, both young and old, each occupied with their own lives, but no sign of Treasure. Not even a trace of his scent.
We stepped into the elevator, and I felt the slow ascent as we rose. I think we stopped on the fourth floor, the last floor.
My heart caught in my chest as the doors slid open. A familiar scent rushed in, carried on the cool breeze of the air conditioner, Alpha Rhys. I hadn't lost him after all. I thought the train was the last I'd see him, that he'd vanished beyond reach.
But there he was.
In a desperate attempt to avoid locking eyes with him the moment we stepped out of the elevator, I buried my face against Jason's chest.
His voice snapped through the air, sharp and hoarse. "Don't."
The roughness of his voice vibrated through my body. I glanced up, meeting the sight of his perfectly oval face. A ringlet of short, black curls had fallen carelessly over his forehead.
"Don't do that either," he said, stopping me from admiring his face. His eyes stayed fixed ahead. I bet he didn't want to trip like I had earlier.
Unsure of what to do next, I looked ahead. And immediately regretted it. Alpha Rhys stood just a few feet down the hallway, a bottle of water in his hand. The mere sight of it made me painfully aware of my thirst, I was so parched I could drink my urine.
Without a word, Jason carried me over and set me down directly in front of Alpha Rhys. Wordlessly, Alpha Rhys offered the uncapped bottle. I threw my head back, locking my lips around the bottle's mouth as I chugged down the cold water. The sensation was blissful, the liquid cascading down my throat, settling into the hollowness of my stomach.
A low hiss escaped Alpha Rhys. I slowed my drinking, pretending I wasn't as desperate as I felt. That sound, his hiss, was familiar. He always made it when something I did annoyed him. I couldn't imagine what was so irritating about quenching a desperate thirst.
When I drained the last drop, a chubby shifter beside me took the bottle from my hand. Alpha Rhys then offered a golden handkerchief. My eyes paused on the design, an eye with a tiny crescent moon for a pupil. A strange pang twisted in my chest. How many of these had he handed to Danica?
Shoving the thought aside, I dabbed at my lips. Mud from my face smudged the fine fabric.
As if silently cued through a mind link, Jason bent and lifted me again, cradling me with surprising gentleness. We passed Alpha Rhys, turning toward a set of double doors already open for us. Inside, the control room hummed with energy. Screens lined the walls, flashing live feeds from every angle of the train station. I searched for one, just one that held a glimpse of Treasure.
As Jason lowered me into a seat, he began, "You can speak to the person through—"
"She won't be using a microphone," Alpha Rhys interrupted, his voice startling me.
He stepped closer, my gaze darting nervously from screen to screen.
"What does he look like?" Alpha Rhys asked. "What is he wearing?"
A wave of fear crashed over me. If he recognized Treasure through their blood bond, what would he do to me? The consequences of hiding his illegitimate child chilled me to the bone. I prayed he wouldn't find him. But as I scanned each screen, I knew it was only a matter of time.
And I had no idea what would happen when he did.