NIRVANA We took this stupid son of a bitch, Victor, to the house. Knight never took his eyes off him. If we didn’t stop him, Victor could be dead by now. “You haven’t answered my question, Victor. Who put you up to this? Why me?” Knight’s nose flared when Victor still hesitated. “You better give me a reason not to kill you because right now, I don’t give a shit about the council anymore. I’d rather go rogue after what you put my mate through. You put her and my entire pack in grave danger. I want an answer, Victor!” “You want the answer?” He glared at both of us. “We’ve been watching her for weeks now. The moment you found her, the same time this plague began.” I snorted. “So now what? I’m patient zero?” “We both know what I’m trying to say, Nirvana. We have resources all over the world. We know wherever you go, whatever you do?” “Did I break any law or something I didn’t know about?” “We should just put him inside the vault and let him get infected.” Kailin had been trying
KNIGHT “I don’t trust him. After what he did to Vana, he could be one of Cyrius’s minions.” “I don’t trust him either,” Nirvana agreed with Kailin. “He’s telling the truth, and he’s not mine-controlled. What do you wanna do with him, Knight?” I shrugged at Zarah. “I wanted to rip his heart out, but he’s still the head of the council, and the last thing I want is for all the werewolf council members to come after us. Cyrius is enough for an enemy. I think we should work with them.” “You’ve got to be kidding me.” I understood why Kailin disagreed. I didn’t know if I could trust him, but he could give us what we needed. “You should work with him. He has the resources, and they need Nirvana on their sides.” “I still want to kill him.” “K, me too. I just watched two men shot before me, and I’m still shaken up, and I’m still standing here.” Nirvana sighed heavily. “I don’t know if I can ever get through that trauma, but if he went through all that shit to get me, they are desperate,
KNIGHT Knight went silent for a while while everyone was waiting for her reply until Zack came in. “Should I come back later?” “No. Join us.” “We can’t stay longer since the situation seemed under control. We’ve monitored movements, and those people have been retreating. The perimeters are clear.” “You’re leaving already?” “Yeah. I’m babysitting the princess.” Zarah chuckled. “Don’t ever let her hear you say that, Zack.” “Thank you for being here.” I went to him to shake his hand, as did Tor and Lyon. “I wish you could stay even for a day.” “We’re also guarding the compound. Thanks for the invite and trust, Alpha,” Lyon said as he gripped my hand firmly. “You can call us anytime you need an extra hand, Alpha Knight.” Tor was mated to a witch, Zarah’s apprentice. They were trustworthy, and I had no doubt they would protect my mate when the time came. They were the last ones to leave. The guys from Alpha Grady and additional men from Alpha Ryden left after dinner. “Maybe soo
NIRVANA “Who demanded to talk to you?” I watched Knight get up from bed despite me still wanting to spend a few minutes more with him, but right now, duty came first, and sometimes, it was annoying. “No clue.” He went to the bathroom. “Aren’t you coming with me?” “You go first. Whoever is it, he wants to talk to the alpha.” I dragged myself out of bed and followed him to the bathroom. I grabbed my toothbrush and put in a good amount of toothpaste. Then I brushed my teeth. I was still waiting for him to get his anger out of his chest. What I did was reckless, but it was successful. I still felt he wanted to say something to me, and the more I waited, the more I felt like he was banking emotions in his chest, and it was kind of scary. I wanted him to yell at me, but not like this cool alpha when he wasn’t. “I’ll make it up to you.” He kissed my forehead. I blinked at his gesture, spat the toothpaste, and cleaned my mouth. “It’s not a competition. I wanted to make you happy. I’m n
NIRVANA “Don’t ever say that to me. He. Is. Not. My. Mate.” She jabbed her finger at my face. “It’s my stupid wolf who’s desperate to find her mate, but I won’t accept him. Not him, Vana. I don’t want someone like him. He’s a goddamn murderer. A killer. And he almost killed you.” “I could have killed her weeks ago if that was my order.” I turned around and heard his voice behind me. For a killer, he looked damn good in a suit. I mean, yeah, he could model at Tom Ford. His posture was strong and straight, with his hands stuffed in his pockets. “We’re not asking for your opinion, Jack the Ripper.” I’d never seen Kailin so mad. I wished I knew what was going on. “What did you do, Dane?” “I did not do anything, Luna Nirvana. She doesn’t like me, I don’t like her. That’s all.” “Well, I hate you, asshole! You’re a bloody murderer! I don’t want you to be my mate. I’d rather die than be—” “Shut up, Kailin!” Shit. I just yelled at my best friend. I didn’t want her to do something drast
KNIGHT I couldn’t believe this was happening. When Kailin screamed no, I knew she had just figured out something she loathed. Then, Dane sniffed the air, and they stared at each other. I knew at that moment they were mates. I didn’t know how McKaye would handle this. I would be immensely happy for Kailin that she finally found her mate, but it was unsettling considering what Dane did for a living. “No fucking way.” McKaye roared at my face, His voice piercing my ears. “That bloody fucking murderer?” “Lower your tone and control yourself, Mac, or I will throw you out of my office.” I pointed at the door. “If you keep yelling at me, I swear I will lock you down in the bunker.” “How are you so cool about this?” He was still yelling, glaring at me. “Get the fuck out. I don’t have time for this.” I glared back, challenging him, who had the authority here. “He’s not good for her.” He finally calmed down a bit, but I could still feel him shaking. “He will corrupt my sister.” “Don’t t
NIRVANA “How did you manage to convince her to come with you?” I smirked at Knight. “I didn’t give her much of a choice.” He smiled at me, tracing my cheek with the back of his finger. “You never ceased to amaze me, sweetheart.” “They’re gonna be fine.” “I know.” He kissed me on my nose. “Our visitors are going to be here soon. Come find me later.” “Yeah. I’ll go find my best friend before she wrings her neck in the bathroom.” He shook his head in amusement before he left. We stayed at the pack house for a while while trying to build and strengthen the parameters of the compound. Dane’s expertise in his job might be our advantage. I found Kailin in her room, on the balcony, looking over the expansive vineyards. “How are you feeling? Still planning on murdering your mate?” “He’s not my mate,” she said dismissively. “Not officially, but he’s getting under your skin just right. In a good way.” “I hate you right now.” She shoved a handful of chips into her mouth and chewed them
KNIGHT “What is your plan for Kailin? It’s my business because she’s not only my cousin but also part of this pack.” “All my life, I’d never thought I would meet my mate, let alone at times like this. I didn’t stay in one place for a week. I always traveled for jobs. I didn’t like commitment because of the line of my work. The relationship is not for me.” “So you’re just gonna abandon her?” “She hates me. She hates who I am. She hates my work. I think it’s best for both of us. I’m not good for her. I will only drag her into my complicated and dangerous life. I’m sorry, but I can’t be with her.” The longer he said those words, the more his pain and struggle became visible—either from the pull of their mating bond or deep inside. He wanted to belong and be loved. “Maybe it’s time for you to quit what you are doing and start settling in one place. My cousin deserves someone better. She deserves to feel loved and respected and a mate who can provide for her needs. If you can follow o