“I hope you don’t mean to tell me you are with child,” Castiel sighed, as if he was bored with Roxanne’s hesitation to speak. However, he stopped the men who wanted to take her back, and Roxy knew this was her chance. “l am already aware. You don’t seriously think that you are the only spy I sent there,’” the Fox King added.
“This may be your child.” She offered out loud in the hope it could change anything in his eyes. No, his eyes remained the same stormy grey colour she fell in love with. Not a muscle on his face flinched.
“Highly unlikely” he rebutted, and her face fell. “Still, it’s good you are pregnant.”
His last words suddenly gave her hope, and she looked at him again through her lashes.
“You think so?” Roxy forced a little smile and saw him smirk.
“of course,” he affirmed, letting out a laugh, “If it’s a wolf, we can use him when it’s born to claim Thorn’s pack and territory. But, if we are lucky, it will be a hybrid like you are. This opens a window of possibilities for us.
Especially if the baby inherits your siren genes. Those would be the most useful for us, don’t you think? Every fox can imitate a scent given to them, but only a siren can sedvce a person in such a way they would never suspect a thing. Your work with Brayden Thorn was perfect in the first phase. He never doubted you were his mate.”
She swallowed. The future he pictured for her child wasn’t the one she wanted. But,his cold gaze made her forget about her wishes quite quickly. Right now, her own survival was more important. Castiel wasn’t the most forgiving leader, and she made a big mistake today, leaving her at his mercy.
“So?” he raised his brow to demonstrate to her that he was losing his patience.
“I have access to all the money of the Silver River pack,” Roxy reported, “Moreover, Brayden made sure his ex didn’t get a penny for her pack. She will be done pretty soon as an alpha.”
“Is that so?” Castiel chuckled, “I think you are underestimating Riannon Michaels yet again. But, never mind. Let’s go.”
He motioned for her to follow him into his office, and she tried to match his pace. There, he opened the laptop on his desk, and she knew at once he didn’t want her to waste any more of his precious time.
With shaky fingers, Roxanne logged in to Brayden’s internet banking account and stepped away.
“ls that it?” Castiel took the laptop and circled the desk to sit in his chair. He studied the bank account, placing his feet onto his desk one at a time on his desk.
“That’s all there was after their divorce,” she informed him, and he looked at her curiously. A few seconds later he burst out laughing. He laughed, and he laughed, wiping his tears with his hands. All the while she stood in front of him, trembling. She had never seen him like that. It was different and scary.
“After the divorce?” he repeated as he ran his hand over his hair, “You must be kidding me!”
She instantly knew what he was thinking. She wasn’t so sure about anything anymore.
“I bet she took care of it prior to the Summit.”
Castiel said nonchalantly as he began typing on his computer.
“You give her too much credit.” The words slipped off her tongue before she could stop herself.
“I see her for what she is,” the Fox King retorted,”
That amount is hardly enough to run a pack of their size.
There is no way their finances was this bad.”
Roxy gritted her teeth. This could potentially mean one thing; Riannon had taken care of what was hers, and ultimately, she and her pack weren’t in trouble at all.
“‘Anyway,” Castiel continued, closing his laptop, that was something. But, it doesn’t change much for you. You disappointed me, Roxanne. Your reckless behaviour cost me my plan. And for what? Did h0rmones make you stupid all of a sudden?”
“l apologise, my King,” She dropped to her knees.
This time she didn’t cry. Castiel wasn’t Brayden. He would never buy that. Letting out her siren pheromones on him could be deadly, since he wasn’t a fool and would know immediately what she was doing or trying to do.
She had tried that with him once and it almost cost her her life. So, she was aware her best chance was to offer him her loyalty and submission.
He could still use her and this was her best bet.
The Fox King stood up and walked towards her, lifting her chin in his warm hand. She leaned into his palm with her cheek, closing her eyes just for a second and then looked back at him.
“Why did you really do it?” he asked, and she knew better than to tell him the truth of how Riannon made her burn with jealousy. So, she went for a lie that sounded appropriate given her situation.
“As you said, I underestimated the Luna” She refused to call Riannon Alpha in her head much less out loud, “I wanted to bring her to you. The trap was perfect.
But it went to hell when the Lycans appeared.”
“Is that so?” he traced her Iip with his thumb. She was tempted to suck it in and try to seduce him. But it was still too risky, considering his mood.
“Of course,” she nodded and in a split second he had grabbed her neck and squeezed it so tight that she had no air to breathe.
“Then why did you forget to mention such a small detail that her wolf is back and that it’s fvcking glowing!” he snarled at her and a single tear trickled down her cheek.
She didn’t tell him because as long as Riannọn had no wolf, Castiel wouldn’t consider her for anything serious. She didn’t tell him because she knew Riannon’s wolf was a special one, and Castiel would want to have her more now than he did before. Everyone would want her if they knew.
But, Roxy couldn’t say that.
“I thought you knew,” she lied, letting out a weak squeak and he let go of her, throwing her to the ground.
“As you can see, I do know,” he chuckled. His mood swiftly shifted. He seemed to be in a good mood from just talking about the Luna. Roxanne hated it.
“l am so sorry,” she muttered, looking at the floor and hearing him sigh.
“You are lucky you still have some use to me,” he told her and she did her best o hold back her tears, “You are still going to help me to get what I want.”
Maya was curled up in her chair, hiding her head in her knees. She couldn’t bring herself to go down and look at her brother’s body. She couldn’t believe that he was simply lying there with no life left in him.
“You need to eat something” Reid coaxed, kneeling before her. She refused to look at him. Everything was wrong. His very touch brought tingles to her body, tingles that tempted her to close her eyes and give in to her desires.
How could she be happy when her baby brother was dead? Dean was the only real family she had left and she didn’t protect him. Riannon warned her about Roxy, but she didn’t pay enough attention. She fell for a trap, which left Dean alone in the clutches of the evil omega.
It was all her fault.
“l am not hungry,” she grunted, but he refused to go away. She pushed him away so hard, yet he stayed by her side, endeavouring to help her the best he could. He hadn’t given up on her and she did not feel like she deserved him.
“You need to eat for your strength,” Reid told her and softly brushed his hand over her leg.
“You don’t understand,” she said quietly, hiding her puffy face from him.
“Maybe I don’t,” he sighed, trying to find her eyes to look into, “But, I can imagine. Just like you only had Dean, the only family I have is my nephew Kyle. The boy your friend Riannon saved.”
She sniffed, trying to control her tears. Although controlling her tears didn’t seem possible anymore.
“That day, I wasn’t there,” he continued, making soothing circles over her bare skin with his thumbs, When I heard about the attack, I blamed myself for leaving him in that school. For not being there when I had to be. You know what Riannon told me back then?”
Maya looked up at him so she could see his face.
“What?” she asked.
“She said we cannot blame ourselves for what others choose to do. It wasn’t my fault the rogues decided to attack the school that day.” Reid stretched his hand to caress her cheek and was pleased when she did not flinch away from him. ” Maya, it wasn’t your fault that this fox tricked and killed your brother. You cannot hold yourself responsible for that.”
“She warned me about her,” the girl muttered, “But I…
“You couldn’t know what she would do and when,” her mate stopped her, “You did your best. I am sure if your brother was here now, he would tell you the same.”
“I don’t know what to do next,” she confessed weakly and bent herself towards him. Reid did not let that opportunity slide and caught her in his arms, pressing her tight against his body and lifting her up.
“Of course, you know what to do next,” her mate assured her, “You are a Beta, and you are strong.
She locked her eyes with his for the first time in a long while, and the determination in him made her believe in what he was saying. He was right.
“First, you will get your strength back,” he murmured as he moved her to the bed,” Then you will let your Alpha help you avenge your brother and stop that b!tch once and for all. Then no one will suffer the same destiny as Dean from her filthy hands.”
She stared at him, realising he had a point. This wasn’t over. The war was just starting, and she couldn’t afford to be a mess. She couldn’t afford to fall apart, and she sure as hell couldn’t let Roxanne keep hurting the people she loved.
I”ll bring you something to eat,” Reid smiled at her, car3ssing her cheek and neck, “You need your strength.”
He stood up and was about to leave when she caught his arm. He turned to look at her, doubt evident in his eyes. She pulled him closer, and he obeyed her nudge at once.
“Then give me strength, Reid.” She stood up before him and tore the buttons off the shirt she was wearing, not bothering with unbuttoning them properly, “The way only a mate can.”
“Are you sure?” He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat at the sight of her. All they had shared before was a passionate k!ss. Now she stood before him, offering herself. “I don’t want to use your moment of weakness to my advantage. You are vulnerable now.
“You are my mate,” she challenged, taking a step closer, and placing her palm on his chest where his heart lay. “If anyone can make me strong, if anyone can heal me, if anyone can make me forget. It will be you, Reid.
Give me the strength I need, Mate. Be with me.”
“You don’t need to ask me twice, Kitten.” Reid picked her up gently and placed her back to the bed, lowering his body on top of hers. “I was born to cherish you, and this is what I will do my whole life.”
Riannon lay in Gideon’s arms, exhausted from what seemed to be a never-ending day. They did not talk, but the way he pressed his body against hers, and stroked her hair and arms whispered more to her than any words could.
She felt Onyx shift within her every time his fingers touched her skin. It was indeed a true mate bond, and it was so new to her. Despite being madly in love with him, only now did she realise she hadn’t experienced the full intensity of their connection before her wolf returned.
Before she could explore the fullness of their bond, Ria knew she had one more thing to do.
” Onyx,” she called for her wolf mentally, and this time she responded at once,” I want you to tell me who killed me and everything else that the Moon Goddess told you.”