Page 160

Slipping out of the vampire’s head, I turn to Enzo.

“It’s Chayton’s cousin.” I show him the same thing I got from the vampire.

It’s an image of the cousin on the phone. He was behind a half-opened door. The vampire was eavesdropping on him. The cousin was on the phone with someone else telling him that everything was going to plan and that he was using the resources he sent him well. It was then he spoke the one thing that allowed me to guess who he was.“My cousin won’t know what hit him.”

The growl from Enzo assures me he’s pissed.

I had one more question. Something that has been bothering me about this entire thing.

“What did you get out of helping him? All of you?” I toss my head in the direction of the dead wolves behind me.

Human-turned, unless bonded with their sires, don’t work well with others. And from what I’ve learned about ferals, neither do they. So what makes two well-known loner species work together? This time, I didn’t have to search his brain for an answer. He told me.

“Redemption,” he sobs. “They promised a cure for all of us.”

There is a small part of me that felt sorry for the vampire. Human-turned are the weakest members of our species. Where we are not susceptible to sunlight, they have to feed nonstop in order to remain in the sun. Their thirst makes it hard for them to continue with their normal lives. I can see why he has a desire to be redeemed or turned back. Unfortunately, he was told a lie. There is no cure for what he has. I doubt there is a cure for the ferals either.

“There is only one way to redemption,” I explain.

Standing from my chair, I release my blade from my right cuff, then quickly deliver the final blow to kill the vampire.

“Let’s clean this place up quickly. We have a wolf to deal with.” Enzo growls.

We get to work, disposing of the bodies and cleaning up the blood. Unfortunately, we can’t fix the fridge or the broken frontdoor. Enzo told me not to worry. He was going to leave a stash of cash in their mailbox that would cover the things we destroyed.

We leave that house and head for Springhill. Chayton and a few of the other wolves were joining us for the takedown of his cousin. We were ending this tonight. Which was good. The faster I can help them solve their problem, the faster I can leave. My time with the wolves was slowly winding down.

Chapter Thirty-nine

Times Up

Michaela

After spending eight months with the wolves, I realize they love to celebrate. Tonight, we’re having a large cook out to celebrate getting rid of Vilkas.

The wolf didn’t put up much of a fight three nights ago. By the time we killed the rest of the human-turned and the ferals he had working for him, he folded like a soggy blanket. The only information I couldn’t get from him was who was sponsoring his attack on Chayton. I guess whoever was behind it knew that Vilkas would rat him out if he was ever discovered so he never gave a name. However, we found out that he sent the ferals and the human-turned, so it’s clear whoever it is, he’s powerful.

“Come on, Michaela,” Marley sings as she dances up to me.

A grin spreads across my face. Seeing Marley this happy is the best thing that could have come out of all this. Here with these wolves, has really brought her out of her shell. That helps make my decision to leave a little easier.

I always knew I couldn’t stay here forever. Even in that brief moment when I thought that maybe I’ve been wrong all my life and I truly would get my second chance at love. However, Markis reminded me that there was no peace for me. My past took away any chance of ever being happy.

“Go dance,” I tell Marley. “I’ll just watch.”

She frowns playfully at me.

“Marley, come on,” Anya calls out.

Marley goes over to her new best friend. I watch as they dance off together. Looking across the crowd, I spot Chayton and Enzo. Those flutters in my stomach react the moment my eyes land on him.

After all these years, I truly thought I’d never love again. I had never even considered it could happen, and now I’m so gone over this wolf my heart hurts at the idea that I’m going to have to leave him.

As if he could feel my gaze, Enzo turns to look at me. His brow dips with concern.

“What’s wrong?”he asks through our link. Even the sound of his voice in my head soothes me.

“Nothing, wolf. Enjoy your party.”