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“Yeah, she’s special.”

“And there weren’t any dirty secrets. You almost ruined everything for nothing.”

I haven’t told Chayton what all I found out about Michaela. The night of the camping trip, when she told me the truth and showed me all the shit her and her ex had done, I had a mix of emotions. On one hand, seeing her brutally murder so many shifters, witches, and humans was disgusting. But being inside her head and seeing her point of view showed me she was just a weapon that was being manipulated to do what Markis wanted. She was just as much of a victim as the ones she killed.

However, I know that telling Chayton who she was will not go over well with him. He will not see her the way I did because he wasn’t going to get the experience the way I did. But he’s my Alpha, which means I need to tell him.

I turn to face him.

“I need to tell you something,” I say. “And before I do, I want you to know that if what I tell you makes you want to kick mymate out of the pack, I understand. I just need you to know I will go with her.”

I wasn’t even sure about that until I actually said it. Would I be willing to let go of my pack, to leave my family and best friend for Michaela?

“Yes,”my wolf growls. I knew he’d be convinced.

Chayton’s eyes widen. “You’d leave Dark Woods for her?”

“Yes. She’s my mate, Chayton.”

He watches me closely before folding his arms over his chest. “Alright, let’s hear it.”

Sighing, I go to tell him who Michaela is, but get cut off.

The music cuts and the pack goes silent. Chayton and I both look over the crowd to see what’s going on.

“Well, don’t stop the party on our behalf,” a tall dark-skinned vampire with locs says. He’s holding onto a young man with the same complexion as Michaela.

“Who the fuck are you? And how did you get on my pack lands?” Chayton snarls.

“This,” I say, glaring at Markis. “Is Michaela’s ex. The reason they’re here.”

Markis’s dark brown eyes glare back at me. I can feel his anger like a heavy blanket covering me.

“You will explain to me later why I’m just finding this out,”Chayton’s anger filled words press into my mind.

“How the fuck did you get past my scouts?” Chayton asks a good question.

Markis laughs. The hand full of vampires with him join in the laughter. We don’t see shit funny.

“Those half-trained pups were your scouts?” Markis sneers. “You need better help, Alpha.”

Beside me, heat rises from Chayton’s body. His anger has my wolf on the edge as well.

“You’re trespassing, vamp. I advise you to leave now.”

Markis looks at me even though I haven’t spoken.

“I’m not leaving without my wife.”

“Your wife isn’t here,” I tell him. “You’re mistaken.”

His dark brown eyes narrow even more at me. Suddenly, there is a pain in my head so sharp I nearly buckle to the floor.

“Once mine, always mine, wolf,”the vampire’s deep voice growls in my head.

He flips through my memories like a picture book. Every page he turns feels like he’s slicing into my skull. I have never felt pain like it before.

“Enzo,” Chayton calls out to me. I can’t answer. The vampire stops at the memory of the campsite. The night Michaela told me she loved me.