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He jumps, turning toward me.

“Enzo,” he chuckles. “You got me. I didn’t see you.”

The laughter fades from my face as a scent that I’ve grown accustomed to over the last four months hit me.

Mixed in with a soft lavender scent, is the faint smell of vampire.

“Where have you been?”

Torak looks startled, but I can tell he doesn’t know I know who he was with.

“I uh, was with a friend.”

Shaking my head, I let out a low growl. “Are you crazy? What the hell are you doing hanging with her?”

His face falls when he realizes he’s been caught.

“Look, I’m not in danger. Just drop it.” He tries to walk around me. I grab his arm and turn him around when I notice the passion mark on his neck.

“You let her suck on your fucking neck,” I snap, yanking his head to the side so I can see the mark better. Torak snatches away from me.

“She didn’t feed. We were just making out.”

I pinch my brow. The need to kick this kid’s ass is strong.

“You can’t be this damn dumb. If your mother finds out, she’s going to lose her shit.”

“She’s not going to find out,” he argues. “Plus, I’m an adult. I’m eighteen. I can make my own decisions.”

“And when the bloodsucker slits your neck and drinks your blood, how do you think your mom will feel?”

He looks completely disgusted at the imagery I painted.

“You don’t know Marley. She isn’t some mindless killing machine. She’s funny, smart, and kind. She would never hurt me.”

“You’re a fool. You have no idea what those monsters are capable of. They do not know love or compassion for anyone but those that are like them. Even if Marley was some rare loving vampire, the others aren’t. They’d kill you for even being near her.”

“That isn’t true.”

“Look around, Torak. Just a few months ago, your pack was trying to kill them. You think they are going to accept the two of you as a couple? Our world won’t let that happen.”

He shakes his head as if he’s trying to loosen the truth of my words from registering.

“Alarick is proof that it could happen.”

Nothing proves more to me how young and naïve he is than what he just said.

“Alarick’s mother was taken by a vampire against her will. His story is not some sweet romance. He was raised by wolves because his mother didn’t have the heart to abort him. But don’t you ever think it was easy. They moved from pack to pack, trying to find acceptance. Maybe, before you use someone’s name as an example of your bullshit, you should do your research on them.”

“I didn’t know,” he says lowly.

“Vampires can’t be trusted.”

“She’s different,” he argues, but he doesn’t say it as strongly as before.

“No, she isn’t. They are born to lie and manipulate. It’s who they are. If you don’t believe me, ask your mother exactly how your father died.”

I leave him with those words. He needed to know the truth. Vilkas father, our past Alpha, was hardheaded like his son. He wanted power beyond that which he had. He trusted a vampire to bring him that power and sent five scouts out to meet with the bloodsucker. Torak’s father being one. Despite everyone expressing how bad an idea it was. The alpha wouldn’t listen. Torak’s father and the others walked into a deadly ambush. The vampire betrayed the alpha, killing all five scouts.