Page 54

His voice is darker now. I don’t miss it.

“They told me you were his secretary. It pissed me off at first, but I let it go. Bosses get protective of their assistants all the time, right?”

He chuckles, but there’s no humor in it as he takes a step closer.

“But color me surprised tonight when Amanda was running her mouth about how Alaric’s been distracted by his little secretary. Thought she was just gossiping. Until you walked in with him, looking like the lead in some rom-com.”

I sense the danger and I try to avoid it.

“Julian, back off.”

“Did you fuck him, peaches? Is that why you’re crying? Because your Alpha’s engaged?”

There’s a mock in his tone and something else that feels too sadistic. I look behind him, and the party is on full blast, meaning no one is dumb enough to come to this side of the pack’s house.

“It’s none of your...business,” I slur. My tongue feels heavy.

“Do you love him?”

He takes another step.

“You think he wants you? You think he’s going to save you? Wake up, sweetheart. He’s got a Luna out there waiting for him to rescue her. You? You’re just the slut he calls when he wants to get his cock wet.”

He moves in again. I’m running out of space.

“Don’t be naive, peaches. I’m the one for you. I love you.”

“I hate you,” I whisper. “Don’t...you...don’t you get that? I hate you. I will never love you. And you’re insane, Julian—”

“Insane?” he tuts like a lunatic, rubbing his bottom lip with his thumb. “You haven’t seen insane, peaches. If I was insane, I’d have added poison to your drink. Instead, I just put a little something extra in there.”

His words hit me like a bomb. The glass slips from my hand and shatters at my feet, and then my stomach drops at the realization of what Julian is intending to do.

Dizziness crashes over me like a wave. I stumble, grabbing the railing for support.

No. No, no.

My vision blurs. My knees buckle.

“You bastard,” I whisper.

Julian steps forward, hands outstretched like he’s going to catch me. But I don’t want him near me.

I try to push him away, but my limbs won’t move.

Then…

Something like a snarl rips from the shadows.

By the time Julian turns toward the sound, vengeance and fury in the form of Alaric slams into him like a goddamn hailstorm.

I don’t know how I end up on the floor, curled in a corner, the cold from the tile leeching up my spine. Maybe I slid. Maybe I fell. Maybe I just couldn’t stand anymore.

All I know is, Alaric is on top of a barely conscious Julian, his fists raining down like judgment day.

“You fucking drugged her?” Alaric growls, then cracks another punch into Julian’s jaw that makes him cough up blood.

I stare, partly horrified, partly amazed, as the muscles in Alaric’s forearms tense with rage, every hit powered by fury.