Page 221 of Cruelly Bitten

She likely doesn’t consider herself among the alpha female ranks,I replied.She’s an immortal lycan. One of a kind. Therefore, she’s superior to all of the others.

Ismerelda fell silent as she considered my response.

“We’re looking for Luka and Jolene now to bring them up to speed on this latest development,” Darius said into my ear.

Apparently, Damien had connected me to everyone he could think of.

I’d have to thank him later for the warning.

“It’s a good thing I made Cam wear a comm,” Damien added, causing me to nearly grunt. Because he didn’tmake medo anything.

“Yes, good on you for not letting him run off on his own again,” Ryder drawled.

Your brother and his maker are giving me a fucking headache,I groused to Ismerelda.

When she didn’t reply, I poked a little more at her psyche, curious as to what my brother was saying to her now.

Nothing,I thought, allowing myself to frown.Ismerelda?

Silence.

Not a single flicker of emotion or feeling coming through the bond.

No link. No memories.No Erosita.

“Stop the car,” I demanded.

But it was already too late.

We were within the old Vatican City walls.

And my brother was waiting for me near a set of entry doors.

With my dead mate at his feet.

CHAPTER FIFTY

CAM

“DidI not make myself clear, Cane?” I demanded as I nearly ripped the car door off its hinges. “Sever our link and I’ll take your throne.”

Cane frowned, glancing down at Ismerelda and then up at me as I phased to stand before him. “I haven’t severed anything. I simply snapped her neck.”

“Which means I can’thearher,” I said through my teeth. “Thus,severingour link.”

“Hmm.” He glanced down again. “Well, I assumed that your arrival meant her consciousness was no longer required. I didn’t realize she needed to be aware for you to use her.” He paused for a beat, then shrugged. “She’ll wake soon. In the interim, we can talk.”

With that, he turned toward the door, leaving my deadErositaon the cold ground.

I growled and scooped her up into my arms, causing my brother to turn around with a knowing glimmer in his green eyes. “So you do still care for her?”

A test, I realized, irritated as hell by my brother’s antics.

I allowed some of that irritation to show in my tone as I replied, “I care about what’s in her head, brother. Such as the memories you and Lilith stole from me.”

Obviously, that wasn’t the full truth. But it was the truth that mattered most to him.

Cane studied me for a moment, perhaps evaluating the veracity of my words. Or maybe he was attempting to discern how angry he’d made me with his actions.