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“An exile’s life is no life.”
-Leonidas of Tarentum-
LUCREZIA
Finn enters the shop, and I curse the fact I’m busy explaining an invoice to a customer. An agonizing thirty minutes later, the client leaves satisfied and I barge into the garage. All the guys, including Lucas, are there in what appears to be a meeting.
Lucas’ eyes narrow on me and he doesn’t seem pleased, but that’s not much different from the last days. “You shouldn’t be here, you don’t have the proper safety equipment on.”
I scowl, pointing to his jeans and sneakers. “Seriously?”
He shrugs, and I dismiss him by focusing on Finn. “What happened? Where’s Dom?”
Finn glances between me and Lucas, then says, "Dom's all right and should be back by tonight. In the meantime, Tristan's to keep an eye on you."
“Great. But where is he? Is his disappearance related to the creatures?”
“Not....quite.” His eyes dart to Lucas again, and he clenches his jaw. I’m guessing Lucas is ordering him to shut up. “He’s fine.”
My gaze shifts between them while I tap my foot. “One of you better tell me what’s going on, otherwise I’ll go find out on my own.”
“And how do you plan to do that, beleza?” Tristan crosses his arms over his chest, smirking. “By playing bait?”
“Precisely.” I might have spoken in anger, but I enjoy his startled expression all the same.
“Basta! Enough, all of you.” Lucas moves off the hood of the car he was leaning against, stepping closer. “Your precious Dom is with an immortal. She’s taking good care of him.”
Something about his tone irks me, then I realize he means the words to rile me up. So I don’t give him the satisfaction, instead choosing to walk away.
“I’ll figure it out myself,” I throw over my shoulder.
Dominic
It’s night time when I slink back into the shop and morph human, pulling on a pair of jeans and whatever shirt I get my hands on. The light is still on in Lucas’ office, but no one else is around.
Lucas is sitting in his chair, nursing a glass of whiskey. The half-emptied bottle is next to him, and I don’t take it as a good sign. For someone who loathes losing control, this is not normal.
“Lucas.”
He glances up when I enter, then downs down the rest of the amber liquid. “The prodigal beta returns.”
I frown at his tone. “Listen, this is a really bad time for you to be getting drunk. I need your help.”
“Really?” He stares at his glass, unseeing. “Funny. See, that’s something I would expect to hear from a friend. But then again, that ship sailed a long time ago with us, huh?”
“What are you going on about?” I stalk to the desk, leaning over it. “Lucas, Aiden attacked me without provocation. The Reapers aren’t following protocol any longer! And he’s dead.”
That seems to jostle him some, and he meets my gaze. “You killed him?”
I stagger back, recalling Radu’s bloody jaws. “No. My...” I gulp, feeling sick to my stomach. “My cousin did.”
Lucas snorts and grabs the bottle of whiskey, drinking straight from it. When he places it back down, I try again. “Please, Lucas, I need your help.”
He toys with the glass in his hand, then in an access of rage throws it at the wall. It shatters in pieces, and I’m too stunned to react when Lucas moves.
Then he’s in my face, hand on my throat, pushing me back against the wall. His grip is strong, and I could probably break it. But there’s a pain in his glare that gets me, and my will to fight drops.
“You lied to me, amico! Your lineage. Your bloodline. You’re as much an alpha as I am, Dom. So is that what friendship means to you? Lies? Secrets? Betrayal?”
The words escape me in a hoarse whisper. “I never betrayed you.”
He’s searching my gaze, then he drops his hand and I fall to my knees. I get back up, palms outstretched in a peaceful gesture, not wanting to trigger him again. “Lucas, they’ll come after me. The Reapers. They’ll think it was I who killed Aiden, and the rest of their pack that was caught in the crossfire.”
“So maybe you did.”
“What?”
He turns to face me, his features hard. “Non piu. I am done with you, Dominic. I will not offer you protection any further.”
I stagger back at his words, formal and cold. “You’re not doing this...”
A dull ache spreads through me, like something is being ripped away. Lucas meets my gaze full on, and with each word out of his mouth the agony increases. “Dominic Konstantin, as alpha of your pack, I dismiss your allegiance, and your service. You have until dawn to leave this town, my territory, on pain of death.”
When he’s done, there’s a hollow feeling inside me. The connection I once had to him, to Finn, Tristan—it’s gone. It used to be part of my subconscious, as reassuring as a blanket or a comfortable sweater.
Now, there’s nothing there, like there had been nothing a year ago. “You can’t...”
Lucas bares his teeth, turning his back on me. “I have nothing left to say to you.”
The words get stuck in my throat—anger at his dismissal, fury at the way he’s acting. But I bite them down, my pride concealing them. “Fine. But I hope Finn told you everything, so you understand what you’re dealing with. The vrykolakas won’t back off, especially with me out of the picture.”
When I walk out of his office, there's no victorious feel. Only defeat – and the sensation I’m leaving a piece of me behind.
∞ ♦ ∞
I squint at Luz’s window for long moments, debating if this is smart, before giving in and climbing the fire escape. The minute I knock on the door, she’s there to open it, and tugs me inside.
“Dom!” She’s burying her head in my chest, hugging me as hard as she can. “I was so worried.” She pulls back, looking at me. “Why didn’t you say where you were going?”
As she searches my expression, some of my agony must show because she drops her arms, frowning. “What’s going on? Has there been another attack on animals?”
I shake my head, dropping my forehead to hers. Closing my eyes, I inhale her scent like it’s the last time I’ll ever breathe it—and it very well might be.
“Dom, you’re scaring me.”
My mouth drops to hers, tasting her lips, taking my time even though it’s counted. I feel her tears on my cheeks and pull back.
“I need to leave.”
Her eyes widen but she remains unmoving, stunned by my flat declaration. After a long beat, she says, “What... why?”
“Lucas kicked me out of the pack.”
“He did what!?”
I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, and cup her cheek. “Listen to me. He had his reasons, not that I agree with them. But this whole thing with the vrykolakas, I have to fix it.”
“Why does it have to be you?” Her fingers cling to my shirt as if to keep me here. “If Lucas kicked you out, why can’t we just leave?”
I’m shaking my head before she’s even done talking. “This morning, when I disappeared, I was with my godmother, Ileana. I... If I ever get another chance, I’ll tell you about her. But she confirmed as much as Finn did that these vrykolakas are my relatives. And tonight, I met my cousin, who’s leading them. I can’t let them hurt anyone else, Luz. If I do, it’ll be on my shoulders, and a regret I’ll have to live with forever.”
Fresh tears spring to her eyes, and she grabs my hand as if to keep me here. “Dom, please don’t do this alone. It’s suicide! Lucas will get over his anger, and once he does you can fight these monsters together! He’s just pissed that there’s another alpha in town.”
If it was only that. “He’s hurt, Luz. I kept too much from him, and now he’s lashing out. Whatever you do, don’t piss him off.” She opens her mouth at that, but I place my index on her lips. “I need you to promise me you’ll stay with them, with the pack. You need their protection.”
“But I want to be with you.”
My heart clenches, my wolf rebelling against what I’m doing. “I know, because I do as well. But they can offer you protection like a lone wolf can’t. Please, Luz. Please.”
Her green eyes meet mine and she nods, though I can tell it’s tearing her up. “Fine. I promise.”
I kiss her one last time, then I wrench myself from her grip and leave before I do something that will make me stay forever.
Lucrezia
The next day, I don’t see Dom. Or the next. There’s a tension around the shop, but no one is saying anything. By the third day, I barge into Lucas’ office.
“You’re a real ass, you know that?”
His eyes don't move from his papers. “Not the first time you said that.”
“Where’s Dom?”
“Beats me.”
His coolness is infuriating, considering I’m standing there panting and my hair is flying all over. I move closer and push all the papers off his desk—my job be damned. If he wants to fire me, let him.
Lucas looks at me then, awareness creeping in his eyes. “I guess I never really saw it, but I do now, cara. You love me.”
I snort at the statement. “Because I barge in here making demands? Boy, you really are full of yourself, aren’t you?”
He leans back into his chair, assurance oozing from his pores. “It’s been known to happen.”
My teeth hurt from gritting them. “I don’t love you, I never did. Your damn pheromones messed with my mind. What I felt was lust, nothing more. I do, however, love Dominic.”
I’ve half a mind to hit Lucas, but he gets up, eyes glinting and jaw clenched with purpose. Slowly, he moves around the desk, but I refuse to back away. He stares at me for the longest moment, and I don’t see it coming.
Before I know it, he’s kissing me. One hand wraps around my nape, holding me still, the other reaching for my hip. And if I wasn’t already convinced of my feelings for Dom, the kiss would have done the job.
It’s nothing like having Dom’s lips on mine, nor does it spark anything in me in the two-point-five seconds it takes my brain to register my surprise and act. I shove Lucas away, throwing in a resounding slap for good measure.
Lucas stares at me, his eyes glittering with unreadable emotion. “I guess I missed my chance there.”
“Go to hell, Lucas.” I stalk away, but stop before exiting, turning to see him staring at the carpet. “Dom knew nothing about his lineage until me and Finn dug it up. He didn’t even realize the vrykolakas were linked to him. You need to stomp over that pride of yours before it ruins you and everyone around you.”
I take off before I say something that'll get me into more trouble, and barge instead into the garage where Finn and Tristan are working. “Did you two know Lucas exiled Dom?”
They glance at me, then each other. Tristan drops his wrench to the ground where it clatters. “That idiota!” He moves as if to go after Lucas, but Finn steps in his way.
“Dom pushed too many limits, it was bound to happen.”
Tristan releases a string of curses in Portuguese, and I swear his glare could melt an iceberg. “And you knew he did this?”
Finn lets him go, stepping away with a peculiar expression on his face. “I felt something a few nights ago. When we didn’t hear from Dom, I just assumed.” He glances at me. “Where is he?”
“Gone.” I hate that my voice shakes and tears spring to my eyes. But I miss Dom. His smile, his presence, his touch – it’s all I can think about.
“He wouldn’t leave you.” I look up at Tristan, feeling his certainty. “I don’t care what Lucas threatened him with, I know Dominic and he would not leave you behind.”
“He said you’d all protect me.”
“It’s not about protection, love.” Finn places a hand on my shoulder, squeezing once before letting go. “His wolf won’t allow him to be far from you. He's still around, trust us, but he must be in hiding.”
Hope blooms in my chest at his words, and it doesn’t take me long to decide my next course of action. “Then I’ll find him.”
“I’ll help.” Tristan turns his glare to the door. “But first I need to have a chat with our fearless leader.”
He’s off before Finn can intervene this time, and he shakes his head. “I better go after him, before he does something he’ll regret. Wait for us here, and we’ll all go find Dominic.”
“Sure.” Once he’s gone around the corner, I grab his car keys off the tool table, as well as a jacket and baseball cap.
I’ll be damned if I waste time waiting while you three have your pissing contest.
∞ ♦ ∞
In retrospect, taking off on my own while my boyfriend is MIA, and the pack is busy not falling apart, was not my best decision. But love will have you doing crazy things, right?
Or so I tell myself when night catches me way too far off from Claws Auto Shop, and with a car that runs out of gas. Because of course Finn didn’t foresee I would take it for a joyride around town and waste all the gas for hours on end.
Shit.
So I’m staring around and realizing I have little choice except to get out and walk somewhere to get help. My phone is dead too. At first I turned the sound off, but by the time I was willing to return the guys’ missed calls, the battery had died because of the cold.
I pull the jacket tighter around me, lower the baseball cap on my head and try to knot my hair under the collar. Maybe if people think I’m a man, they’ll pay less attention to me. Just in case, I grab a screwdriver from the side door and pocket it. It may not be much in terms of weapon, but at least it’s something.
It seems a good idea until a few blocks down the road I hear growls. Three wolves emerge out of an alleyway, their yellow eyes glinting in the darkness. For a second, I wonder if I might be lucky enough and these are regular wolves.
That idea is shot to hell when I notice the way the smaller ones stare at the leader and the intelligence gleaming in his eyes. I don’t have to speak wolf to understand what’s going on in their heads. Fresh meat.
I glance around, but sure enough there’s no one. At the end of the street I can see cars at an intersection, but that’s blocks away. No way can I outrun these wolves... So I do the next best thing and reach for the screwdriver.
The leader’s eyes go to it, then dart towards me as if he can’t believe I plan to fight them. I shrug. “I’m stubborn food. Trust me, you won’t enjoy me.”
The wolf scoffs, jerking his head to the others. They leave the cover of the alleyway and fan out, surrounding me in all corners. I shift my feet, centering myself for better movement. When the first one jumps at me, I elbow him in the chest and push him off.
The second grabs for my leg. Fearing his bite might be one of those that could turn me, I jerk out of the way but end up hitting my knee on the cement. I clench the screwdriver, biting back a groan of pain, and drive it into the approaching wolf's side. He jumps back, whining.
The leader is last to face me, eyes slanted now as if recognizing an adversary. I stagger to my feet, grimacing at the jolt of pain in my knee. There’s little doubt in my mind I won’t be able to hold all of them off if they attack together. But I plan to damn well try.
The wolf hunches over, looking ready to pounce—then he stills. I feel it too, right before a stranger’s voice washes over me. “Leave her.”
I whirl around, dropping my guard with the wolf and ready to jab the newcomer with a screwdriver. But he stops my hit with one hand, gripping my wrist in his larger—much larger—hand that engulfs mine.
A stormy gaze stares into mine for a beat, silver irises searching mine. A lock of dark hair falls over his forehead, and his lips move in a half-smirk. He’s not a pretty boy—but dark and scruffy with a day’s worth of beard. Yet the faded jeans and shirt are clean, and his presence is overwhelming.
I gulp as at his insistent gaze, almost numb when he removes the screwdriver and throws it away. Still holding my wrist, he tugs me to his side and levels a hardened expression on the wolves. They’ve now grouped around their leader.
“You’re still here?”
The head one takes a step closer, but the stranger snarls. I glance at him, seeing his upper lip curled over bared teeth, and shiver. Who is this guy? Another wolf?
With a whine, my attackers leave us alone, disappearing around a corner. The stranger releases my wrist at that point, tilting his head as he looks me up and down.
“Do you make a habit of facing off wolves armed with only a screwdriver?”
I gulp past the fear lodged in my throat. “Not really. My car ran out of gas, and my cell ran out of battery. I was trying to find help.”
“And what were you doing in this part of town to begin with?”
My eyes narrow at his patronizing tone. “I was looking for my boyfriend.”
His nostrils flare as if taking in my scent. “Ah. I see. He’s missing?”
“You know, I think I’m done answering your questions. Thank you for your help, but I’ll be fine from here.” Despite me walking away, he matches my pace until we’re side by side. “I meant it.”
“Yes, you did.” He sounds amused, and a quick glance confirms his gray eyes are now sparkling merrily. “But I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I let a lonely, unprotected woman walk by herself in these dangerous parts.”
“You keep talking, but I’m neither lonely nor unprotected.”
He ignores my mutter, stepping ahead of me and blocking my path. I glare up at him, having to throw my head back to see him. “You’re annoying.”
“And you are refreshing, Red. What’s your name?”
My eyes narrow, but the fierce expression I'm trying to portray doesn't seem to faze him. “I’ll scream for help.”
“Much as I would enjoy that, I propose something different. My car is parked over there.” He points to the busy intersection where a dark Hummer is pulled over to the side. “I will take you wherever you want.”
“What’s the catch?”
He grins. “Tell me your name.”
Only my desperation to find Dom makes me give in. The quicker I can get to Claws Auto Shop, the sooner I’ll be back out searching for him—this time, with backup.
With a sigh, I move past him. “Lucrezia San Marco.”
∞ ♦ ∞
A few minutes later, we pull in front of the shop. My mysterious benefactor didn’t say a word during the entire ride—other than ask for the address—and was a perfect gentleman.
Now that we’re here, and I’m still alive, I unbuckle my seat belt and face him. “Thank you. And...I’m sorry for my rudeness.”
He grins, waving off my apology. “The pleasure was all mine, Lucrezia.”
My hand automatically moves to the door to open it, but I hesitate, realizing I never even asked his name. “What’s your name? So I can thank you properly, at least.”
His eyes roam over my features as if trying to figure out if I’m worthy of the information. After another beat, he says, “Tytus. But friends call me Ty.”
“Well, thank you, Ty.” His eyes seem brighter in the car, or maybe it’s the light. I gulp past that odd unease in my throat and step out.
Tristan storms out of the shop, followed by Finn. “Merda, Lucrezia! Where the hell have you been? And who's that guy?”
I glance where Tristan is scowling, noticing Ty has now exited the car and is standing off to the side, his nostrils flaring. “That guy is the man who brought back what you obviously lost. Perhaps a change of tone would be appropriate.”
Something in his voice makes me shiver, but I don’t move. Finn steps closer, nose turned up in the air. “What are you? Your smell...”
I gape at them. “He’s not human?”
“Não, not even close.” Tristan's tone is none too pleased.
Ty either wants to piss them off, or he’s not great with people. Either way, he doesn't answer them and instead catches my gaze. “By the way, I know where your boyfriend is, if you’d like to find him tonight.”
“Where?” I ignore the guys’ shouts of protest, already stepping closer to the car.
“Where all lost souls go.”
I bite my lip, glancing back at the guys. They’ve been nothing but supportive, and I know the tight spot I’m putting them in by doing what I plan to. But I’ve come too far, and there’s no way I intend to be away from Dom a minute longer.
“Sorry, guys, but I need to find Dom. And Ty’s my best chance at that.”
With one last glance at their stunned expressions, I hop back into the Hummer and Ty takes off in a screech of tires.
∞ ♦ ∞
Barely twenty minutes later, we park in the middle of nowhere, on the outskirts of town. A small building with a neon sign announces it’s a bar, open twenty-four-seven, but the light is partly shut off and the place doesn’t inspire confidence.
Ty gets out of the car and I follow him, wringing my hands together. Despite my uneasiness, if Dom is in there, I need to woman up and get him. So I straighten my back and stomp over, my boots crunching over the hardened snow.
When we enter the bar, the smell of beer, cheap cologne and smoke assails me, so potent it makes me cough. Ty’s there to tap my back gently, then points to a corner.
Past the run-down bar and stools, across the laminated floor, my eyes fall on Dom—and the girl on his lap. She’s barely wearing anything and he’s not touching her, despite her efforts to the contrary.
Dom’s expression, when I zero in on it, makes my heart squeeze. His gaze is lost in the beyond, and there’s an empty bottle of liquor at his feet. The girl shifts in his lap, but it doesn’t draw a single reaction out of him.
“How did you know he was here?” My words are a murmur, but my companion seems to hear them easily enough.
“Caught his scent on you.”
I glance up at Ty, surprised he so easily confirmed what the guys said. “So you’re really not human.”
A flash of teeth in the dark, then he backs away. “Like your friend said, I’m as far from it as they come. I’ll be at the bar if you run into any trouble. Take care, Lucrezia.”
I recognize the goodbye, and after he disappears in the crowd, I stomp over to my boyfriend, my blood boiling. I tap the woman's shoulder, setting my face in my most angry scowl. “Move off my man.”
“Excuse me?” She’s slurring, drunk out of her mind.
“You heard me. Move off him. Now.”
The girl doesn’t budge, so I yank her off Dom. She stumbles away muttering about rude bitches, but I tune her out. My entire focus is on Dom, and the glaze in his eyes.
Those blue eyes that I love stare unseeing at me, and when he speaks it’s rough and toneless. “What are you doing here?”
Instead of answering, I grab his hand in mine and try to pull him to his feet. “Come with me.”
“No.”
Dom pulls his hand out mine and goes to take a swing of his drink, but realizes it’s empty. He throws it back to the ground, putting up a hand to cover his eyes. “Leave.”
I do the opposite. If there’s no way he’ll answer rationally, then perhaps I can entice his wolf enough to follow me. So I sit on his lap, ignoring the hoots and whistles around us, and kiss him with everything I have.
At first, his lips remain motionless against mine, making me growl in frustration. Dammit, Dom. I tug on his lower lip with my teeth, and when he still doesn’t react, I bite down on it. A hiss of pain escapes him and he tries to move away, but I don’t let go, kissing him harder instead.
There’s a shift of energy, and a groan escapes him. A heartbeat later, Dom’s hand goes to my lower back, pulling me closer into him. Then his other catches my loose hair and grips it for leverage, before angling my mouth to take control of the kiss.
The hollers increase around us, but the only thing I care about is the man finally responding to my touch. When his hand at my back moves lower, gripping my ass, I shift in his lap and pull back from the kiss.
“Come with me.”
Dom stares at me for a long beat, still holding onto my hair. My scalp tingles from the tight grip, but I don’t look away from him, afraid of losing him. Then he shudders out a breath, and lets go of me as if all fight left him.
I get off him, my cheeks flushed at the whistles still going on. When I hold out my hand this time, Dom grasps it. Then he gets up and follows me out, stumbling with every step.