Chapter 18
DEREK
The child barely came up to my waist, his wild curls bouncing as he tilted his head up at me. His amber eyes sparkled with mischief as he studied me. He didn’t look afraid–if anything, he was curious.
“I’ve never seen you before,” he said, matter–of–factly.
I smirked. “Maybe because I haven’t been here before.”
a
He nodded as if that answer satisfied him. He had a strong aura–rare for a child his age- and I knew I was looking at a future Alpha. For reasons I couldn’t explain, a strange warmth spread through my chest.
“You seem to be in a bit of a hurry,” I pointed out.
He grinned, completely unfazed. “Not really. Just finished something important.”
I crouched down to his level, intrigued. “Yeah? What was so important?”
He looked around conspiratorially—his eyes landing on Joe and my men a little warily— and then leaned in toward me, whispering, “I pulled off a prank. A good one.”
“How good?”
“There’s flour all over the kitchen,” he said, his gap–toothed rapscallion smile grinning
from ear to ear.
“And how did that happen?” I couldn’t help but smile back.
“I put flour in the chef’s toke,” he giggled. “When he put it on his head…poof!”
I chuckled despite myself. There was something oddly familiar about his energy. “Sounds like you’re going to be in big trouble when they catch you.”
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Chapter 18
He scrunched up his nose. “Maybe. But my mom always says if you’re going to do something, do it properly.”
I laughed. “Smart advice. Your dad say the same?”
+25 Bonus
The boy’s expression flickered for a moment before he shook his head. “Don’t have one. Just me and my mom.”
A strange pang hit me in the chest at his words, but before I could say anything else, a voice
echoed down the hall.
He inhaled in surprise and whipped his head toward the sound. There were footsteps coming down the hallway. He turned to me, looking up at me with pleading eyes. “Don’t
tell!”
I raised myself to standing and made a zipping–my–lips–and–turning–the–key gesture. He grinned and without another word, he turned and bolted away, disappearing behind a pillar
just as voices approached.
Elena’s voice rang out. “Ai—”
She froze mid–syllable when she spotted me.
It was an awkward moment, but it only took her a moment to regain her composure. She straightened her spine. “Alpha Derek,” she said, nodding respectfully. Her eyes flitted to where Joe and some of my warriors stood.
Mason stepped forward. “Welcome to our home,” he said without any real warmth behind his words. “As my parents are currently abroad, Elena will be taking over the duties of Luna
in their absence.”
Joe snorted derisively. I would have corrected his rude behavior, but the moment Mason had said ‘our home,‘ Erebus snarled so viciously at the words ‘our home” that I couldn’t focus on anything else.
“We’ve been waiting, Luna,” Joe said, inflecting the word with as much disrespect as possible, as usual not missing any chance to be an ass. “Did you and Mason get lost on your
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Chapter 18
way to flaunting your little power grab? Or were you too busy playing house?”
+25 Bonus
Blood still roaring in my ears, I watched Elena’s face. It remained unreadable, but there was a flicker of something dangerous in her gaze. Before she could respond, I stepped forward, my eyes fixing on her.
“All these years,” I said, keeping my voice as low and even as I could. “You were here. While I was searching for you. While I had a funeral for you. While I mourned you…”
Something flashed in her eyes–anger, regret, maybe even pain. But she masked it quickly. “You think you were the only one who lost something?” she countered. “You were quick to believe I was dead. Maybe you just wanted me gone.”
I stepped forward, closing the space between us. “You have no idea what I wanted.”
Mason moved slightly, as if ready to interfere, but Elena lifted a hand, stopping him. Her gaze never wavered from mine. “And you have no idea what I went through.”
Before I could push further, Mason stepped in, locking eyes with Elena. I knew that look-
mindlinking. And whatever he said to her, it made her sigh before shifting her focus back to
- me.
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