“I’m your grandson.”
“Which is precisely why I’m here right now, talking to you, instead of helping the others.”
My eyes narrowed. “Helping them do what, exactly? Attack the compound? Start a war with vampire kind?”
“It’s inevitable,” he fired back.
I scoffed at that, ready to point out that some of our allies might feel differently.
But my grandfather wasn’t done speaking.
“We’re living in a world run by vampires, Edon. They’ve given us a few scraps to keep us content over the last hundred or so years. Scraps that included human toys and bloody hunts. But it was never going to be enough. And frankly, it was never meant to be enough.”
Meaning my grandfather felt this fate had been unavoidable from the beginning. “So why work with Jace and the others? Why pretend to be their allies?”
“We weren’t pretending, son. We were working with them while it suited our purposes, just as their kind has done to us. However, now that we know where to find proof of their manipulations, our purposes are no longer aligned.”
Kylan just showed up,Silas said into my mind.Apparently, he followed me here.His irritation was palpable, yet he didn’t seem all that surprised. He’d left in a hurry, wanting to protect Luna and not bothering to be stealthy about it.
Kylan had probably assumed something had happened.
And, well, he wasn’t wrong.
This is going to be a shit show,Luna whispered, her words the ones I would have uttered aloud if they were here.
“It’s too late to warn them, son,” my grandfather informed me softly, obviously aware that I was mentally speaking with my mates. “The lycans touched down outside of Rome an hour ago. The war has already begun. I only remained here to give you a choice—our side or theirs. The decision is up to you.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
RYDER
“All right,Willow. It’s just like we practiced,” I said against her ear. “Look through the scope and tell me what you see.”
She blew out a steady breath, one eye pressed against the scope. She didn’t immediately respond, my pet patient and thorough as she studied the scene before us.
We were about three stories up and just outside of the former Vatican City walls. I’d volunteered us for reconnaissance, while Khalid and his dragoness had opted for the underground. And Cedric had chosen to locate Damien.
Any minute now, I’d hear my progeny’s angry tones in my ear. I couldn’t wait.
Of course, Jace and Kylan would likely be angrier. But I needed their royal asses alive in case this mission failed.
Not that it would.
After all, Khalid had involved me in his fun and games. An intelligent move on his part. It also saved me from a world of boredom.
Meeting after meeting.
A fucking waste of time.
The impromptu one Hazel had called earlier had been focused on a future alliance gathering, plus a detailed discussionon the notable shifter absences. Edon, Silas, and Luna had been the only lycans in attendance.
They’d been tasked with finding the others.
Meanwhile, Khalid and Cedric had other plans.
“You still want to play?” Khalid had asked me shortly after the dull conversation with the others.
I’d arched my brow. “Depends on what you have in mind.”
