Anyone who knew us would be positive something was wrong.
After a beat of hesitation, I waved him over. He was at my side in a heartbeat.
“Where’s your werewolf?”he asked.
“Otherwise occupied.”
AKA either fighting or driving far above the speed limit in an attempt to find me. They had to have figured out how to track his SUV by then.
Even if Maverick hadn’t been told that we were gone, the gathering would undoubtedly be swarming with werewolves soon, which would terrify the Guild and the founding families.
But the wolves wouldn’t kill them.
I knew that, even if the rest of them didn’t.
“Can you keep an eye on us? Just in case?” I wrapped an arm around Harper’s waist, catching her as she went slack. Timber studied her for a moment.
She was zoned out.
Paler than I’d seen her before.
Sweating, too.
The slight bulge in her lips told me her fangs had descended.
“Bloom.” His voice was low. Shocked. Horrified.
“It was Velour.” Mine was barely above a whisper. “She needs to say goodbye to Neve.”
I wanted to break down and cry again.
To scream.
To beg for help.
But there was no one there.
Just me.
So I stayed in control, like a good fucking vampire.
Feigning calmness.
Timber swore under his breath. “Fuck. I’ll do it.”
We both knew what he was talking about.
It took everything I had not to sink to my knees and sob.
Instead, I tightened my grip on her waist and walked her across the bar, all but dragging her toward the booth her mother occupied.
Her mother, who had repeated again and again that turned vampires were monsters who couldn’t be saved.
I hated that she was right.
That my ridiculous plan had failed, and that failure was going to cost my best friend her life.
My eyes met Neve’s despite the distance between us, and the look in hers was so dark, I’d almost call it hateful.
