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He looked down at me. His gaze moved over the sheet tangled around my naked body. Something dark and hungry flickered through his expression. Then fear swallowed it. He bent. His fingers brushed my cheek.

“Stay where I know where you are.”

My chest tightened.

There it was again.

Stay.

Guard.

Watch.

Protect.

Words that once would’ve made me feel safe.

Now…

I wasn’t sure what they made me feel.

He straightened. Another quiet knock. Alaric crossed the room. Opened the door just enough to slip through. Then closed it behind him. I stared at the wood. Listened. Rafe’s voice. Too low to understand. Alaric answered. Then footsteps.

I lay there for several seconds. Maybe longer. My gaze slowly shifting toward the wall. Toward the study.

The place he hides under the study.

My stomach tightened.

No.

I wasn’t doing this.

I wasn’t going searching through his house because some monster told me to. I threw the sheet aside. Got out of bed and started dressing. Then I heard Rafe clearly from somewhere down the hall.

“Bethany.”

Everything inside me stopped.

My shirt hung half-buttoned beneath my fingers.

Silence.

Then Rafe again, only lower this time. “Since when?”

I moved.

Bare feet hit the floor and I crossed the bedroom before I’d finished fastening the buttons. I yanked open the door. The hallway was empty. Voices carried from further down. Alaric. I couldn’t make out the words.

Then Rafe. “Her phone is dead.”

My stomach dropped. Why were they talking about Bethany and her phone? I hurried toward them. Alaric stood near the entrance to the library with his back to me. Rafe faced him, phone still pressed against his ear. Neither saw me.

“Who was with her?” Alaric asked.

“Vivienne’s checking.”

“Last confirmed sighting?”