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“They know what I am, in case you don’t remember.”
He smirks, seeing the small break in my exterior.
“We both know that’s not what I’m talking about, so don’t start playing dumb with me right now, Ros.”
The memories I wanted buried try to emerge, but I hold it together. Barely.
“How long did it take? A year and a half? Weak, pathetic little wolf. That’s all it took to break you.”
My hands start to shake, and I take a step back, suddenly not feeling so badass and confident. How the hell does he know?
He pushes off from the tree, toying with a small stick in his hands as he takes one leisurely step toward me.
“What happens when your big bad boyfriend finds out? Think he’ll just turn his back on it? That’s a very powerful circle you’ve fallen into, little wolf. A very powerful, self-righteous, deadly circle. You think they’ll still be protecting you when they find out all your dirty little secrets?”
He takes another step forward, and I move back one. I really don’t like this little game.
“It was survival,” I whisper, saying aloud what has been playing in my head since it happened. Even after the memory spell, I heard that phrase whispered to me in the shadows of my mind.
“Oh?” he asks, taking another step toward me. “Not even two years, and you suddenly felt the need to do whatever it took?”
My anger surges, and I fight down the wolf when she tries to scratch free to shred him. I didn’t come here to die. I came here thinking I was killing the enemy—someone who wanted me dead for being what I am.
Not someone who knew what I’d done.
“Fuck you,” I growl, sounding more animal than human. “You have no idea—”
“Don’t finish that sentence, little wolf,” he says with thick condescension, but I catch the hint of bitter anger hiding in the undertones.
Immediately I regret the words, because I know better, but I’m so used to saying that.
“Three centuries, wolf. Three, long, painful centuries I endured more than you ever even dreamt of. My scars can’t be covered by magic. Yet you think I should have sympathy for someone who couldn’t even make it a year and a half?” Another step forward for him, and another step back for me. “Guess what. I don’t. Big surprise, I know.”
His eyes flash silver, reminding me of his power. Memories flash through my mind. Memories of them dragging me past his cage numerous times by my leash. Memories of him staring at me with disgust.
He knew. Somehow, he knew. They swore no one would ever know.
“Good for you. So glad you were that strong. I’m the one who has to live with how weak I was. But it’s over now. We’re out. And I’m not—”
“That makes it all better then?” he interrupts, a cold chill to his tone. He laughs softly while walking to the side, shifting the angle we’re standing at, and I move to keep facing him. No way in hell am I taking my eyes off him.
“Nice clothes by the way. I bet the boyfriend hasn’t seen them. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here planning on killing me before I told him all your nasty little secrets. You never told me what you think he’ll do when he finds out.”
The marks I didn’t pay much attention to before flash through my mind. The marks Karma has. The marks Kimber has.
They were both stuck in the hell rings at one time. I don’t know for how long, or if they got out before or after the rings were broken up. Somehow, I don’t think it will matter.
At least I don’t recognize either of them, which means—
“Putting the pieces together, dark girl? Figuring out why your boyfriend would slit your throat with his own claws?”
He pauses, letting me stew in the angst as he moves to the other side, still keeping a wide space between us.
“I hesitated at first—that day in your house. I’d only ever seen you in wolf form, and though Kya swore it was you, I wasn’t convinced. You had no strength, made no attempt to fight me off with magic… Obviously that gave me pause. I was going to show mercy—make it swift—but you didn’t fight back like I knew you could. Little did I know there was a spell on you.”
The more he talks, the more my guilt ebbs and makes way for my anger.
“You’re no better
