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Christian is gone, and so is his gun.
That’s the upside. The downside?
Theo is waiting outside of the jailhouse, a gun that looks like the twin to Christian’s clasped loosely in his grip.
As soon as he sees me, that I’m in one piece and Aleks hasn’t found a way to break through the bars and suck me dry, he quickly gets rid of it. I’m not really sure how, maybe he sticks it in his waistband or something, and all I can think about is what the silver bullets would do to his dick if the gun accidentally went off.
It would be a much funnier thing to think about if it was still Christian with the gun. Like, boom, there goes his nuts. The stone-faced Beta would totally deserve it.
Theo, not so much.
I keep my voice calm. Cool. “Waiting for me?”
He nods. “Christian told me you went into to see the vampire. When the Alpha called for him, I offered to stick around so I can escort you back to your cabin.”
Why am I not surprised?
I jerk my chin at him. “Face looks better.”
“Thanks.” He lifts his now empty hand, running it over his cheek. The faint scar is a vast improvement over the jagged marks from earlier. Give it another hour and he should be completely healed. “I’m glad you like it.”
I blink. Um. Okay. I definitely didn’t say that.
Theo drops his hand, gesturing in front of him. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”
Part of me wants to point out that I’m only borrowing Elizabeth’s cabin because Walker conned me into agreeing that I would stay, but that it’s definitely not my home. That it’ll never be my home. Before I give in to that urge, though, I notice how everyone is staring at me as we move through the Wolf District.
That’s not new. Ever since I came here, I’ve been the center of attention. Why wouldn’t I be? Between being Walker’s “long lost daughter” and a female alpha, I’d be more worried if they pretended I wasn’t here.
But there’s an edge to their stare that has me glancing up at Theo as I ask, “Are you walking with me because you’re protecting me or protecting them?”
He gives me an impish grin. “A little of both, I’d bet.”
Yeah. That’s what I thought.
We walk together in silence. I have half a mind to tell Theo that I can make it back to the cabin on my own, but then I remember how bad his face looked earlier. Walker obviously discovered that Theo was the one who let me and Duke in to see Trish. If I hadn’t pulled rank on him, he never would have, but I did so it’s partly my fault that Walker lashed out at him like that.
At least now I know why he was eager to lie to me about the injury. He didn’t want to me to know that he was hurt because of me.
Don’t get me wrong. I blame Walker completely for his attacking Theo. I mean, what kind of Alpha turns on his own wolf for something so harmless? If anything, he should’ve come after me—but, I’m guessing, he won’t do that while he still believes he has a chance to convince me to stay here of my own free will.
After that? I’m thinking all bets are off.
Huh. Seems like I answered my own question already, too. What kind of Alpha would do that? The same kind who would throw one of his wolves at a furious vampire and smirk when the vampire drained him to the quick.
A shiver courses down my spine.
I never saw Aleks feed before. At least, not from a live donor. That’s something he did on his own, almost as if he was careful not to rub his being a vamp in my face. Like, logically, I knew Aleks didn’t survive on blood bags. It’s just… that was hard to watch, and I’m a shifter who can eviscerate a deer during a hunt.
Theo picks up on my shiver. He doesn’t know me, though. He has no idea what’s going on in my head otherwise he never would’ve said, “If their stares are bothering you, let me know. I can tell the Alpha and you can be sure he’ll stop them from doing it.”
Right. And then he’ll grab one of them and throw them at Aleks the next time he feels like having some “training”.
I shake my head. “It’s okay. Let’s not do that.”
“Why not?” Theo sounds surprised. “He wants you to be comfortable here. Wouldn’t that help?”
The only thing that’ll help me is Walker letting Aleks out of that cage, releasing Trish into my care, and letting me and Duke take her home.
