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I refuse to let him be right. Not after he drugged me and dragged me here against my own freewill.
I rest my head on Jules’ shoulder, a soft breath rushing from my lips as the scent of moonlight engulfs my senses. “Am I?”
Philip’s lips spasm. “You can’t even remember him.”
“No, you speculated that I can’t.” My tone is surprisingly even. “I never said anything of the sort.”
The cat’s jaw ticks. “I can tell that you don’t.”
Jules outlines circles on the back of my thumb, causing goose bumps to sprout across my skin. “I didn’t come here to discuss what Elora doesn’t or does remember. I came here to discuss a bargain.”
Philip scowls at him. “You’re not in charge here. I am.”
“You know that’s not true,” Jules replies coolly. “All I have to do is make one single call and your entire family dies.”
Philip leaps to his feet, growling. “Then she dies with them.”
Jules shakes his head, the epitome of calm. “All I have to do is lock you up until the poison wears out of her system.”
“You and what army?” the cat snarls, his claws snapping out.
Jules nods at a window, his eyes never wavering from the cat. “Why don’t you go see for yourself.”
Rage roars from Philip’s chest as he stalks over to the window and jerks the curtain back. “I told you to come alone!” he hisses
“And you thought I would listen?” Jules untangles his fingers from mine and rises to his feet. “You threatened my alterum dimidium animae, poisoned her, kidnapped her, and you thought I’d just let you get away with it?” His deadly cold tone sends a shiver over my body. “You should’ve known better.”
Okay, I really need to find out what this alterum dimidium animae thing is.
Philip reels around with both sets of claws out. “Your pack took my entire family away from me. What did you expect me to do? Bow down and simply accept it?”
“You know as well as I do that what happened to your family has nothing to do with me. I fought my father’s decision to imprison them, but he doesn’t listen to anyone but himself.” Jules’ tone conveys an edge at the mention of his father, and his fingers fold inward, the silver rings burning more of his flesh.
Philip momentarily remains silent as he studies Jules. “I know that.” He flexes his fingers, retracting his claws back inside his knuckles. “But I can’t just let them remain locked up because your father falsely accused them of murder.” He rests his arm on the mantle of the fireplace, gazing at the crackling fire. “My family didn’t murder her or her parents.” His gaze flits to me. “And the fact that she’s here should be enough proof.”
A piercing sensation lodges in the center of my heart. “Wait … Your family was accused of killing me and my parents?” I glance helplessly up at Jules. “Are my parents … dead?”
His throat bobs as he nods.
Tears burn my eyes. “Maybe they’re not, though?” I sputter desperately. “I mean, I’m still alive and you thought I was dead.”
“Elora …” Jules starts with pity in his eyes.
“Don’t call me Elora please,” I cut him off. “That name doesn’t make sense to me, and it brings back painful memories.”Of werewolves and evil.
Looking worried, he sits down beside me. “Lake, we know for sure that your parents died because …” He takes my hands in his. “Because we found their bodies the day you disappeared.”
My heart literally dies in my chest.
My parents are dead.
I don’t know why, but I always hoped that maybe I simply just got separated from them and they couldn’t find me. But they never even looked for me. Because they’re gone.
Because they’re dead.
CHAPTER9
Pain. So much pain stirs in my chest. An unwanted, overpowering, destroying feeling, threatening to tear my heart apart.
